Bigwan

[quote name='Gottastopbuyinggear' timestamp='1458132699' post='3004972'] Did you measure the bias voltage or just adjust by ear? I built a Ginger a few months ago and set the bias around 6v as suggested on the ROG site, and it's very polite - have to get beyond 12 o'clock to get any appreciable break up. Perhaps because I'm using log taper pots? I really like the Ginger, though I occasionally feel that it might be lacking a bit of bass. I have the parts for an SFT build now, which hopefully I'll get done over the Easter period. It'll be interesting to compare the two. [/quote] Spent a good half hour tuning the Ginger last night. Sounds great now! Highlights the loud low B issue on my Sire 5 string. Everything sounds sweet but B distorts like mad. Not the end of the world! My only problem now is I had some nice vintage-boss style knobs set aside for it, but they don't fit! Stuck some Davies/Two Rock style knobs on in the meantime. Blowerbox next! Think I'll go perfboard instead of stripboard/vero...

[quote name='owen' timestamp='1458142098' post='3005062'] Ironically I sold you an Enabler so Lee did not manage to, but then what I thought was going to be THE ONE turned out not to be THE ONE so I had to buy an Enabler. So I got it from Lee (amongst other things). Everything was fabulous. [/quote] Capital!

[quote name='Gottastopbuyinggear' timestamp='1458132699' post='3004972'] Did you measure the bias voltage or just adjust by ear? I built a Ginger a few months ago and set the bias around 6v as suggested on the ROG site, and it's very polite - have to get beyond 12 o'clock to get any appreciable break up. Perhaps because I'm using log taper pots? I really like the Ginger, though I occasionally feel that it might be lacking a bit of bass. I have the parts for an SFT build now, which hopefully I'll get done over the Easter period. It'll be interesting to compare the two. [/quote] I've tried it both ways. 6v was ridiculously close to pinching off the FET (I mean within a few hundred mV) and VERY close to the end stop on the 1st trimmer. It sounded better doing it by ear, but as I say I'm not there yet. I suppose it depends where on the dial you want it to start gaining up! I actually want it to be clean before 12 o'clock so that's where I have the gain pot set so I can start tuning in the distortion at that point. I'm guessing that's the best way to do it... My SFT build is still in need of some attention. It certainly sounds dirtier than the Ginger from memory, but I haven't got them side by side yet.

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1458127058' post='3004894'] I have a Johnson J Station which I use occasionally - surprisingly good considering nobody's heard of them.. [/quote] Nobody's heard of them because they didn't exist for long. They were absorbed by their parent company Digitech. Great product. Love my J station - covers guitar and bass POD territory, and sounds better than the original Line 6 offering. They sell stupid cheap nowadays...

Lack of patience on my part means Tall Font Russian and Musket kits are ordered... and a Bass RC Booster too...

FOLKS! I'M BUILDING THIS MUFF MYSELF, SO NO MORE COG RECOMMENDATIONS PLEASE! If I were buying there'd be no contest having dealt with Tom before - Cog all the way!

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1458059292' post='3004275'] In comparison I tried out the Aguilar Tonehammer (which I currently use) with the new Aguilar SL410 and wasn`t that fussed about it. Just kept thinking how much I preferred the Ashdown rig. [/quote] That is VERY interesting... Anyone know if there are any of the pre-E RM800s still going cheap anywhere?

Really fancy adding a fuzz to my board. I've asked this question in the DIY thread but thought I'd cast it a bit wider. Which would you choose, and why? Vote then comment please! BTW I'll be building this myself...

[quote name='owen' timestamp='1458069963' post='3004431'] I have just stumbled into this thread by accident. I feel as if I have entered a parallel universe. [/quote] One of us! One of us!

Check out the diy thread a few posts down. LOTS of builders here. Also check out UK based pedalparts.co.uk for full kits for guitar and bass

Wow... Liking this a lot!

[quote name='ratman' timestamp='1457619335' post='3000194'] My Ginger came with the biasing already set to the ROG specs (I had mine made by VFE) and it had pretty much no clean at all. I've since adjusted the biases back a bit and it's brought the pedal to life. Mine doesn't start to break up now until the gain is at 9 o@clock. I love it. [/quote] I've not quite got it dialled in yet. Was still getting an unpleasant distortion when I tried last night, then realised the output volume was so high it was clipping the input of my Enabler pre. Was late so gave it up for the night. Question for the collective. Which muff-type fuzz should I build for my board? Swaying between the tall font russian and the musket...

That looks really, REALLY good. Wanted one before, but I'm struggling to keep to my "won't buy anything this month" pledge to myself after a few rather... expensive months. Did you do the neck with 2 different colours of nitro then clearcoat it? Just noticed the 3 different nitros in your shopping list.

Bet that thing got some fondling over the weekend!

