there comes a time in a mans life when he needs to build an express
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- norburybrook
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Re: there comes a time in a mans life when he needs to build an express
thanks Martin, I had put a wrongly labelled 10k pot instead of a 100k , it has been rectified now and I've got a decent level of gain control.
I did wonder about having a pot on the back of the amp so it could be controlled from there, but I'm not sure if the lead dress would cause issues, I suppose I could try it. Seems like It would be a nice thing to have on the front panel just labelled 'gain' , the leads would be short then and you could use shielded.
I've got it set about halfway at the moment and that seems like a real nice sweet spot.
Also I've been playing it with my les paul which has unpoted PAFs and 50's wiring and it's amazing how you can have the neck set on 3 and clean and then switch to the bridge in an instant and have full on rock OD, just like the video, the tone controls work just like in the video too. need to watch my hearing though 116db isn't good for my ears.
any thought on getting the master volume to work with a wider range, would a linear pot be better or is that going to be worse?
Just waiting for my switch to arrive for the fast slow and I'll be done I think.
need to make a cabinet now...not sure if I like this bit....
Marcus
I did wonder about having a pot on the back of the amp so it could be controlled from there, but I'm not sure if the lead dress would cause issues, I suppose I could try it. Seems like It would be a nice thing to have on the front panel just labelled 'gain' , the leads would be short then and you could use shielded.
I've got it set about halfway at the moment and that seems like a real nice sweet spot.
Also I've been playing it with my les paul which has unpoted PAFs and 50's wiring and it's amazing how you can have the neck set on 3 and clean and then switch to the bridge in an instant and have full on rock OD, just like the video, the tone controls work just like in the video too. need to watch my hearing though 116db isn't good for my ears.
any thought on getting the master volume to work with a wider range, would a linear pot be better or is that going to be worse?
Just waiting for my switch to arrive for the fast slow and I'll be done I think.
need to make a cabinet now...not sure if I like this bit....
Marcus
- RJ Guitars
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Re: there comes a time in a mans life when he needs to build an express
Marcus, nice job of using what you have and creating an Express... That's something Ken Fischer was known for. Thanks for sharing this with us... we all learn and benefit from these threads. rj
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- norburybrook
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Re: there comes a time in a mans life when he needs to build an express
Thanks RJ, funnily enough I've just made a cabinet for it today so I'll post a picture of it with it's clothes on.RJ Guitars wrote: ↑Tue Oct 03, 2017 1:16 pm Marcus, nice job of using what you have and creating an Express... That's something Ken Fischer was known for. Thanks for sharing this with us... we all learn and benefit from these threads. rj
I need to make some sort of back panel but didn't have enough plywood left!!! needs a handle and feet now and I still haven't got the fast/slow switch on.
M
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- pompeiisneaks
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Re: there comes a time in a mans life when he needs to build an express
Oh man that looks OUTSTANDING! Love that color and the tan triangle in the middle. Very classy.
~Phil
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- norburybrook
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Re: there comes a time in a mans life when he needs to build an express
thanks Phil, totally ripped off(inspired) from the Komet 60 HD
M
M
- JazzGuitarGimp
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Re: there comes a time in a mans life when he needs to build an express
A bit reminiscent of divided by 13, too.norburybrook wrote: ↑Tue Oct 03, 2017 5:17 pm thanks Phil, totally ripped off(inspired) from the Komet 60 HD
M
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Re: there comes a time in a mans life when he needs to build an express
It does look like Divided by 13.
Great project.
Great project.
- norburybrook
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Re: there comes a time in a mans life when he needs to build an express
Update.
I re used the old peavey combo cabinet a while ago and made a vox AC30 style cabinet with 2x12 alnico's in. I thought the express might work with it but it sounds better through the Marshall 4x10 I have, so, I treid my Rocket with the alnico cab, of course it sounded great
dilemma....not for long. As I'd used the same chassis for both amps I just put the rocket in the purple cab and the express in the wood one and job done.
I like having a matching rig
M
I re used the old peavey combo cabinet a while ago and made a vox AC30 style cabinet with 2x12 alnico's in. I thought the express might work with it but it sounds better through the Marshall 4x10 I have, so, I treid my Rocket with the alnico cab, of course it sounded great
dilemma....not for long. As I'd used the same chassis for both amps I just put the rocket in the purple cab and the express in the wood one and job done.
I like having a matching rig
M
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Re: there comes a time in a mans life when he needs to build an express
How do you like it compare to your 102 and Bluesmaster gain wise ?
I build one a while back and it was a bad boy but not easy to play and quite in your face. Wonder about building another one.
I build one a while back and it was a bad boy but not easy to play and quite in your face. Wonder about building another one.
