Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Tech => Topic started by: rinse_master on June 23, 2005, 11:49:01 AM
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I was thinking of building an amp for myself, planning on a fairly simple ciruit like a tweed champ style.
Is it particularly difficult?, one vol, one tone and a couple of tubes shouldn't be too hard right?
Does anyone know of any places that sell kits of some type for this sorta thing?
Thanks.
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Torres amps sell kits (www.torresamps.com). I don't know whether they're any good but I'm thinking about doing the same thing and I've been looking at these.
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I wouldn't recommend the Torres kits.
I had one that Nick Guppy (guitarist) built for review. Texas something.
It was worse than shite.....a £200 Laney LC15 sounds better! ANd according to Nick it sounded worse before he tweaked some cap values....
Webervst makes good chassis parts, transformers and bits. Also Tube Amp Doctor make some kits, I've heard better things about these kits. Matamp can make you a box to put it in.
Another option is to try and get a production valve amp, gut it and install a Hoffman or Thundertweak circuit board, that's what I did as my first project. It's much easier than a total scratch build!
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http://www.diyguitaramp.com/
This site has some info on amp schematics and parts suppliers etc.
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yea i was thinking of doing the same. Im looking at the plans for a Mesa boogie dual recto solo head. Any ideas to the sanity of this??
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I wouldn't try making my own amp mainly because I know I'll screw it up.
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yea i was thinking of doing the same. Im looking at the plans for a Mesa boogie dual recto solo head. Any ideas to the sanity of this??
That's a challenge...especially as Boogie often put out circuits that have errors on them...
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yea i was thinking of doing the same. Im looking at the plans for a Mesa boogie dual recto solo head. Any ideas to the sanity of this??
That's a challenge...especially as Boogie often put out circuits that have errors on them...
Challenge, yes, there's gonna be at least 2 channels and a lot of switches/options, if I do it I'm sticking with simple. :crzy: I don't really want to blow myself up!
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try http://www.ax84.com/
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www.missionamps.com
They have a very nice tweed kit over there, plus lots of stuff with good reviews.
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Thanks for those two, I have heard lots of good things about Mission Amps and their kits, the guy (I think it's Bruce) who runs it is the brother of the dealer I brought my SD's from over in the US.
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If you've got the patience and ability to do it, go for it. A guy I know built his own amp and its sound amazing. Looks like cr4p but has the nicest sound!!
Let us all know how it sound too when you've finished it.
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I was in the process of building my own valve amp before having to relocate myself to London (and have no space to build anything now).
Try the following http://home.cfl.rr.com/dbhammond/doug.htm
Doug Hammond is a nice guy, helpful and knows what he is talking about (which is a nice change in the DIY amp community).
Check out the Firezog
His Highway 89 pedal is an absolute gem too.
Kilby...
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The Torres kit:
It was worse than shitee.....a £200 Laney LC15 sounds better! ANd according to Nick it sounded worse before he tweaked some cap values....
But didn't Guitarist give it 4/5 stars? :?
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Can't post, PM!
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Check out the Harmony Central reviews for Torres Amp kits, last time I checked the general consensus was that they were not good.
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www.metroamp.com - absolutely fantastic kits, and even cheaper to obtain than the Marshall reissues if you're outside the UK.
a tweed champ should be a great starter amp, it's not complex so there's not as many places to make errors, and it won't take as much time as say, a 100w Marshall SuperLead. my first tube amp was a plexi reissue I gutted and rebuilt with much better (and more vintage) components the first night after I got it - by doing that I learnt not only how to build amps, but how they work, how to bias them, and how different values of components make tonal differences.
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I second that...I've done a Super Reverb and a JMP50 using turret board kits. Great way to learn (just don't do the super as a first attempt!!)
I'm not convinced about a lot of mod kits, you're kind of turd polishing with a lot of amps.....best to rip it out and go point to point. I reckon Bainzy's PTPcircuits is about the first UK site.....hope it takes off!
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cheers :D
I think there's one guy in the UK that sells parts for PTP style amp builds, but there's no information or forum on that site, it's just a small shop. I'll have to get cracking on this site soon, I just haven't had any time at all for it for the last few weeks, and I only set it up last month.
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www.metroamp.com
Just checked that out. I did electronics until Year 10 at school...not great I know, but I know how to solder and read a circuit diagram. It looks like there is, what, 70 components in the average board?
Am I over-simplifying it, or is actually pretty straightforward/easy?
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yep......building transistor amps is where it gets complicated.... :lol:
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so, in-theory, as long as I have patience and know how to solder correctly, I could make one of these without much difficulty?
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Yep......just be careful with the high voltage!
The biggest problem is getting the chassis and transformers if you're scratch building. ANd the hardest thing is covering the box..... :lol: