Some guitar playing

[GAStan]

Here's my oldest son on his acoustic. He wants an amp, I'm gonna build him one.

https://youtu.be/fYA1VPHR5gE?feature=shared

Edit: Please leave him some words of encouragement. He's playing in his USMC barracks room.

[Raja_Kentut]

Please give him my regards, and my personal thanks for choosing to fight for a free democratic world and our values!

[GAStan]

Please give him my regards, and my personal thanks for choosing to fight for a free democratic world and our values!

I will and thank you for the kind words.

I had actually posted the wrong video, it's corrected now. This one has comments enabled.

https://youtu.be/fYA1VPHR5gE?feature=shared

[WhopperPlate]

If he can shred the acoustic like that then he deserves an electric . Build it and he will shred

[cbass]

Cool what amp you making for him?

[GAStan]

If he can shred the acoustic like that then he deserves an electric . Build it and he will shred

Thanks Charlie for commenting.

Now I need to decide WHAT to build him. I'm enjoying the 100 watters, have the 124 playable for my younger son and a 183 started for myself. Problem is 100 watts won't go over too well in a military barracks or apartment if he gets out when his contract is up. Maybe a 2x6V6 SSS or 102?

[WhopperPlate]

If he can shred the acoustic like that then he deserves an electric . Build it and he will shred

Thanks Charlie for commenting.

Now I need to decide WHAT to build him. I'm enjoying the 100 watters, have the 124 playable for my younger son and a 183 started for myself. Problem is 100 watts won't go over too well in a military barracks or apartment if he gets out when his contract is up. Maybe a 2x6V6 SSS or 102?

You know I just built my friend who’s moving out to Nashville a 100 watt low plate derivative with reverb and loop. He had figured that 100 watts would be only suitable at high volume, but he’s now selling his 64 Princeton because his new amp does the lower volume better. Told me he took the amp to a regular session that he is previously used the Princeton to realize it does everything he needs.

Granted this guy is a pro with serious chops knows how to handle anything that’s thrown his way , but if you build an 100 w ODS right and it is as versatile as a Swiss Army knife .

Having said that, I would just have the kid play as many things as possible and see how he vibes . I personally like Marshall non master volume amps and don’t really care for the ODS circuits that are cloned . Whatever floats the kids boat .

What does he like to listen to ? Start there and customize around him that way . He’s your kid so I figure you are willing to go the extra mile and time to have fun tuning it up together . Pretty cool man

[GAStan]

You certainly gave me a lot of food for thought. I have to agree the 124 100w i built does sound good even at lower volumes. I think it's because the power amp always has full power available and volume is controlled by varying the input signal's level. When you hit a bass note the power is there to drive the speaker properly even at low volume levels.

He's very versatile in what he likes and plays. He may end up with the 183 I'm working on now, I think it would be a good fit. The chassis I got from Erwin has 4 preamp holes so I'm planning to have a buffered FX loop shoehorned in. But he has said he'd like reverb so we'll just have to see.

The sharing of your experience is greatly appreciated Charlie!

[WhopperPlate]

You certainly gave me a lot of food for thought. I have to agree the 124 100w i built does sound good even at lower volumes. I think it's because the power amp always has full power available and volume is controlled by varying the input signal's level. When you hit a bass note the power is there to drive the speaker properly even at low volume levels.

He's very versatile in what he likes and plays. He may end up with the 183 I'm working on now, I think it would be a good fit. The chassis I got from Erwin has 4 preamp holes so I'm planning to have a buffered FX loop shoehorned in. But he has said he'd like reverb so we'll just have to see.

The sharing of your experience is greatly appreciated Charlie!

Headroom is my friend ! You got the idea for sure!

I personally have never vibed with the higher plate and cathode values. To me low plate amps are generally more musical . There is a brightness and forward character that develops , especially with that 3.3k 220k combo . Imo That Robben Ford Stinging smooth lead accurately represents that sound . And the 2k2 150k always felt so chewy to me . To soft in the bass . 183 circuit with el34s helps it cut and slap better I feel, but I still always found myself turning knobs instead of playing.

I think that’s ultimately why I prefer the classic vintage stock amplifier circuits. Essentially simple low plate designs that push air .

Having said that , I feel like higher plate amplifiers seem more refined and polished from the compression . More like an overdrive pedal or a modern high gain amplifier . More hi fi.

To me that’s the big turn off, but it’s a selling point for many . Can sound acoustic with cleans , which is actually really impressive and fun , but that sparkle ends up in that stinging range when overdriven.I hear this a lot with RF when he plays cleans, a bright chimey sparkle .

I don’t like so much compression . Works well for saturation at lower volumes , but I like open and sounds with just enough gain .

