Blues Deluxe to ODS #183 Thread

[pompeiisneaks]

I'm going do use jazzguitargimp and xtian's board to replace the mediocre amp from my original Blues Deluxe I bought back in like 95 or 96. I've decided the 183 sounds like the right platform. I have a few questions:

1. does this amp work well with the HRM mod done to it? Is it basically fine in all amps, or should I keep it stock to the original?
2. I see it says that 6PS caps should be used, but I can't find a good source of new stock 6PS anywhere, I can find them on mouser or digikey but it seems like the datasheets imply they make many different capacitances, but the sites I mentioned seem to have all only three, if I recall they're .1, .01 and like .05. Why? Can I get new stock CDE 6PS somewhere in the values needed for this amp? I'm sure I can pay through the nose for NOS but I'm not rich so I stick to 'new high quality components' in my builds, instead of unobanium expensive ones

Datasheet attached.

PS.pdf

Thanks,

~Phil

[Guy77]

Hi Phil, here is were you can find the capacitors


https://www.tubesandmore.com/products/c ... -polyester

If you setup a dealer account with them you can go to there ce dealer site.
Just leave a few for me LOL

Cheers

Guy

[pompeiisneaks]

Oh those are CDE 6ps? It doesn't really say, except I do now see the datasheet at the bottom. I've got a CEDist acct so I can definitely do that. Thanks!

~Phil

[xtian]

I find the HRM stack useful in this build.

[Guy77]

I am curious how these would work with a CUT control instead of the HRM stack.. I am building one now and will try a cut control and see what that is like .

Cheers

[pompeiisneaks]

I find the HRM stack useful in this build.

Good to know, I'll put it in as well, I wonder if a HRM defeat switch would be worth hacking into it too? eh, I'll keep it simple

~Phil

[JazzGuitarGimp]

Pulling up a chair.....

By the way, I am working on a website where I will be selling these boards, as well as some other M.I. Amp Boards I have created. But I’ve got these boards now, so if anyone is interested in picking one up, shoot me a pm.... I now return control of this thread to its rightful owner (Sorry, Phil...)

[pompeiisneaks]

No worries, feel free to share the videos on your site, once I get them all done

I think it's a great idea, I hope tons are interested.

~Phil

[talbany]

Phil
My advice on an amp like that would be an HRM style so you have complete control over the OD tone,set it the way you like it and call it a done deal

Tony

[pompeiisneaks]

Cool sounds great, thanks Tony!

I'm going to have a few questions soon, I went through the differences between the bluesmaster and the 183 and there's a couple areas that have me a bit confused. I'll have to do some screenshots etc to make sense of what's got me stumped.

Probably tomorrow or so...

~Phil

[talbany]

Cool sounds great, thanks Tony!

I'm going to have a few questions soon, I went through the differences between the bluesmaster and the 183 and there's a couple areas that have me a bit confused. I'll have to do some screenshots etc to make sense of what's got me stumped.

Probably tomorrow or so...

~Phil

Bring it!. Feel free to PM me anytime

[pompeiisneaks]

Okay so as I mentioned the original of this board uses a Bluesmaster for the design, but I'm pretty sure it can be adapted to a #183 but I do have a few questions. See the attached section of the tone stack.

Bluesmaster for the board:

BMTS.png

#183 for the same section:

183tonestack.png

The part that's got me a bit confused, is that it seems like there are a few things I'm not 100% sure about.

For the middle pot, there are two things:
1. the 250kb pot in the 183 goes directly to ground
2. the BM has a switchable trim pot that is also linked to a relay. I'm guessing I can omit this? Which seems to me that I just either ground the pot myself and ignore that section of the board, or I can wire the ground of the pot directly to the bottom of where that trim pot goes? Is there any potential for issues with that relay being left 'on' and doing nothign?

For the Bass, the BM goes into the top of the mid, but in the 183 it goes directly to a 10k to ground. I'm guessing I could cut the trace on the pcb or better yet, just not run the bass grounding lug to the board and just connect it to a 10k resistor and then to a local ground on the board?

Other than that, there are quite a few component changes.

Two that had me scratching my head were:

312kb bass pot, I'm guessing this is the measured value and it's one of those cases where he scratched at the carbon trace of a different pot to get it to that value. How much of a problem is it going to be if I just use say a 500k pot instead? or would 250 be better?

270ka treble pot, same as above? Just a 250k? or 500?

and the final question, the Rock/Jazz switch and PAB in the bluesmaster doesn't have the 22M resistors that the one in the 183 (and 124 I did) have, are those needed, and if so, where could I likely connect these (more for xtian and/or jazzguitargimp since they know the board).

Thanks!

~Phil

[talbany]

Phil
The pot on the ground of the mid pot is some kind of variable boost control. Dumble put this on some of his amps like the Ripper Charlie posted in the files section. Since the Bluesmaster AFAIR has the mega boost which lifts the stack out completely when in OD. Although I have never used this in my Bluesmaster it looks like it would be a pretty cool mod. You can always add it later or add a fixed value resistor (76K I believe)if the boost is too much for you.

The Bluesmaster stack is different from the Skyliner. It's set up more like a typical Fender Marshall tone stack so I would treat it as such.

The 312K Bass pot was the original value in 183. and was IMO the value Dumble wanted. He more than likely went through his Stash of 500's and kept the lower value ones for use as bass pots. This is my guess since these high plate Skyliners can be a little bass-heavy and 183 had both 250k values for both Drive and level controls. Remember 183 was a Skyliner so check the value of the bass pot on my layout as it is different on a Bluesmaster 50k.

250K A Treble pots and yes Dumble used the 22M on his PAB boards of his Bluesmasters. BTW you want to use CC resistors there if you have any to help smooth out the boost.
The rest of the guys can help you on the boards

Good Luck!
Tony

[xtian]

Phil, I built two #183s before this BM, and I didn't know what to expect, but the end result is a circuit that sounds very much like the #183s! I don't regret using the BM style tone stack at all. Don't worry about too much bass--I used 500K and 250K pots as shown, and am very happy.

The trimmer (variable boost) in the PAB circuit is brilliant and useful, because without it, the boost in Jazz mode is way to much to be useful, and pretty big boost in Rock mode, too. So it's nice to be able to set it smaller, at 3-6dB.

The 22M resistors are there to silence pops when switching.

In short, I encourage you to build this PCB as designed--then if something is not to your liking, you can mod it. But I think you'll be well pleased.

[pompeiisneaks]

Phil, I built two #183s before this BM, and I didn't know what to expect, but the end result is a circuit that sounds very much like the #183s! I don't regret using the BM style tone stack at all. Don't worry about too much bass--I used 500K and 250K pots as shown, and am very happy.

The trimmer (variable boost) in the PAB circuit is brilliant and useful, because without it, the boost in Jazz mode is way to much to be useful, and pretty big boost in Rock mode, too. So it's nice to be able to set it smaller, at 3-6dB.

The 22M resistors are there to silence pops when switching.

In short, I encourage you to build this PCB as designed--then if something is not to your liking, you can mod it. But I think you'll be well pleased.

Cool, sounds good, I'll just leave the trimmer part in place then. For the 22M resistors, so they can be omitted or is there somewhere they go and I've just missed it?

Cheers,

~Phil