Hi folks, 1st post here!
I recently acquired a Ceriatone C-Wreck and its just a bit too gainy for me. I 'd love to get a bit more clean headroom out of it.
It sounds like the Rocket would be more to my liking. While I'm not a tech, I'm fine making changes to a layout. Can you tell me what changes you would recommend to this layout to get it closer to Rocket specs?
Thanks in advance!
Generally on forums, it's better to start your own thread if it isn't just a reply to an existing thread's content. Your's is very specific and original, so it should live in a new thread, I'm going to split this thread off from your post.
Also, it seems to me like, if you want less gain, a Rocket isn't the way to go. All of the trainwreck circuits are known for their gain. If you want a clean toned amp, you probably should be building something like a Dumble SSS or at a minimum one of the later generation fenders. Ken Fisher was known for building amps that were on the edge of being too gainy, and dialing them back carefully to just below that 'losing your mind' level on the amp.
I don't have the time to compare, but superficially the C-Wreck looks a lot like a rocket to me.
There are some good threads in the trainwreck discussion area that discuss taming the express/rocket/etc. Those would be a good area for you to look into doing such a thing.
I generally go out of my way to not delete threads, as I hope they'll be useful for someone, at some point, if they go and read through threads before asking questions.
Put 6BW6 tubes in it. Have to change pin 8 and 9 and tie g3 to the cathode but it’ll give it more input headroom. Don’t know what it will sound like. Roll back the guitar volume.
Sub a 100k for the 220k plate load resistor on v1 and change the voltage divider at the phase inverter from 220k/220k to ground to something like 100k/470k to ground.
I'd start with removing the 22uF cap from the cathode of the second stage (prior to the cathode follower) that will make the Amp more Rocket like (to a degree), the amp will also have less gain.
The voltage divider prior to the P.I. halves the signal to the P.I. You can try changing that ratio, but you have to know where the distortion is occurring.
wpaulvogel, I changed the 220k plate resistor to 100k and that combined with a 12at7 in v-1 gave me the clean headroom I was seeking.Nice sparkly cleans too!
It used to break up around 10 o'clock now its between 12 and 1 on the volume knob.
Should I also do the 220k/220k to 100k/470k swap?
I've just fitted a switch to my Z-Wreck amp that lifts the cathode cap and the voltage divider 220k. This makes it like the rocket albeit with less filtering. It does make a big difference to the gain of the amp. it's an easy switch to put in so you can have the best of both worlds.
IMG_20190924_150151.jpg
the cap by V1 is the DC blocker for the VVR master volume I fitted. Stops scratchy volume pot.
M
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The switch is a mod Ken Fischer put in at least one Rocket. I also put it in my Rocket clone. To my ear there is a bit less gain when the voltage divider and 25uF cap are engaged. The cap does increase the gain but the voltage divider reduces it.
The switch to me is a humbucking/single coil switch. The Rocket in it's normal state suits single coils a little more. The cap with the voltage divide seems to my ear to cut the mids in the Rocket making it more suitable for humbuckers.
