Every. Friggin. Time

[andare]

Building an amp is my wet dream but since I already have a hand wired tube amp I'd love to build a tube reverb unit.

The cost and potential hazards scare me though.

I know there are kits for amps, Mojotone even has workshops where they supervise you as you build your kit.

 

[MichaelW]

Glad to hear you like them too.
I’m just starting down the rabbit hole of building an amp so can’t wait to hear how they sound !!

I've actually had that set of JJ's for maybe 20 years sitting in my spare tubes box. I never used them, I've always used EHX in the couple of 6V6 amps I've had. I bought them for a failed 5E3 project I tried to build back then. Got the kit, realized I was in over my head for my skills, wound up paying someone else to build it. Really cool little amp. I put a Weber Alnico Blue in it so it was definitely not your typical tweed deluxe. Unfortunately it got sold during one my "purges". I may try my hand at amp building again now that I have a bit more confidence with my soldering skills and reading schematics. But I'll probably start with something less ambitious, like a Tweed Champ

 

[Phil hodson]

I did a bit of research and although it would have been cheaper and easier to just buy one the masochist on me decided to build one. What could possibly go wrong. I mean I have built some fuzz pedals that work!?
I did some digging and found Trinity Amps. Also being in the frozen north it made shipping easy.
The amp looks amazing and I’m taking my time. Learning with every step. So far I have the heater wiring done and have just about finished the transformers. Going to check the voltages soon.
Then onto the turret board and final hook up.
Stephen at Trinity has been amazingly helpful so far which is exactly what I need. So far I have learned a ton of stuff which is exactly why I like projects like this.
If it turns out half as good as @Harry Klippton TC15 I will be happy.
Lucky for me I don’t have too many neighbors to annoy!

 

[Harry Klippton]

@Phil hodson this cabinets look sharp! I've said this before, but something I've learned along the way elsewhere that applies to pedal and amp building is that you have to care- care about each solder joint, each wire placement, and make each one the best you're able to do, and it'll come out good. If you place a component or run a wire and think hmm that doesn't look like how I want it, do it again. Good luck with your build! It'll be worth it

 

[MichaelW]

I did a bit of research and although it would have been cheaper and easier to just buy one the masochist on me decided to build one. What could possibly go wrong. I mean I have built some fuzz pedals that work!?
I did some digging and found Trinity Amps. Also being in the frozen north it made shipping easy.
The amp looks amazing and I’m taking my time. Learning with every step. So far I have the heater wiring done and have just about finished the transformers. Going to check the voltages soon.
Then onto the turret board and final hook up.
Stephen at Trinity has been amazingly helpful so far which is exactly what I need. So far I have learned a ton of stuff which is exactly why I like projects like this.
If it turns out half as good as @Harry Klippton TC15 I will be happy.
Lucky for me I don’t have too many neighbors to annoy!

I read through the threads re: Trinity. It sounds like his documentation is excellent. I'm watching the availability of his kits.

 

[Phil hodson]

@Phil hodson this cabinets look sharp! I've said this before, but something I've learned along the way elsewhere that applies to pedal and amp building is that you have to care- care about each solder joint, each wire placement, and make each one the best you're able to do, and it'll come out good. If you place a component or run a wire and think hmm that doesn't look like how I want it, do it again. Good luck with your build! It'll be worth it

Thanks @Harry Klippton it certainly looks amazing so far.
That’s exactly the way I’m taking it. One small step at a time. Double checking everything. Not In a rush with this one. I’m hoping it will all work out perfectly when I fire it up! Luckily it’s seems to be a stage by stage process so I think I can find any issues early on. Hopefully!
I have some good resources to go from and am cross checking everything I do against the build docs, and other peoples builds etc too.
Fingers crossed!
Looking to blast out sometime AC/DC riffs once complete!

 

[Harry Klippton]

Thanks @Harry Klippton it certainly looks amazing so far.
That’s exactly the way I’m taking it. One small step at a time. Double checking everything. Not In a rush with this one. I’m hoping it will all work out perfectly when I fire it up! Luckily it’s seems to be a stage by stage process so I think I can find any issues early on. Hopefully!
I have some good resources to go from and am cross checking everything I do against the build docs, and other peoples builds etc too.
Fingers crossed!
Looking to blast out sometime AC/DC riffs once complete!

I took 3 months to do mine so I could take my time. Any time I was tired or didn't feel like it, I didn't work on it. Trinity's build docs are great but I did do a couple things out of sequence cuz I didn't like the order in the doc, so read ahead. I'm happy to help if you have questions too

 

[Phil hodson]

I read through the threads re: Trinity. It sounds like his documentation is excellent. I'm watching the availability of his kits.

Hi Michael
So far so good. They are rotten with someone with some knowledge in mind but so far even with my limited knowledge it’s been easy to follow. I did struggle with the input transformer mainly because I think I was given a newer one which didn’t match the layout drawing but was in an addendum. With a couple of emails and one phone call I managed to sort it out.

Stephen is an absolute fountain of knowledge and answered every question I had right away. Even on the phone. No waiting to get drawings etc. He knows his amps inside out.

I know they are experiencing a lot of parts supply issues. That’s the main reason I got mine now. I said I was I retested in building one at some point this year but he mailed me a couple of months ago to say he had just got some transformers in and didn’t know when they would be getting their next batch in. So I had to jump on it there and then or maybe miss out later.

