Tube orientation.

[Kev-wilson]

Good morning and a couple of questions if I may, having just put an amp head in a wooden box I've now got the messing bug , I've come across a complete but minus valves Laney cub 8 chassis being sold as 'needing rehousing', my question is could I mount the chassis horizontally instead of vertically (with the valves pointing down)?

I started out with the plan of building a Champ clone but the kit maker stopped selling the valves so I put the plan on hold but am thinking this chassis could be used as a 'base' in the future if I bought the turret board and components and am also thinking I could actually build a 5f2 clone with the tone control with it as I'd have the transformers at least?

I have some soldering experience and a little knowledge of high voltage systems, I've mended my shed 400v converter (for 3 phase in my shed) when a large power cap blew so reckon I can work safely inside an amp but am unsure about moving parts if I want them a different way.

 

[VintageSG]

Having the valves horizontal won't affect them. The datasheets mention orientation isn't an issue with the 12AX7 or 6V6 ( or indeed any of the guitar nerd favoured valves )
I've had a look at the Cub chassis on Ebay and a couple of red flags flutter with it.
The OT is a Primary Windings ( very good transformers ) model, but it is a 3.5 Watt model, not the 5 Watt. It's unlikely to fail, as it's a Primary Windings, but bear in mind that circuit will create 5 Watts RMS, peaks/transients much higher.
It's been modded already. The power paths on the Cub PCBs are through hole. The signal paths are surface mount. Nothing wrong with surface mount for signal paths performance wise, but they can be a bear for the unwary.
The seller isn't the modder.

If you want the amp 'ready made', Gear4Music have the head version ready to roll as their 'Saturn 5' model, although prices have skyrocketed.
Thomann sell their Harley Benton variant as a combo.

 

[Kev-wilson]

Thank you, my thinking is that it's time for me to 'learn' about amps and that's cheap enough to be a donor chassis as a worst case scenario, good spot on the ot (I didn't see it ) but it's the cheaper one of the pair if I had to buy the right one, the seller replied to my questions, the amp works but he's got a few so selling the ones he doesn't use (I read that as doesn't like).

Power paths and signal paths are things I've to learn, same with lead dressing but I grasp Ohms law and can read a multimeter so I think I'll have a cheeky bid on it and see how it ends up.

I made my first visit to Gear4Musics 'new' site recently to collect the Greenback I put in my first attempt at a speaker cab, and spent a pleasant half hour playing with their acoustics (never got my hands on a Martin before ) which was fun, I've used them once before to buy a Washburn Rover when they were at their first site as I live in the same town.

 

[Jon Snell]

The valves run absolutely fine in any plane but sprung valve clips will be needed if vertically mounted.

 

[NTC]

Make sure to look at the datasheets for all of the tubes you plan to use, including the rectifier. For instance, a 5Y3 can be mounted horizontally as long as pins 2 and 8 are in the horizontal plane (parallel to the ground). Vertical mounting is preferred.

 

[Kev-wilson]

Outbid right at the end just as I went to put the kettle on, so back to the drawing board :/

I'll sulk in my sleep now....

 

[timfred]

Everybody knows that if your tubes are pointed down (like Fender) you get a clean amp because the heavy distortion collects in the tube whereas pointed up (like Marshall) the distortion can escape out the pins and make it to the speaker.

If they’re horizontal you get a radio receiver.