I want to build an amp

Harry Klippton said:
A smaller amp has all the same parts as a bigger one. Building a champ won't be much different than a deluxe so get what you want
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The main difference is that a champ uses a cathode bias for the power tube. This never needs adjustment as it is a RC, resistor capacitor combo. Normally used in amps with less power.

edited: another difference: the champ only has one power tube and is what is known as an open ended class A, so the output transformer is different since it has to feed from only one tube. Normally in a push pull the signal goes through a phase inverter. Half the signal goes to one side of the tubes, the other half goes to the other side. Since the phase is always up on either left or right there is always sound. Since it's very difficult to match tubes, there is always a bit of shimmer to a push pull tube amp. I'm not exactly sure how one tube works, something to read up on that I never bothered with, lol.

Larger amps use a negative polarity to keep the tubes running (usually) at 70% or less of their rated power. These used to have just a resistor in the days gone by that was calculated at spec. Newer tubes are so far out of spec that a trim pot is added while reducing the resistor to have a range above and below spec.

Not a huge difference but worth mentioning. Adjusting this trim pot is what is known as biasing the tubes. It's at the end of the document link I posted earlier for the instructions for the model 1987 plexi. So for anyone that ever wanted to know how to bias tubes, just read that last part of that doc. starting page 28

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The expensive parts of an amp are the chassis, transformers and cabinet. Most everything else is inexpensive. So if you find online plans, and they have the model numbers for the transformers, you're most of the way there. Mojo has nice neat plastic organizers boxes with all the parts in their own spot. Usually two or three per amp. Now you're paying for the labor to put those parts in those spots, as well as for the organizers. It probably adds $175 to the price of each amp.

I've bought them at request and assembled them. I'm much more satisfied by paying 1/3rd the price for all the components and doing the rest of the work myself.

edited: and $peaker$..... $$$
 
Speaking of cabinets and speakers. If you wanna save some money on cabinets but don't have the wood working tools, this guy makes great pine cabinets. If he doesn't already have the cab you want, send him the specs and he'll make it. I've bought from him before and with a bit of sandpaper, stain and varnish you can have a very nice cab.

www.ebay.com

Pine guitar speaker cabinet builder | eBay Stores

Unfinished pine dovetail joint guitar amplifier speaker and combo cabinets . If I don't have it please contact me and let me know what you are looking for . To request a custom fabrication , please provide complete specs and photos of what you want me to fabricate
www.ebay.com
 
I went down this rabit hole last year. Im stuck north or the border but still did my due dillagence and spent a lot of time looking into the various kits.

I decided to go with a Trinity. Mainly as they are Canadian but from what I read they offer great documentation and support and I can attest to this. Their support was fantastic. As a first time builder I could mail or call and got a reply right away. They offer fantastic build docs which arent exactly paint by numbers but make you challenge yourself a little bit and gain more knowledge as you go.

I got a custom Plexi with a seperate 2x12 cab with greenbacks.

The build went super smooth and im more than happy with the results. And importantly it sounds amazing!
Drop me a line if you want more info. I know they are struggling at the moment with catching up on parts post covid but they are getting there. And i have heard more fun stuff from them to come in the future too!

Phil
 
Phil hodson said:
I went down this rabit hole last year. Im stuck north or the border but still did my due dillagence and spent a lot of time looking into the various kits.

I decided to go with a Trinity. Mainly as they are Canadian but from what I read they offer great documentation and support and I can attest to this. Their support was fantastic. As a first time builder I could mail or call and got a reply right away. They offer fantastic build docs which arent exactly paint by numbers but make you challenge yourself a little bit and gain more knowledge as you go.

I got a custom Plexi with a seperate 2x12 cab with greenbacks.

The build went super smooth and im more than happy with the results. And importantly it sounds amazing!
Drop me a line if you want more info. I know they are struggling at the moment with catching up on parts post covid but they are getting there. And i have heard more fun stuff from them to come in the future too!

Phil
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I've been looking real hard at the Trinity OSD. Not sure if it would be a great candidate for a first amp though.
Maybe I'll build a Champ first? I dunno....

