i know this is not the 18watt forum~
but, i thought i would post some pics of my 1st tube project.. the sound is amazing.. i play it with a 3knob tonebender, or Axis fuzz spanking the tubes pretty hard.. at only 18watts cranked, it does a really hot "blown out" tone..
it sounds pretty sexy with a rangemaster clone too..
The wood is poplar, and i used 3 dowel rods to hold it together on each joint.. then i whitewashed the wood, and waxed it.. with loads of help from my old man!
(http://gypsyelectronics.com/host/eighteenfront.JPG)
(http://gypsyelectronics.com/host/eighteentubes.JPG)
(http://gypsyelectronics.com/host/eighteengut.JPG)
(http://gypsyelectronics.com/host/eighteenguttwo.JPG)
(http://gypsyelectronics.com/host/eighteenfront.JPG)
if i hit it too hard with a booster, it oscilates a bit at the highest gain setting.. i plan to but some sheilded wire, and do up the vulnerable wires..
i am very happy with the sound of el84's.. all of my other amps are 6L6's.. if any body is planning out there 1st amp build.. make sure you know the safety part, inside and out before you start.. it is dangerous!
enjoy..
Wow! That looks great!
Congratulations! Nice looking, clean work you've done there. 8)
What kind of cab are you running it through?
;ohg
Very handsome looking amp there, bud. 8)
Looks awsome!!! I really wanna do the same but im afraif if the silly little "electricution" thing involved. I figure ill spend a little longer on effects--having 4 or 5 of every kind than ill be ready. Maybe..
Anyway, great job!!!
jim
speaking of the safety concerns thing - anyone have a good link to a thorough page about safety precautions when dealing with high voltage?
Wear a body-sized layer of latex around you except your face, that way you won't conduct and you'll be safe from high voltages. :mrgreen:
well, i do have a spare suit left over from my stage reenactment of "Naked Gun"...
QuoteWear a body-sized layer of latex around you except your face, that way you won't conduct and you'll be safe from high voltages.
Hmmm... you might like a super hero, don't fear, soldering man is here!
Or maybe you might like a teletubbie? Oh, never mind... :wink:
I really like that. It looks like Supro grill cloth. I'd love to hook my Ibanez ADL(analog delay), English Channel, BSIAB2, & HMP into that through a couple of 12s!
Super Cool!
RDV
Quote from: Samuelspeaking of the safety concerns thing - anyone have a good link to a thorough page about safety precautions when dealing with high voltage?
go to http://www.ax84.com They've got safety info, and links to MORE safety info.
thanks alot guys~
i've been playing it through an old sunn 4x10 cabinet.. but i plan on wiring my twin reverb speakers in series [8ohm] so i can hear what 2x12 sounds like..
the grill cloth is "bluesbreaker" grill cloth.. next, i plan on building a matching stage center reverb box with the same wood/cloth..
i probably have at least 60hours into this thing.. it took me a long time to debug, and even longer to make it quiet! i plan to play it out, after a couple of practices with it..
it really likes the wah wah->echoplex-> :twisted:
Wow, looks really nice... congratulations on a great build! :)
Really beautiful!!!
Sweet amp, you did a nice job on it, look's great,
and I love that Echo/Plex.
Johnny
What transformers did you use?
Awsome, by the way!
Is that the Lite II?
One knobber: minimalist.
http://18watt.com/modules.php?name=Downloads&d_op=viewdownload&cid=27
I just built a Lite II inside of an old Webcor PA, and it sounds amazing. The support on the 18 Watt forum is great; similar to this place in quality, though not in quantity.
COOL!!! :D :D :D
Minimalism rocks!!!
What a pretty amp!
The only thing that concerns me a bit is maybe you should add a shield at the back so nobody can touch the pins on the output transformer?
If it sounds as good as it looks,,,,wow!
