TW express surprising result!?

[KellyBass]

Fellas,

I was doing some chopsticking this afternoon on my express (clone) and was noticing some nasty pops and noise coming from my rather sloppy wire going from the middle pole of the volume pot to the brite switch. I replaced the wire with a shorter, shielded version and WOW...what an incredible difference! Not only did all the popiness(?) and noise go away, but the amp seemed to change character quite a bit. It seems way less out of control. Is this my imagination or is this a very critical little wire section?

[MCK]

KF says in an interview, every little change has an impact. Nature of the cable, type of shielding and even its color. I believe him! Happy for you that you found something that worked for you.

[ChrisM]

Stories like that keep me away from building a Wreck. Those damn amps are so finicky and you seem to have to be some precise.

Ill stick to my ODS build.

[M Fowler]

Tell me about it I have built 4 prior wrecks but this last express is kicking my arse.

[KellyBass]

Being a former guitar and bass builder, I've heard a lot of voodoo nonsense over the years...

"I love the tone of pre-CBS input jacks".

I'm relatively new to amp building, and I thought that a lot of what I was reading about these amps was also hard to swallow. But, to have a 1 inch piece of wire make such a dramatic difference! KF was right! No surprise there...

They're touchy, but I love these things! What a cool amp!

[dartanion]

The Wrecks are those that are a challenge to get stable. Once it's stable, they really rip. They are finicky and a pain at times, but once you get it down, it get's easier, save for the few that are extra picky. Even when you get it right, then you have the whole V1 issue. Finding a V1 that works is challenging as well.

[rawnster]

The Wrecks are those that are a challenge to get stable. Once it's stable, they really rip. They are finicky and a pain at times, but once you get it down, it get's easier, save for the few that are extra picky. Even when you get it right, then you have the whole V1 issue. Finding a V1 that works is challenging as well.

Totally! I was having some express V1 problems myself recently with a whistling Tungsram. Reading Rooster's thread on Tri-tube tube rings, I installed one. No more whistling Tungsram! Cool stuff.

https://tubeamparchive.com/viewtopic.ph ... highlight=

[VacuumVoodoo]

Fellas,

I was doing some chopsticking this afternoon on my express (clone) and was noticing some nasty pops and noise coming from my rather sloppy wire going from the middle pole of the volume pot to the brite switch. I replaced the wire with a shorter, shielded version and WOW...what an incredible difference! Not only did all the popiness(?) and noise go away, but the amp seemed to change character quite a bit. It seems way less out of control. Is this my imagination or is this a very critical little wire section?

The middle pole on a pot often moves a little as you turn the knob, if the solder joint is not perfect i.e. a cold solder, you will get pop, crackle and sizzle.
This could have been the situation in your amp. When you replaced the wire you also got a good solder joint at the same time. Of course if the original naked wire was several inches long than replacing it with a short shielded one can make a difference with regard to stability of the circuit but not to pops & crackles.

[ckpop]

Yes it's hard to believe such small changes can make a difference but they do. With such a simple circuit it lets you hear everything. I remember doing a build once and I moving a cathode ground wire about an inch and it change the gain and feel of the amp. I didn't even notice until the guitar player brought it to my attention. I didn't believe him, moved the wire back and it was back to normal.

I look at it this way, take a vintage guitar and replace one part, The pot and see if you can get the guitar to sound exactly the same ? Niel youngs guitar tech tried this on Blackie and after about 30 pots he had to put the orginal back in. A guitar amp can be the same way.

[KellyBass]

That's a good point about the solder joint...As I recall, the joint was very sloppy and the wire was funky as well...almost like it got too hot or something. The wierd thing was, the closer I moved the chostick to the wire, the louder the hum. And when I acually touched it...crackle.

I can definitely believe the Neil Young/Blackie pot scenario. I saw Neil back in '89 and at one point, he was singing into the guitar...and you could hear his voice coming out of his Marshalls! That's one hot, old LP.

[benoit]

I can definitely believe the Neil Young/Blackie pot scenario. I saw Neil back in '89 and at one point, he was singing into the guitar...and you could hear his voice coming out of his Marshalls! That's one hot, old LP.

Haha.. brings back memories. I recorded a black metal band once where I made the singer belt out the bridge into the EMGs of the guitar player, sounded ridiculous.

[KellyBass]

Finding a V1 that works is challenging as well.

Dartanion, you were seeing into my future...

It seems now that I'm finally sorta getting this thing dialed in, V1 is starting to show it's sensitive, temperamental side. I had read a lot of posts on here before I started my build, and I read a lot of discussions about V1. I guess I thought that, up to this point, I got lucky and somehow was able to avoid problems with V1. I don't think this anymore. I've definitely got some problems with it...too bad...the amp is sounding incredible except for what I suspect is, V1. The amp sounds best on the floor...not too close to the speaker cabs...and acts much more stable upside down! Maybe a combo?...

I've tried numerous inexpensive 12ax7s and 12at7s...some are better than others. The JJ's are best, I think. I'm trying my best to avoid buying any tube that is too expensive or exotic...one of my goals when I started this amp was to use all recent, readily available tubes.

Anyone have any recomendations for a current manufacture tube for V1 that is under, say, $35.00?

I've also ordered a couple of those Triton Tube Socket housings that I read about in a recent post. I think they are a good idea. And yes, I do realize that for what I spent on the fancy tube housings, I probably could have bought a nice non-michrophonic tube. Hmmm....

[M Fowler]

It depends on which of my TW Express amps I am playing some like the 5751 in V1 and V2 with 12AT7 V3 but I have been using the GTgoldpins lately. I also had good luck with 12AX7LPS or 7025 are quiet.

I has been a while since I did my AB testing will all the tubes in my inventory and it really made a difference. I used the same tube and tried it in all three spots, logged that, grabbed more noting each tube in each position mated with what other tubes and finally came to a choice. But then I don't have a large inventory like some of our guys here.

Mark

[KellyBass]

Thanks for the advice, Mark. I think I'm finally getting it through my thick head that there isn't a "best" tube for V1...or a "best" coupling cap. There simply is what works. And I'm never going to find out if I don't try different things and combinations. It just seems that it takes a lot more experimenting with this amp than any I've built before. But then again, it sounds ten times better than any amp I've built before...and I'm not even done with it.

[M Fowler]

KellyBass

If you read the old posts on very well built TW amps by our guys you will notice one thing, they change tubes like crazy and they had their share of problems with tubes, noise and wire placement.

Yeah keep on trying different things and maybe you may have to move a wire here and there plus glue it down to get what you feel is the ultimate setup. From what I have read we amp builders are never done or satisfied. On to the next project.

Mark