Tweed Bassman 5B6 Head Build - Electronics Complete

[ToneMerc]

Mark got me worked up on this circuit about 2 weeks ago. Thus, I figured I had to try one for myself. I've never built a circuit with octal preamp tubes before so I figured that in itslf makes the project even sweeter. Personally, I'm not chasing the steel players, just curious of how the circuit sounds with regular guitar, so I might be making few small changes.

I was hoping that the chassis and g10 board blank would have arrived today so I could have started drilling holes, no such luck.

Watts 12.5 * 8 * 2.5 outer lip chassis
MCI 35W Valco power and output iron
Jupiter Red Astron caps
Vishay-Dale CF60 metal films
Assortment of NOS 6SC7GT & 6SL7GT octal glass
RCA 6L6GB
RCA 5U4
Head cabinet- whatever Taylor will make me.

TM

[JazzGuitarGimp]

Looking forward to following this one. Mark's build also has me curious about octal preamp tubes as well as the brown face era in general. Not sure if this model was a brown face, but I think brown face amps were discussed in Mark's thread.

[BarryW]

I'm more than a little interested in this one too - I think I have the parts around here, tweed bassman iron. Love the concept - always wanted to do an octal!

[rp]

I've got the bug for one of these too now, real bad. I got everything, mostly NOS, but the iron which will have to wait - a while, OT for Rocket comes first. I'm sort of glad iron is expensive otherwise I'd build a damn amp a week. I've got to get off TAG, it's like smoking amp-crack.

God I hope you report back it sucks then I can move on.

I will fix my house, not build amps. I will fix my house not build amps, I will...

[Milkmansound]

I will fix my house, not build amps. I will fix my house not build amps, I will...

why not just build a house out of amps? It would be nice and warm

[rp]

why not just build a house out of amps? It would be nice and warm

Hahaha - I already have a wall's worth!

[ToneMerc]

Chassis and board material arrived yesterday, I just need To decide whether the board style wil be eyelets or turrets.

TM

[boots]

Mike, are you going to use a 6SC7 preamp?

I have also been curious to try octal preamps (it will probably be in something like a Champ or Deluxe) but I'm not sure which tube to go with.

I have a stash of everything BUT SC's. I have 6SJ7, 6SL7, 6SN7, etc. but not 6SC7's. I was thinking the SJ might be a decent preamp tube (I have a bunch of them!). I realize not all of those are dual triodes, and I know that they don't all have the same pinouts. Is the SC considered the cadillac of octal preamp tubes?

[ToneMerc]

Mike, are you going to use a 6SC7 preamp?

I have also been curious to try octal preamps (it will probably be in something like a Champ or Deluxe) but I'm not sure which tube to go with.

I have a stash of everything BUT SC's. I have 6SJ7, 6SL7, 6SN7, etc. but not 6SC7's. I was thinking the SJ might be a decent preamp tube (I have a bunch of them!). I realize not all of those are dual triodes, and I know that they don't all have the same pinouts. Is the SC considered the cadillac of octal preamp tubes?

Yes, I have some RCA and Haltron 6SC7GT's. I should have grabbed a few metal can ones as well.

TM

[boots]

Cool! I'll be watching to see how it turns out.

The tweed Bassman is on my amp building bucket list.

[ToneMerc]

Punched out the main board and mocked up parts placement minus the four coupling caps.

TM

[ToneMerc]

Starting to throw the first chips, the octal holes were a PITA with a step bit for sure.

TM

[M Fowler]

For the belton sockets I use a 30mm knockout sure works good.

Keep the photos coming Mike.

[ToneMerc]

Iron mounting mocked up and rubber grommets installed, down to the holes across the front and the dreaded IEC socket.

TM

[ToneMerc]

Coupling caps mocked up