New QUINN TKT 183 Arrived today!
Moderators: pompeiisneaks, Colossal
New QUINN TKT 183 Arrived today!
An employee of mine ordered one of these a year and a half ago, and it finally arrived today. I posted a pic of it in a different thread, but here it is again for anyone who did not see it.
[img:683:400]http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1448/1 ... 124424.jpg[/img]
First off, I do not know what Shad charges for these things now, but for what my buddy paid, it is the steal of a lifetime. The workmanship is beautiful. Everything neat and tidy and really nice solder joints everywhere. You can tell a lot of time went into it. I also had the chance to A/B it with my original NOS serial 00 183, and compare. They are close tonally, but there are differences for sure. I lowered the bias in mine, so that may be some of what I am hearing. First off the new one is much clearer than mine, and seems to have better cleans. It is also MUCH more dynamic, which really puzzled me. As a matter of fact, it may be the most dynamic amp in overdrive I have ever played. My very first Fuchs amp (pre SLX) was also extremely dynamic. It was very different sounding and did not sound all that much like a Dumble way back then, but i loved that amp due to the dynamics it had. After it was SLXed, it was much smoother, but lost a lot of that magical ability to go from really quiet to really loud with just pick attack. This new Quinn even surpasses that, but has all the richness and smoothness as well. On the other hand, the amp did not have nearly as much gain as mine, and was quite a bit brighter. You could easily dial the brightness down, but it always sounded a bit more harsh than mine. This could simply be because it was brand new, a hotter bias, the NOS parts mine has, or a combination of all three. It could simply be the taper on the volumje pots, but the new one had to be much higher on the gain and volume knobs to equal the gain and volume levels of mine. All in all, they were close enough where in a clip, Icould probably fool even myself, but in person, that clarity of the new one really stood out, and with that and the dynamics, was EXTREMELY inspiring to play. I improvised over a few tunes with both amps, and I felt like i played much better on the new one due to that clarity and the unreal dynamics. It makes you play differently for sure. So now I have played three Quinn 183 EL34s, my 6L6 version, and of course owned the original. Amazing how each can be a little different, and you can choose little bits of each you prefer. As is, if I had to have only one, it would probably be my original serial #00 Quinn, but damn if the dynamics on this new one are not magical. Its easy to forget how much you lose with any substantial amount of gain dialed in, and to be able to have quite a bit of it, and still have the dynamics almost equal to a totally clean amp is a real eye opener. Great amp Shadster! [/img]
[img:683:400]http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1448/1 ... 124424.jpg[/img]
First off, I do not know what Shad charges for these things now, but for what my buddy paid, it is the steal of a lifetime. The workmanship is beautiful. Everything neat and tidy and really nice solder joints everywhere. You can tell a lot of time went into it. I also had the chance to A/B it with my original NOS serial 00 183, and compare. They are close tonally, but there are differences for sure. I lowered the bias in mine, so that may be some of what I am hearing. First off the new one is much clearer than mine, and seems to have better cleans. It is also MUCH more dynamic, which really puzzled me. As a matter of fact, it may be the most dynamic amp in overdrive I have ever played. My very first Fuchs amp (pre SLX) was also extremely dynamic. It was very different sounding and did not sound all that much like a Dumble way back then, but i loved that amp due to the dynamics it had. After it was SLXed, it was much smoother, but lost a lot of that magical ability to go from really quiet to really loud with just pick attack. This new Quinn even surpasses that, but has all the richness and smoothness as well. On the other hand, the amp did not have nearly as much gain as mine, and was quite a bit brighter. You could easily dial the brightness down, but it always sounded a bit more harsh than mine. This could simply be because it was brand new, a hotter bias, the NOS parts mine has, or a combination of all three. It could simply be the taper on the volumje pots, but the new one had to be much higher on the gain and volume knobs to equal the gain and volume levels of mine. All in all, they were close enough where in a clip, Icould probably fool even myself, but in person, that clarity of the new one really stood out, and with that and the dynamics, was EXTREMELY inspiring to play. I improvised over a few tunes with both amps, and I felt like i played much better on the new one due to that clarity and the unreal dynamics. It makes you play differently for sure. So now I have played three Quinn 183 EL34s, my 6L6 version, and of course owned the original. Amazing how each can be a little different, and you can choose little bits of each you prefer. As is, if I had to have only one, it would probably be my original serial #00 Quinn, but damn if the dynamics on this new one are not magical. Its easy to forget how much you lose with any substantial amount of gain dialed in, and to be able to have quite a bit of it, and still have the dynamics almost equal to a totally clean amp is a real eye opener. Great amp Shadster! [/img]
VERY GOOD VERY GOOD!
