My New Rocket Reverb Combo

Express, Liverpool, Rocket, Dirty Little Monster, etc.

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nathanneedles
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My New Rocket Reverb Combo

Post by nathanneedles »

Hey guys, I just finished up a fun new project. I wanted to build a Rocket into a combo, and thought that I'd give the reverb a shot while I was at it.

I love this amp! The reverb sounds great.
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-Nate
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xtian
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Re: My New Rocket Reverb Combo

Post by xtian »

Wow. That's sexxxy.
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M Fowler
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Re: My New Rocket Reverb Combo

Post by M Fowler »

Nate,

I really like your work great looking amp and one of my favorite amps to play, the reverb is very subtle with short pan.

Mark
rock_mumbles
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Re: My New Rocket Reverb Combo

Post by rock_mumbles »

Nice!!!!
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NickC
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Re: My New Rocket Reverb Combo

Post by NickC »

That looks great!

What's the deal with the speaker jack? Do the two twelves inside always patch into the jack plate on the back, lower right?
nathanneedles
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Re: My New Rocket Reverb Combo

Post by nathanneedles »

Thanks for the kind words!

yeah the long reverb tank is pretty sweet and thwangy

Re: the Speaker Jack
Throwing cash at those speakers, I really wanted to be able to very easily use this cab with other amp heads, and be able to switch stuff around really quickly in the studio.
-Nate
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M Fowler
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Re: My New Rocket Reverb Combo

Post by M Fowler »

Nate,

Did you put a switched boost functon it looks like you did but hard to fully see in the pictures. The other switch appears to be a mid boost or deep bass?

No reverb pad switch?

Mark
nathanneedles
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Re: My New Rocket Reverb Combo

Post by nathanneedles »

There's a beefy DPDT center off switch controlling a boost on one side, and on the other side there's a parallel V1A plate resistor to switch between 100K and 220K (220k plus 180k -- photo shows 270k, but I changed it)

And yup, theres a reverb pad under the pot, just out of view.

And a mid-scoop/super bass switch to get some really special, almost blackfaceish sounds. Actually, with the 100k, scoop/bass, reverb and cut dial all the way up --this amp is super crispy-clean and refuses to break up with my tele. A totally different flavor than all of my other rockets.
-Nate
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rsalinger
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Re: My New Rocket Reverb Combo

Post by rsalinger »

I like the "Matchless-styled" mismatching speakers...

Is this RJ's layout? Just curious. I'm gonna build one of these someday!
Music is an expression of the inexpressable ~ Vernon Reid, Musician.
nathanneedles
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Re: My New Rocket Reverb Combo

Post by nathanneedles »

Nope, my layout based on all the great ones floating around this forum -- but it's RJ's transformers for sure!
I'll attach the layout, but it's rough and I think the tube sockets are reversed.
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-Nate
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jeff12
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Re: My New Rocket Reverb Combo

Post by jeff12 »

Very nice, had thought about a combo a few times myself.
Someday I may have to try one. :)
snuffy
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Re: My New Rocket Reverb Combo

Post by snuffy »

Very cool amp. Nice work!
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Colossal
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Re: My New Rocket Reverb Combo

Post by Colossal »

Great job. That cutout for the choke was a creative solution. Seems you took a page from Michael Koski's (XITS amps) choice of parts to the letter: Sprague premium cathode bypass caps, Relcap polystyrene treble cap, PRP resistors, Sozo signal caps, and Sprague ATOM e-caps. Bet it sounds killer. Smokin' choice with the Blue and the Hellatone.
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rsalinger
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Re: My New Rocket Reverb Combo

Post by rsalinger »

Is there any advantage, one way or the other, to putting jumper wire on the top or bottom of the board?
Music is an expression of the inexpressable ~ Vernon Reid, Musician.
nathanneedles
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Re: My New Rocket Reverb Combo

Post by nathanneedles »

jeff12 wrote:Very nice, had thought about a combo a few times myself.
Someday I may have to try one.
You should! planning the cab was a bit tough because I was trying to make it as shallow as possible (27 x 21 x 9.25) without getting the tubes too close to the magnets. I had never made a combo before so I shock mounted every tube socket, which was probably not necessary, but was really fun ultimately --- and makes for a bit of a stressful install with those super tight Belton sockets. The lesson I suppose is if you shock mount, dry fit the sockets before the install.
Colossal wrote:Great job. That cutout for the choke was a creative solution. Seems you took a page from Michael Koski's (XITS amps) choice of parts to the letter: Sprague premium cathode bypass caps, Relcap polystyrene treble cap, PRP resistors, Sozo signal caps, and Sprague ATOM e-caps. Bet it sounds killer. Smokin' choice with the Blue and the Hellatone.
Thanks for noticing all of the build details! yeah I love the look of those Xits amps, and you can't really argue against the tone. Do you know how he mounts the jacks on the faceplate? I can't figure that out.

It looks kinda goofy, but I had to install an extra turret just because one of the leads on those Relcaps is super short. The Blue & Hellatone combo is my (not-so) secret weapon.
rsalinger wrote:Is there any advantage, one way or the other, to putting jumper wire on the top or bottom of the board?
Are we referring to the jumper off the treble pot? I dont think so... I hope not. I just put it on top because it was a bit easier, and with double turrets there's a lot of room.
-Nate
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