Looking for Amp Building Mentor

[jkokura]

So, I've decided I'm going to take the plunge and build my first amp. I've always loved Matchless, so I'm gonna go for the Lightning for my first build. Perhaps ambitious, but comparing the schem to the other simple 'beginner' amps, it's like building a two knob overdrive versus a one knob fuzz. Not that big a jump.

Anyway, I'm in need of some coaching, someone I can go to with advice and questions when I'm trying to understand or have questions on things. I'm also having trouble sourcing some of the more tricky parts, like chassis and faceplates and such. Point is, if there's someone on here who's pretty experienced at amp building, I'd love a mentor I can deal with by email if they're willing.

Thanks,

Jacob

[icecycle66]

I got nothing for you, but don't forget about the bass players once your figure out amps.

[cooder]

I've built several amps and there's more to come (yes it's addictive tooooooo....surprise surprise), built a Matchless Spitfire which is sweet and am thinking about doing a Dr.Z Carmen Ghia or Lightning as another next one.
So maybe I can help with some advice and I could also send you some parts like high voltage Russian paper in oil caps or some Mustard caps in exchange for some bits/pcbs of your or so.

Hit me up on this email if you like: funkygecko@xtra.co.nz

[cooder]

.... and just to add: I built my own chassis and cabinets.

[alanp]

Cooder, do you know Tubeswell at all? He builds amps (chassis and cab included) in Wellington. Very, very surfy-sounding amps!

Jacob, safety first with these valve amps -- check continuity and resistance everywhere before powerup, and check that there are no shorts between high tension (HT, sometimes called B+) and ground. Or the heater wires and ground. And make certain that the big capacitors are drained to ground before touching anything after they've had juice in them.

[jkokura]

Thanks to you both! I appreciate the offer of help, and the advice.

I'm not brand new to working on amps, just new to building them from scratch. I do have some experience, but it's always good to be reminded not to touch things unless you know that the caps are drained, it's not plugged in, etc.

I'm a long ways from power up advice yet. I still am working on sourcing, Layout design, and basic understanding of what's what. If anyone is up to walking with me, especially someone who has a lot of experience, I'd appreciate it.

Jacob

[angrykoko]

Hi Jacob,

I've bought a chassis from this guy, even has bottom plates avail:
  ** http://ddawgamps.com/Amp_Chassis.php

Faceplate (found the link on ax84.com, never used this vendor):
  ** http://www.amplates.com/

These transformers were recommended to me by other builders (but I never got around to trying them) over Hammond:
  ** http://www.classictone.net/

Here is a handy doc of what to check for first time start-up:
  ** http://www.paulrubyamps.com/info.html#FirstPowerUp

And don't forget valvewizzards site:
  ** http://www.valvewizard.co.uk/

[davent]

Jacob you can get the transformers used in Lightnings here.http://www.westlabs.com/Trannys.HTML

The dawg chassis guy only ships within the states last i looked so we're out of luck up here.

If you want Hammond chassis's, what i've always used, or their transformers Tip Top Electronics in Winnipeg has had the best prices so far. http://www.tiptopelectronics.com/

Tubes, sockets, coupling caps etc. Thetubestore (Hamilton). http://www.thetubestore.com/

There's also a Lightning kit and parts available here, chassis, faceplates etc. http://www.ceriatone.com/productSubPages/Muchle$$Lightning/Muchle$$Lightning_kitParts.htm

dave

[davent]

More Lightning info at Trinity Amps (Toronto). ChrisM who posts here i believe has worked there so he might have some first hand info to offer up on chassis's and transformers.

http://www.trinityamps.com/lightning_project.htm

[GermanCdn]

See, I read this thread and convince myself that I too need to go build an amp now.  My wife thanks you all in advance.  Must remember the one hand in pocket rule.

Trinity, here I come (this is exactly how guitar building, pedal building, and fly tying started, although the last is all on her).

[cooder]

Cooder, do you know Tubeswell at all? He builds amps (chassis and cab included) in Wellington. Very, very surfy-sounding amps!

Hi AlanP, no I don't know him personally but have seen some pics of his amps, nice work.
Of the topic: your name must be a play on Kiwi icon L&P I guess aye...? I wonder if anyone outside godzone gets that....

[alanp]

Well, when I tell people my full name, they immediately ask "How do you spell your surname?"

So by now it's reflex to say "Just put down Alan P."

[Hangingmonkey]

Sorry but I cant help as I dont know jack about amp building, but its on my list of things to do. 

Once you get it mastered and if you get the urge to do some mentoring, I'll happily volunteer.

[jkokura]

Awesome stuff guys! Thanks so much!

Dave, I had found the Westlabs site a few months ago. That Iron is steep! But I'll likely go that route.

As for all other parts - I'm covered. I have a distributer I work with that I have an account for, and so I'm getting wholesale prices on parts. They don't have a good FR4 3mm Blank Board, so I was gonna put an order in with Watts for that.

As for Chassis - I'm having a hard time finding one that's the size I want.

Basically, I want the finished head to be 14" wide, 8" deep, and 8" tall (basically, the same size as the Egnater Tweaker 15 head. So, I figure if I'm using 3/4" Birch Ply, I'll probably be needing to get a 12.5" wide chassis (lip in) 7.5" deep (1/4" from front and back edges) and I'd like it to be about 2" tall. Getting a 12.5"x7.5"x2" chassis is proving difficult. Everywhere I've emailed requires an amount (10 or 25 or whatever), or they have ridiculous pricing ($150!?!?! REALLY?).

One of the things I'm doing is planning carefully how to get everything in the box. I want to use a 12" circuit board, which I'll drill and Turret myself. But then, I'm going to have to mount the trannies underneath the circuit board. That means I have to get the clearance right to keep the transistor hardware from interfering with the board, and I have to put it in the right spot so I can route everything correctly.

Yikes. This brings a whole new level to the headache of planning out a build. I'd say it's about 10 times more difficult. Makes sense, because it's looking like 10 times more expensive to any pedal I've built.

Jacob

[davent]

Hi Jacob,

Both Bud and Hammond offer relatively inexpensive 13×7×2" chassis which if you use ½" Baltic Birch would give the size you want in a finished cab (plus another ~¼" for Tolex). I have a much larger 18watt head that was built using ½" for the top and bottom and it's plenty strong plus another cab a bit smaller then yours and again rock solid.

Trinity has a custom wound Heyboer transformer set for their TC15 that they may offer seperate from the kit that my suit your needs as well in the past they've sold Garalite blanks so you might check with them for that.

If you have a confederate on the US side of the border you can get Garolite cheap from McMaster-Carr, they won't ship it across the border and you could get a custom chassis from Dawg for cheap that way as well. Remember the front and back panels are ¼-½" thick so the depth of the cab will need to be deeper then 8" if you have a 7½" chassis.

The fun is just beginning!

18watt cab, from the front it looks like it's constructed from ¾" ply while from the back looks like all ½" panels.

Plain vanilla ½" Baltic Birch. 11×6×6"

dave