Re: New QUINN TKT 183 Arrived today!
Good to hear that Shad came through.
Good to hear that TKT 183 is still a great amp.
Silly to ask you but, did you play them both without a reverb pedal in the (passive) loop?
Harald
Good to hear that TKT 183 is still a great amp.
Silly to ask you but, did you play them both without a reverb pedal in the (passive) loop?
Harald
Re: New QUINN TKT 183 Arrived today!
wokkel wrote:Good to hear that Shad came through.
Good to hear that TKT 183 is still a great amp.
Silly to ask you but, did you play them both without a reverb pedal in the (passive) loop?
Harald
No, sorry about that. But, I am going to be borrowing the amp again to make some clips, so I will, and I will do an A/B with mine. I have a feeling the compression you get with recording is going to mask the differences in the amps as far as dynamics are concerned, but I shall try my best to show it. I would really like to get my amp to be like that. Not sure whats causing mine to be more compressed, or I should probably say whats making that one less compressed. Mine seemed to have quite a bit more gain available, so it must be related. This was all done in 15 minutes time, so maybe i just need to get used to adjusting the amps differently due to the different pot sweeps. Like 183, mine has those old color coated fender pots that Dumble used at times. I know the new amp does not have those.
VERY GOOD VERY GOOD!
Re: New QUINN TKT 183 Arrived today!
Do you own both 6L6 and EL34 versions of the Quinn 183?
Thanks,
Henry
Thanks,
Henry
Re: New QUINN TKT 183 Arrived today!
Yes he does ,with the 6L6 version only the pre amp section is based on 183 ( as per Shad)
Re: New QUINN TKT 183 Arrived today!
TAG..
Like I mention to you before and will repeat this again as I know we have had this discussion in the past
Each amp that comes off the line WILL have it's own personality!!...Some will be more dynamic than others,some will be smoother,some will even seem louder and more responsive,aggressive to pick dynamics, some will (to you) be KILLER and others will just sound good!..All those things you mention.. Even when you use the same parts!!..If you take a fairly simple circuit like the ODS, parts tolerance's and whats called circuit constance become very apparent...Tubes and even transformers set to set can all be very noticeable and exaggerated in a harmonically complex,but a simple design like the ODS!!.. If you go to a PCB board the consistency seems to improve a bit but you will notice still a difference,especially going from a PCB to a more conventional eyelet board type..We can take this even further when you start using seasoned (old stock) parts that have been used in another amp (especially transformers) ...and caps and pots that are 20+ years old..Even the old resistors and the direction of the signal caps can make a difference in an ODS style amp!!
On top of all this now add in age!!..As the amp WILL change in tone over time!!..Guarentee it will happen..It's really impossible to predict and try to control the harmonic complexity of an amp (on a consistent basis) they will each have there own personalities no matter what you do!!..ON TOP OF ALL THAT...What you might notice or hear in a certain amp others might never pick up on it or hear those same nuances you do regardless as to how high the mountain is that you are screaming it from..
Think of it like a fine wine..Each bottle tastes a bit different to everybody and is constantly changing in complexity with age!!..
Thanks for the review!!
All The Best!!
