My first mod/build......It lives!

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studiodunn
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My first mod/build......It lives!

Post by studiodunn »

Fist off, thanks to all who answered my seriously novice questions. I have small kids, so I know it takes allot of patience to field such seemingly basic questions.


I started this project having never torn into an amp before. I have built plenty of guitars and pedals, but never attempted to work on the big iron.
I think I had plenty of reservations about messing up something so expensive, but I also know my own pension for obsessing over things once I want to learn about them....that rang true with the Bassman. Financially, I was given the amp in sad shape, so it seemed a perfect time to not factor in the cost of cooking an amp and let my OCD lure me to the garage.

The amp is basically a Express on one channel and a Modded Marshall(2 tubes added) on the other. They are footswitchable via a mechanical relay. The preamps are probably about the only standard thing for each amp respectively. The power is still Fender, The filtering is a mix of Fender and Marshall and the Output is still 6L6.

I spent allot of time tuning each circuit....well, channel 2 that is. The Exspress was great from the start. The Marshall had allot of variations and part swaps. I started with a PPIMV, but actually preffered the Cross line type that it now has in it. Originally I hadn't included a Presence control either, but after trying it out I realized the Marshall side really needed it to
help the amp sound it's best at different settings and volumes.

All in all I'm still fairly shocked at how good the amp sounds. I own some nice amps and have owned dozens...several dozens of them, and I can honestly say this amp sounds very good IMO. The Express gives up great cleans and channel 2 can be downright brutal. The low end thump is something I wasn't expecting since I was using the Fender(Classictone versions) iron, but this amp will pound your chest.

Thanks again everyone!

Short Clip - Sorry about the snare rattle :?
https://youtu.be/ikSEuwdIi4w
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Last edited by studiodunn on Mon Oct 24, 2016 5:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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xtian
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Re: My first mod/build......It lives!

Post by xtian »

Wow! Really impressed that you tackled such a complex project as your first build, and that it came out well. Sounds great! And even looks good! OCD, no doubt.

Great work.
I build and repair tube amps. http://amps.monkeymatic.com
bluesfendermanblues
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Re: My first mod/build......It lives!

Post by bluesfendermanblues »

Very nice work. Congrats!
Diva or not? - Respect for Mr. D's work....)
Bob S
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Re: My first mod/build......It lives!

Post by Bob S »

That you pulled that off with your first build is special. Very well done!
What's next?
:twisted:
Why Aye Man
Smokebreak
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Re: My first mod/build......It lives!

Post by Smokebreak »

Sounds great too!! Nice work!
studiodunn
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Muchos Gracias

Post by studiodunn »

Thanks for the kind words, very much appreciated.

I'll try to do some more edits tonight and get up some more clips. I have a section where I crank the Xpress side and lift the tone stack via the old deep switch......WHOAHHHH. It gets almost as heavy as channel 2, but just wilder.

The irony here is the footswitching of the lift function is the one thing i haven't been able to figure out :roll: I wanted to feed it some voltage from the relay board to light the FS LED, but I can't seem to get the wiring right. I keep ending up with ugly hums even without any power going to the jack.

Probably a good thing I'm stuck on something so simple, as to keep me humbled.

TW Rocket is next :D
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Phil_S
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Re: My first mod/build......It lives!

Post by Phil_S »

xtian wrote:Wow! Really impressed that you tackled such a complex project as your first build, and that it came out well. Sounds great! And even looks good! OCD, no doubt.

Great work.
My thoughts, exactly! Wow!
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M Fowler
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Re: My first mod/build......It lives!

Post by M Fowler »

Great job on the amp, especially for the first build.

The amp sounds very good on the Marshall side. Doesn't sound like an Express unless you had that volume knob on 1.5 an Express will tear your face off at 4.

Mark
studiodunn
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Re: My first mod/build......It lives!

Post by studiodunn »

M Fowler wrote:Great job on the amp, especially for the first build.

The amp sounds very good on the Marshall side. Doesn't sound like an Express unless you had that volume knob on 1.5 an Express will tear your face off at 4.

Mark
Thanks.

Yes, the Express side was at about 2 and at about 4 sterilization is eminent! I have had a few TW clones and in all honesty this amp/channel has the same feel and response of an express, but lacks the growl of 2 E34s being bum rushed. It feels a bit more compressed and (for lack of a better word) "sizzly". I also feel the 100 watt iron and 6L6's lend to some super clean tones.
I would say the Marshall side has this same characteristics. I haven't really been able to put my finger on the likeness of channel two, but it's not quite Marshall. I would never say SLOish, but maybe somewhere in between. It has great chunk,chunk and good string to string definition at high gain settings. It just lacks that Marshall growl that I know. I have a nice Levi modded 2204 on hand and have owned ALLOT of big name Marshall types and they are different beast for sure. It does remind me a little of the Fender Tonemaster I once loved, but much heavier. The bass responce is just awesome. Maybe Not Wizard MC thump, but very present. Even the clean has a snappinees to it that would be great for chicken-picken.

