Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: Toe-Knee on September 27, 2013, 01:37:37 PM
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I started this some time ago but didn't post anything up as I knew it was going to be a long process.
It's finally coming together as in I have all the parts or they are on the way. Just waiting for the headshell and valves now.
I still need to figure out a tidy way of chassis mounting the preamp valve sockets because I don't like pcb mounted ones both for reliability and future maintenance reasons.
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9807181/Amps/MKIIC%2B/Forum%20Pics/All%20Caps.jpg)
I have been holding off on populating the GEQ and the PSU purely for ease of storage but i have all the parts so here's a quick shot of the Pcbs and chassis before i started.
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9807181/Amps/MKIIC%2B/Forum%20Pics/forum.jpg)
As you may notice the chassis as great as it is didn't come with any mounting nuts welded in so i got handy with some rivnuts.
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9807181/Amps/MKIIC%2B/Forum%20Pics/Rivnut%20Top.jpg)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9807181/Amps/MKIIC%2B/Forum%20Pics/Rivnut%20bottom.jpg)
Then this final part for today is the bit that took the longest. The simulclass output transformer. I spent literally weeks googling for information regarding this beast and learnt i could just use a 50w marshall OT and mismatch the secondaries but then i would lose my 16ohm tap and i didn't want that.
So i did some more research and found someone who had dissasembled an original unit and noted down the winds, wire guage and lamination sizes. I had to make some slight adjustments to the laminations to accomodate the additional 16ohm tap (not present on the original) and sent the information over to BLS transformers and a couple of weeks later this beauty arrived in the post.
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9807181/Amps/MKIIC%2B/Forum%20Pics/Simulclass%20OT.jpg)
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I forgot to add the photo of the custom PT from Heyboer too.
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9807181/Amps/MKIIC%2B/Forum%20Pics/Custom%20PT%20%26%20Simulclass%20OT.jpg)
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Awesome! I hope that Marlboro box is a Smokey amp, tho ... ;)
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Awesome! I hope that Marlboro box is a Smokey amp, tho ... ;)
Nope unfortunately i fell off the wagon!
I do plan on packing them in again after this pack now that all of the stress of moving is over with.
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Excellent :D
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nice :D
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Exciting stuff mate the black album has my favourite rythm guitar tones (im sure thats the main amp they used??)
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Exciting stuff mate the black album has my favourite rythm guitar tones (im sure thats the main amp they used??)
Correct it was used for the majority of the sounds on the album along with a roland jc120 for cleans.
I think there was also some triaxis usage too
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Just a small update. The headshell has been tolexed. Now for the grill and to decide whether to add silver piping or not....
Annoyingly i'm now on long shifts at work so i'll only get a chance to work on it on sundays from here on out. Hopefully it will be done for christmas.
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9807181/Amps/MKIIC%2B/Forum%20Pics/headshell%20tolex.jpg)
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Looks tasty - where did you get the PCBs?
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Looks tasty - where did you get the PCBs?
http://ampclones.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7&products_id=16 (http://ampclones.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7&products_id=16)
Hes expensive but makes high quality stuff. I only buy when theres a sale on though. He usually knocks 30+% off or does bogof in december/january
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Have to say thats awesome. Want an amp? make it. Seriously very cool, wish i could do it.
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Have to say thats awesome. Want an amp? make it. Seriously very cool, wish i could do it.
It takes a lot of research & unfortunately a few nasty shocks during late night sessions (not an essential skill!) to do it!
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Have to say thats awesome. Want an amp? make it. Seriously very cool, wish i could do it.
It takes a lot of research & unfortunately a few nasty shocks during late night sessions (not an essential skill!) to do it!
Definitely not pretending it's anything but difficult to learn, I have a 1st in mechanincal engineering, definitely not dumb but have NEVER got my head around electronics. Very cool stuff!!
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Being a noob in that respect, I always admire people who can put a tubeamp together.
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Oh my god so much want !
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Good work.
I won't be too worried about PCB mounted pre-amp valve sockets, as in my experience they rarely cause problems.
If you can effect an elegant way of mounting them with flying wires, that could be a good solution as long as there is space to do it.
PCB mounted power valves are another matter.........
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Good work.
I won't be too worried about PCB mounted pre-amp valve sockets, as in my experience they rarely cause problems.
If you can effect an elegant way of mounting them with flying wires, that could be a good solution as long as there is space to do it.
PCB mounted power valves are another matter.........
Yeah i figured if i use decent quality sockets it should be fine.
I agree with the power valve sockets. Ive heard a lot of complaints from a local tech about them.