- norburybrook
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Re: there comes a time in a mans life when he needs to build an express
Tom,
Sorry just seen this. How do I find it? for me it's just too gainy, there's not enough clean head room for it to work for me. You have to have the guitar volume really low and that means there's a lot of hiss/gain still coming out of the amp which makes it useless for anything Subtle in the studio.
For an all out balls to the wall rock sound it's great. I've profiled it with my Kemper on full gain and I did use that sound on a studio session recently for a 90's style Lukather solo on a track.
It was fun to build but it's not an amp I'd ever really do again. I prefer my Rocket for what I do. The rocket sounds great in conjunction with the #102.
M
Sorry just seen this. How do I find it? for me it's just too gainy, there's not enough clean head room for it to work for me. You have to have the guitar volume really low and that means there's a lot of hiss/gain still coming out of the amp which makes it useless for anything Subtle in the studio.
For an all out balls to the wall rock sound it's great. I've profiled it with my Kemper on full gain and I did use that sound on a studio session recently for a 90's style Lukather solo on a track.
It was fun to build but it's not an amp I'd ever really do again. I prefer my Rocket for what I do. The rocket sounds great in conjunction with the #102.
M
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Re: there comes a time in a mans life when he needs to build an express
Getting a good usable clean is kind of tricky at first.
Here are a few tips Ive found.
-The more treble you let past the tone stack the dirtier the amp will be when you roll back the volume. Keeping the tone stack pots somewhere around 5ish works well and sounds quite good. The 500p bright cap still works here.
-Vol past 2oclock the amp will only crunch or a dirty clean on vol roll off.
- Guitar pots make or break this affect. My les paul (what ever pots are in there) have a massive clean range that I can find a usable clean in the 1-3 range. While my SG has PCB mounted pots and its very difficult to get a clean out of it.
Here are a few tips Ive found.
-The more treble you let past the tone stack the dirtier the amp will be when you roll back the volume. Keeping the tone stack pots somewhere around 5ish works well and sounds quite good. The 500p bright cap still works here.
-Vol past 2oclock the amp will only crunch or a dirty clean on vol roll off.
- Guitar pots make or break this affect. My les paul (what ever pots are in there) have a massive clean range that I can find a usable clean in the 1-3 range. While my SG has PCB mounted pots and its very difficult to get a clean out of it.
- norburybrook
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Re: there comes a time in a mans life when he needs to build an express
Yep , I noticed guitar volume pots are very different and make a huge difference. A good volume pedal is the answer to that though
I can a get a clean sound but as I said it's too noisy though for recording anything subtle in the studio, and live it's just not loud enough to compete with a band. Rock or blues would be fine however, which I suppose is it's intended purpose
M
I can a get a clean sound but as I said it's too noisy though for recording anything subtle in the studio, and live it's just not loud enough to compete with a band. Rock or blues would be fine however, which I suppose is it's intended purpose
M
- RJ Guitars
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Re: there comes a time in a mans life when he needs to build an express
I suppose it's all relative to what kind of band you are talking about. I've found the Express to be painfully loud when played through a 4x12 cabinet (or just about any other cabinet)... these things are famous for cutting through the mix and making the guitar player heard over the band. Subwoofers have made music a bit difficult to sort out who is playing what but that might imply that the drums and bass are going through the PA and I suppose it might be hard to compete unless you also pushed the guitar through the PA as well.norburybrook wrote: ↑Sun Nov 12, 2017 11:14 am... and live it's just not loud enough to compete with a band. Rock or blues would be fine however, which I suppose is it's intended purpose
M
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Re: there comes a time in a mans life when he needs to build an express
I'm guessing you may have strayed to far away from a traditional Express. It should be plenty loud and the clean should stay near as loud as the dirty when rolled back.norburybrook wrote: ↑Sun Nov 12, 2017 11:14 am Yep , I noticed guitar volume pots are very different and make a huge difference. A good volume pedal is the answer to that though
I can a get a clean sound but as I said it's too noisy though for recording anything subtle in the studio, and live it's just not loud enough to compete with a band. Rock or blues would be fine however, which I suppose is it's intended purpose
M
- norburybrook
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Re: there comes a time in a mans life when he needs to build an express
Only thing I've strayed from is:
Adding a fast /slow switch from the Komet.
Adding a 'cut' tone control on the PI.
positioning of transformers.
marshall 3.4k OT but I mismatch it to get 6.8k so not much difference there.
Everything else is exactly the same as the Original express posted on here value wise, including voltages as I had a power transformer specifically wound.
I'm glad it works for you guys , it's a great amp but it's not an everyday amp for me,
Marcus
Adding a fast /slow switch from the Komet.
Adding a 'cut' tone control on the PI.
positioning of transformers.
marshall 3.4k OT but I mismatch it to get 6.8k so not much difference there.
Everything else is exactly the same as the Original express posted on here value wise, including voltages as I had a power transformer specifically wound.
I'm glad it works for you guys , it's a great amp but it's not an everyday amp for me,
Marcus