Amp Build: Ceriatone Kraken 50

Marshall Amp Discussion

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FourT6and2
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Amp Build: Ceriatone Kraken 50

Post by FourT6and2 »

Ok fine, it's really a Chupacabra. But it's got some voicing changes of my own and if the Yeti gets its own name... then this does too lol :) . All the Cali-type amps are the same anyway. Chassis, turret board, and all the hardware are from Ceriatone. I sourced everything else myself. Still waiting on the iron and a few components here and there. But figured I'd get this ball rolling.

Without further ado, I give you... The Kraken!

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FourT6and2
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Re: Amp Build: Ceriatone Kraken 50

Post by FourT6and2 »

Chassis:

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Turret board:

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FourT6and2
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Re: Amp Build: Ceriatone Kraken 50

Post by FourT6and2 »

Still waiting on transformers so I decided to just get started on the turret board.

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And some resistor porn lol.

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FourT6and2
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Re: Amp Build: Ceriatone Kraken 50

Post by FourT6and2 »

More progress. I discovered I'm missing the V1a plate resistor! The value is pretty obscure and I could only find it in a different brand. My OCD alarm is gonna go off because it won't match the others lol.

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Gainzilla
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Re: Amp Build: Ceriatone Kraken 50

Post by Gainzilla »

That's a sexy looking build, man!

- Bryce
I know it's only rock and roll, but I like it!
Mark
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Re: Amp Build: Ceriatone Kraken 50

Post by Mark »

Very neat work.
Yours Sincerely

Mark Abbott
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norburybrook
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Re: Amp Build: Ceriatone Kraken 50

Post by norburybrook »

that's so neat it's making me feel uncomfortable.......... :D


what are the red resistors?


Marcus
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M Fowler
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Re: Amp Build: Ceriatone Kraken 50

Post by M Fowler »

Very high quality photos and neat work, keep them coming.

Mark
FourT6and2
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Re: Amp Build: Ceriatone Kraken 50

Post by FourT6and2 »

norburybrook wrote: Wed Jul 12, 2017 12:11 pm that's so neat it's making me feel uncomfortable.......... :D


what are the red resistors?


Marcus
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FourT6and2
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Re: Amp Build: Ceriatone Kraken 50

Post by FourT6and2 »

Thanks for the kind words, everybody.

Here's my SLO Clone build. Hopefully this one turns out just as nice. Though Soldano's layout is way better than any Marshall, so that helped a lot.

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Mark
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Re: Amp Build: Ceriatone Kraken 50

Post by Mark »

The heaters on the Soldanos is a bit of a mystery. Unless the heaters are DC, then surely the amp would be quieter if they were twisted.
Yours Sincerely

Mark Abbott
FourT6and2
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Re: Amp Build: Ceriatone Kraken 50

Post by FourT6and2 »

Mark wrote: Wed Jul 12, 2017 8:15 pm The heaters on the Soldanos is a bit of a mystery. Unless the heaters are DC, then surely the amp would be quieter if they were twisted.
Can you get more quiet than quiet? Because the amp is noise-free. :)

People go crazy about heater winding. But I've never experienced any real noise from the heater circuit, regardless of how they're wired. So, go figure. All I can say is using a straight run of bus wire is way easier and nicer looking!
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xtian
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Re: Amp Build: Ceriatone Kraken 50

Post by xtian »

Hum from heater AC is not much of an issue at the power tubes, because any hum is not amplified much. It can be more of a problem if the hum gets into V1a and amplified as much as your guitar signal.
I build and repair tube amps. http://amps.monkeymatic.com
FourT6and2
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Re: Amp Build: Ceriatone Kraken 50

Post by FourT6and2 »

xtian wrote: Wed Jul 12, 2017 9:01 pm Hum from heater AC is not much of an issue at the power tubes, because any hum is not amplified much. It can be more of a problem if the hum gets into V1a and amplified as much as your guitar signal.
Doesn't matter. You can twist the wires all you want or add DC, but it won't make hum that isn't there disappear. ;)

The amp has straight bus wire at the preamp sockets as well. Still... no hum.

A lot of amps out there do the same. Diezel, Soldano, Framus, Bogner, Peters a bunch of others... they all use straight bus wire and none of them have any noise issues. I don't know why. Just the way it is.
FourT6and2
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Re: Amp Build: Ceriatone Kraken 50

Post by FourT6and2 »

I've asked on some other forums. But maybe y'all might be able to help?

This is how Ceriatone wires the input. Seems a bit strange to me. Can anybody shed some light on what's going on here, compared to say... having the 1M-to-ground Grid Leak BEFORE the 27K Grid Stopper, instead of AFTER? I've read this causes some small signal attenuation. Maybe not enough to really matter. But still, seems like a weird design choice...

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