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previous: Steve A. Trace:  &... -- 9/27/2000 8:12 AM view thread

Re: Trace, please post your results.

9/27/2000 12:59 PM
Trace
Re: Trace, please post your results.
quote:
"So what B+ voltages were you running?"
 
 
I tried 400V, 450V and 550V (traynor--ha, ha). Same thing all the way around aside from the usualy effects you get when the plate voltage is increased..  
 
quote:
"Did you use the same power supply resistors spelled out in the basic schematic?"
 
 
Yepper, I did it to the "T" :)  
 
quote:
"I'm asking those questions because the voltages throughout the amp seem to be very critical to a good sound. Especially if you are trying to get the power tubes to distort before the PI (and the PI to distort before the preamp tubes)."
 
 
I agree with you completely on all that you mentioned which is why I goofed around with various volatges, filter caps/resistors, etc.  
 
quote:
"(I haven't experimented with EL34's for a more authentic Express yet.)"
 
 
I used EL34's but I know Ken favored the EL84's for many of his amps and I can see why. He was also a pretty big Vox lover having played in a Beatles'esq band at one point.  
 
quote:
"The Callaham clones are probably pretty close in design to at least some of the amps Ken Fischer built (he reportedly fine-tuned each of his amps so that no two Wrecks were exactly the same). But the Callahams don't have KF's custom OT's so they don't sound the same."
 
 
 
That all makes sense as well. The OT is critical to any amp (IMHO) but the basic tone should still come across but you'll miss all the perks of a good OT. I also tweak things when I do "one off" amps so I can relate to that as well.  
 
quote:
"Maybe you have to do stuff like that to get a Wreck sound from off-the-shelf trannies (like bypassing one of the plate resistors with a poly cap and experimenting with lower gain tubes like the 12AU7)."
 
 
I've futzed around with all kinds of OT's and an OT is crucial over all but the core of any amps tone should come through. "Yes" you'll have to tweak the circuit when you use different OT's but the basic core of the tone should come through regardless.  
 
I've never been a fan of a .001uF coupling cap when an amp is around 405V on the plates. It's a whole-lotta top-end and when you add in a 100K slope resistor you are setting yourself up for some serious top-end! (ha, ha) Naturally this is just my way of looking at and I'm not saying that I'm any more right than anyone one else.  
 
quote:
"And don't forget Aron's report of the Dirty Little Monster... one of the early prototypes KF built on a Fender Princeton chassis with stock trannies and cathode-biased EL84's (possibly wired as triodes). The amp is supposed to be absolutely killer."
 
 
That's one of the reasons I tried the circuit. I really did want to be blown away!!! I just have a gut feeling that there is a little something missing somewhere. Don't ask me where though! (ha, ha) I wish I knew. I'll goof with this a little bit more and see what I come up with.  
 
 
quote:
"Were you asking about the 820 ohm resistor between the vol pot wiper and the 2nd stage grid?"
 
 
Nope, I think that was another gentleman if I recall correctly(?)  
 
quote:
"P.S. "I haven't really decided if I want to go much further to be honest." As had been said here before, it takes a day to build a Wreck and a week or two to fine-tune the sucker.."
 
 
Very true...I'll give a whirl for a bit and see what I end up with.  
 
quote:
"So was that a Liverpool, an Express or a Rocket that you had played? 3 different animals there..."
 
 
It was a Line6 with a Trainwreck setting (ha,ha) JUST KIDDING!!! (ha, ha) It was an Express actually. It was the producers amp and I wish I knew where he lived or how to get ahold of him! ;-)  
 
 
Trace

 
Replies:
Steve A. Trace:  &... -- 9/28/2000 6:56 AM