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Tube Depot "Bud" Amp
- Thread starter Fingolfen
- Start date
iamjackslackof
Well-known member
I've been looking at the same thing lately. The MOD 102/102+ is another option I've seen for pretty cheap and with good build docs. TubeDepot also has some more expensive kits beyond the Bud with good docs.
RetiredUnit1
Well-known member
Fender champ, the 1948 version with a 8" speaker. The one Eric Clapton used to get famous with! Personally feel a single 6v6 tube produces tones I like more than an EL84. I build my own circuit boards using eyelets and/or turrets with G10 epoxy board, it's pretty easy to roll your own amp kit.
Indispensable. Undeniable. The Legacy of the Champ
How the small but mighty Champ has reigned supreme for nearly 70 years.
www.fender.com
owlexifry
Well-known member
+1 agree
although i often hear that a 5F1 chassis is a bit small/tricky to work with, vs. the 5E3 (despite the x4 inputs) that may be an ‘easier’ option as there’s more room in a 5E3 chassis to work with.
swyse
Well-known member
I have a 5C1 champ head I built point to point and it was dead simple to build overall. I use it into a 4x12 and it's as loud as I'd ever want in a bedroom, but I bet a smaller speaker set up would make it a good practice set up. Also, I think the 5f1 is a better option, plenty of kits and and resources, I just liked the idea of an interesting preamp tube (6SJ7) more than a 12ax7 at the time I built it.
RetiredUnit1
Well-known member
Right, loudness is all about moving air. The more surface area in your speaker(s) the more energy is converted into sound waves. One inefficient 8" speaker can be pushed at HIGH volume and produce beautiful distortion on demand with picking pressure instead of 4x12 having to be played at lower levels to keep the neighbors happy.
So an inefficient ferric magnet 8" instead of ceramic or alnico to produce those early rock sounds at lower volume.
RetiredUnit1
Well-known member
Ship in a bottle. The hardest part of building a 5e3 is the lack of space. There are much fewer connections to make in a champ, and there's more space between components, and therefore a bit easier.
I've built over 30 5e3's, I know that. I sort of lost count at how many over 30 tho, and it was a VERY long time ago. One of the ones I kept for myself has original Yellow astron capacitors. Fantastic tones.....
iamjackslackof
Well-known member
@RetiredUnit1 Do you know of any more hold your hand/pant by numbers guides to building a Champ? The main draw for me with a kit is the instructions, at least until I've built a few and know what I'm doing. That's exactly how I started out with pedals. The high voltage factor makes me want to have some hand holding initially for sure. Sourcing parts, soldering, drilling, etc is easy at this point, I just need some good instructions.
iamjackslackof
Well-known member
After some quick Googling, looks like Champ parts kits are everywhere. I wonder if I could get one and use the really comprehensive Mojo Tone build docs?
Feral Feline
Well-known member
You can, but...
Not all Champ parts-kits, as simple as the circuit is, are good.
My first build was a 5F2-A Tweed Princeton (Champ with a tone-control), second was a 5E3 Tweed Deluxe.
The first build wasn't even my amp, it was my Amp-Sifu's customer's aborted project. It came with a chassis that was mirrored to what it should be, ie backwards and many other problems such as a defunct brand-new transformer, stuff that didn't fit right... Made for A LOT of problems/headaches with that first build. Still, it steeled me for my next build.
For the 5E3, I sourced all my own parts instead of getting a kit, but I did use the MojoTone build-doc as a (loose) guide.
I really like @HamishR 's amp builds, perhaps the voice of experience will weigh in here.
Not all Champ parts-kits, as simple as the circuit is, are good.
My first build was a 5F2-A Tweed Princeton (Champ with a tone-control), second was a 5E3 Tweed Deluxe.
The first build wasn't even my amp, it was my Amp-Sifu's customer's aborted project. It came with a chassis that was mirrored to what it should be, ie backwards and many other problems such as a defunct brand-new transformer, stuff that didn't fit right... Made for A LOT of problems/headaches with that first build. Still, it steeled me for my next build.
For the 5E3, I sourced all my own parts instead of getting a kit, but I did use the MojoTone build-doc as a (loose) guide.
I really like @HamishR 's amp builds, perhaps the voice of experience will weigh in here.
Synchrony Pedalworks
Well-known member
Weber amps is another source for a kit. They have a good reputation. Mojotone is another good option, but more expensive.
RetiredUnit1
Well-known member
The champ has more incarnations than just about any amp. I just got up, no coffee yet, after I'm awake I'll see if any of my sources have anything. But the high voltage part doesn't come into play until you're ready to flip it on, and if it doesn't work. Going now, coffee calls me!
