What's in the pipeline for Amp projects?

[mountainhick]

For a rattle can the Minwax works okay. It’s nitro, so best used when it’s hot and dry outside otherwise the nozzle spits. I use it to topcoat either shellacked tweed or tinted nitro finishes.

I picked up the Mohawk to try and do some tinting/repair on lacquered cabinets, but there’s too much opacity for what I needed. I get better results with the stuff from Guitar ReRanch or Ohio Valley Nitro. Behlens from StewMax works well but the colors are limited for sunbursting.

I still use my trusty old Porter Cable dovetail jig and 690 router. I used to make larger furniture pieces and had I continued to do so I would have bought a Leigh. All I do anymore is knock out amp/speaker cabs, so the PC is just fine.
View attachment 1078349

I think the Leigh is a bit much actually. Too many available adjustments, and it has always felt flimsy. Mine is an older model, probably 30 years or so.

The set DT spacing of the PC jig is appealing. Does it do through DTs?

 

[Powdog]

I think the Leigh is a bit much actually. Too many available adjustments, and it has always felt flimsy. Mine is an older model, probably 30 years or so.

The set DT spacing of the PC jig is appealing. Does it do through DTs?

There are additional templates that allow for through, sliding and miniature dovetails. I think the jig with all three templates is around $200. It has an integrated bit depth gauge, so no multiple test runs to get a tight joint.

 

[sds1]

I still use my trusty old Porter Cable dovetail jig and 690 router.

Same here. Nice tools.

 

[printer2]

First off, glad to hear you’re in remission and feeling better. Sounds like it was long haul. I wish you the best.

Vibro Champ Reverb gut/rewire
6G6-A Bassman
Supro Thunderbolt (with extra hi-gain input)
Marshall(ish) 36 watt with EL34s
Tremolux Reverb

Maybe try to finish up some of these cabs
View attachment 1078337

I like the vintage cab in the left front. Did you just route the two lines on either side, are they to be filled?

 

[Powdog]

I cut the kerfs on the table saw. The cab is a Valco Bronson style cab, and I pull a piece of piping into the kerf to help hold down the Tolex where the two pieces meet.

 

[joulupukki]

On my list is to build is v2 of my B-Verb amp (single-channel AB763 6V6 w/ bias trem & LarMar MV) but this time with a better power transformer, individual Nichicon radials instead of a cap can, an aluminum chassis, and improved spacing on the turret board. The head cabinet is already done.

 

[mountainhick]

I cut the kerfs on the table saw. The cab is a Valco Bronson style cab, and I pull a piece of piping into the kerf to help hold down the Tolex where the two pieces meet.

View attachment 1078394

That's beautiful, but I like the wood better!

 

[Powdog]

Gonna mod these VOM 8810s into Garnet Herzog clones. They’re gonna be a hoot!

 

[gusfinley]

What makes an amp heirloom quality for you?

I've never played a Vox or Orange, curious.

I think of Heirloom quality as one built with high quality or the most authentic components - almost like the original which would be an Heirloom at this point.. One that you never intend to sell. For my Heirloom Quality Vox AC15 build I used a reproduction chassis, an officially licensed cabinet and the same NOS capacitors that were used on the originals.

 

[Lingwendil]

-Marshall 18W from Hammond organ amp donor


*SNIP*

Welcome you thoughts, AND to hear what you have on tap!

Build that Marshall 18 with 6P1P output tubes! I did one with 6V6 out puts a while back and loved it. The owner uses it for playing pretty much every day.


My EL84 5F2 build is basically done, needs some tweaks and a cabinet now for the Celestion Eight 15 I have set aside for it. Only other musical instrument amplifier project soon will be a tweed type "deluxe micro" type of build with something like a 12AU7 or 6FQ7 as the output tube with a 70 volt line transformer. I don't care for self split, so the idea of true push pull at low power appeals to me a great deal. I already have a hi-fi flea amplifier (6SN7 output tubes) so a crunchy version sounds fun.


More on the high-fi side I'm planning a weird amplifier with parallel push-pull outputs to visually look (vaguely) like a steampunk version of a car's V8 engine block. Thinking russian 6P43P-E (think EL86, not EL84, really cool pentodes) triode connected outputs and all toroidal transformers, 6N1P gain stage and cathodyne phase inverter most likely. should be good for 15-20 watts per channel.

Would also be a fun amplifier style for a dedicated music room parlor/practice amp. You know the big fancy fragile thing that lives in the man room, for plugging into occasionally to show off, but never goes anywhere else?

Some inspirational pics to get an idea of what I mean-

 

[mountainhick]

Build that Marshall 18 with 6P1P output tubes! I did one with 6V6 out puts a while back and loved it. The owner uses it for playing pretty much every day.


My EL84 5F2 build is basically done, needs some tweaks and a cabinet now for the Celestion Eight 15 I have set aside for it. Only other musical instrument amplifier project soon will be a tweed type "deluxe micro" type of build with something like a 12AU7 or 6FQ7 as the output tube with a 70 volt line transformer. I don't care for self split, so the idea of true push pull at low power appeals to me a great deal. I already have a hi-fi flea amplifier (6SN7 output tubes) so a crunchy version sounds fun.