Tony
Like I mention to you before and will repeat this again as I know we have had this discussion in the past
Each amp that comes off the line WILL have it's own personality!!...Some will be more dynamic than others,some will be smoother,some will even seem louder and more responsive,aggressive to pick dynamics, some will (to you) be KILLER and others will just sound good!..All those things you mention.. Even when you use the same parts!!..If you take a fairly simple circuit like the ODS, parts tolerance's and whats called circuit constance become very apparent...Tubes and even transformers set to set can all be very noticeable and exaggerated in a harmonically complex,but a simple design like the ODS!!.. If you go to a PCB board the consistency seems to improve a bit but you will notice still a difference,especially going from a PCB to a more conventional eyelet board type..We can take this even further when you start using seasoned (old stock) parts that have been used in another amp (especially transformers) ...and caps and pots that are 20+ years old..Even the old resistors and the direction of the signal caps can make a difference in an ODS style amp!!
On top of all this now add in age!!..As the amp WILL change in tone over time!!..Guarentee it will happen..It's really impossible to predict and try to control the harmonic complexity of an amp (on a consistent basis) they will each have there own personalities no matter what you do!!..ON TOP OF ALL THAT...What you might notice or hear in a certain amp others might never pick up on it or hear those same nuances you do regardless as to how high the mountain is that you are screaming it from..
Think of it like a fine wine..Each bottle tastes a bit different to everybody and is constantly changing in complexity with age!!..
Thanks for the review!!
All The Best!!
Tony
" The psychics on my bench is the same as Dumble'"
Re: New QUINN TKT 183 Arrived today!
Mac Daddy wrote:Yes he does ,with the 6L6 version only the pre amp section is based on 183 ( as per Shad)
Hey Brad.
The power section is as close as can be with the transformer change needed for the 6L6s.
Hey Henry. ...
Yes I own both. The EL34 has more of an acoustic property, even when really overdriven. The 6L6 has even more low mids,and is slightly smoother depending on the settings. Surprisingly like all 6L6 Dumbles to my ear, the cleans are inferior to the EL34 version. That goes all the way back to the first 2 Dumbles I ever played. I thought the EL 34 was the 6L6, and the 6L6 was the El34! Like the use of some "cheap" parts, Howard makes tubes sound the way he wants them to sound!
VERY GOOD VERY GOOD!
Re: New QUINN TKT 183 Arrived today!
I dont remember discussing this before.talbany wrote:TAG..
Like I mention to you before and will repeat this again as I know we have had this discussion in the past
Each amp that comes off the line WILL have it's own personality!!...Some will be more dynamic than others,some will be smoother,some will even seem louder and more responsive,aggressive to pick dynamics, some will (to you) be KILLER and others will just sound good!..All those things you mention.. Even when you use the same parts!!..If you take a fairly simple circuit like the ODS, parts tolerance's and whats called circuit constance become very apparent...Tubes and even transformers set to set can all be very noticeable and exaggerated in a harmonically complex,but a simple design like the ODS!!.. If you go to a PCB board the consistency seems to improve a bit but you will notice still a difference,especially going from a PCB to a more conventional eyelet board type..We can take this even further when you start using seasoned (old stock) parts that have been used in another amp (especially transformers) ...and caps and pots that are 20+ years old..Even the old resistors and the direction of the signal caps can make a difference in an ODS style amp!!
On top of all this now add in age!!..As the amp WILL change in tone over time!!..Guarentee it will happen..It's really impossible to predict and try to control the harmonic complexity of an amp (on a consistent basis) they will each have there own personalities no matter what you do!!..ON TOP OF ALL THAT...What you might notice or hear in a certain amp others might never pick up on it or hear those same nuances you do regardless as to how high the mountain is that you are screaming it from..
Think of it like a fine wine..Each bottle tastes a bit different to everybody and is constantly changing in complexity with age!!..
Thanks for the review!!
All The Best!!
Tony
VERY GOOD VERY GOOD!
- LeftyStrat
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Re: New QUINN TKT 183 Arrived today!
I don't remember what I had for lunch last Wednesday.tag101 wrote: I dont remember discussing this before.
PCB amps are better at consistency. Which I consider to be a flaw. No two hand wired amps will sound exactly the same, which forces the builder to make this incarnation of the circuit sound good, which will probably sound different.
As Oscar Wilde said:
"Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative."
It's never too late to have a happy childhood.
Re: New QUINN TKT 183 Arrived today!
Back when you were Mr Dumble..tag101 wrote:I dont remember discussing this before.talbany wrote:TAG..