Anyways, just my 2 cents , whatever you build for him will hit likely the mark , I am just an obsessive tinkerer and nit picker for tone . Looking forward to hearing more from the journey together ! Cheers

[WhopperPlate]

Oh no, we are talking about tube amps in the garage talk forum! Blasphemous

[GAStan]

Oh no, we are talking about tube amps in the garage talk forum! Blasphemous

LOL

But this is more of a relaxed discussion that would normally include relaxing substances, not sure it belongs anywhere else.

[GAStan]

Headroom is my friend ! You got the idea for sure!

I personally have never vibed with the higher plate and cathode values. To me low plate amps are generally more musical . There is a brightness and forward character that develops , especially with that 3.3k 220k combo . Imo That Robben Ford Stinging smooth lead accurately represents that sound . And the 2k2 150k always felt so chewy to me . To soft in the bass . 183 circuit with el34s helps it cut and slap better I feel, but I still always found myself turning knobs instead of playing.

I think that’s ultimately why I prefer the classic vintage stock amplifier circuits. Essentially simple low plate designs that push air .

Having said that , I feel like higher plate amplifiers seem more refined and polished from the compression . More like an overdrive pedal or a modern high gain amplifier . More hi fi.

To me that’s the big turn off, but it’s a selling point for many . Can sound acoustic with cleans , which is actually really impressive and fun , but that sparkle ends up in that stinging range when overdriven.I hear this a lot with RF when he plays cleans, a bright chimey sparkle .

I don’t like so much compression . Works well for saturation at lower volumes , but I like open and sounds with just enough gain .

Anyways, just my 2 cents , whatever you build for him will hit likely the mark , I am just an obsessive tinkerer and nit picker for tone . Looking forward to hearing more from the journey together ! Cheers

Headroom. Hmmm, I learned something

Admittedly I'm still new to these customized amps and so still learning, very much from this conversation which is GREATLY appreciated.

I have to admit I do like the sound of the 124 I made for my teenage son. Plate and cathode values are faithful to 124, 100k & 1k5. If the 183 High Plate I'm gathering parts for is the rock monster I think it might be then I'll likely let him talk me into a trade. He's more into Kurt Cobain and Metallica right now with a bit of Santana thrown in. He's even learned a Mariachi song or two-its not uncommon for our family here in El Paso to hire a Mariachi for special occasions.

Our #124 isnt finished but it's playable. I've turned it loose to my teenager for now but I do feel like I can improve it. Naturally he was itching to use it so I got it as good as I could for now and turned it over to him. I've a much better idea what I'm doing now so I expect this 183 build to go a bit smoother, not that the 124 was rough. I'm taking more time and paying more attention to the component brand, model etc... when I select the parts.

So I'm learning. After I finish the 183 I'll start on an amp for Zack (the Marine in the first post). By then I expect to have a better idea of what will work for him as well as my own capabilities and limitations as an amp builder.

[WhopperPlate]

183 circuit rocks the most for sure . I like the lack of nfb and el34s, alas I am a Marshall guy . But that’s also why I like the 100k 1k5 combo ; closer to the classic specs.

The thing I like least about these circuits is the 820R 24k PI. It’s nice and even sounding , more polished and doesn’t clip unevenly like a warmer bias setting, which I prefer for that intoxicating old school texture and overdrive .

People talk about diming an ODS being no bueno, and I think it’s largely to do with this aspect , because if I tune an ODs like a twin or a bassman it feels more comfortable at those settings .

There’s a section on the Merlin Blencowe books with photos of scope readings demonstrating the difference in clipping with tue technical pros and cons . I will post the page later when I find it at home

[GAStan]

Well I can see why you're not crazy about the common Dumble circuits. The 100k/1k5 has LNFB and the one with no LNFB has high plates LOL.

My enjoyment has always came from building and modifying things. Typically once I'm finished building something I'm done with it and ready to build the next thing. These amps are different in that I didn't want to give up the 124 but had promised it to my son. I really like to play it, and do want to tweak it. Also I'm excited to have started on my next amp and already am looking at what to build after that one is complete. Perhaps I've found something to help maintain some sanity when I retire in the not too distant future.

I'm finding that these amps, tube amps in general not just Dumbles, have something in common with Chess-only takes a short while to learn the basics but a person can spend their entire life mastering it. Some people are gifted while the rest of us have to really work at it. I do believe we are graced with some of the gifted ones here on TAG.

I do have one of Merlin's books, the one on Preamps, if you'll post the page#s I'll read through it. I've read part of it and thumbed through the rest. I need to pull it out and do some reading now that I've some real experience to relate the subject matter to.

[WhopperPlate]

Like any craft , mastery is an idea , not really a destination. By striving for perfection we achieve excellence . On a similar notion , the journey is the destination as they say . There isn’t anything as exciting as not knowing and then discovering .