RetiredUnit1
Well-known member
Mojotone has the instructions at the link below. This would work irregardless of where you buy the kit, but they have *really good* reproduction cabs. Alternately, the parts are available from a multitude of sources, and "sorrycharley" cabs on eBay are unfinished pine cabs so you can stain/paint/oil/varnish as you see fit.
Got my superhot cup of folgers now, best part of waking up is Folgers in your cup!!!!! I drink it out of a 20oz starbucks mug tho, lol....
The Manual:
The Kit:
Tweed Champ® 5F1 Style Guitar Tube Amp Kit
Amp Kit Difficulty Level Easy Hard If this kit shows as out of stock please check here for more information.Please read our article 'Mojotone Amp Kit Building Primer' along with our amp kit disclaimer located in the Specs tab before buying this kit. Mojotone’s Tweed Champ Style Amp Kit is based...
www.mojotone.com
I'll check out a few more places later to see if I can find anything. Weber has a "only buy what you want" layout so you can source your own tubes or whatever, but unless they've changed they don't offer any instructions
5F1 Amp Kit – Weber Speakers
www.tedweber.com
RetiredUnit1
Well-known member
oops forgot the link to sorrycharley, aka 'rawcabs'
he has a LOT of other champ cabs, the vibro champ, the super champ, but this is the 8" original champ size
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
he has a LOT of other champ cabs, the vibro champ, the super champ, but this is the 8" original champ size
rawcabs narrow panel Champ 5f1 pine 1x 8 combo cabinet | eBay
6-1/2" x 2-7/16" chassis cut out. Will fit a 5f1 chassis. I take a lot of pride in every cabinet I build as you will see when you receive the cabinet. The front speaker baffle is 3/8" baltic birch and the back panels are 1/4" baltic birch plywood.
www.ebay.com
Synchrony Pedalworks
Well-known member
I can verify that Mojotone does a good job for the kits. I made a Vibrochamp prior to making pedals. I have a Weber reverb unit in the mail, so we will see how they do. The Vibrochamp didn’t come with directions, but like you said, the instructions are fairly universal.Mojotone has the instructions at the link below. This would work irregardless of where you buy the kit, but they have *really good* reproduction cabs. Alternately, the parts are available from a multitude of sources, and "sorrycharley" cabs on eBay are unfinished pine cabs so you can stain/paint/oil/varnish as you see fit.
Got my superhot cup of folgers now, best part of waking up is Folgers in your cup!!!!! I drink it out of a 20oz starbucks mug tho, lol....
The Manual:
The Kit:
Tweed Champ® 5F1 Style Guitar Tube Amp Kit
Amp Kit Difficulty Level Easy Hard If this kit shows as out of stock please check here for more information.Please read our article 'Mojotone Amp Kit Building Primer' along with our amp kit disclaimer located in the Specs tab before buying this kit. Mojotone’s Tweed Champ Style Amp Kit is based...
I'll check out a few more places later to see if I can find anything. Weber has a "only buy what you want" layout so you can source your own tubes or whatever, but unless they've changed they don't offer any instructions
5F1 Amp Kit – Weber Speakers
RetiredUnit1
Well-known member
You got the 6g15? It's been on my to do list for 20 years, lol. Someday I might even make one.....
Synchrony Pedalworks
Well-known member
Yes. I ordered it last week. I will do a build report when it is done. I have tried several digital spring reverbs and none of them quite achieve the tone and ambience of a true spring reverb. Mod’s The Wave is based on the Fender reverb, but exchanges the 6v6 for two 12ax7s. I went with Weber due to the cabinet and YouTube examples. The Mod’s version sounded a “little” darker. However, it is set at a nice price point.
The Mojo kits are pretty good. The main thing I don't like about them is orange drop caps! I can't stand them, mainly because they're huge and ugly. In an amp like that there are relatively few of them so it wouldn't cost much to use Mallory 150s instead - or even Sozo if you wanted to go all fancy. I also prefer to use 1W carbon film resistors over the carbon comps which come with the amp. I know CCs are supposed to be the "mojo" magic ingredient but IMO all they do is add noise and the potential to drift dramatically in value. Carbon film resistors are cheap, easy to find and rarely cause a problem.
You'll also want to wire the filaments differently from how Fender show them on the layout drawing. Probably Mojo will show how we do it these days.
You'll also want to wire the filaments differently from how Fender show them on the layout drawing. Probably Mojo will show how we do it these days.
Fingolfen
Well-known member
I may decide to upgrade bits once I get the kit - the money for the kit isn't in the capacitors or resistors...
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