einstein magoo wrote: ↑Mon Apr 25, 2022 2:21 pm
Great work Greg!
I really like your #3 option with the 2 x 10s. But I like combos.
Whatever you do you will have a loud ass amp at 45+ tube watts!
edit...#4 option.
Thanks.
I have another combo out in the garage. It's a solid state Fender Chorus something-or-other 2x12 and when I retrofit it into something good I'll be more careful about preserving it's combo-ness.
einstein magoo wrote: ↑Mon Apr 25, 2022 2:21 pm
Great work Greg!
I really like your #3 option with the 2 x 10s. But I like combos.
Whatever you do you will have a loud ass amp at 45+ tube watts!
edit...#4 option.
Thanks.
I have another combo out in the garage. It's a solid state Fender Chorus something-or-other 2x12 and when I retrofit it into something good I'll be more careful about preserving it's combo-ness.
Fender power chorus?
You gotta turn that into a Twin surely? Then you can fulfil all your Texan SRV fantasies.
JD01 wrote: ↑Mon Apr 25, 2022 3:54 pm
Fender power chorus?
You gotta turn that into a Twin surely? Then you can fulfil all your Texan SRV fantasies.
Just went out to have a look....it's an ULTIMATE Chorus.
Whatever that means. I don't know any of the specifics of that amp or if it even works. It was donated to me by a friend. Chorus is my least favorite effect so naturally that thing will be gutted.
But I don't need or want any more Fender amps. I was thinking of maybe turning that thing into a Vox AC30.
WhiskeyJack wrote: ↑Mon Apr 25, 2022 12:45 pm
I think after seeing all that Greg has done my desire to build a small amp has been extinguished for now.
For real though, if you buy a reputable kit from a reputable source and follow the directions perfectly you could put one together. I'm not suggesting you try it, but I'm just saying you could do it. If you can follow directions, read a multimeter, and solder competently, a basic amp kit could be done. If all the planets align you'll have a perfectly working amp.
Where some experience/understanding becomes important is when you have to go off script, or if something doesn't work, which are very very real possibilities.
And another problem is that "starter kits" probably just aren't what you'd want anyway. A Fender Champ is a great starter kit and super easy to build, but who really wants a Champ? You might as well step up to a Princeton or Deluxe. They're slightly more difficult but not too much. Lt Boobs 18w Marshall that I did would be a good amp kit to try. It was easy enough and it also sounds terrific and would be something that most people could actually use.
I'm certainly no expert but I'm comfy enough with amps that I feel like I can jump inside one of them and get shit done. I got started by maintaining and tinkering with my own already existing amps. That gave me a lot of familiarity and enough knowledge to go much further. I still keep it pretty basic though. I'm not dealing with MIDI and relays and channel switching stuff.
No sooner had i hit post on my earlier response, i got an email from stew mac letting me know their ghost overdrive pedal kits back in stock. I think I might grab this and give it a go.
I already have a klon clone, but this might be just something fun to pick away. I think i'll get the bare colored one and and come up with my own clever bullshit to put on it. Or not. I might just spray paint it pelham blue to match my tele because i am uninspiring like that.
JD01 wrote: ↑Mon Apr 25, 2022 3:54 pm
Fender power chorus?
You gotta turn that into a Twin surely? Then you can fulfil all your Texan SRV fantasies.
Just went out to have a look....it's an ULTIMATE Chorus.
Whatever that means. I don't know any of the specifics of that amp or if it even works. It was donated to me by a friend. Chorus is my least favorite effect so naturally that thing will be gutted.
But I don't need or want any more Fender amps. I was thinking of maybe turning that thing into a Vox AC30.
JD01 wrote: ↑Mon Apr 25, 2022 5:47 pm
I've no idea of the architecture of one. I just saw a cool rig rundown of Brian May. I think he had 3 of them together.
I think he regularly kept nine on stage.
You wouldn't really run ten EL84s to get to 100 watts with an AC30. But they do use EL84s and those are an integral part of the Vox sound. I think to make an AC100 would require a lot of different stuff that would un-AC30 an AC30.
JD01 wrote: ↑Mon Apr 25, 2022 5:47 pm
I've no idea of the architecture of one. I just saw a cool rig rundown of Brian May. I think he had 3 of them together.
I think he regularly kept nine on stage.
You should probably invade Russia. You're gonna need a lot of glass.
I got after it this morning. No second guessing, no self-debate, just do it.
And now it's a head.
I don't have a router so I'm shaping the corners with a DA sander. It'll be good enough. It's all gonna get covered in tolex anyway, and the bottom of the head box will have corner protectors. But I'm pretty pleased with my basic carpentry work using hand tools and scrap wood.
I left the top half of the speaker opening for ventilation and I might put a light or something in there. That part will be covered with grill cloth.
Good job man! nothing wrong with any of that. It's going ot be a beauty!!! I 2nd the idea of jamming a light or some of that LED strip lighting or something. though i wager the LEd strip lights would likely introduce some weird HF interference shit into the sound.
I don't why but this picture made me laugh my ass off.
why?
LEDs are probably the preferred way to add accent lighting to electronic shit. They use very little power and don't emit a bunch of noisy crap...as far as I know. Lots of amps use LED strips to look fancy. Some even use them in the circuit as part of their switching and clipping circuits.
I think becasue it is a cab cut in a half i had this inner dialogue of an angry guitar player just saying "fuck this shit" and cutting his amp in half .... this is how my brain operates, greg. Pay me no mind and let me enjoy things.
Greg_L wrote: ↑Tue Apr 26, 2022 1:33 pm
LEDs are probably the preferred way to add accent lighting to electronic shit. They use very little power and don't emit a bunch of noisy crap...as far as I know. Lots of amps use LED strips to look fancy. Some even use them in the circuit as part of their switching and clipping circuits.
I'll take your word for it. Whatever you choose will be the right thing for sure.
WhiskeyJack wrote: ↑Tue Apr 26, 2022 1:40 pm
I think becasue it is a cab cut in a half i had this inner dialogue of an angry guitar player just saying "fuck this shit" and cutting his amp in half .... this is how my brain operates, greg. Pay me no mind and let me enjoy things.
Lol well that is pretty much what happened. I took some measurements, marked the cab, and chopped that bitch in half.
And credit to the 80s Acoustic Amp Corporation. This cabinet is 100% solid plywood. No particle board cheap shit anywhere on this thing. All solid wood. Even the baffle.
WhiskeyJack wrote: ↑Tue Apr 26, 2022 1:40 pm
I think becasue it is a cab cut in a half i had this inner dialogue of an angry guitar player just saying "fuck this shit" and cutting his amp in half .... this is how my brain operates, greg. Pay me no mind and let me enjoy things.
Lol well that is pretty much what happened. I took some measurements, marked the cab, and chopped that bitch in half.
And credit to the 80s Acoustic Amp Corporation. This cabinet is 100% solid plywood. No particle board cheap shit anywhere on this thing. All solid wood. Even the baffle.
You should have cut the bottom off at a slightly jaunty angle. Just so it would look weird to people who see it. Not much, just about 10 or 15 degrees.
JD01 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 26, 2022 4:10 pm
You should have cut the bottom off at a slightly jaunty angle. Just so it would look weird to people who see it. Not much, just about 10 or 15 degrees.