Regan
hey guys~
sorry about the slacky reply.. somehow i overlooked some of the posts..
i used the hammond transformers this schemmo calls for: http://18watt.com/modules.php?name=Downloads&d_op=viewdownload&cid=27
it sounds amazing!
our project is just finishing mixing a new EP, and i really really wish i could have recorded alot of my guitar parts with this little guy..
to be honest, it could be a bit louder... i have to boost it a bit with a fuzz [tonebender -or- axis fuzz]to keep up in practice.. but we play really loud.. alot of times at smaller venues, they leave our amps out of the house.. [sound guys nightmare...]
we are working on bringing down our stage volumes, but part of our tone is that "dying amp" sound.. and our other guitar player plays an AC30 top boost.. so if anyone has any simple mods for volume.. i would consider! at the 18watt forum alot od guys are doing negative feedback mods to their TMB's.. but i don't know if that applies to the minimalist circuit?
sometimes i feel like i am boosting it so hard, it is badfor the amp/tubes..
again, i appreciate all of the compliments..
oh.. and yes.. the OT could have been placed a bit closer towards the middle of the chassis.. i plan to get some pretty shring tubing to cover all of the OT lugs..
I'm working on one right now. But I'm using a fender style two stage preamp instead of a paralleled input tube stage. Tone control is like on the original 18Watter. So it's gain, tone and volume. Still waiting for an output transformer though.
Happy for you. Enjoy your new amp. Soon I'll join in with mine! :)
ok~
i need some help here.. when this thing is cranked, or if i hit i hard with a boost or fuzz.. it starts to get an oscilating ghost harmonic that trails the note.. it actually sounds alot like tim escobedo's rassberry circuit.. it's a weird phasory buzz that trails behind lead notes and some chords.. i recently redid the input jack wire [jack to tube] with sheilded wire, and grounded it to the jack.. but i still get the fizzy sound that chass my notes.. i am out of ideas here.. this is my 1st amp build so i am not very experienced an debugging amp noise.. it's really annoying me at this point.. i've tried about everything i can think of here...i would like to play this thing at practice/gig.. but to get the volume i need out of it.. i get the crappy oscilation sound when i spank the tubes of this little guy...
any help or ideas are hugely appreciated here..
Wow!!! That is truly beautiful! I hope you're proud of it and thanked your dad plenty 8) ! Again... wow!
Looks great :D , very good work.
I see a toroidal trans... or not?
Quote from: nightingaleok~
i need some help here.. when this thing is cranked, or if i hit i hard with a boost or fuzz.. it starts to get an oscilating ghost harmonic that trails the note.. it actually sounds alot like tim escobedo's rassberry circuit.. it's a weird phasory buzz that trails behind lead notes and some chords.. i recently redid the input jack wire [jack to tube] with sheilded wire, and grounded it to the jack.. but i still get the fizzy sound that chass my notes.. i am out of ideas here.. this is my 1st amp build so i am not very experienced an debugging amp noise.. it's really annoying me at this point.. i've tried about everything i can think of here...i would like to play this thing at practice/gig.. but to get the volume i need out of it.. i get the crappy oscilation sound when i spank the tubes of this little guy...
any help or ideas are hugely appreciated here..
If you're certain it isn't the cab (tried a different one?) I'd suspect the power supply filtering (first cap too small, or defective). Have you tried a different set of tubes?
Nice build, by the way :-)
-Eric
thanks again for the compliments~
and yes, i thanked my old man several times for helping me with the woodwork/finish.. in fact he just bought a cheap table saw for future projects..
tom,
i dont beleive i used a I see a toroidal trans... just the ones specified in the schematic seen here.. http://18watt.com/modules.php?name=Downloads&d_op=viewdownload&cid=27
thanks eric~
i was hoping that you would cross paths with this thread.. i am about to try to rewire my twin reverb 2x12 to the proper impedance.. and give it a shot.
phil from www.18watt.com suggested that crossover modulation could be happening.. here is an interesting fix for it:
http://www.18watt.com/modules.php?name=Downloads&d_op=getit&lid=125
i plan on ordering the zeners from mouser and trying giving it a shot...
and yes i have swapped the tubes... would it be more likely to be a pre, or an out put tube?
curious,
~ry
eric~
it's definately not the cab.. the fizzy phasery sound was worse with the twin reverb speakers..
thanks again,
~ry
I agree with Eric, sounds like a bad capacitor.
Regan