New TW site is up....

Express, Liverpool, Rocket, Dirty Little Monster, etc.

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'67_Plexi
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Re: New TW site is up....

Post by '67_Plexi »

No worries.

And your advice is true, I also apologise to for getting hot headed.

The truth in all this probably lies somewhere in the middle.

I guess the reason I get frustrated is genuinely from the point of view I'm coming from and this is consistent. It's not always that easy to express it in text.

I have studied the work of many amp builders, Ken and Howard absolutely included. The original OD100 model was pretty much a clone of an HRM Dumble. Very quickly I found things I didn't like and changed them, it evolved to the OD-2. Still pretty much HRM based. but some voicing changes and ultimately a lot more Marshall influenced than the OD-100. The latest evolution on that theme is the Tucana, this is a lot more dilluted from the original starting point, with KT88's and 3 channels.

Basically I don't find fulfillment in direct cloning, I understand that some people do. I always come from the angle of take away and learn and push that to a fault sometimes. That leaves me wide open for people to come back, look at the strting point and call me a hypocrit.
I assume everyone wants to take away, learn and move forward. Thats a bad asumption because some people are happy to focus on making extremely close detail clones for nothing more than pleasure. There's nothing wrong with that.
I'm totally opinionated and my internet manners suck. However, I do care a lot about this subject and I really care that people learn the fundamentals of what they are doing so the art can continue to flourish.
I mean that sincerely.
Let's be honest, if I was making a clone of a Dumble, it's a pretty sucky attempt, I'd at least use an aluminium chassis to do it right.
As for the TW thing. I kind of knew that building those for TW owners could put me in a dodgy position, but I still did it as I did truly feel that I was providing a service to those owners. I didn't charge lots. Actually the basic build was done by a friend and it helped him out financially in a time where he was putting his own business together. I did the finishing work and tweaked them. None of them are direct physical clones, they were all tonal clones based on the owners real TW or in the case of one guy, his favourite of 5 he owns. Each time the owner would send me their amp and I would build something that got as close as I could tonally. None of them ended up as physical component clones, which is an interesting lesson in itself.

Can we agree to agree or agree to disagree and both of us stop being hostile please ?




HeeBGB wrote:No you were right about the meds comment. I did say that and I apologise for it. It was out of line.

But that doesn't change the topic at hand.
This is a community of people a lot of whom are dedicated to "cloning" Trainwrecks and Dumbles. Your comments are not appreciated and only serve to hurt your own business. We may or may not be on friendly terms at this point but take a piece of advice from me (I know you've heard this before) When you're in business (and it relies on internet traffic somewhat) you can't go pissing people off or it WILL hurt your business.
'67_Plexi
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Re: New TW site is up....

Post by '67_Plexi »

None of you guys probably need to buy an amp, so at least I can provide some service.... :)

Point taken and I did decide to stop posting on TGP. Things look out for themselves and for every negative comment someone posts a positive one.
I guess like most new business owners, you try to control the uncontrollable. It's like the feeling of being dumped the first time somone sells an amp you built. I'm over that one.
ampman1961 wrote:HeeBGB...
Thats good advice. Like so many who populate TGP that rely on internet traffic for revenue often times find themselves in the mire that they create.
Andy Fuchs is a prime example of someone who gets it and makes the most of it. If I relied on this for my income, I would surely keep my piehole shut and let the product do the talking...NEVER post on the boards in public.
This is why we have private messaging. But, then again the entertainment value of these exchanges is priceless. Of course at your expense Alan.
Think about it.
Billy Yates
Last edited by '67_Plexi on Tue Mar 11, 2008 7:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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HeeBGB
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Re: New TW site is up....

Post by HeeBGB »

Alan, I fully understand your desire to further the design and concept and take it to the next step. But you have had some harsh words for people that do not share your desire and that is the problem here. All while doing it youself. I can't put it any simpler than that. If you don't see the hypocrisy...well what can I say? It doesn't matter if you felt you were doing a favor, it doesn't matter whether you made money on the deal, You did it! You have no right to slag others for it.




Thousandshirts-If you continue to post things like your last post you will be removed.
Last edited by HeeBGB on Tue Mar 11, 2008 7:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Firestorm
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Re: New TW site is up....

Post by Firestorm »

Anybody else think this has gone far enough? The most active thread in weeks (except for the "Amp Garage?/Gear Page?" thread over on the Dumble side) and it ain't even (really) about building amps!
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HeeBGB
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Re: New TW site is up....

