An Itch which may be Scratched....

[Jazzneck]

Long story short.
I have downsized to an Orange BT500 and RetroTwo10 which satisfies more than my needs.
However, I still keep bleating to all and sundry that the best bass amp I ever had was the ELGEN 40W prototype head running on a pair of KT88s - this was in 1968.
My eldest son has thrown in the towel and is out to prove the point , one way or the other.
He is going to build me as close to a facsimile as my memory, my surviving ELGEN 100W head and the few photos I have will allow.
The ELGEN was run through a Vox T60 cab, the new one will run through the RetroTwo10.
What we have discovered is that the old Marshall built Park 75 head is remarkably similar to my old ELGEN 40W - there may be a story there, too.
The project will take a few months to complete.
I'll keep you informed.......

[Roland Rock]

Look forward to seejng this. I have a 100w 2xKT88 head which sounds glorious - nothing quite like it ☺

[Jazzneck]

See below - I screwed up again.

Edited May 2, 2015 by Jazzneck

[Jazzneck]

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1430553629' post='2762479']
Look forward to seejng this. I have a 100w 2xKT88 head which sounds glorious - nothing quite like it ☺
[/quote]

Just out of interest, what is your 2 x KT88 head?

[Roland Rock]

[quote name='Jazzneck' timestamp='1430557768' post='2762529']


Just out of interest, what is your 2 x KT88 head?
[/quote]

It's my somewhat idiosyncratic Red Iron custom, with mods by Champ Electronics.

2x6SL7 in the pre and 2xKT88s in the power.

It has a lovely core tone, pretty clean but smooth and gritty when you dig in. Filthy and creamy when driven by a hot bassy signal.

I made the case myself, TBH it photographs nicely but is a tad shonky in the flesh
☺

[Img]http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg580/christopher_brown14/rackbags/aamp_zps2622dd68.jpg" class="ipsImage" />

It's not being used much at the moment as my current band requires mega clean with lots of headroom, but will come out again as soon as something rockier/blusier comes along.

Edited May 2, 2015 by Roland Rock

[Beer of the Bass]

I wonder how they were running a pair of KT88 to get a 40 watt rated amp out of them. Most instrument amps seem focussed on wringing all the available output out of the valves, so was this more of a conservative, hi-fi sort of design? This could be interesting...

[bertbass]

I remember Elgen very well. Went to their factory to buy a 100w valve P.A. amp and it was superb. I always wanted an Elgen bass amp but could never afford it.

Edited May 2, 2015 by bertbass

[Jazzneck]

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1430561272' post='2762572']
I wonder how they were running a pair of KT88 to get a 40 watt rated amp out of them. Most instrument amps seem focussed on wringing all the available output out of the valves, so was this more of a conservative, hi-fi sort of design? This could be interesting...
[/quote]
Interesting point.
Tony, Mr. Elgen, designed and built the amp and I was the guinea pig.
I used it in anger at High Wycombe Town Hall where, in a three piece band, I only needed to set the volume at about 1.5. I commented that it was bl**dy loud for only 40Watts. A few days later Tony set up a Marshall 100W on his 'scope and calibrated said 'scope to show 100W of Marshall clean, just on the point of distortion. Against this calibration the Elgen showed iro 135Wish clean, just on the point of distortion.
Interesting, eh?
I don't know how he did it but it was one hell of an amp.
[quote name='bertbass' timestamp='1430567751' post='2762684']
I remember Elgen very well. Went to their factory to buy a 100w valve P.A. amp and it was superb. I always wanted an Elgen bass amp but could never afford it.
[/quote]
It was a great little business with some fascinating characters working there making some really good kit.
Was Tony still charging £1/watt in your day?
In 1968, a 100W head would have cost the equivalent of £1623.60 in today's money.
My take home pay then was £5/10/6 a week equivalent to £89.70 per week today.

Edited May 2, 2015 by Jazzneck

[Jazzneck]

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1430560706' post='2762567']
It's my somewhat idiosyncratic Red Iron custom, with mods by Champ Electronics.

2x6SL7 in the pre and 2xKT88s in the power.

It has a lovely core tone, pretty clean but smooth and gritty when you dig in. Filthy and creamy when driven by a hot bassy signal.

I made the case myself, TBH it photographs nicely but is a tad shonky in the flesh
☺



It's not being used much at the moment as my current band requires mega clean with lots of headroom, but will come out again as soon as something rockier/blusier comes along.
[/quote]

That head looks great and a tad familiar - PM is on its way.

Edited May 2, 2015 by Jazzneck

[bertbass]

It was probably 1969 /70 when we bought the amp and I can't remember why we went to the factory to buy it or even why we bought it and I can't remember the price either but I do remember what a fantastic amp it was. I also remember that it had a sort of maroon / red wine coloured covering though.

Edited May 3, 2015 by bertbass

[Jazzneck]

Bert, the Elgen standard colour was the raspberry tolex with pink face plate / grey silver cloth in those early days.

Like this:
[attachment=191097:elgen 002.jpg]






Did you get round to The Nags Head for a pint whilst you were there?
Scene of The Blues Loft where we saw everyone from Howlin' Wolf to Blodwyn Pig in those heady days.
And it was where I met Mrs. Jazzneck all those years ago, too.

Edited May 3, 2015 by Jazzneck

[Lloyd C]

Saw an Elgen 100w Solid State bass amp just yesterday in a shop...should I pick it up? Silver fronted.

Edited June 25, 2015 by Lloyd C

[Jazzneck]

Incubation in progress:

[attachment=229579:50W start1.JPG] [attachment=229581:50W start4.JPG]

Please don't ask any technical questions as my son is doing the job and I start to get a bit confused when we get past the word "valve".

Updates will follow as things develop .........unless I fall over beforehand.......

Edited October 9, 2016 by Jazzneck

[Beer of the Bass]

That looks promising; I can't imagine that not being good once it's finished. If you're up for passing the question on to your son I'd be curious to know who his supplier was for the transformers - are they off-the-shelf or custom wound for this amp?

[Jazzneck]

Barry Vise supplied the transformers and I think the big heavy one is second hand.

[Thunderbroom]

Hi,

Just to add to dad's comment above the parts and a lot of technical support for this project have come from Barry Vyse at Vyse amps http://vyseamps.com/ , top bloke and very helpful and supportive.

Edited October 22, 2016 by Thunderbroom