It's alive... Ceriatone Liverpool

[kineteks]

I'm chuffed... my first kit build & it powered right up! All switches and knobs work as I think they should.
Can you say LOUD?
Already do not care for MV & 1/2 power but will give it a shot before surgical removal. Some hum when it's cranked up, but it's right under fluorescent lights and no bottom plate yet.

If anyone sees any issues I'd love the feedback (no pun).

I have so many questions.... but at the moment I've got to get to work....

Could not have done it without the forum, TAG is the best!!!!!

John

[Trigger]

That looks awesome. You should be very proud of your work. Nothing like a job well done.

[drhulsey]

0... my first kit build & it powered right up!

What a beautiful build The uniformity of you solder joints is amazing
That reminds me: I need to get my Liverpool built

[gearhead]

+1 on the solder joints! I could only aspire to such fine work at this point.

Gotta get my Liverpool build going too/ Got a new tool today to help me, hehe.

[skyboltone]

You must be a wireman. Green Grounds.

[Allynmey]

Nice job John. Very Clean!!!

[kineteks]

...the 1/2 power switch is coming out. If there is no reason not to, I'd like to use the TW bias resistor layout instead of the standard Ceriatone set-up. The schematics and layout I've seen show a pair of 130 Ohm/25W resistor while KOC has recomended a pair of 150 Ohm resistors. Here's the dummy question... which should I choose & why? Am I looking for a specific voltage somewhere?

As I'm sure is now obvious, I'm a complete idiot electrically/amp-wise. I just like to solder! So thanks for any compliments, but I just followed the Ceriatone layout and used all of the excellent schematic, layout and general info available here....

[UR12]

...the 1/2 power switch is coming out. If there is no reason not to, I'd like to use the TW bias resistor layout instead of the standard Ceriatone set-up. The schematics and layout I've seen show a pair of 130 Ohm/25W resistor while KOC has recomended a pair of 150 Ohm resistors. Here's the dummy question... which should I choose & why? Am I looking for a specific voltage somewhere?

As I'm sure is now obvious, I'm a complete idiot electrically/amp-wise. I just like to solder! So thanks for any compliments, but I just followed the Ceriatone layout and used all of the excellent schematic, layout and general info available here....

The 130 ohm should work fine. The size of the resistor depends on a few different factors one of which is B+ voltage. You should also be able to get by with 10 watt resistors but there is nothing wrong with going with 25w.

[Allynmey]

130's should work fine. I use 120's with about 290-300V on the plates. Nice and hot. The three liverpools I saw do the same. You'll need beetter tubes to keep those puppies lit. Current production may do better with 130 Ohms

Allyn

[Lonely Raven]

Wow, beautiful build! I need to go back and redo mine now...

[leaveitalone84]

That amp is absolutely beautiful!

Good job!!!

[kineteks]

squeal.....
...mounted in the cab with an aluminum cover plate on the chassis bottom, no guitar plugged in, I get a high pitched squeal when:
all the pots are maxed except the treble... from 2/3rds to max on the treble, no squeal. Anything below 2/3rds and it squeals. If the presence is set at 2/3rds or less, no squeal. The bright switch "on" increases the volume of the squeal a bit but does not seem to affect the settings that produce a squeal.
I just stumbled across the combination of settings that give me a squeal the other day, its always hissed a bit with the volume dimed but other than popping a 2A fuse once it has been a great amp. Any input would be much appreciated.

[dartanion]

Your grid and screen resistors are laying down towards the chassis where in a real Pool they stand upright and have more separation between the grid leads and the NFB wire. I would also recommend removing the 1/2 power asap (like you stated ). Too many wires running all over with that mod. There are pictures of Ginger floating around, use that as a model.

[kineteks]

....but that may be the problem? I took the easy way out and the extra wire/resistor/cap location could be contributing? Should I try to get the caps & resistors over near the filter cap/diode board?

I'm ignorant, NFB wire?

Are 10 watt resistors & 100V caps necessary or would 5 watt & 63V be OK?

[dartanion]

Ok, on your power tube sockets, the 1K screen resistors should be vertical, some with your 1.5K grid resistors. The NFB wire is what runs underneath the board in close proximity to the grid leads and is connected at the 8 ohm tap on the impedance selector. Routing of the NFB wire caused me many headaches in one of my Liverpool builds. I stopped trying to do things my way and followed the Ginger (I think it's Ginger at least) layout closely on every subsequent Wreck build.

Also, it appears as though you have a PPIMV. Not something that contributes to Wreck tone. It actually messes with how these amps are supposed to operate. Breakup goes in this order Power tubes > PI > Preamp. Using the PPIMV allows you to crank up the preamp and get PI drive, however the power section interaction doesn't behave quite right and the tone suffers. I would look towards Dana's VVR circuit and yank the 1/2 power and PPIMV.