Post by HeeBGB »

Firestorm wrote:Anybody else think this has gone far enough? The most active thread in weeks (except for the "Amp Garage?/Gear Page?" thread over on the Dumble side) and it ain't even (really) about building amps!
Yes you are right! Alan I will buy you a beer or cup of coffe (your choice) at the amp show!
leaveitalone84
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Back on topic

Post by leaveitalone84 »

Maybe we can get back on topic for a bit. I had a few thoughts about this whole issue.

I go to a jam spot where multiple bands rent hourly. So, when I was packing up for the night; I had my clone sitting out. Everyone asked what it was and I told them straight up, "It's based off a Trainwreck Express." None of the guys had ever heard of it. I told them KF designed the head and was also involved with Komet amps.

Why does this bother the custodians of Ken's estate? I informed people of the truth. Not everyone heard the amp; but they just loved the aesthetics. Most who had heard it liked the tone.

I don't get it. Why be aggressive to cloners? It only gives the estate a bad name. Then there is the Vintage Guitar incident and other events in this thread. The KF memorial story...

/tinfoil
Why maybe it's a conspiracy to silence Ken Fisher. Because, as you know his amps were so freakin-awsome they could have saved all our souls. They would have saved the bees, the pandas, whales, bigfoot, and solved global warming. Resurrected Jimi, Stevie, John, John, George, Roy, Ringo, JFK, Jesus, and created the most powerful justice league ever. Plus let you get the last chip in a Pringles can.
/tinfoil
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Lonely Raven
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Re: New TW site is up....

Post by Lonely Raven »

Ringo is dead? When did this happen!
Jack of all Trades,
Master of None
leaveitalone84
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Re: New TW site is up....

Post by leaveitalone84 »

Lonely Raven wrote:Ringo is dead? When did this happen!
I was just being a smart ass.
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UR12
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Re: New TW site is up....

Post by UR12 »

'67_Plexi wrote:None of you guys probably need to buy an amp, so at least I can provide some service.... :)
What service would that be? :lol:
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benoit
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Re: New TW site is up....

Post by benoit »

UR12 wrote:
'67_Plexi wrote:None of you guys probably need to buy an amp, so at least I can provide some service.... :)
What service would that be? :lol:
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Omar
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Re: New TW site is up....

Post by Omar »

Guys, let's agree to disagree. I'm happy that this discussion did not spin too far out of control and came to a reasonable conclusion. Let's move on.

Omar
Tone by misadventure
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dartanion
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Re: New TW site is up....

Post by dartanion »

Just say no to trolling :idea:
Eardrums!!! We don't need no stinkin' eardrums!
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DerStever
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Re: New TW site is up....

Post by DerStever »

Just one minor point - the average Trainwreck clone sounds at least 1000 X better than most if not all of the assemply line amps out there. I took one of my Liverpools out Friday to sit in with a friends band - its the one with the DC Powerscale - which DOES affect the off the wall tone of these things - anyway it still sounds like one of the best blues amps when scaled down a bit. I got a lot of compliments when used with my Tele.

So the dude on the website can say what he wants to - its still a monster amp clone or not.
Tubetwang
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Re: New TW site is up....

Post by Tubetwang »

DerStever wrote:Just one minor point - the average Trainwreck clone sounds at least 1000 X better than most if not all of the assemply line amps out there. I took one of my Liverpools out Friday to sit in with a friends band - its the one with the DC Powerscale - which DOES affect the off the wall tone of these things - anyway it still sounds like one of the best blues amps when scaled down a bit. I got a lot of compliments when used with my Tele.

So the dude on the website can say what he wants to - its still a monster amp clone or not.

yyyuup! :roll: 8) :roll:
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Structo
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Re: New TW site is up....

Post by Structo »

Well this was the first I had read this post.
Cloners taking shots at cloners!
That's a good one......
BTW, the clone page is still on the wreck site, and I quote:

Trainwreck amp cloners are simply people without good ears and a strong work ethic, looking to make money.
If you find a clone you like and you think it's worth the money, by all means buy it. But don't be fooled into thinking you have something that sounds like a Trainwreck. People are selling their clones all the time for short money, too. That's obviously because they are not worth keeping. People with real Trainwrecks rarely sell even though they can get over $25,000 for them!!!
A "Trainwreck styled" amp is one that borrows a few ideas from Ken's designs but is built using methods/materials that Ken felt degraded an amp's tone.

There's a stomp box out there with a train on it that purportedly will give you the sound of a Trainwreck. Don't believe it!
Tom

Don't let that smoke out!
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