Ampmaker Wf-55 4w DIY kit - How loud can you get it?

[guntherbuffalo]

Any one had a bash at this DIY amp kit?

Wanting a tweed style amp that will do for band rehearsals and small pub gigs for the blues band. Gonna try matching it with an Eminence Ragin Cajun 10" speaker as I wanna get it as loud as possible.

Anyone built this kit? How loud have you managed to get it? Giggable?

[6v6]

If you want loud/giggable I'd go with the PP18. I've built several 18w clones, a 5E3, and a Princeton Reverb and they are all loud enough for gigging with a drummer if the band is not too loud, the speaker is fairly efficient and you like dirty tones (there's not much headroom particularly on the 18w).

I also built an AX84 P1, with the same transformers/tubes that are in the 4w kit, and it was nice but not enough for gigging, even with a fairly efficient speaker, assuming you want to keep up with a drummer without PA assistance.

Btw, I know this is a bass site, but I'm assuming you're gonna put guitar through it (any of these small amps will suck for bass beyond bedroom volume IMO)

If you really want tweed-ish, you could easily substitute 6v6 output tubes in the PP-18 kit if you don't mind a bit of drilling - compare the 18w schematics with a Fender 5E3 tweed deluxe and you'll see what I mean, similar circuit topologies and values in many cases - I'd start with the 18w tho, they sound great. Checkout [url="http://18watt.com/"]this site[/url] for 18w schematics.

[guntherbuffalo]

Great thanks, I actually have an old Watkins Dominator that is 18 watts which I use that is great for big gigs. Nice and loud!

This amp is more for smaller pubs, and rehearsals. We have started doing one in particular where the Dominator doesn't even come close to breaking up for more rocky songs, I think I had the volume on 2 and a half! And that is still quite loud! So it would be for that sort of thing.

The kit I am looking at is 4w, when the champ is normally 5w, but all other 5f1 kits are abroad and I can't be doing with the huge shipping costs!

[guntherbuffalo]

It is for guitar by the way! Can't seem to find any specifically UK guitar forums.

[JapanAxe]

I have used a 5W single-ended valve 1x8 combo for small rehearsals and it [i]just[/i] copes. I gig a 15W valve combo and it has always been loud enough, even without PA support.

Try [url="http://www.wattkins.com"]Wattkins[/url] for an excellent building/modding forum.

[guntherbuffalo]

Looks like a great forum. Ideally need a kit with everything all in one, as this will be my first build. Will try all the modding stuff after when I know I can build the simplest amp.

[JapanAxe]

Actually, modding is much easier than a complete build, I would suggest do that first. I started with a Harley Benton GA5 (Epi Valve Junior clone from Thomann, about £80) and went from there. You can start with little component tweaks, swap speaker or output transformer, then some people go on to build turret-board or PTP versions of the amp circuit.

You learn a lot a long the way!

[6v6]

[quote name='guntherbuffalo' timestamp='1382560715' post='2253786']
Great thanks, I actually have an old Watkins Dominator that is 18 watts which I use that is great for big gigs. Nice and loud!

This amp is more for smaller pubs, and rehearsals. We have started doing one in particular where the Dominator doesn't even come close to breaking up for more rocky songs, I think I had the volume on 2 and a half! And that is still quite loud! So it would be for that sort of thing.

The kit I am looking at is 4w, when the champ is normally 5w, but all other 5f1 kits are abroad and I can't be doing with the huge shipping costs!
[/quote]

If you already have a dominator then you probably don't want a PP18, it's pretty much the same circuit IIRC (it's based on the 18watt.com lite2b I think, which is a stripped down version of a marshall 18w, which is very similar to a dominator)

That said, you could build one with 6v6's and/or tweak the circuit to be closer to a 5E3, which will give a very different sound (more bass/treble, less gain), and you could also install a VVR (variable power), which I think ampmaker are going to add to their kits by the look of the website.

Another UK option for kits is vyse/torres: [url="http://vyseamps.com/standard-amp-kits.htm"]http://vyseamps.com/...rd-amp-kits.htm[/url] - their prices are a bit higher than ampmaker, but it's good stuff and they do more Fender-ish options if that's what you're after. I built my princeton/deluxe reverb clone with parts from them, and it's been my main gigging amp for nearly 10 years.

Since you're finding the dominator too loud, I'd say go for it and build the 4w tweed amp - with an efficient speaker it sounds like it may work well for you.

Edited October 24, 2013 by 6v6

[Seb_C]

I've built the Ampmaker SE-5a. 5 watts with an EL84. Good kit, good supplier, went together really easily and was perfect first time. Five watts is only going to be about 1dB louder than four in reality, and I think this would be okay for very small gigs - but it won't stay clean. I used a Weber Silver Ten alnico - very nice speakers.

I now run the amp with very small mods and a NOS 6AQ5 output tube (like a mini 7 pin EL84/6V6 hybrid) with a NOS 12AT7 instead of the 12AX7 preamp tube. Less gain, less volume, probably barely 3w, sounds sweeter - but not giggable IMO.