More on the high-fi side I'm planning a weird amplifier with parallel push-pull outputs to visually look (vaguely) like a steampunk version of a car's V8 engine block. Thinking russian 6P43P-E (think EL86, not EL84, really cool pentodes) triode connected outputs and all toroidal transformers, 6N1P gain stage and cathodyne phase inverter most likely. should be good for 15-20 watts per channel.

Would also be a fun amplifier style for a dedicated music room parlor/practice amp. You know the big fancy fragile thing that lives in the man room, for plugging into occasionally to show off, but never goes anywhere else?

Some inspirational pics to get an idea of what I mean-

View attachment 1083194 View attachment 1083195 View attachment 1083196 View attachment 1083197 View attachment 1083198 View attachment 1083199 View attachment 1083200 View attachment 1083201

Those engines are AWESOME!

 

[Lingwendil]

Right? Should be a fun project. I've got plenty of wood, aluminum angle, and all the transformers, sockets, tubes etc. I'll have to start mocking something up. I'll probably make a big huge 3" wooden volume knob to go right where the pulley would go too.

 

[no doz]

i've got to do a checkup on a mesa boogie studio 22, including swapping out the reverb tank and replacing a few pots with broken shafts. i just put a deposit down on an ampeg B15 clone kit as well, really excited to work on that

 

[Lancer X]

More on the high-fi side I'm planning a weird amplifier with parallel push-pull outputs to visually look (vaguely) like a steampunk version of a car's V8 engine block

Oh man - what an epic chassis design idea - very cool!

 

[Lancer X]

I got knocked down for the last few years with Leukemia, and have been slowly coming around physically now that I am in remission. Unknown how long remission will last, I am supposed to go off the drug soon, and it may give me a couple of useful years.

Wow, the very best wishes to you!!

I've exhaustively planned and started a micro 5F6A Bassman build with various Mighty Morphin' Marshall-y mods, but dealing with iron deficiency anemia and have little energy or motivation at the moment, so it's collecting dust on my desk. Nothing like you've gone through though - not making a comparison there.

 

[6stringcowboy]

Just finished modding my Pro Jr. And doing a cap job on my 5e3 clone. About to start a 6g3 which is a bit intimidating, and on the drawing board is a ~3 watt class A beastie using 3 6SN7s in parallel for output section.

 

[mountainhick]

Wow, the very best wishes to you!!

I've exhaustively planned and started a micro 5F6A Bassman build with various Mighty Morphin' Marshall-y mods, but dealing with iron deficiency anemia and have little energy or motivation at the moment, so it's collecting dust on my desk. Nothing like you've gone through though - not making a comparison there.

Thanks for the support. Best to you too! Anemia sucks.

What's you mod list now for the 5F6a?

 

[printer2]

Build that Marshall 18 with 6P1P output tubes! I did one with 6V6 out puts a while back and loved it. The owner uses it for playing pretty much every day.


My EL84 5F2 build is basically done, needs some tweaks and a cabinet now for the Celestion Eight 15 I have set aside for it. Only other musical instrument amplifier project soon will be a tweed type "deluxe micro" type of build with something like a 12AU7 or 6FQ7 as the output tube with a 70 volt line transformer. I don't care for self split, so the idea of true push pull at low power appeals to me a great deal. I already have a hi-fi flea amplifier (6SN7 output tubes) so a crunchy version sounds fun.


More on the high-fi side I'm planning a weird amplifier with parallel push-pull outputs to visually look (vaguely) like a steampunk version of a car's V8 engine block. Thinking russian 6P43P-E (think EL86, not EL84, really cool pentodes) triode connected outputs and all toroidal transformers, 6N1P gain stage and cathodyne phase inverter most likely. should be good for 15-20 watts per channel.

Would also be a fun amplifier style for a dedicated music room parlor/practice amp. You know the big fancy fragile thing that lives in the man room, for plugging into occasionally to show off, but never goes anywhere else?

Some inspirational pics to get an idea of what I mean-

View attachment 1083194 View attachment 1083195 View attachment 1083196 View attachment 1083197 View attachment 1083198 View attachment 1083199 View attachment 1083200 View attachment 1083201

So do you have a sequencer that under-biases the tubes in sequence so each takes turns at briefly red-plates?

 

[Lingwendil]

So do you have a sequencer that under-biases the tubes in sequence so each takes turns at briefly red-plates?

Well, I'm thinking of a V8 firing order LED chaser circuit to illuminate each socket when the amplifier is idle/standby now, sounds like some fun eye candy for a silly project.

https://www.nutsvolts.com/magazine/article/led-chaser-sequencer-circuits

Looks like a bunch of kits on ebay for just a few dollars each!

 

[mrfitz98]

Hope you post something about the bass amp before I get doing mine.

I've got bassman ot laying around that I've been wanting to do a Blackvibe - based bass amp with. I seem to recall someone running a thread about one of those in the not so distant past.