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I have been crazily busy at work these last couple of months so I haven't even had a chance to touch this.
Things have finally calmed down so i've jumped back in.
First up here's the headshell & a test fitting ( inside to be painted before I do the shielding & fit the reverb tank)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9807181/Amps/MKIIC%2B/Forum%20Pics/2013-11-24%2013.30.30.jpg)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9807181/Amps/MKIIC%2B/Forum%20Pics/2013-12-05%2016.50.53.jpg)
Heres the octal heaters
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9807181/Amps/MKIIC%2B/Forum%20Pics/Heater%20bus.jpg)
and the offboard components (screen grids, grid stoppers)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9807181/Amps/MKIIC%2B/Forum%20Pics/Simulclass%20Octals%201.jpg)
and here's the OT primaries and the other pair of octals in progress.
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9807181/Amps/MKIIC%2B/Forum%20Pics/Octal%20top.jpg)
and now it's time for food so i'll continue this tomorrow.
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I ended up staying at work longer than I expected today so there was very little progress.
I managed to finish the octal wiring & the simul class switch though.
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9807181/Amps/MKIIC%2B/Forum%20Pics/socket%20wiring.jpg)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9807181/Amps/MKIIC%2B/Forum%20Pics/output%20done.jpg)
I've just noticed a shady looking solder joint on the simul class switch on these photos. That will be fixed tomorrow then onto the mains wiring.
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9807181/Amps/MKIIC%2B/Forum%20Pics/top1.jpg)
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Cool pics 8) looking good!
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That looks awesome, your works so neat!
Can't wait to try it out.
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I just finished PSU, mains & EQ switching.
Now I'm just waiting on some wire in the post so that I can extend the Output transformer secondaries and finish up.
There are a few little jobs that I can be getting on with though such as the pot wiring and the GEQ.
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9807181/Amps/MKIIC%2B/PSU%20installed.jpg)
However I think I deserve to go muck about on the PS4 for a while.
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That looks awesome, your works so neat!
Can't wait to try it out.
Well i'm hoping to have it done over the next week... A Christmas present to myself so to speak. So saying that if you have any free time over the next few weeks let me know.
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It's finished! Well mostly.
I need to lower the EQ voltage a bit & get some new valves in it
After a bit of tidying ill post more pics.
This thing has a ridiculous amount of gain and a pretty funky way to dial it in but I'm loving it so far.
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9807181/Amps/MKIIC%2B/2014-01-05%2014.48.30.jpg)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9807181/Amps/MKIIC%2B/2014-01-06%2018.21.04.jpg)
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also Dmoney is a legend for helping me suss some of it.
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That looks awesome, your works so neat!
Can't wait to try it out.
Well i'm hoping to have it done over the next week... A Christmas present to myself so to speak. So saying that if you have any free time over the next few weeks let me know.
I'll admit to only just having seen your reply :lol:
As we talk so much off here I never thought to check back to this thread!
Deffo upfor giving it a go sometime, just have to see what's happening with the kitchen and damp proofing etc 1st.
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That looks awesome, your works so neat!
Can't wait to try it out.
Well i'm hoping to have it done over the next week... A Christmas present to myself so to speak. So saying that if you have any free time over the next few weeks let me know.
Well you know where I am. You are welcome anytime.
I'll admit to only just having seen your reply :lol:
As we talk so much off here I never thought to check back to this thread!
Deffo upfor giving it a go sometime, just have to see what's happening with the kitchen and damp proofing etc 1st.
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Well done, that looks great.
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Awesome! well done man, looks immaculate
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Thanks guys.
Here are some final shots with it as tidy as I can be bothered to make it for now.
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9807181/Amps/MKIIC%2B/Output%20jacks.jpg)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9807181/Amps/MKIIC%2B/preamp.jpg)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9807181/Amps/MKIIC%2B/Full%20amp.jpg)
Note the bias pot is temporary whilst I wait for the correct valves to arrive so I can figure out what value resistors i'll need to set it correctly
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Excellent - gotta love DIY stuff! Nice job...
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Fantastic! Any video?
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Fantastic! Any video?
No. I had a few bugs to iron out.
I should be doing some clips tomorrow though.
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Thing of beauty 8)
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Thing of beauty 8)
Thanks man.
I finally got around to recording a little something after spending the last week pulling my hair out trying to fix some hum that I since learned is caused by the cr@ppy reverb circuit and is also present in the original. I think i'll just ditch the verb...
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9807181/Recordings/Blackened%20MKIIC%2B.mp3
Caution it's a tad bass heavy as I suck at mic placement.