Has the Trainwreck stuff fallen from favour?

[Mark]

I was speaking to someone about the Internet interest in Trainwreck amps. The originals still seem to be pulling the big bucks but I'm not sure there is the same interest in Trainwreck style amps.

Of course this isn't to say they aren't good amps, just an amp that isn't in vogue at the moment. That can change quickly if someone popular uses one.

[Winder]

I just got two chassis (Express and Liverpool/Rocket) and am putting together the parts to build them. Seems like the interest here is less, but I was late to the party and still discovering things. The Express I built is the closest thing to the "tone in my head" that I've ever played, so I'm sold. Interest among the more "well known" players? I dunno.

[Mark]

The concept of the Express is a popular one. The Hotel Hog with it's Tweed PI is similar to the Liverpool and Express. The difference being the Hotel Hog has two channels withe the reverb channel padded down. I suppose it's not that different to the Kendrick Trainwreck Climax amp.

[RockinRocket]

I find the clean to mean tone great and not easily replicated in other designs I've tried.
But the in between tone, crunch, Id rather paly a non master Marshall and thats really my playing style.

[norburybrook]

I love my Rocket but the Express I built was too much for me generally. I think perhaps the Concorde is a more forgiving amp. The Express was just mad, anything over 2 on the map and over 5 on your guitar was rock city.



MC

[Reeltarded]

They are a specialty. People who get an easy chance to buy a TW style amp likely end up with an Express thing, and soon trade it for something that works at less than 500 decibels. they probably never hear a Rocket. (because: Express)

[Doxie man]

Music gear ( especially amplifiers and pedals) are very “ faddish”. What’s hot today is old hat tomorrow. I personally could care less about what’s the “ in” thing at any given moment. I build and play my toys yesterday, today and tomorrow and will always be that way. If it sounded good THEN.....it still sounds good today.....and will ten years from now.

[Mark]

I love my I think perhaps the Concorde is a more forgiving amp. The Express was just mad, anything over 2 on the map and over 5 on your guitar was rock city.

That is what I liked about the Express when I first heard it. I thought it was the best seventies amp I'd heard. I thought it out Marshalled a Marshall amp. However the volume is an issue with them.

There is the fast vintage switch which can be applied to the Express which will take the gain of the amp down as far as you want to go.

[norburybrook]

I love my I think perhaps the Concorde is a more forgiving amp. The Express was just mad, anything over 2 on the map and over 5 on your guitar was rock city.

That is what Inliked about the Express when I first heard it. I thought it was the best seventies amp I'd heard. I thought it out Marshalled a Marshall amp. However the volume is an issue with them.

There is the fast vintage switch which can be applied to the Express which will take the gain of the amp down as far as you want to go.

Mark,

I put that switch on my Express and it does a great job of taking the gain down and making it more usable. Don't get me wrong it's an amazing amp but didn't suit my style of playing that much. I sold it to a friend who thinks it's fantastic I agree about the Marshall thing


M

[Phil_S]

I won't claim what I built is an Express, but it was certainly an Express-style amp. I dialed down the B+ to around 330V and used a couple of 6AQ5's, which addressed the ear splitting volume problem. I had a heck of a time getting the preamp section to B+ voltage ranges and stage drops to mimic an actual Express, but I ended up doing pretty well with it. I think what folks are saying rings true. I liked it, liked it a lot, for a time, and then it went on the shelf. I had a good time with the project. I'm glad I built it. If I were doing it again, I'd pick a different TW amp to mimic.

I should change out the plate load resistors to 1-watters to kill off some of the hiss, build a head shell for it, and then sell it. I don't know why I never did that. <shrug>

[Roe]

I love the express but tend to use the k60 more, since clean headroom is often more important than gain for me

[Mark]

I loke the express but tend to use the k60 more, since clean headroom is often more important than gain for me.

Have you tried substituting a 12AY7 in the first position in lieu of a 12AX7?

[Roe]

I loke the express but tend to use the k60 more, since clean headroom is often more important than gain for me.

Have you tried substituting a 12AY7 in the first position in lieu of a 12AX7?

yes, but the power amp does not have much headroom. 400v at 6k6 isn't much (I mostly play 100w plexis)

[Mark]

6K6's are used in Fender standalone Reverb units, you would lose a lot of watts with those valves. It would make sense you should have lower output/volume with the 12AY7's but not less headroom as I would thought you'd have to turn the amp up more to get it to breakup. The other option is to return the first stage to a 12AX7 and use a 12AT7 or 12AU7 as a driver, that will have less drive to the output stage.

How do your ears handle a 100 watt Plexi, my ears wouldn't stand for it (ringing really loud!)

[Roe]

6K6's are used in Fender standalone Reverb units, you would lose a lot of watts with those valves. It would make sense you should have lower output/volume with the 12AY7's but not less headroom as I would thought you'd have to turn the amp up more to get it to breakup. The other option is to return the first stage to a 12AX7 and use a 12AT7 or 12AU7 as a driver, that will have less drive to the output stage.

How do your ears handle a 100 watt Plexi, my ears wouldn't stand for it (ringing really loud!)

Sorry, I meant a 6.6k primary (as opposed to the 1.75k of a plexi). Plexis are not loud, unless you turn them up. I prefer ear plugs to attenuators