WHERE CAN I BUY A TRAIN WRECK EXPRESS OR LIVERPOOL KIT?

[EDWARDEFFECT1]

WHERE CAN I BUY A TRAIN WRECK EXPRESS OR LIVERPOOL KIT?CIRATONE HAS ONE, BUT ARE THERE ANY IN THE STATES CHEAPER? IS THERE ANYONE THAT CAN PUT A KIT TOGETHER FOR ME?SHOULD I BUY THE PARTS FOR BUILDING THIS SEPERATE AND PUT MY OWN KIT TOGETHER?WOULD YOU BUILD THE EXPRESS OR THE LIVERPOOL AMP?I DO SOME ELECTRICAL REAIR ON MUSIC EQUIPMENT, BUT HAVE NEVER BUILT AN AMP AND WOULD LIKE TO TRY.I MOSTLY PLAY GUITAR((37 YEARS)...LATTER...ED!!

[M Fowler]

I would build the Rocket obtaining parts from the BOM in the Trainwreck files section. There are guys like Allynmey and rjguitars that sell parts and kits.

The Rocket in my opinion is better of the trainwreck amps.

Mark

[ChrisM]

WHY ARE YOU YELLING?

[CapnCrunch]

When I checked with Allyn and RJ a few months ago, neither sold kits. I don't know if this is still true, but for sure both sell parts. Ceriatone is the only seller of "kits" that I know of for these two amps. The BOM in the files section of the forum is comprehensive, accurate, and a God's send to us amateur builders.

I wanted a kit because I found the idea of sourcing the parts daunting. However, the BOM has most of the suppliers listed with direct links to their web sites. It was a bit of a learning experience to source everything, but it worked out great. I would encourage you to check out the BOM and photos and threads on these amps. You can build either without a kit, and you will have superior parts.

[M Fowler]

I know that rj has the chassis, boards, tube sockets, filter caps, trannies, and faceplates. Now to me that is a kit. The only two items on the BOM that I don't use are the impedence selector (I use Hoffmans) and the Mode pilot light too much hassle getting them.

Allyn right now is selling the chassis and has always had a lot of misc items to sell including trannies.

Also joebob used to make loaded boards not sure if he is still at it.

Mark

[SkinPimp]

I know that rj has the chassis, boards, tube sockets, filter caps, trannies, and faceplates. Now to me that is a kit. The only two items on the BOM that I don't use are the impedence selector (I use Hoffmans) and the Mode pilot light too much hassle getting them.

Allyn right now is selling the chassis and has always had a lot of misc items to sell including trannies.

Also joebob used to make loaded boards not sure if he is still at it.

Mark

Just a Heads up , I have a local surplus store that has a huge box of the exact Mode Lamps . if anyone is interested LMK and I will pick up a large amount of them next time I head that way .

another note I know RJ has most everything needed. We have had numerous email / business exchanges , and without a doubt an excellent person to deal with . I would contact him and see how close he could get you , and then source the rest from the BOM .

[bluesfreak]

Check out Nik's Site at www.ceriatone.com, nice kit, nice sounding even when some say that Nik's Express doesn't sound like a real express ?!?

[CapnCrunch]

I sure didn't mean to talk up Ceriatone over forum member suppliers. RJ and Allyn are both super classy guys to deal with. It may be that RJ is getting much closer to supplying a full kit. A couple of months ago he was not quite there yet. Last I checked, JoeBob was still making boards.

That being said. I think you are a ways ahead if you can get your parts from forum members or source them yourself from Mouser, Allied, Newark, Digikey etc. etc. You'll get top notch parts this way, and it's really not that hard. One of the things you will have to decide at the start is how close to the original do want to stay. If you want to build an exact clone with period correct parts, you are going to have to spend a lot of time scrounging, there is no kit, and you will play hell finding everything.

RJ has substituted a number of parts where he feels the changes don't negatively effect tone. I don't have an issue with this, but for my first Trainwreck type build, I wanted to try to stay as close to what Ken did as I could. What that meant for me was to use the same layout, and as many of the same parts as possible. I didn't use Vector board or the Bud chassis, and the stand offs and screws may be different. However, I tried to use what Ken used in all parts that carry current.

This is how I sourced my Rocket. Most of these are in the the BOM.
Chassis from Allyn
Toneslut Rocket Trannies (DynaClone)
Turret board from RJ
Tubes from Terry
All small parts i.e. tube sockets, pots, caps, resistors, stand offs, switches, etc. per the BOM with a few exceptions.

The Panasonic poly caps I had to get from Digikey.
The Cornell Dublier poly caps I had to get from Newark.
I got my amber pilot lamp from Mojotone since the Mode lamp is a bitch to get.
I also put an IEC socket in for power because I hate the cord dangling off the back of the head.

[M Fowler]

Ron Worley mailed me a Mode pilot light a while back, your a great guy Ron.

Well that Mode light looks exactly like the one Ceriatone uses.