I haven't yet gotten this amp into a band situation, but I predict it will have no problem finding it's space in a mix.

If anyone here is in the SoCal area, I live in Long Beach and would love to get some objective opinions. I know I'm on a honeymoon and could use a skilled ear/player to give me some feedback.
tubeswell
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Re: My first mod/build......It lives!

Post by tubeswell »

Congrats. May you build many more.
He who dies with the most tubes... wins
pdf64
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Re: My first mod/build......It lives!

Post by pdf64 »

Well done, that's a very high standard of workmanship!
I find that a crossline MV sounds a lot better with a 12AX7 LTP than a 12AT7; which is in your amp?
studiodunn wrote:...my own pension for obsessing over things once I want to learn about them...
I think you meant penchant :)
studiodunn
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Re: My first mod/build......It lives!

Post by studiodunn »

Thank you.
I am using a 12ax7
pdf64 wrote:Well done, that's a very high standard of workmanship!
I find that a crossline MV sounds a lot better with a 12AX7 LTP than a 12AT7; which is in your amp?

studiodunn wrote:...my own pension for obsessing over things once I want to learn about them...
I think you meant penchant :)
Ha! Yes the autocorrect Gods have spoken, yet I have no chance at a pension.
studiodunn
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Express getting mean

Post by studiodunn »

Here is the Express side (blue Light ON) getting nasty.

https://youtu.be/-s_84tCOqeY

And a little Drop D
https://youtu.be/mRIxlo43dEk
Smokebreak
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Re: My first mod/build......It lives!

Post by Smokebreak »

That Express, and Marshall, for that matter, is right up my alley with 6L6s, so I have some questions about your superb sounding amp ;)
What speakers are in that cab? What did you end up with on the Marshall side? I know we had talked about 36 or 39 or something to that effect previously. Did you say you had a Levi modded amp? I'm sure I'm not the only one that would like to see that , should you have some pics laying about 8) .
Those footswitch LEDs can be a total PITA and drove me crazy the first time I was trying to get my head around it. It's kinda hard to explain but I wire my relays "backwards", so that say the high gain, or boost, or whatever function that isn't stock go to the NC terminals. Technically the relay is NOT firing, but the footswitch is wired so there is a little limiting resistor and then the FS LED between the Relay B+ and ground. The light is on. Then when the relay is fired, it shorts across that, the light goes off(and fires the relay) and the NO is my "clean channel" or stock "non-boosted" side.
This is what has worked for me with various relays that I just couldn't get to fire when I tried to get FS LEDs going in parallel. Sometimes they just suck to much, and the relay can't fire, I guess. I hope that makes sense.
studiodunn
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Re: My first mod/build......It lives!

Post by studiodunn »

Smokebreak wrote:That Express, and Marshall, for that matter, is right up my alley with 6L6s, so I have some questions about your superb sounding amp ;)
What speakers are in that cab? What did you end up with on the Marshall side? I know we had talked about 36 or 39 or something to that effect previously. Did you say you had a Levi modded amp? I'm sure I'm not the only one that would like to see that , should you have some pics laying about 8) .
Those footswitch LEDs can be a total PITA and drove me crazy the first time I was trying to get my head around it. It's kinda hard to explain but I wire my relays "backwards", so that say the high gain, or boost, or whatever function that isn't stock go to the NC terminals. Technically the relay is NOT firing, but the footswitch is wired so there is a little limiting resistor and then the FS LED between the Relay B+ and ground. The light is on. Then when the relay is fired, it shorts across that, the light goes off(and fires the relay) and the NO is my "clean channel" or stock "non-boosted" side.
This is what has worked for me with various relays that I just couldn't get to fire when I tried to get FS LEDs going in parallel. Sometimes they just suck to much, and the relay can't fire, I guess. I hope that makes sense.


The cab is loaded with 65watt creambacks
Thanks for the compliment. I wish my playing could do it some justice 8)
I'll get my layout updated and send it to you.

The amp started out as a #36 mod, but got allot of value changes from Bobo's schem. These were the changes theat appealed to my ear tyhe most. The stock Levi circuit was very bright and seemed to be voiced for a Les Paul playing leads.....go figure.
Bobo's layout for the front of V2 made the amp very thick and really improved it's Rhythm duties IMO.
The Filtering is something i just tried and it worked. It uses a 32/32 for the pres, 50/50 for the PI and the stock 100/100 in series fro the power.
I will probably try a 20/20 or even a 16/16 on the pres sometime soon. Inquiring minds want to know.

I will have to play with the relay wiring a bit. The more I play the Express side with the tone stack lifted, the more I need it FS'able.
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