Ancient Mariner Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 [quote name='jensenmann' timestamp='1426880895' post='2723163'] I´ve DIYed the Madamp BP1 a few month ago. The kit was incomplete, with some faults in the documentation, some parts didn´t fit and the mains tranny was defective. Not that great if you´re a beginner in DIY-land (which I am not). After having sorted all that out + some mods and tweaks to the circuit it turned out as a nice bass preamp. But it couldn´t hold a candle to the G9! This convinced me to build another version of the G9 as a basspreamp in PTP. Since it has no EQ I´ll add an AMEK M2500 EQ which I have sitting in the corner and pre/post EQ DI outs. [/quote] Is Martin still doing the amps, or are Musikding looking after everything now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jensenmann Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 @ Pentode: The HV winding was defective. 40V is not enough for this amp :-) @ Ancient Mariner: My kit was bought from Musikding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bottle Posted May 29, 2015 Author Share Posted May 29, 2015 (edited) [quote name='tonewheels' timestamp='1432335813' post='2780707'] I've been building and modifying valve guitar amps for the last 20 years. Not enamoured of most of the UK DIY kit firms because they tend to concentrate (quite understandably) on Bassman architecture amps with British (EL84 or EL34) valves. Fine for heavy metal and weedy as hell for bass (ironically) but not really for me. I've just moved from a '70s SVT/8x10 rig to a Barefaced/GK setup but would still like to have a pure valve option. So I'm looking to a 200W, 4 x 6550 design, passive high impedance tone stack (not that horrid CF Bassman/Marshall thing - don't know quite why but it seems to suck bottom end) in a 17" cabinet so It doesn't look dumb on top of a 1x12". The most expensive part is going to be the iron. Unfortunately the market is populated by chancers. Hammonds are expensive to import. The major UK firms take the piss because they're ripping off the Hi-fi gullible. I used to use Ripley Transformers who were fantastic, doing custom iron to any spec for less than half the price of the UK's leading off the shelf brand. Unfortunately they seem to have retired. And, of course, you needed to know how to spec the transformers (download the Radiotron Designer's Handbook for this). So, anyone know a decent transformer supplier? Anyone interested in a joint project? [/quote] Hi Tonewheels Barry from Ampmaker sources his power and output transformers from Danbury Electronics - may be worth a look at if you're after a custom-wound trafo. Barry also sells the transformers for his kits as seperate items as well - can't compare how well-priced they are but I though my kit was very reasonably priced and good value for the money Ian Edited May 29, 2015 by Bottle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ancient Mariner Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 (edited) I've just begun my Marshall MG30 conversion. Bought the MG30 from a young friend last year, and bunging my cascode-based SE amp into it. Initial plan was to drill and convert the original steel chassis, but that's a pain to do (and will need custom face plates) and the Hammond ali chassis fits very well, so it looks like a relatively easy swap-out job. In a way it would have been nice to have kept the original appearance as a kind of amplification 'street sleeper', but I don't really want to cart around an apparently stock MG30 with impossible tones. Need to see if I can shoehorn a 12" speaker in there - it may require a new baffle too, but will likely be worth it. Update - I've bunged it together to check it works before prettying it up, and I'm pleased to say it all seems good. Cut a new speaker baffle from 1/2" ply instead of MDF to support an old G12M. I was going to use the MG30 steel chassis and re-build the amp inside that, but it turned out the Hammond ali chassis I'd used fitted well, and was just a little thinner, allowing the speaker more space, though I had to create a mounting system for it where the original chassis would have solved that easily. Darn thing weighs double what it did before, with some decent iron in there and that G12M (tempted to try a G12H, but that may be just too big). Soundwise it's come out quite voxy, with the cascode being jangly and the G12M having a very sparkly and sharp-edged tone, it reminds me of the bright channel on my old AC30 a little. With the amp gain dimed it does a great drive tone that cleans up nicely with guitar volume rolled off. Need to try it a bit more to find out what I like & what to change. There's still some space in the chassis, so I might add a second channel for a more Fendery, less sharp-edged tone. Then I'll need to add speaker cloth to protect the speaker and make a faceplate for the amp to pretty her face up a little. For obvious reasons I'm calling it the Moxy amp. Edited May 31, 2015 by Ancient Mariner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bottle Posted June 6, 2015 Author