Dave's tube amp project

[slodave]

What? You think I was done? I'm just getting warmed up!

Now that I have a vintage Les Paul (copy), I need a vintage tube amp to go with it. Actually it's two pronged. In the late 80's and early 90's I was into LOUD. I have two Fender M80 SS amps that are just way too loud to play in a townhome/shared wall environment. Also, the headbanging days are long gone. Time to mellow out a bit....

I could easily go online o to one of the numerous shops around town and come home with a new (or old) vintage tube amp. But where's the fun in that. While working on the LP project, I started to research DIY tube amps. I found what I think is a great site - AX84.com - The Cooperative Tube Guitar Amp Project - we will see. After going over there 4 amp projects, I naturally leaned towards the hardest one. It should give me flexibility in output wattage though and hopefully satisfy the quite needs as well as being able to produce enough power to gig with - not that I plan on it.

I'm hoping that in the low end configuration, I get between 3-5 watts. More than enough for plugging in around neighbors.

I plan on building the amp first, then build enclosures. Unless someone can talk me out of it, I am planning to build the amp as a head and a separate speaker (1x) enclosure. In my head, I am toying with making the head unit out of solid old growth walnut and the speaker enclosure will be plywood covered in tweed.

I am always looking for suggestions, help...

Without further adieu.... The first pic to get us started..

Excluding the 3 tubes, $30 in parts. Various capacitors, resistors, pots...


I ordered the two transformers I needed online and they should arrive end of week or early next week. I still need 4 resistors and one cap I could not source at the first local store. Off to find them tomorrow.

This project will no be as fast paced as the LP project, but it should not take very long.

[Heel n Toe]

Go for it... yup, gotta be covered in tweed.

But after this, you gotta promise to just go out and buy the cables. Heh heh.

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

Westwood Music was really helpful when I was restoring my silverface Deluxe Reverb. They had a lot of NOS stuff I needed.

What are you using there? 6L6?

And yes, Tweed.

[slodave]

At the moment, I have a 6V6GT. I plan on finding a few other types as well.

I'll keep Westwood in mind if I can't find things in the Valley.

I'm going to silk screen the face and back plate. This one's going to "11".

[trekkor]

My neighbor is a tube amp repair specialist. I'm almost certain he has what you need. Want his number?


KT

[slodave]

Sure, PM it to me. It may come in handy. Thanks!

[vas930]

You the man Dave. Look forward to this one.

[Heel n Toe]

Originally Posted by slodave

I'm going to silk screen the face and back plate. This one's going to "11".

C'mon.

Make it go to "12."

"11" has already been done. You're not gonna be happy with that.

[slodave]

I might as well get unlucky and make it go to "13".

[Heel n Toe]

You're a true visionary, Dave.

[Rick V]

over achiever

[pete3799]

Go for it Dave.

[LWJ]

A 6v6 is what I am jonesing for recently! I have played on 6l6 configurations in the past and they are too darn loud. I will be following this as I have a Valco that needs repair and an organ amp (6l6) that I may just convert into something fun.
Larry

[IROC]

Originally Posted by LWJ

A 6v6 is what I am jonesing for recently! I have played on 6l6 configurations in the past and they are too darn loud. I will be following this as I have a Valco that needs repair and an organ amp (6l6) that I may just convert into something fun.
Larry

6V6s are my favorite tubes. They're not all created equal, though. I have a new ElectroHarmonix that has decent tone, but it is "lifeless". My two really, really nice ones are a Mazda and an MWT (Marconi Wireless Telegraph). The Mazda is especially complex and seems to have so many hidden harmonics that it's like having a chorus pedal in the loop...

Sorry to ramble, but I did a search to see if these were still available and found this write-up by Brian May on the Mazda:

These are a 1950's French military valve that we decided to test at 500V DC plate and screen on our test rig (well above their rated maximums). Five hours later they were rock-solid where others had died - a serious indication of the unit's solidity.

Fitted into the Princeton the Mazda rocks, the sonic spectrum big, the distortion fat and punchy. The bass response is not as deep as the RCA, mind, and it does sound slightly edgy. When overdriven the valve has a raw, organic sound which I fell in love with; it seems better suited to the grungy side of rock. With a Les Paul the sustain is full and rich with no harsh edges - you feel you're playing a wall of amps, not just a little Princeton. These babies are great little blues valves and work well with the semi-acoustic Yamaha in both single and humbucking mode. The valve doesn't lose punch or go muddy even when effects are introduced. We loved them.

[stomachmonkey]

I say skip 10 and go straight from 9 to 11.

[Rick Lee]

I rode past an amp store last week on Ventura in Studio City. Can't remember the name, but it was on the north side of the street and a few blocks west of Coldwater.

[Zeke]

A old guy with a 60's VW Transporter (single cab) was selling some older amps at a garage sale last Sat. But, if his prices on other things were an indication, he knew what he had. I wonder if someone bagged them.

[Burnin' oil]

"I am toying with making the head unit out of solid old growth walnut"

What dimensions? Roughly 25x12x12 or something? I might be able to help you out with black walnut stock.

[RWebb]

the high end audio crazy people will be able to tell you what country is making the best organic, biodynamic, corn-fed tubes right now

a while back it was Svetlana

[RWebb]

here is some help on the circuit layout: