Best Clean Fender AIAB

[falco_femoralis]

There’s always the Lovepedal Blackface (Luxury 763) or the Wampler one. I’ve tried neither but I believe @falco_femoralis likes the 763.

I like the 763 but it's not super clean. Maybe a Dumble style pedal would work better, like the Scenario Preamp

 

[bluedmc777]

Thanks dude, I’m just not looking at going that deep with it. I’m basically looking to do my own version of the Crazy Tubes HiPower.

If that’s the case you want a power booster and hiwatt style circuit. The Aion Fx ST-2 is supposedly Cornish take on the powerbooster. It’s a lot cleaner than other PB circuits I’ve tried.

 

[Musicjsmith]

PPCB Indiana Deluxe Overdrive is a pretty good blackface Fender sounding pedal with a 3-band EQ. It’s Wampler’s take on the circuit, the Black 65. FWIW the Indiana Tweed Overdrive does a pretty good tweed sound as well if anyone is after that tone.

Indiana Deluxe Overdrive

 

[ac30irons]

Cool, just riffing on my usual workflow. For clean stuiff I typically would start by modeling the actual original tube circuit in LTspice, then look at impedance scaling to an opamp circuit as appropriate. The only guitar AIAB tangent I've really worked so far outside of many Fender bassed ones was Dumble oriented, and all three I've built so far are radically different from each other. That's not necessarily such a bad thing though!

For my wants and needs Hiwatts have gotten my attention more as a bass thing, and in my case using a DR103 output transformer clone with 4 x EL-34 worked out really well for me.

Thanks for your input

 

[comradehoser]

The WIIO is a Hiwatt clone and it does have quite a bit of clean headroom. In any case, it is pretty easy to breadboard if you’re curious, and Chuck has some discussion and mods Here

 

[ac30irons]

PPCB Indiana Deluxe Overdrive is a pretty good blackface Fender sounding pedal with a 3-band EQ. It’s Wampler’s take on the circuit, the Black 65. FWIW the Indiana Tweed Overdrive does a pretty good tweed sound as well if anyone is after that tone.

Indiana Deluxe Overdrive

Thanks, that was my thought - but changing the tone stack.

 

[ac30irons]

The WIIO is a Hiwatt clone and it does have quite a bit of clean headroom. In any case, it is pretty easy to breadboard if you’re curious, and Chuck has some discussion and mods Here

Cheers - will take a good read !!!

 

[Passinwind]

Thanks for your input

I'll take a stab at doing what I mentioned myself eventually, but it might take a minute to get to it as my plate is extremely full right now. But meanwhile, hre's an online sim for many tone stacks including Hiwatt: https://www.guitarscience.net/tsc/info.htm

 

[ac30irons]

I'll take a stab at doing what I mentioned myself eventually, but it might take a minute to get to it as my plate is extremely full right now. But meanwhile, hre's an online sim for many tone stacks including Hiwatt: https://www.guitarscience.net/tsc/info.htm

Thanks dude - I think we have established that you are far more talented than I !!!

 

[Gordo]

The Aion take on the Lab Series, the Lab Series Preamp Clean Channel is a Black panel inspired preamp. Bonus Robert Moog compressor. It's a tad spendy for parts but I think it's right up your alley and totally nails what Moog (Gibson back then) intended to be a Twin killer. You can use this beast to drive a power amp as well should you decided to use it as the front end of a rig.

 

[Passinwind]

Thanks dude - I think we have established that you are far more talented than I !!!

Nah, not my intent at all. But in any case, I'm definitely interested in expanding my tone stack horizons and Hiwatt looks well worth some investigation. I have my model for a stock DR103 up and working now, and will do a proper build thread once I decide on whether to go with tubes or opamps.

 

[anevilspar7an]

Nah, not my intent at all. But in any case, I'm definitely interested in expanding my tone stack horizons and Hiwatt looks well worth some investigation. I have my model for a stock DR103 up and working now, and will do a proper build thread once I decide on whether to go with tubes or opamps.

If you go with opamps that can be adapted to pedal format easily.

 

[Passinwind]

If you go with opamps that can be adapted to pedal format easily.

For sure, but doing a tube pedal or three has definite appeal too.

 

[ac30irons]

For sure, but doing a tube pedal or three has definite appeal too.

Dude, cant wait to see what you do

 

[Passinwind]

Dude, cant wait to see what you do

Me too...

The DIY EQpedal I'm using for clean electric guitar right now actually works really well for jazz vibes and the like, but may not quite right for clean Fender/Vox/Hiwatt rock/blues stuff.

 

[Paul.Ruby]

FYI, I've been working on an all-in-one fender clean amp that fits in a 125B. I haven't shared it yet but it is very close to finished and is being tested by a couple other folks. It has The following independent modules on one PCB:

• jfet fender style preamp and it is EQ matched to a real fender preamp.
• AMT series II cabsim.
• Clean amplifying stage to come up to line level to drive a TPA3118 piggy-backed onto the PCB.
• Balanced line driver for send to a PA.

It also has some options for power supply. If using a TPA3118, then it's powered by 20 to 24VDC, 2 or 3A that is stepped down to 15V for the jfet preamp. If not using a TPA3118, then can use direct 15V power or can install a voltage doubler to power with 9V.

The PCB is finished and have built a few examples and have a few PCBs. Eventually, the plan is to share the PCB at PCBway. But, I don't yet have a build document.

Here's an early rev of the PCB populated but not with a TPA3118 power amp. It's not a beginner project... Uses small 1/6W resistors and alpha 9mm pots. Each module on the PCB is separate so you decide what to wire up. If anyone is interested in building, PM me. One other builder and I are building now and creating build documentation.


Here's one with a TPA3118 and send/return jacks.

 

[ac30irons]

FYI, I've been working on an all-in-one fender clean amp that fits in a 125B. I haven't shared it yet but it is very close to finished and is being tested by a couple other folks. It has The following independent modules on one PCB:

• jfet fender style preamp and it is EQ matched to a real fender preamp.
• AMT series II cabsim.
• Clean amplifying stage to come up to line level to drive a TPA3118 piggy-backed onto the PCB.
• Balanced line driver for send to a PA.

It also has some options for power supply. If using a TPA3118, then it's powered by 20 to 24VDC, 2 or 3A that is stepped down to 15V for the jfet preamp. If not using a TPA3118, then can use direct 15V power or can install a voltage doubler to power with 9V.

The PCB is finished and have built a few examples and have a few PCBs. Eventually, the plan is to share the PCB at PCBway. But, I don't yet have a build document.

Here's an early rev of the PCB populated but not with a TPA3118 power amp. It's not a beginner project... Uses small 1/6W resistors and alpha 9mm pots. Each module on the PCB is separate so you decide what to wire up. If anyone is interested in building, PM me. One other builder and I are building now and creating build documentation.View attachment 124947
View attachment 124948

Here's one with a TPA3118 and send/return jacks.
View attachment 124952

Looks awesome dude and sounds even more ! Are releasing the pcb and schematic - I would be super interested in recreating the pre-amp section.

 

[temol]

@Paul.Ruby - did you manage to finish the AMT F1 tracing?

 

[Smrtokvitek]

It might be a bit controversial, but you could try to buy JOYO American Sound. It is a copy of Tech21 Blonde. Very cheap and highly rated.

If you want to DIY, you could try the AionFX L5 preamp or even just the clean part, L5 Preamp Clean Channel. A lot of options for how to sculpt the sound.