Keep in touch with them and I’m sure then can tell you when is a good time to purchase.

 

[Phil hodson]

I took 3 months to do mine so I could take my time. Any time I was tired or didn't feel like it, I didn't work on it. Trinity's build docs are great but I did do a couple things out of sequence cuz I didn't like the order in the doc, so read ahead. I'm happy to help if you have questions too

Thanks @Harry Klippton that’s exactly the way I have been doing it. If o don’t get enough time or the right vibes I’m leaving it alone. Was a big mile stone to get the heater wiring in as I had never split twisted wire like that. And to be honest it was a breeze! I had a few issues (at my end) making sure I had the transformers completely correct. I had a different one from the drawings. Stephen quickly helped though and made sure I had the right wires goi g to the right places.
Just got to finish off a couple more wires around the power socket and switches and then do my first voltage checks. Watch for the explosion!
Will certainly be In touch if I find anything I need help with.
I’m continually reading the manual and keeping ahead of the place I’m actually at. To see if there are different ways to do things. So far so good…..

 

[Oh_Discordia!]

Why don't you already have 20 in a drawer for no reason?

!!! Ok so I ordered 3 from small bear. BUT I also apparently ordered 21 (yes 21 for some reason) from tayda that have yet to ship. So there. I will actually wind up with 20 in a drawer for no reason after using 4.

 

[Harry Klippton]

!!! Ok so I ordered 3 from small bear. BUT I also apparently ordered 21 (yes 21 for some reason) from tayda that have yet to ship. So there. I will actually wind up with 20 in a drawer for no reason after using 4.

Attaboy

 

[PapaBear]

You guys have drawers? I have plastic bags inside plastic bags inside cardboard boxes inside cardboard boxes.
And i can't find the one C1M pot that I bought 2 years ago to mod a fuzz face.

That's an easy fix, just buy another one and it'll show up!

 

[Feral Feline]

So true, Barry, so true...

 

[MichaelW]

!!! Ok so I ordered 3 from small bear. BUT I also apparently ordered 21 (yes 21 for some reason) from tayda that have yet to ship. So there. I will actually wind up with 20 in a drawer for no reason after using 4.

This has happened to me a couple times already in my short pedal building career, Tayda is so slow that I forget that I already ordered stuff from them for a project and wind up double ordering. (Yet I still somehow am always missing that ONE thing I need........)

 

[gheorge77]

Thanks @Harry Klippton that’s exactly the way I have been doing it. If o don’t get enough time or the right vibes I’m leaving it alone. Was a big mile stone to get the heater wiring in as I had never split twisted wire like that. And to be honest it was a breeze! I had a few issues (at my end) making sure I had the transformers completely correct. I had a different one from the drawings. Stephen quickly helped though and made sure I had the right wires goi g to the right places.
Just got to finish off a couple more wires around the power socket and switches and then do my first voltage checks. Watch for the explosion!
Will certainly be In touch if I find anything I need help with.
I’m continually reading the manual and keeping ahead of the place I’m actually at. To see if there are different ways to do things. So far so good…..

Definitely want to suggest the Metropolous build guides for Marshall clones on the Valvestorm storm website as a great guide for assembling power sections and wiring, in addition to a good build guide for a Plexi.

Also would point toward the Hoffman forum as the best amp tech support forum I found in building 7 amps so far. The TDPRI forum is great as well.

One more thing I'd suggest for anyone building amps that use 6V6GTs is that NOS or ANOS 6V6s are dirt cheap and are a better buy overall. I've bought a bunch from this seller: https://www.etsy.com/shop/Lowtechelec and have been very satisfied.

I started building pedals back in 2015 and it took me a solid 3 years before I felt comfortable enough to start on amps. Every amp I've built has worked right off the bat, though I did have to rebuild my 5E3 because it was too clean. That amp in general ended up being the most challenging build because I have large hands and the chassis is tiny.

I've been only building pedals for the last year or so because I haven't found any other amps I am dying to build. I do prefer amp building personally though. Something about it is more satisfying than pedals.

 

[Phil hodson]

Definitely want to suggest the Metropolous build guides for Marshall clones on the Valvestorm storm website as a great guide for assembling power sections and wiring, in addition to a good build guide for a Plexi.

Also would point toward the Hoffman forum as the best amp tech support forum I found in building 7 amps so far. The TDPRI forum is great as well.

One more thing I'd suggest for anyone building amps that use 6V6GTs is that NOS or ANOS 6V6s are dirt cheap and are a better buy overall. I've bought a bunch from this seller: https://www.etsy.com/shop/Lowtechelec and have been very satisfied.

I started building pedals back in 2015 and it took me a solid 3 years before I felt comfortable enough to start on amps. Every amp I've built has worked right off the bat, though I did have to rebuild my 5E3 because it was too clean. That amp in general ended up being the most challenging build because I have large hands and the chassis is tiny.

I've been only building pedals for the last year or so because I haven't found any other amps I am dying to build. I do prefer amp building personally though. Something about it is more satisfying than pedals.

Thanks @gheorge77 a lot of food for thought there. I will go and have a look at all your suggestions as I would love as much info as possible.
Thanks for all your suggestions.