Deacy + Boost combo vero.

Started by digi2t, January 04, 2014, 02:29:15 AM

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Hemmel

Bââââ.

Kipper4

Deacy is the amp that bassist John Deacon made for fellow band member Brian May. And was used extensively on a lot of Queen recordings. Especially in conjunction with a treble booster.
Essentially a germanium solid state 1 watt amp built into a small hifi speaker cabinet .
It's a high gain , low volume. Kinda affair.
I hooked mine up to the speaker in my fender amps and it's sounds great.

Ma throats as dry as an overcooked kipper.


Smoke me a Kipper. I'll be back for breakfast.

Grey Paper.
http://www.aronnelson.com/DIYFiles/up/

mth5044

So a lot of Queen stuff wasn't Vox? Who'da thought.

Kipper4

Google Deacy amp . You tube Deacy amp and you will find stuff by Brian May on the amp and lots of demos and info
I can't wait for Dino's demo
Ma throats as dry as an overcooked kipper.


Smoke me a Kipper. I'll be back for breakfast.

Grey Paper.
http://www.aronnelson.com/DIYFiles/up/

petey twofinger

 recently i removed those same transistors from a tiny reel to reel and a zenith table radio .

i didnt even think to try them as a mini amp .

no offense to anyone else in this hobby , but Dino , you are THE MAN .

im learning , we'll thats what i keep telling myself

digi2t

Yeah, I'm looking forward to doing the video, but I'm waiting until I have the speaker in an enclosure right now. It doesn't sound bad, but I'm sure that having the speaker in and enclosure will improve the dynamic.

Coming soon.
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StarGeezers

Di', from our humble experience, the speaker/enclosure makes a BIG difference... !!!  Some sounded great , some sounded like $**+ ...    :icon_eek:

digi2t

Quote from: StarGeezers on January 12, 2014, 07:38:00 AM
Di', from our humble experience, the speaker/enclosure makes a BIG difference... !!!  Some sounded great , some sounded like $**+ ...    :icon_eek:

Any recommendations?
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StarGeezers

 Being from the Tone per Buck Club , we always root around at the thrift store ... many many smallish speakers , and enclosures to be had for a pittance ... or check the skip in accordance with Deacy tradition ...  :icon_lol: :icon_lol: :icon_lol:
Remember , this was a "found  sound" ...  :icon_rolleyes: :icon_mrgreen:

digi2t

#29
Well, it's done. Vero is verified.

I've built it as a dual purpose kit. Can be used as a pedal in front of an amp, or as an amp on it's own. Along with the input, and speaker output, there's a direct output which has volume control, and a loop between the booster and amp section. This way I can insert something else in between, and the booster and amp sections are bypassable.

One selector switch for four compression settings, and the other for four different input caps for the booster. The controls are booster gain, booster output volume, and amp section output volume (direct out only).

Sounds really good. Has that great mid-scooped sound, yet when using the bridge pickup with the booster cranked up, the treble harmonic content cuts through like a sushi chef knife. I'm using a 2SC828R, instead of the BC182L. I find it has more bark, bite, and edge than the BC182L, which I find a bit tame for my taste.

Here are the build pics. Video coming when I have the whizzer speaker and enclosure together.









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Gus

Have you plugged it in a 4x12 cab? or a 1x12 cab?

bool

I had that almost exact same hunch regarding your use of the bc182 and think the bc107-9 metal cans would yield some of that more edgy vibe - but with possibility of slight rfi noise pickup ...

Anyway, the bc182-4 family I used a lot back in '80-s for their slightly "lazy - but not dull" vibe, esp good in power amps..

Imo there's a reason mr. Neve used bc184 in his famous pres (besides low noise).

..all good fun

digi2t

Quote from: Gus on January 19, 2014, 11:33:06 AM
Have you plugged it in a 4x12 cab? or a 1x12 cab?


Neither, actually. I've been auditioning different 8", 8 ohm, speakers. Right now, I have two that sound nice, but I have to mount them into the enclosure to really decide which one will make the cut. Just a matter of too much to do, but not enough hours in the day at the moment.
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digi2t

OKee DOkee... it's video time. As Brother Jimi would say, "Enjoy the fuzzy goodness peeps".

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Tony Forestiere

Dino! 6:13 - You pretty much nail the Brian May tone. Way cool!  8)
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digi2t

Quote from: Tony Forestiere on January 23, 2014, 07:39:06 PM
Dino! 6:13 - You pretty much nail the Brian May tone. Way cool!  8)

Thanks Tony. It's nice to get the opinion of an "objective ear". I usually end up listening for too long, and get tone deaf after awhile. :icon_mrgreen:
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Greenmachine

Sounds awesome.  I'm totally envious and want to build this.  Great build too.

digi2t

Geeezzzz.... I'm such a dunce. I should have listed the transistor info for the amp section. I'll get the gains and voltages up asap. Will go a long way in helping narrow down the right transistor for anyone that wants to build it.
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chuckd666

Hey, I was just thinking - how would you implement a volume control for the amp section? I noticed the Pignose just has a sort of pregain control and it is a similar design:




rockaffe

Quote from: digi2t on January 04, 2014, 02:29:15 AM
Another project that's been in the parts bin for a dog's age. Finally buckled down and started it. It's the Deacy circuit, with a Brian May treble booster in front. The booster has four input caps to choose from, and I plan to use switching jacks between the amp section and the booster to create a loop. That way, I can insert something else other than the boost in front of the amp section. The vero also carries a +/-9vdc power section, so the whole thing is powered by 12vac. Many thanks to Gus, tubegeek, and amptramp for the debug help while this was on the breadboard. It's not quite finished yet, I'm waiting on some parts, but I thought I would share the vero, and a few pics of the board to date. I've gone for the "old timer" look with this build, using big components, 1/2 watt resistors, and big honkin' axials. Bit of a "left turn at Albuquerque" for me, but I hope Lucifer's Trip approves.  :icon_mrgreen:

Here's the vero;



And the board;







I've been using the Fryer schematics, so I incorporated the compression switching, as well as adding the direct speaker output, and direct output connection with volume control. I have an 8" whizzer coming, but I think I'm going to dump this into a 1590DD, and use it as a stompbox. I'll put the 8" into a small wooden cab, that I can just plug in when needed.

I'll post more when it's complete.

I'm sorry to take this post up, but I can't see any of the images in the OP. Could you post them again, please?