New Trainwreck Clip

[geetarpicker]

Mrscratch,

One thing I'll mention is I've also had my share of nasty, negative, critical and even downright evil Youtube comments left on my videos. Some folks there (kids?) seem to think it's funny and cool just to cut things down just for the hell of it. If they can't cut on the playing or tone, some will simply tear you apart for what you look like or anything else they can think of... I've even given up and had to actually pull videos simply because of what I WORE! So, point is you just have to roll and smile with what happens when you post clips on the web, though perhaps with Youtube you can edit out the comments that are just plain wacked or worse offensive.

Cheers and nice sounding amp you got there! I'd like to play a "new" one sometime.

Glen

[JamesHealey]

Glen I have the utmost respect for you as a Musician you've got the chops and the feel and I enjoying your playing a lot.

But I'm afraid I can't say the same for your fashion sense

[geetarpicker]

Ah, must be that darn orange shirt, or perhaps the tie dye from '92...

Is this current outfit any better? (disclaimer...next time we'll iron the back drop!)

[JamesHealey]

it's the tie dye lol ... you look fine there.

[Lousyatit]

Mrscratch,

One thing I'll mention is I've also had my share of nasty, negative, critical and even downright evil Youtube comments left on my videos. Some folks there (kids?) seem to think it's funny and cool just to cut things down just for the hell of it. If they can't cut on the playing or tone, some will simply tear you apart for what you look like or anything else they can think of... I've even given up and had to actually pull videos simply because of what I WORE! So, point is you just have to roll and smile with what happens when you post clips on the web, though perhaps with Youtube you can edit out the comments that are just plain wacked or worse offensive.

Cheers and nice sounding amp you got there! I'd like to play a "new" one sometime.

Glen

Glen, it is my opinion that Youtube is a great resource, but it is also a magnet for fucktards. Pearls before swine my man, you do a great job with your stuff and I never even notice what you wear.

[MCK]

With tone & chops like that who cares about looks. The 59LP makes sure one can look nowhere else anyways.

[Gibsonman63]

Mrscratch,

If you listen hard enough, everything matters... at least some. For my Thursday session, we noticed the the distance the bass player's amp was from the wall behind it makes a huge difference in tone and sound dispersion, and I am talking about a matter of just an inch or so here.

No need to take offense. Many of us here are tweakers at heart. We are just wired that way and we come here for ideas, encouragement and kindred spirits. With that comes a scientific mind. If someone says something is so, it is not just accepted as fact, show me and explain why. Half of this site is devoted to the designs of Ken Fischer. When someone comes along claiming to build the only "real" new Trainwreck amplifiers, we want to judge for ourselves and know how this is achieved. If the amp in question is an Express and it is a true Trainwreck amp, then one would have to assume that it has the same circuit, and possible tweaks, that Ken Fischer used. That being the case, there are just a handful of things that affect the final product.

Parts - We are led to believe that Ken's remaining part stock is used to build this amp. If that is the case, then that would not be a facter.

Tubes - It is well known that Ken had an ear for selecting tubes to compliment the amplifiers he built. Being a mere mortal, I could only afford one set of NOS tubes for my build, so it would be interesting to know what tubes were supplied with your amp and how they were biased.

Build and lead dress - obviously, you are not going to show us any gut shots of the amp, so all we can do is speculate and assume that the layout is per the Ken Fischer built Trainwrecks, but those of us who have built this circuit know that this part is hyper-critical to a sucessful outcome.

We (mostly) are not trying to bust your balls here. I am here to learn the secrets of the universe, at least as far as amplifiers are concerned. I won't speculate about your motivations for coming here, but if you read through the threads, the members here have offered to record your amp professionally and have offered suggestions on biasing and other ways to show your amp in it's best possible light.

[Richie]

Ah, must be that darn orange shirt, or perhaps the tie dye from '92...

Is this current outfit any better? (disclaimer...next time we'll iron the back drop!)

Glen, no i remember it was the socks. You can't get that tone unless you have the magical socks you wore in those first video's .


I agree, shouldn't matter what you look like or what you wear,close your eyes and listen thats all someone needs. Those same people that post nonsense about what clothes you wear, don't have an idea of how much Wreck info Glen has shared from posting, clips,interviews with Ken,and personal letters. Or setting up and playing his amp/s at guitar shows.

Glen is a nice guy, and probably made more people aware of the Wreck amps than anyone out there.

[M Fowler]

Steffen,

Keep the chin up and knock those 600+, that come to see you play, right off their feet.

I was drooling over your collection of fine ampstraments.

Nice trade for the Gold-top.

Mark

[Mrscratch]

i will have it looked at for biasing. Jm has shipped me a set of seimens tubes . the svetlana did not really work out as well as i had hoped.
the amp will be serviced by dave Vidal of vancouver. a local amp guru.
i appreciate the comments from Glenn, and everyone else, this is a much better way to communicate than screaming at each other.
obviously i cant show the inside, i made a promise. i will say that it is very neat, and pretty much looks like the way most of you have been doing it. i dont think its a secret that the lay out is the way it is for a reason .when i first posted, i didnt really realize it was a builders forum. i just saw trainwreck, and started scribbling, i never meant to intrude on you guys's forum.
like i said, i will check the bias, and will try to record the gig in vancouver this weekend.
as far as originals/clones/re issues/ or whatever, if its done right , with respect on both sides, i think there is room for all of the amps.
anyway talk later!
steffen

[Jackie Treehorn]

One thing I want to add is that I never change the bias on my Express when I change tubes. I'll check it to see where the ID is, but if it's between 60% and 80% I just leave it, otherwise I'll stick some other tubes in it.

The reason is that the bias voltage determines the point at which the amp initially clips. To my ear and to the functionality of the guitar volume, it is most important. I've set the bias by ear a couple times when I initially built the amp, and -31 was the magic spot. I dropped it to -31.5 when the tubes wore a bit and started breaking up a little too soon, so I guess I shouldn't say never. However, too little bias voltage and the breakup comes on too soon, too much and you have a smaller window of power section breakup with clean 3rd gain stage.

Steffen, thanks for the clips.

[My-Co]

Well, I can say that I have seen and played the amp. It sounds great.
Just like a 88, or 89 Express.. Mr S. Call or write then you have time.
Rock ON.
The 6v6's sound great also.

[My-Co]

The express bias supply is very, very forgiving. Jackie is right for the most part. The real Question is how long would you like the tubes to last, and how is the tone. From the book of Uncle Ken. cir 1984. Rock ON

[Mrscratch]

good to hear you're opinions here My-co. i KNOW that you know you're trainwrecks!! LOL

[M Fowler]

What is the proper primary impedance in an Express OT 5k2 or 6k6?

Mark