I keep hearing about how great the documentation is from Trinity.
 
I put down a deposit for a Trinity Trip Top back in November. They were supposed to ship in January but were delayed because of supply chain issues, which is totally understandable.

Those issues were apparently sorted out and I got an email in early April saying that they had everything and were staging them and would be contacting us to pay the balance and ship but it's now mid-March and I still haven't heard from them. I emailed them once on 4/30 asking if I needed to do anything and haven't heard back yet.

I'm not terribly worried that I'm going to lose my money yet but I just wanted to share my recent experience with Trinity so far.
 
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peccary said:
I put down a deposit for a Trinity Trip Top back in November. They were supposed to ship in January but we're delayed because of supply chain issues, which is totally understandable.

Those issues were apparently sorted out and I got an email in early April saying that they had everything and were staging them and would be contacting us to pay the balance and ship but it's now mid-March and I still haven't heard from them. I emailed them once on 4/30 asking if I needed to do anything and haven't heard back yet.

I'm not terribly worried that I'm going to lose my money yet but I just wanted to share my recent experience with Trinity so far.
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Ugh that sucks.
 
Once you pick what you want to build, I suggest Ceriatone. Quality of parts, thoughtful design, and options.

Nik is a pleasure to work with as well.

You can source all your own parts as well no problem, just be mindful of going over budget. For this reason I suggest a kit.

I built RobRobs 1W Champ and while it turned out well, I wish I had gone for a kit first. I went overbudget a bit.
 
peccary said:
I'm not too worried, really (yet). I know that Trinity are a respected company. I'm hopeful that I'm just down at the bottom of the list and I'm just being impatient.
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Squeaky wheel department: Be the squeaky wheel. "Are we there yet?" If it gets insufferable, just call the phone number on the back of the credit card and tell them you want to file a dispute...
 
After building a 5F2-A for someone else out of their abandoned kit (one that was fraught with errors/problems and inconsistencies — ex: ever had a mirrored chassis layout anyone?), I went with the sourcing-everything-myself route for my own build, a 5E3.

I used Mojotone's assembly-instructions as a rough guide, but used my Amp-Sifu's wiring tweaks which made for a quieter noise floor.




I don't agree with the "don't build something you'll immediately outgrow" philosophy — did Brian May outgrow the little Deacy and switch to AC30s? Did Page outgrow the Supro [Coronado 1690T] and go to Marshall stacks? Has Clapton outgrown the 10-watt 57 Super Champ?

No, these musicians used different amps and methods, some even recording direct through a console, to achieve a sound — there's nothing to outgrow, there's only
DIFFERENT FLAVOURS!
I can heartily recommend the 5F2-A, it's a Champ with a tone control, and I see nothing wrong with making it (or a Champ) a first amp build.


Having said that, @BuddytheReow, I have to say based on your pedal-build-guides, breadboarding tutorials, builds and conversations here — I think that...
...you'll be able to build whatever the bloody-hell you set your mind to building. Whether that's a Champ or a Deluxe Reverb, or something in-between, it all depends on what path you want to take to get to your destination.
 
MichaelW said:
I've been looking real hard at the Trinity OSD. Not sure if it would be a great candidate for a first amp though.
Maybe I'll build a Champ first? I dunno....

I keep hearing about how great the documentation is from Trinity.
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Honestly you can do it. I was thinking the same but jsut took my time. I learned a hell of a lot and thought I would be outside my ability, but basically it just went together so easily. And the workmanship on the cab and head and chassis were amazing.
 
peccary said:
I put down a deposit for a Trinity Trip Top back in November. They were supposed to ship in January but were delayed because of supply chain issues, which is totally understandable.

Those issues were apparently sorted out and I got an email in early April saying that they had everything and were staging them and would be contacting us to pay the balance and ship but it's now mid-March and I still haven't heard from them. I emailed them once on 4/30 asking if I needed to do anything and haven't heard back yet.

