Very cool amp and sounds good as well. The cab is beautiful.
Mark
New 14 watt Express build
Moderators: pompeiisneaks, Colossal
Re: New 14 watt Express build
Great looking build.
Did you have much trouble with the wooden front panel?
Did you have much trouble with the wooden front panel?
Yours Sincerely
Mark Abbott
Mark Abbott
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Re: New 14 watt Express build
I don’t think so. What kind of trouble do you have. Only thing I don’t like is having to retorque to nuts for the pots switches and jack. I run a separate ground wire to a screw/lug/nut for the input ground and I have a separate one for the tonestack etc. I don’t rely on anything passing through the wood to provide ground.
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Re: New 14 watt Express build
awesome build and next level on the winding your own!
One of my favorite express builds ran about the same voltages and used 6k6 tubes . I thought it had just the right volume and didn't lose the Feel of a wreck.
One of my favorite express builds ran about the same voltages and used 6k6 tubes . I thought it had just the right volume and didn't lose the Feel of a wreck.
- RJ Guitars
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Re: New 14 watt Express build
For those scouring the archives for the subtle mention of a real gold nugget, this might be it for Express players around the planet. I've run them in at the full Wreck voltage but never built a lower voltage/wattage amp around them (yet). They are apparently kin to a 5881 in design, which I tend to like anyway. In my amps they were pretty loud but I suspect this is telling us they sound pretty good at lower voltages.
Last edited by RJ Guitars on Fri Feb 11, 2022 11:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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- johnnyreece
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Re: New 14 watt Express build
This also made me think of your 6Y6 version. I'm finally back to building (slowly, for sure), and want to get my 6Y6 Express done. Hoping maybe it will bump my 2W Express out the door, which will mean more money to fund the next project!RJ Guitars wrote: ↑Fri Feb 11, 2022 8:48 pmFor this scouring the archives for the subtle mention of a real gold nugget, this might be it for Express players around the planet. I've run them in at the full Wreck voltage but never built a lower voltage/wattage amp around them (yet). They are apparently kin to a 5881 in design, which I tend to like anyway. In my amps they were pretty loud but I suspect this is telling us they sound pretty good at lower voltages.
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Re: New 14 watt Express build
I’ve put 6f6gt, 6k6gt, 6v6gt, they are all thin. I’ve got a pair of old Tung-Sol 5881’s and they are good but the 1.8 amps heater current warms the power transformer. The 6P3S draw about 700mA each and I wish now I’d used EI125 laminations for the power transformer because it’s just not enough inductance for the heater winding. The HT winding only sags about 30 volts. My intention was to get 4 amps but I’m new to custom winding and I learned from this one.RJ Guitars wrote: ↑Fri Feb 11, 2022 8:48 pmFor those scouring the archives for the subtle mention of a real gold nugget, this might be it for Express players around the planet. I've run them in at the full Wreck voltage but never built a lower voltage/wattage amp around them (yet). They are apparently kin to a 5881 in design, which I tend to like anyway. In my amps they were pretty loud but I suspect this is telling us they sound pretty good at lower voltages.
Re: New 14 watt Express build
That’s what I worry about tightening the the wooden front panel. The cab looks beautiful.wpaulvogel wrote: ↑Fri Feb 11, 2022 6:31 pm I don’t think so. What kind of trouble do you have. Only thing I don’t like is having to retorque to nuts for the pots switches and jack. I run a separate ground wire to a screw/lug/nut for the input ground and I have a separate one for the tonestack etc. I don’t rely on anything passing through the wood to provide ground.
Regards
Mark
Yours Sincerely
Mark Abbott
Mark Abbott
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Re: New 14 watt Express build
I make sure to use the washers under the nuts for the input jack and pots, and for the toggle switches I use Carling switches and buy the trim nuts that are a bit wider than the supplied little thin ring nuts. The trim nuts are knurled just like the little ones but have a stop shoulder. They tighten securely to the switch body and you tighten the hex nuts inside the chassis to secure the switches. I have thin wrenches to tighten the hex nuts. The lacquer relaxes and displaces requiring re tightening, it’s not the wood. I don’t get crazy tightening the nuts on the first, second or third time.