Deluxe AB763 build advice please -minus reverb and vib

[Firestorm]

So wouldn't that be like building the bass channel of a 6G6B Bassman for the most part?

Nah. It's similar only in that the CF is right after the first gain stage (like in the 6G6). The rest of the preamp is pure AB763.

[rogb]

I have built and covered the combo cab, installed the G12 65 too. Pics to come soon.

I will keep the old Celestion cab and put another 12" in there to use as an extension cab sometime.

I have started on the chassis, drilled the tube holes and I will finish up the faceplate design and get those made up.

The Deluxe runs 4 16uF PS caps while the DRruns 5. I am going to use 4 x15uF 500v F&T to start, saving a space on the board to fit an extra cap of it is needed.

I have planned out the main board and marked my template up ready for drilling.

Any thoughts on components? I am going carbon comp resistors all through except on the PS board. I will measure the values and hope noise isn't a problem.

Any thoughts as to the other caps? Mallory? Orange Drop. A mix of the two?

Still haven't decided on the OT/PT yet. May go with Hammond or go crazy with MM and get a FatStack so I can use 6L6. OT needs 4/8/16 as my G12 is a 15ohm.

Pots will be CTS volume with pull bright switching, Alpha for the rest.

Any advice from Fender gurus warmly welcomed!

[Alexo]

Check out Allen Amps for some very affordable and well made Heyboer Fendery transformers! No need to go broke on Mercury, imo...

[Firestorm]

The Deluxe runs 4 16uF PS caps while the DRruns 5. I am going to use 4 x15uF 500v F&T to start, saving a space on the board to fit an extra cap of it is needed.

Any thoughts as to the other caps? Mallory? Orange Drop. A mix of the two?

You don't really want to use just 15uF as your main filter (I know the schematics show that, but ...). You will have ghost notes at volume, especially if you also want to use 6L6s. Suggest getting at least the F&T 30uF/500V (personally, I'd probably go to the 47uF).

A lot of the "Fender" sound comes from the molded blue Mallorys; most orange drops sound very different (Type 6PS isn't bad though). Mallory 150s sound okay, but are metallized film -- very different construction. You could splurge and try to get Sozo blue molded for critical stages (tone stack, early coupling). I find the couplers to the power tubes make less difference. YMMV.

[rogb]

Check out Allen Amps for some very affordable and well made Heyboer Fendery transformers! No need to go broke on Mercury, imo...

Yeah Allen does a great 180mA PT ideal for running bigger tubes but does no 240v versions, sadly

[rogb]

The Deluxe runs 4 16uF PS caps while the DRruns 5. I am going to use 4 x15uF 500v F&T to start, saving a space on the board to fit an extra cap of it is needed.

Any thoughts as to the other caps? Mallory? Orange Drop. A mix of the two?

You don't really want to use just 15uF as your main filter (I know the schematics show that, but ...). You will have ghost notes at volume, especially if you also want to use 6L6s. Suggest getting at least the F&T 30uF/500V (personally, I'd probably go to the 47uF).

A lot of the "Fender" sound comes from the molded blue Mallorys; most orange drops sound very different (Type 6PS isn't bad though). Mallory 150s sound okay, but are metallized film -- very different construction. You could splurge and try to get Sozo blue molded for critical stages (tone stack, early coupling). I find the couplers to the power tubes make less difference. YMMV.

Wow, you surprise me with this! Increase the filtering from 16 to 33 or 47uF! Are you really sure this is needed? I don't want to stiffen up the PS too much. Also isn't that taking the capacitance above the recommended levels for a GZ34. (EDIT: Just checked and the GZ34 can take up to 60uF max. capacitance, so no problems there )Look forward to more information on this, please.

As for the caps, I looked at the Sozo Blues, $7 a pop... Maybe I will go with them as per your suggestion. If I have to go MM iron I think my budget will be gone anyway

The big temptation is to go Hammond PT/OT/choke as it is easy and cheaper to do so here in the UK.

I have done a hell of a lot of research so far, but I am in danger of drowning in a sea of data and internet "opinion fragments" lol

[tictac]

I've had several completely stock Fender amps; a Blackface Pro Reverb, a very early Silverface Princeton Reverb, and a Silverface Twin.

Those amps sounded other-worldly fantastic when I first aquired them...

Unfortunately I was under the impression at the time that "Torres Was God" so I did all his little tips and tricks and world's most bestest, fantastic, mods that "you can only get here".... phew! (oh and, "take out those terrible sounding Blue-Molded caps and replace them with my great sounding Orange Drops!")

Those amps never sounded the same, the magic was gone... I sold them all.

If I had to build an amp that had that wonderful Fender vintage vibe I'd try to duplicate the original circuit and components including tubes, as close as humanly possible...

Leo was not an engineer, but he was without a doubt the best, most persistent and tenacious amp tweaker in history. I had to learn that the hard way.... may you fare better...

TT

[Lynxtrap]

A lot of the "Fender" sound comes from the molded blue Mallorys

I'm certainly no expert on caps, but isn't that a bit of an exaggeration? I'd say the "Fender" sound comes from the design. Not denying that caps make a difference, but hardly to the extent of changing the complete character of an amp, IMHO.
On the other hand, chasing mojo is part of the fun

Running 6L6 in a Deluxe could however take away some of the "Deluxe" character.