Share Posted June 6, 2015 (edited) Few pictures of the build so far...... [attachment=193673:IMG_0142.JPG] Chassis completed [attachment=193674:IMG_0143.JPG] Gut shot. EDIT: Have now wired the Tone stack up too [attachment=193675:IMG_0146.JPG] Dry fit of Headcase wood, sourced and cut to roughly the right size.... [attachment=193676:IMG_0147.JPG] Back of the amp [attachment=193677:IMG_0148.JPG] Front view [attachment=193678:IMG_0160.JPG] Test fit of scrap wood after using the dovetail router bit for the first time! Surprisingly held together without glue... Edited June 6, 2015 by Bottle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pentode Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 Very nice work Sir! Loving the dovetail joint as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bottle Posted June 6, 2015 Author Share Posted June 6, 2015 [quote name='Pentode' timestamp='1433601049' post='2792444'] Very nice work Sir! Loving the dovetail joint as well [/quote] Thanks! Still a work in progress - hopefully have all the wood routed next weekend. Needed to extend the foot and fence on my Dad's router. Have opted for a sliding or French dovetail join on the two side pieces as it'll make the assembly quicker and easier. Had considered 'proper' dovetails but too much chance of ballsing that one up. Briefly considered making a basic finger joint but that would have required making an accurate template too and I couldn't be arsed for this build. Wood is Piranha pine - 25x200mm shelving board Coming together nicely ATB, Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Passinwind Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 [quote name='Bottle' timestamp='1433608550' post='2792510'] Coming together nicely [/quote] Indeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ancient Mariner Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 How does the WF55 sound - do you like it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bottle Posted June 8, 2015 Author Share Posted June 8, 2015 (edited) [quote name='Ancient Mariner' timestamp='1433617557' post='2792590'] How does the WF55 sound - do you like it? [/quote] Sounds amazing very happy with the result. Have now got the Valve Amp building bug hehehe Someone else asked me how it sounds. This is what I posted [i]"Ear-bleedingly loud through a 12" PA cab (all I had to hand that was the right impedance). [/i] [i]TBH it wasn't the best cab to put it through as the two-way design goes too high and too low - [/i] [i]a proper guitar cab will no doubt let me push it into real breakup without it sounding unduly harsh. [/i] [i]Having said that, 4W is frighteningly loud guess that's down to a super efficient PA cab hehehehe"[/i] Edited June 8, 2015 by Bottle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirky Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 I thought the WF55 only had a volume know...have you modified it to add the tone control? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bottle Posted June 8, 2015 Author Share Posted June 8, 2015 [quote name='Kirky' timestamp='1433763433' post='2793676'] I thought the WF55 only had a volume know...have you modified it to add the tone control? [/quote] Yes, you're correct. As stock it only comes with a volume control after the first gain stage, but there are numerous modifications which Barry has posted on the Ampmaker website detailing various modifications. One of them is to add a passive tone stack in parallel with the volume pot. It's a nice little addendum to a well-thought-out kit. It does sound quite useable and the kit responds well to overdrive pedals in front of the amp. Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ancient Mariner Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 It IS surprising how loud a small amp can be, especially if you run it through an efficient speaker. If you want something tiny that can be used for playing out then try a Ragin Cajun speaker (eminence) - it's very efficient for a 10" speaker, and sounds great too, though it will make the amp heavy. Alternatively for home use look at a Jensen, because they are often low-efficiency and sound good when not pushed too hard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bottle Posted June 12, 2015 Author Share Posted June 12, 2015 [quote name='Ancient Mariner' timestamp='1433842567' post='2794392'] It IS surprising how loud a small amp can be, especially if you run it through an efficient speaker. If you want something tiny that can be used for playing out then try a Ragin Cajun speaker (eminence) - it's very efficient for a 10" speaker, and sounds great too, though it will make the amp heavy. Alternatively for home use look at a Jensen, because they are often low-efficiency and sound good when not pushed too hard. [/quote] I'm making a head case first, but have plans for a 2x2 square cab so was thinking 4x8, 4x10 or 4x12. One vertical side would be fully sealed with two drivers in it and the other half open-backed. I've found a schematic for the Marshall-style switchplate so I can have all speakers connected