Just got my MiniWreck!!!

[superchop]

Hi all,

Late last year I ordered a MiniWreck from Steve Liberty here on the board and it showed up last week. Before I go into the amp (amazing), I need to say that Steve is not only a great builder/designer, he’s probably the nicest guy I’ve dealt with in many years. Over the course of the build he sent me update emails and pix, offered various options (with/without tubes) and made sure I only paid the final payment as he finished up the amp. It’s rare to find this kind of service and attention to detail anywhere.

Now, the amp…I happen to have serial number 1, but it’s evident that this is a well thought-out design. Basically it’s the front end of a Trainwreck Express with a single-ended power section. Standard controls are treble, middle, bass, presence and volume with a standby and power switch plus a single input jack. On the back there are 2 speaker jacks and a 4-8-16 ohm switch plus a really cool switch that offers 4 selectable bias settings for varying the tone. More can be added, but I think the 4 is just fine.

The amp has the ability to run either a 6V6, EL-34 or EL-84. In running the amp you just put either type of tube in and go. It also has 2, 12ax7’s. I first tried the amp out with an EL84 into a Mojave 2x12 cab with ‘60’s Celestion Blues in it. The guitar was my ’03 Les Paul ‘R8 Murphy with Tom Holmes PAF’s. WOW! The thing that hit me right off the bat was this is a really powerful amp. I mean, it was loud but just about right for playing in my house without getting a call from the neighbors. The tone was balanced with a bit of extra top end on it from the 84. I wanted to check out the 6V6 because of the lower power and tone difference. It totally changed the character of the amp. Sounded a lot like a Marshall Plexi with the volume of a hotplate on -12, except the tone was still open and uncompressed. Just what I was looking for.

Today I brought the amp over to my tech’s place and ran it through a variety of 4x12’s (basketweave with G12H-30’s and another 4x12 with 2, 25watt tanbacks and 2, 30 watt blackbacks). In this situation the EL84 sounded best with both cabs as far as I was concerned. It was still pretty loud for one power tube. Switching back and forth between my Plexi Superbass and the MiniWreck, the main difference I heard in the tone was that there may be just a bit more harmonic content in the Superbass. Still, I had to pull the Superbass WAY down with a HotPlate to even get in the same volume ballpark as the MiniWreck. In the end, the MiniWreck was the clear winner in terms of being able to completely open the amp all the way up. The Superbass sounded choked in comparison.

The other thing that amazed me about the amp was the build quality. Top notch parts and very high quality craftsmanship. Steve even sent me an upgraded (Sprague) cap to replace the ICC that he had at the time of the build. It’s now in the amp with the rest of the Atoms and Sozos.

Can’t recommend this amp and Steve enough. For a total price of $775 for the amp with tubes and the octal socket option (highly recommended) or $725 without tubes you cannot go wrong. I’ve seen folks buy the Mercury Magnetics upgrade for the Valve Jr. and pay a tech to do the work and come up WAY short of this amp. Not even in the same league.

Steve, thank you so much. I’m going to use the MiniWreck this week on a project I’m recording and the Marshall will have to stay in the closet for now. Also, as soon as I can take pix, I will post them along with the clips.

Steve

[superchop]

One correction I need to make is that the caps are actually Mallory 150's, not Sozos. Oops...

Steve

[sliberty]

Wow - thanks Steve. I appreciate all of the kind words, and hope you enjoy the amp for years to come.

[lastwinj]

congrats to both!!!

germ

[keithrick]

Way to go Steve!! Sounds like a great amp!

[Allynmey]

Congrats on the new amp. Steve is a great guy and his builds are top notch. I've seen the original Mini-wreck at the NJ Ampfest this year and it rocked!

Allynmey

[guitarpkr76]

pics?

[sliberty]

There are a few pics on my site, and maybe Steve will post some more when he has a chance.

http://www.freedomtubeamps.com

[wsaraceni]

Congrats on the new amp. Steve is a great guy and his builds are top notch. I've seen the original Mini-wreck at the NJ Ampfest this year and it rocked!

Allynmey

how did i not get a chance to try out any of these amps when i was there? there was about 4 trainwreck clones not hooked up in the small room by the ugly amps i didnt get to check out either.

[Allynmey]

Congrats on the new amp. Steve is a great guy and his builds are top notch. I've seen the original Mini-wreck at the NJ Ampfest this year and it rocked!

Allynmey

how did i not get a chance to try out any of these amps when i was there? there was about 4 trainwreck clones not hooked up in the small room by the ugly amps i didnt get to check out either.

Bill, 2 of them were mine!

[wsaraceni]

man. i have a feeling that heebgb is going to try to make the next ampfest a little more low-key. hopefully he slips and posts about it so i can make it again. the cabinets on some of those were works of art in themselves