[Alexo]

I have done a hell of a lot of research so far, but I am in danger of drowning in a sea of data and internet "opinion fragments" lol

If there's one thing I've learned in all my years of reading forums, it's not to trust internet opinion.

Having said that, if you go for the Sozo blues, please post again and let us know what you think of 'em!

[rogb]

I've had several completely stock Fender amps; a Blackface Pro Reverb, a very early Silverface Princeton Reverb, and a Silverface Twin.

Those amps sounded other-worldly fantastic when I first aquired them...

Unfortunately I was under the impression at the time that "Torres Was God" so I did all his little tips and tricks and world's most bestest, fantastic, mods that "you can only get here".... phew! (oh and, "take out those terrible sounding Blue-Molded caps and replace them with my great sounding Orange Drops!")

Those amps never sounded the same, the magic was gone... I sold them all.

If I had to build an amp that had that wonderful Fender vintage vibe I'd try to duplicate the original circuit and components including tubes, as close as humanly possible...

Leo was not an engineer, but he was without a doubt the best, most persistent and tenacious amp tweaker in history. I had to learn that the hard way.... may you fare better...

TT

"A single conversation with a wise man is better than ten years of study. " Chinese proverb

I agree 100% with you and you have had the amps to back it up.

But I guess a little sprinkle of Diaz here and HAD there ain't gonna hurt, especially when it's switched so you can still run stock too

[tictac]

Sure, there are some non-invasive mods that can give you a broader tonal palette for sure... but if you want the actual vintage tone "ain't nothin' like the real thing.."

If I was going to build a Fender clone that sounded like the original today, I'd try to find some...
1) Blue-Molded Ajax caps, (the Sozo's might work as a substitute)
2) some vintage disc caps like the old Fenders used to have, (silver micas are good caps but they DO sound different)
3) Allen Bradley carbon comp resistors, (except for the power supply, metal films would be best choice)
4) Decent set of transformers, Allen make some nice vintage repo stuff....
5) NOS tubes, (getting harder to find & more expensive I know)
6) a good speaker, non chinese made....

It's a start anyway... lots of other opinions about this I'm sure...
TT

[Alexo]

You might find this link interesting: http://aga.rru.com/Events/MM-DRRI-rebuild/

[rogb]

Sure, there are some non-invasive mods that can give you a broader tonal palette for sure... but if you want the actual vintage tone "ain't nothin' like the real thing.."

If I was going to build a Fender clone that sounded like the original today, I'd try to find some...
1) Blue-Molded Ajax caps, (the Sozo's might work as a substitute)
2) some vintage disc caps like the old Fenders used to have, (silver micas are good caps but they DO sound different)
3) Allen Bradley carbon comp resistors, (except for the power supply, metal films would be best choice)
4) Decent set of transformers, Allen make some nice vintage repo stuff....
5) NOS tubes, (getting harder to find & more expensive I know)
6) a good speaker, non chinese made....

It's a start anyway... lots of other opinions about this I'm sure...
TT

I appreciate your input on this, thanks.

At first, I thought this is going to be very difficult in the UK, but I have found some Allen Bradleys, hope they don't drift too much, they are about $1 each.
As for the Sozo Blues, I am reluctant to order from Sozo as I read many horror stories about non delivery of parts.
As I stated earlier, Allen doesn't supply UK voltage trannys, so that's a non starter, I'm afraid.
I think I will probably go MM as they have many good reviews and the bigger iron can run 6L6s if I feel like giving them a go. Damn, they are expensive though!
I have quite a few OOS tubes that I can use including a Mullard GZ34.
Dunno about the disc caps yet, I will look into it.

TBH I was very happy with the clean sound from my 50w D amp, and that had Hammond trannys, metal film resistors and RN65s on the plates etc.

But I will go with the vibe and try to get to get it near vintage anyway

I will have a passive effects loop in this D'luxe and will run my Dlator and fx through that, I am very happy with the sound I get from it on the amps I have tried it with.

[rogb]

You might find this link interesting: http://aga.rru.com/Events/MM-DRRI-rebuild/

Thanks, I have read that very carefully before and it is very useful. Another shove towards MM iron ...

[rogb]

Well I have put an order in to Tube Amp Doctor in Germany so I can get started on the boards.

Got the Vib pots, one is a CTS with a switch so the Vib can be lifted.

Looked at the Sozo Blues, just the .1s and .047s would have been $95 with shipping to the UK, that's before VAT and import duty and delivery charges which can be nearly $20 alone on top...

so I went with the TAD Mustards. If I don't like em, I can swap em out for Orange Drops I guess.

I ordered a bunch of TAD CC resistors, as the UK Allen Bradleys are 70c a pop and they add the "drift" disclaimer as these are from the '90s.

I know me and I can see there is half a chance I might end up with Xicon metals, Orange Drops and RN65s all over this before I'm done if I get any more than very faint "frying bacon" through the speaker

EDIT: Just looked at ordering an MM DR PT - $160 + $126 delivery from Beyond Eleven In England, we call it "taking the piss"