So if SkinPimp is willing to get those that would sure help out the forum members.

I tried to get wholesale wire for Apexjr from my wife's company but that was like pulling teeth. Then I tried to get those special CG ferrel nutdrivers cheap but my wife let me down on those too. They are made in three different sizes. Yesterday I was asking her to help get those three prong recepticles from Cooper for convenience outlets on the back of amps. Maybe she'll come through this time, man those are $22 on line and probably $7 wholesale.

We are getting raped on parts costs my friends.

[Structo]

Somebodies Cap button is stuck......

[SkinPimp]

Ron Worley mailed me a Mode pilot light a while back, your a great guy Ron.

Well that Mode light looks exactly like the one Ceriatone uses.

So if SkinPimp is willing to get those that would sure help out the forum members.

I tried to get wholesale wire for Apexjr from my wife's company but that was like pulling teeth. Then I tried to get those special CG ferrel nutdrivers cheap but my wife let me down on those too. They are made in three different sizes. Yesterday I was asking her to help get those three prong recepticles from Cooper for convenience outlets on the back of amps. Maybe she'll come through this time, man those are $22 on line and probably $7 wholesale.

We are getting raped on parts costs my friends.

I have had a couple PM's about the Lamps already , so I am for sure going out tomorrow to grab em . I will be sure to get plenty and make a proper post . I am surprised they are so difficult to get for a $1 part.

[bluesfreak]

I sure didn't mean to talk up Ceriatone over forum member suppliers. RJ and Allyn are both super classy guys to deal with.

For sure this is the first way to go if you live in the US but unfortunately some requirements for Non US amp builders are strangley not taken in account, e.g. the supply on 240V PTs is very poor. In addition I have to say that shipping from Malaysia to Germany is cheaper then shipping from the US and in most cases even quicker so it doesn't pay out to order all the parts separately from US suppliers. Having a kit source which is capable of shipping all required parts at once is the preferrable method for me/us...

just my 2c

[M Fowler]

I sure didn't mean to talk up Ceriatone over forum member suppliers. RJ and Allyn are both super classy guys to deal with.

For sure this is the first way to go if you live in the US but unfortunately some requirements for Non US amp builders are strangley not taken in account, e.g. the supply on 240V PTs is very poor. In addition I have to say that shipping from Malaysia to Germany is cheaper then shipping from the US and in most cases even quicker so it doesn't pay out to order all the parts separately from US suppliers. Having a kit source which is capable of shipping all required parts at once is the preferrable method for me/us...

just my 2c

I personally don't have a problem using the Ceriatone kit and I even had Nik build me an Express to play on while I built my Liverpool. Like you said it only makes sense to ship from Malaysia to Germany. The thing I do know is that my Ceriatone Express is brighter and seems louder than my Express built with PS caps, Sprague TVA filter caps and Pacific trannies.

[RJ Guitars]

Hey guys,

Thanks to those of you who have said a kind word toward me here and there.

I am continually getting closer to a complete kit including offering the traditional style chassis... or at least what this forum thinks is acceptable for a traditional chassis (not the thin Bub Box). I'll never relate to the need for the power cord to be directly attached to the chassis but I can go with the flow in supplying what is needed.

It's the small parts that are really the show stopper because I really try to avoid offering anything that uses "Old Stock" components. If I can't get it new or manufactured for a reasonable cost then that leaves me constantly scouring for parts. Parts hunting for a single amp is an enjoyable quest. Trying to guarantee that I can offer twenty or a hundred identical units gets to be real work, especially if you recognize that there are not that many people out there that want to build a perfect Trainwreck clone. Our world is really not that big. The wire also gets to be a bit of a challenge because you have to use the "right stuff" to be Trainwreck certified.

The cost on the Mallory caps is cruel because it makes for an expensive inventory pretty fast and there is no substantial discount for volume ordering. The other sticky point is that even inside this forum there is not 100% knowledge and agreement on what is inside a Trainwreck. We've documented a few amps, but it's common knowledge that Ken had a few building traditions like Making an amp for a specific customer and also using what he had laying around. So it's kinda hard to really nail down everything as a "Kit" because someone will challenge you as soon as you do.

I agree with Ceriatone in that they offer a consistent and affordable kit. As a modern manufacturer that's what they need to do to stay in business. I also know that it falls short of a Trainwreck. By most accounts Ken Fischer was not an especially successful businessman because he worried a whole lot more about how the amps sounded than about what he charged.

So it's a tough nut to crack and I can get darn close with Mouser available parts, which is most of them but I still think this would draw a raised eyebrow or two from a few.

rj

[CapnCrunch]

Hey guys,

I'll never relate to the need for the power cord to be directly attached to the chassis but I can go with the flow in supplying what is needed.


rj

I have only once wished the cord was attached to my amp head. I went to a gig and had everything in my gig bag except the power cord for my head. We ended up stealing a power cord from a computer in one of the offices at the venue where we were playing. It was a close call though.......