Express 1x12 build

[BillyBob]

Hello,
I've built three Express heads. I love them, they sound great. And I learned alot.
I'm thinking of doing a 1x12 6v6 combo now, because it would be easier to carry around.

I was wondering if I could shoe-horn it all into like a Fender Princeton box/chassis, if the tubes would rattle, or if it will likely sound any good; open back/partial closed back cabinet etc. Celestion g12-65 is where I was headed for a speaker choice.

Any opinions and advice appreciated.

Bill

[M Fowler]

If your going to use smaller transformers it would fit in the Princeton combo but with the standard transformers but bias to use 6V6 your going to need the cabinet built to 18" (inches) tall for transformer to speaker clearance.

I use Marshall 18w 1-12 type of combo cabinets instead but they are heavy.

Mark

Express Combo No.2.jpg

Rocketer finished 002.JPG

Fowler amps Rocketeer Tony King.JPG

This Dumble style cabinet again is heavy

[BillyBob]

Hey Mark,
Thanks for the info and photos.
I could probably deal with the extra weight.
I'll look harder at the Marshall stuff you mentioned; cab/chassis I've seen those for sale. I think I could work with that.

I'm still grapeling with speaker choice. I was thinking Celestion G12-65
And the "open back" type cabinet idea. Don't know what to expect on that re Express circuit.

Bill

[norburybrook]

I've found the new Celestion Alnico cream is a really fantastic speaker with a lot of amps. It's smooth, no harshness but is also full bodied. It's also fairly powerful so will hold together well.


MC

[BillyBob]

I've never had Alnico speakers. Came close a couple times. Somehow I thought they were better for clean-ish tones.
I've heard good things about those Creme speakers though.

I wonder if anybody has any Express + Alnico speaker experience to relate.

With my other Express (head) builds I've been using G12H-30, G12M, and V30 Celestions in 2x12 and 4x12 cabs.

I'm looking to do a 1x12 combo now.

[norburybrook]

I've never had Alnico speakers. Came close a couple times. Somehow I thought they were better for clean-ish tones.
I've heard good things about those Creme speakers though.

I wonder if anybody has any Express + Alnico speaker experience to relate.

With my other Express (head) builds I've been using G12H-30, G12M, and V30 Celestions in 2x12 and 4x12 cabs.

I'm looking to do a 1x12 combo now.

My Rocket sounds best with 2x12 Jensen Alnico's or a 4x10 Celestion Marshall cab. My Tweedle Dee is paired with a Cream alnico.


here's a sound clip/thread

https://ampgarage.com/forum/viewtopic.p ... 45#p396745


M

[Mark]

What about a AX84 sealed 1X12" cab and a head. That might be a better set up than a combo.

[Mark]

I don't want happened here?

Double bounce on the post key.

[Ken Moon]

+1 on the AX84 cab. Sounds great with any speaker in the "greenback" family.

I built this one with a port for testing a handful of speakers. My favorite was the Eminence Swamp Thang.

A G12H30 sounded great also, but I'm always scared to blow those speakers out, with even a 20W amp.

https://imgur.com/gallery/Tm62dUi

[BillyBob]

Hello,
I enjoyed the Tweedle-Dee audio clip.
Good tone. Nice playing.
Sweet.!

I like the idea of the AX84 cab. I could imagine that and a head sounding more up my alley than a combo.(?)
Not familiar with source of those cabs, or head box to match..

Bill

[norburybrook]

Bill,

I always feel a combo is a compromise based only on portability/size. It's the reason I went for separate head/cab with my Tweedle Dee.

The Express is quite an amp so I think it would take a fair bit of trial and error in speaker choice/combo cabinet size to find the sweet spot. A head and cab would be the safer/easier/versatile option IMHO.




MC

[Ken Moon]

Bill,

Check out this discussion of the AX84 cab design. Alex Kenis, the designer of the cab, is one smart dude.

http://ax84.com/static/corecabinets/1x1 ... Thread.pdf

And here are the drawings:

http://ax84.com/static/corecabinets/AX8 ... .08.03.pdf

[BillyBob]

Hello,
Excellent info and opinions.
Let me look deeper into this set-up.

Kind Regards,
Bill

[Colossal]

Bill,

Check out this discussion of the AX84 cab design. Alex Kenis, the designer of the cab, is one smart dude.

http://ax84.com/static/corecabinets/1x1 ... Thread.pdf

And here are the drawings:

http://ax84.com/static/corecabinets/AX8 ... .08.03.pdf

+1 on the AX84 cab. I played Cliff's 2W Express through a 12" Gold in that cab and it was great. Plenty of volume and not harsh at all.

[francospence]

Hi there, I was in a similar situation with my express. I’ve carted around the express head and various 1x12 and 2x12 cabs for years. My favourite 1x12 is the CAA dual front ported 1x12 that’s very similar the the Bogner cube, It just happens that the internal width on the CAA is a cm or so wider than the express chassis, perfect!
I wanted a lighter weight option but still with the express tone so I measured up the CAA cab and added a slightly less tall head shell on top as a combo cab, just enough to fit EL34s in. Pretty much the same idea as the Suhr Badger combo. I built it out of lightweight 15mm (from memory) poplar plywood and even went as far as routing out some areas in the head shell part and back speaker panel.
I’ve tried most speakers boutique and Celestion with the express and though I think it’s hard to beat a Celestion creamback M 65 I settled on the creamback Neo for this combo. For 3 reasons, it’s not very efficient, it’s light and it’s easy to dial in a great tone for different venues.
The result is a combo that is within a kg or so of a Princeton, it’s closed back front ported and the tubes are not rattled at all.
I use it with a Toneking mini Iron man II attenuator which works fantastic, sounds pretty much the same as my Fryette power station and it gives me a footswitchable boost.
I hope that helps some,
best regards Lee