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1457701139' post='3001087'] Since the ECC83 is a dual triode, if they used a cathodyne phase inverter (which uses one triode) in the CTM15 the other triode could be part of the preamp. Though to have tone controls and enough gain to overdrive the preamp would require more stages than that. If the master volume is after that one triode in the preamp, they may have arranged the gain staging so that any preamp overdrive is coming from the valve, but it would still be more honest to describe it as a hybrid preamp. [/quote] All possible but, as you say, it's CERTAINLY NOT an all valve amp.

[quote name='LewisK1975' timestamp='1457697643' post='3001034'] Goodness, there was me thinking if you had a valve input and valve output power, you had a valve amp! [/quote] Looking at the PCB layout (there are pics online) I VERY much doubt it has a valve input. There are 3 valves on the CTM15. 2 for the power amp (2 EL84, typical for 15 watt amps) and one 12AX7, but it's placement would suggest it's doing phase inverter duty. There's lots of "sand" between the input and the valves... LB30: [attachment=214412:lb30guts.jpg] CTM15: [attachment=214411:ctm15guts.jpg]

[quote name='Bobthedog' timestamp='1457693321' post='3000975'] I thought the LB30 / CTM30 were all valve? [/quote] They are.

[quote name='Kev' timestamp='1457628335' post='3000397'] [URL=http://s741.photobucket.com/user/Bassmankev/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpscyie1l0q.jpeg.html][IMG]http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx59/Bassmankev/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpscyie1l0q.jpeg[/IMG][/URL] Gigrig on top as new homemade board isn't large enough underneath to fit 🙄 [/quote] What's the one knobber Kev?

[quote name='KingBollock' timestamp='1457613581' post='3000099'] Also, my hobby room is in a state where it can't currently be used as I am fixing it up. The music and computer sections are done, and the painting and modelling section is almost done. But the electronics section is currently nonexistent since I changed my mind on how to build it. I was going to use the bench I was using before and build shelving, parts bins, drawers and pegboard panels around it, but I am now going to be building the whole thing as one unit from scratch. It's all very frustrating (I can only work on it on four days out of ten, and only that much if I am lucky) and so I find myself constantly researching every minute detail and asking questions at every available opportunity, just so I feel like I am doing [i]something[/i] towards it. [/quote] I feel your pain. My hobby room (which I may be loosing to the kids shortly) is in such a state that I can hardly get into it - too many guitars/basses in various states of repair, boxes of kids toys, bags of tools, a few valve amp chassis. I'm building pedals by stuffing the components at home of an evening at the kitchen table, bringing it into work to solder at lunchtime, home to test that evening, into work next day to wire up the footswitch and power connector, home to test again that evening. This afternoon's fun will be hooking up my Ginger build to a signal generator and Oscilloscope to set the FET trimmers. On testing last night I found with the gain low it sounded FANTASTIC. As soon as gain was over a quarter it farted on every note. Lashed it across the kitchen table in disgust... Then lying in my pit last night I remembered you have to tune the bloody thing!!! Could do it by ear but since I have the means...

Singlecuts Symmetrical (or close to symmetrical) body shapes (some Alembics, Statii, etc) Gold hardware Antigua burst Useless inlays (initials, crosses, skulls, etc) Pencil necks Black block inlays [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Everything Rickenbacker[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Edited to add Buckeye Burl....[/font][/color]

[quote name='Bobthedog' timestamp='1457614299' post='3000104'] I am sure I have seen a recent thread on here or TB where the OP complained that the CTM had a much brighter sound than the LB. If they have the same innards, this surely would not make sense? I have found an LB30 on Facebook that is a great price, however, it was a Jan 16 sale so ,at have gone. Until I get back to the UK, I am not going to chase anything, however. I cannot see the one on BC referred to earlier. [/quote] I can only speak from personal experience, but they sound identical to me (I'll caveat that by saying it's been a few years since I owned the LB30). I read on here somewhere I think that they were the same amp reinvented - apparently the whole "B**tard" thing didn't go down that well in some circles... They both sound excellent so I wouldn't take one person's negative comment as gospel. Try one for yourself!

[quote name='EliasMooseblaster' timestamp='1457600861' post='2999942'] Yep, another vote here. I believe the CTM30 has now replaced the LB30 in their production line - which is a bit of a shame as the LB30 is definitely the best-looking amp I've ever owned! But if the CTM30 sounds even half as good, you'll be laughing. (LB30 review if anyone's interested: https://thecrowfrombelow.wordpress.com/2015/08/03/gear-review-6-ashdown-little-bastard-30/ ) [/quote] They're identical under the hood. I prefer the look and form factor of the LB30 I had (it's slightly narrower), but the CTM30 I have now came up at a killer price so I jumped on it.

I'll add support for the LB30/CTM30. Fantastic little amps!