Express Combo using 6V6s (Finished)

[UR12]

I haven't personally done an Express combo, but I have had good luck using a Heritage G12-65 in a 1x12" enclosure along with a head. I would imagine the Scumback equivalent would be just as good if not better.

Is that an open back cabinet or closed?

It's got an oval port on the back Dumble-style.

That's good to know. I don't have a G12-65 so I may have to pick one up and give it a try. The specs say that the Resonant Freq is 85hz but the response curve for the 65, Greenback and V30 all look about the same, yet I know they sound as different as night and day. I am hopefull that the V30 sounds good in the combo as I have 4 and I am not really impressed with the sound of them in a closed back 4x12 with a Express Head. I like the Greenbacks much better. So I have 4 V30s I would like to find a good fit for.

[UR12]

I've got this one assembled and have been going through preamp tubes trying to find the right combination. The V1 spot makes a good tube tester. I have the Vintage 30s in there for now and will be trying some different combinations before i'm done. Here are a few pics of the completed amp. The White one is up next

[drhulsey]

Gorgeous
We don' need no stinkin' Fenders

[pureoldsound]

Sweet..Great job Dana. Any tone report as far as how it sounds with the V30s?

[Ron Worley]

Wow, nice work as usual Dana... I'm curious about how she sounds too, any mechanical issues with the speaker vibrating the chassis???

Ron

[Zippy]

I'd be more concerned with the fluctuating B-field of those speakers interacting with the electron plasma of the tubes and influencing the balance of multiplication-annihilation, thereby making the darn thing buzz and hum.

Oops, sorry. I should save that stuff for the Dumble forum.

Back to Ron's query: How well does it work at club volumes?

[M Fowler]

Very nice build and in that sexy red as well.

Mark

[UR12]

Thanks everyone for the kind words! I am building these to sell at the Columbus Ohio Guitar show in Jan and I wanted something that would stand out a little in the sea of black tolex.

To be honest I have been so busy I haven't had a lot of time to mess with the amp. My plan is to hook up with my brother this weekend and let him put it through it's paces and a/b it with his Express clone that sounds awesome. I have a/b'd it with my 4x12 cab and it does pick up a bit more low end through the closed back 4x12 compared to the open back combo. I am going to load up the white cab with a couple of Sammi's and see how that compares with the V30.

As far as vibration goes, it does vibrate, as much as any other combo amp I know of. I have been trying different pres in the V1 slot, leaving the amp set for an hour between swaps with all of the knobs dimed and no input. I'll try and give you a better report after Thanksgiving.

[dartanion]

Looks great as always Dana!

A 6V6 Express combo is killer! I'm not sure the V30s are going to be a good match though. But to each their own right.

[Tubetwang]

These amps will be successful...

[harryk]

Dana! you are like a nuclear power plant with all that energy. Your red and white cabs look very nice. They really catch the eye in that exhibition. Because your cabs look so fabulous, I have also to test red tolex to my some forecoming Bluetone project. I hope that you still have a little time to our Twreck Mini project to organize those parts etc. Harry

[billyz]

Here is a little 1x12 wreck style combo. 2x 6v6 with VVR. I do use some vibration treatment on V1 and it is also selected for noise/rattles etc. Otherwise no issues with noise. Does not even have shielded V1 grid lead.

[Fischerman]

Sweet looking amps...both Dana's and Billy's.

Billy,
Could you elaborate on your PI circuit? It seems that these 'small bottle' amps...esp EL84 amps with their uber sensitive input...often appear to have PIs that were tweeked to get less gain. Almost as if the 12AX7 LTPI has too much gain and they're trying to tame it. So it would seem a perfect fit for a 12AT7. Did you use values similar to the Fender SF PI values? 47k plates/330k or 470k PI grid returns? Thanks.

[UR12]

Dana! you are like a nuclear power plant with all that energy. Your red and white cabs look very nice. They really catch the eye in that exhibition. Because your cabs look so fabulous, I have also to test red tolex to my some forecoming Bluetone project. I hope that you still have a little time to our Twreck Mini project to organize those parts etc. Harry

Hi Harry

The red tolex is a Marshall red Levant. It comes in a couple of paterns. Levant and Elephant hide. Both are the same nice color red but look just a little different close up. I am still working in the Lil Devil project and expect the boards to be in next week

Here is a little 1x12 wreck style combo. 2x 6v6 with VVR. I do use some vibration treatment on V1 and it is also selected for noise/rattles etc. Otherwise no issues with noise. Does not even have shielded V1 grid lead.

Billy, That is sweet!!

[billyz]

Fischerman,
I do prefer the 12at7 PI . and I have found that I like the Tail resistor at around 22k. 10k works well too. But I seem to hear something sweeter with the 22k. the 12at7 definitely fattens and darkens the tone.