Like I mention to you before and will repeat this again as I know we have had this discussion in the past
Each amp that comes off the line WILL have it's own personality!!...Some will be more dynamic than others,some will be smoother,some will even seem louder and more responsive,aggressive to pick dynamics, some will (to you) be KILLER and others will just sound good!..All those things you mention.. Even when you use the same parts!!..If you take a fairly simple circuit like the ODS, parts tolerance's and whats called circuit constance become very apparent...Tubes and even transformers set to set can all be very noticeable and exaggerated in a harmonically complex,but a simple design like the ODS!!.. If you go to a PCB board the consistency seems to improve a bit but you will notice still a difference,especially going from a PCB to a more conventional eyelet board type..We can take this even further when you start using seasoned (old stock) parts that have been used in another amp (especially transformers) ...and caps and pots that are 20+ years old..Even the old resistors and the direction of the signal caps can make a difference in an ODS style amp!!
On top of all this now add in age!!..As the amp WILL change in tone over time!!..Guarentee it will happen..It's really impossible to predict and try to control the harmonic complexity of an amp (on a consistent basis) they will each have there own personalities no matter what you do!!..ON TOP OF ALL THAT...What you might notice or hear in a certain amp others might never pick up on it or hear those same nuances you do regardless as to how high the mountain is that you are screaming it from..
Think of it like a fine wine..Each bottle tastes a bit different to everybody and is constantly changing in complexity with age!!..
Thanks for the review!!
All The Best!!
Tony
http://ampgarage.com/forum/viewtopic.ph ... ht=#133392
I think you were saying something like how you could fool us with your Two Rocks/Dumbles and a few other amps at the time with some clips and how you didn't by the 25 year old thing
... But..didn't your 183 clone have some NOS stuff in it (resistors Pot's Caps..etc) Shad had to use to nail the 183 tone?...I will report how the amps feel as well. Not buying into the 25 year old thing at ALL however. I owned the amp, and my TwoRocks are extremely close tonally and feel wise. I could easily fool you with clips of the Emmy and the Dumble,
I don't doubt your TKT 183 sounds VERY VERY GOOD!!..
All The Best!
Tony
" The psychics on my bench is the same as Dumble'"
Re: New QUINN TKT 183 Arrived today!
Wasn't there a 'builder's forum' vs 'commercial amp review forum' discussion also? I was half-way through skimming this thread before realizing this is a review of a commercial product not owned by the OP. Is that right?
"You feel like you're floating on a football field filled with marshmallows." -Dumble
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Re: New QUINN TKT 183 Arrived today!
Yup, that's right. I am so thankful that every Tom, Dick, and Harry doesn't make a new amp day post here. In fairness, there was a recent thread about Quinn not delivering amps, so I suppose this message refers to that thread. All the same, I could care less who bought what amp and when. BFD!...I was half-way through skimming this thread before realizing this is a review of a commercial product not owned by the OP. Is that right?
Re: New QUINN TKT 183 Arrived today!
Pretty much a typical TAG "very good very good" post. Yet ANOTHER thread expounding the virtues of #183 and praising the building skills of Shad. Tag doesn't build anything he just promotes amps and his agenda.vibratoking wrote:Yup, that's right. I am so thankful that every Tom, Dick, and Harry doesn't make a new amp day post here. In fairness, there was a recent thread about Quinn not delivering amps, so I suppose this message refers to that thread. All the same, I could care less who bought what amp and when. BFD!...I was half-way through skimming this thread before realizing this is a review of a commercial product not owned by the OP. Is that right?
Eric
1949 Zenith, Zenith Toggle Recoil, Zenith 55 & 440
1949 Zenith, Zenith Toggle Recoil, Zenith 55 & 440
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Re: New QUINN TKT 183 Arrived today!
I suppose it's time for yet another half-assed version of Politician...
Please understand that IMO an answer to this question is of no practical relevance at all. - Max
Re: New QUINN TKT 183 Arrived today!
That's funny right there.Bob Simpson wrote:I suppose it's time for yet another half-assed version of Politician...
Deric®