for 4- or 16-Ohms or switched and split for stereo 8-Ohm operation. Just need to find the right drivers for sealed and open cabs. Any thoughts? CHeers, Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinB Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 I just love the [url="http://celestion.com/product/17/g12h/"]Celestion G12H[/url] and the [url="http://www.jensentone.com/vintage_ceramic/c10q"]Jensen C10Q[/url]. I've got the G12H in a Laney LC30-II and the C10Q in a Laney LC15R. I've tried a few other speakers, but nothing comes close. IMHO & YMMV etc etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ancient Mariner Posted June 14, 2015 Share Posted June 14, 2015 The G12H is very loud and efficient, with very big and tightly controlled bass, slightly mid-scooped and a bit of a sting in the high frequencies. It's a great classic rock speaker, without the harsh upper-mid spike of the V30. I'm not sure it would be a great complement with the WF55, because IIRC that amp will be mostly about the mids, but would certainly give it a big sound. Worth asking, what kind of tone do you like - hard/soft, bright/dark, smooth/crunchy etc etc. I have a distinct preference for cleans to be fat and smooth in the mids, with a sparkle in the top end and warm, rich bass. For drive I like clear and crunchy, higher gain to be clear and singing and hate splattiness in any form. My favourite 12" speakers are a 70s 20W G12M (very soft and warm - not at all like a modern 25W greenback, which is bright & harsh) and an eminence Red Fang (alnico Celestion Blue clone with a smoother top end). So far my fave 10" speaker is the celestion G10-L35, now out of production and it's a lot like a 10" G12M with a less harsh top end. I ought to slim down my speaker collection some time... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ancient Mariner Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 About slimming that collection..... Just picked up an Eminence Swamp Thang to try out. To my surprise it didn't seem much louder than the greenback (well, actually a greyback) I swapped out, but it doesn't have that razor-edged high end and it does seem big & fat. I may have to add more highs this time - almost unheard of for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigwan Posted June 26, 2015 Share Posted June 26, 2015 The swamp thang is a very nice speaker. After much deliberation I put one in the D'lite combo I built for my brother a few years ago and it's perfect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ancient Mariner Posted June 26, 2015 Share Posted June 26, 2015 (edited) This one isn't broken in yet, but seems nice and warm with big bass and warm mids. Doesn't have that tight, controlled bass of a G12H, but it's going to be better and richer in the mids. It's also really big, physically. The basket seems wider than a typical celestion and the magnet is also very large - it *just* fits inside the cab I've used, with the amp loaded back in after fitting. Played out with it Sunday - the wife thought it sounded really nice, so I think it's probably hit the spot. Edited June 29, 2015 by Ancient Mariner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bottle Posted June 29, 2015 Author Share Posted June 29, 2015 (edited) A lil' update folks Wood work has now been completed i,e all the routing and drilling done. Just need to set up a jig to clamp it all for glueing [attachment=195341:IMG_0164.JPG] Setting up the router to cut a guide channel first with a 1/4" straight-cutting bit. [attachment=195342:IMG_0165.JPG] Broke the bit luckily, just after the second channel was completed thank God :/ [attachment=195343:IMG_0168.JPG] Dovetail channels routed [attachment=195344:IMG_0171.JPG] Cutting the dovetail tongue on the side pieces [attachment=195346:IMG_0174.JPG] Dovetails all cut and dry fit together [attachment=195348:IMG_0179.JPG] Alignment check. All OK! Phew Edited June 29, 2015 by Bottle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bottle Posted August 17, 2015 Author Share Posted August 17, 2015 Well, the hard work has all been done now. Glued the case together last weekend. This weekend had the facia cut by a local carpenter and I then had the case edges rounded off on the router. Just a final sand and then the varnishing and finishing can be done. Got a brown stitched leather handle similar to Fender ones from Amazon - that arrived this morning so will fit tomorrow evening hopefully. Need a bit of mesh to cover the back part to prevent hands going inside the valve compartment. Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bottle Posted September 16, 2015 Author Share Posted September 16, 2015 Sorry for the long gap in updates - the build is now FINISHED!!!! Yay! Needed a bit more sanding and finishing off, with several more coats of varnish but it now looks superb. I'll collect all the build photos together in one place (probably set up a Flickr account to handle everything) and post the linky up here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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