I'm not terribly worried that I'm going to lose my money yet but I just wanted to share my recent experience with Trinity so far.
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That does suck. Sorry to hear that. I have only had good dealings with them. I told them I wanted one a while back, pre covid (remember those days!) and they contacted not long after saying they were down to one last transformer and they didnt know when they would be getting any more, so did I want it? I snapped it up and glad I did as I would still be waiting now. I know its been a hard couple of years for most small companies with similar issues.

The new guy Craig (Stephen has semi retired) is just as helpful. I would drop them a mail and catch up. They will be able to give you an answer. Or give them a call.
 
Phil hodson said:
That does suck. Sorry to hear that. I have only had good dealings with them. I told them I wanted one a while back, pre covid (remember those days!) and they contacted not long after saying they were down to one last transformer and they didnt know when they would be getting any more, so did I want it? I snapped it up and glad I did as I would still be waiting now. I know its been a hard couple of years for most small companies with similar issues.

The new guy Craig (Stephen has semi retired) is just as helpful. I would drop them a mail and catch up. They will be able to give you an answer. Or give them a call.
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Heyboer is back in production, I've bought quite a few transformers from them just in the past few months. Got 'em from this guy, great prices:

shop.amppartsdirect.com

APD Custom by Heyboer Transformers

Heyboer Transformers, Mercury Magnetic Transformers, Jupiter Condenser, F&T Caps, Tubes, Sitches, Jacks, Wire and all kinds of Amp Parts available online from amppartsdirect.com.
shop.amppartsdirect.com
 
ThePanda said:
Once you pick what you want to build, I suggest Ceriatone. Quality of parts, thoughtful design, and options.

Nik is a pleasure to work with as well.

You can source all your own parts as well no problem, just be mindful of going over budget. For this reason I suggest a kit.

I built RobRobs 1W Champ and while it turned out well, I wish I had gone for a kit first. I went overbudget a bit.
Click to expand...
Is there any documentation for Ceriatones kits?
 
MichaelW said:
Is there any documentation for Ceriatones kits?
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They have layouts online, I've never ordered from them not sure if they have instructions they send or if this is it....

A link to their plethora of amp kits

Model - Ceriatone

ceriatone.com ceriatone.com


6G6B-Layout-01Dec2022.jpg
 
RetiredUnit1 said:
They have layouts online, I've never ordered from them not sure if they have instructions they send or if this is it....

A link to their plethora of amp kits

Model - Ceriatone

ceriatone.com ceriatone.com


6G6B-Layout-01Dec2022.jpg
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This is it.
But combine this schematic with the stewmac amp builder pdfs, RobRob's website, and Nik's Flickr pictures of the amp you can really just copy with it looks like.

RobRob has a really good breakdown on how he builds amps starting with the transformers.

This is from Nik's Flickr page on the 5F6a.
(I did buy one but only because I really like the chassis. I got my own transformers and choke.)
https://flic.kr/p/KH5XJ1
 
ThePanda said:
This is it.
But combine this schematic with the stewmac amp builder pdfs, RobRob's website, and Nik's Flickr pictures of the amp you can really just copy with it looks like.

RobRob has a really good breakdown on how he builds amps starting with the transformers.

This is from Nik's Flickr page on the 5F6a.
(I did buy one but only because I really like the chassis. I got my own transformers and choke.)
https://flic.kr/p/KH5XJ1
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This is my layout for the 5f6a, it has Rob's dual bias (although I drastically changed the layout) and three way NFB mods. And I added bias test points, and on the rectifier there's diodes and a cap. The diodes protect the amp in case the rectifier tube blows, the cap helps to suppress the POP from the standby switch as well as to silence the buzzing from the diodes. And an HT fuse. And I don't have those freakin' reference tabs that Ceriatone puts on their layouts. I hate those.... my eyes are TOO OLD to be searching for A-Z on an amp layout.....

Oh, yeah, and another one of Rob's ideas to separate the preamp cap ground from the rest of the power caps and ground that to the preamp ground buss.

5F6A TE 59 Bassman v08.2022.jpg

This allows me to remove all the components so I can print out just the holes for the turrets, so I can roll my own turret boards.


5F6A TE 59 Bassman drilling template v08.2022.jpg
 
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