where to get a tube amp kit

[Stage Fright]

Hey RoundMidnight,
Have you tried any of the Heyboer iron?  Wondering how it compares against the Weber stuff you use.  Let me know how your Melissa build turns out.  I used to hang out with Carl & John before moving to Austin.
  ---Russ

 

[Roundmidnight]

Russ,

All feedback on Heyboer iron that I have seen has been good. Was actually thinking of using it on the Melissa build. Unless I do two "identical" builds with different iron what do I really know? You pick your poison and take your chances.

I have a CarlB icon on my AX84 altar. Really dig the sound clips from John W's build of the Melissa (4 x 6V6). Seems like a really good design.

Would be interested in hearing about your contact with Carl & John (privacy trumps my prurient interest, however).

Kind regards,

RM

 

[TroubledTreble]

I have not had any experience with these yet but I am tempted to check it out.

http://www.mojomusicalsupply.com/products.asp?id=44991

 

[jimh]

Hi guys

I can definitely vouch for Ceriatone.com's amps.  Nik is an absolutely top guy.  He answered all of my e-mails within 12 hours of me sending them, including at the weekend and when he was on holiday.  :glasses9:

He helped me choose my weapon.  I went for a Marshall 'Plexi' 1987 Lead head kit (50W, Ecc83/12AX7 and  EL34).  It all used top notch components (Orange Drop caps etc) and hand wired transformers.  I'm cool with electronics and valve circuits so I chose to put the kit together myself (which was half the fun of getting a new amp, for me).

They've got all sorts of kits to choose from depending on your level of experience and what kind of tone you're looking for. Fender style, Marshall style, Muchle$$ (Matchless) clones, Trainwreck stuff, and now they even offer a Dumble style ('Overtone Special'), which from what I've heard is a tone monster (loads of clips on YouTube). They also have lots of mod that you can add to 'standard amps' that will help you achieve something you wouldn't normally find (half power switch on a 100W Marshall Plexi for example).  Nik will help you all the way, and if you're not happy with building, they'll do it for you for a minimal charge.

I've also done a small 1.5W Torres Tiny Tone kit (suppled by Barry Vyse here in the UK - Barry is a really nice and knowledgable guy).  It's a nice enough sounding amp, but it's extremely expensive considering what you can get elsewhere, and from what I've heard Torres have got a bit of a bad rep on the modding / building scene.  I've also got Torres' book, which has some handy hints and tips of things to look for.

I'm never going to buy a 'new' amp again.  I'll be getting kits (probably from Ceriatone) and doing them myself.  not only do I get a great sounding amp, but I also know whats inside it, and how to fix it if it goes wrong.

Good Luck.

Jim

 

[boogie2]

Check out  http://www.brownnote.net/

His stuff looks pretty cool.  I'm thinking I NEED the
D'lite 44 .

Later...

Boogie2

PS: Be VERY careful.  I've had a lot of experience and
tubes and caps still make me nervous.  I lost an EE
professor in school.  He was working on his microwave...

 

[alexc]

Hi All

Just started my build - a Fender Super Reverb Blackface using Mojo cabinet,
Marsh Amplification chassis, plates, hardware and Mercury transformers.

I wanted a raw cabinet done for a gloss wood finish and Mojo did it no probs.
Even with shipping to Oz it was still a good price.

Doing some mods including the Vibroverb vibrato circuit (to the bias circuit),
one hotter channel, direct out for recording, variable feedback circuit and
maybe a phase-inverter master volume (maybe  :-\)

Waiting on some 4x10 Jensen speakers and some nice tubes to get going.

I'll post some pics as I go.

I've done a bunch of diy tube stuff  before so I know the issues with deadly high voltages.  :evil4:
(build your own LA2A - best guitar recording compressor ever! No! - it's the diy 1176  :icon_scratch

Soon, I'll be playing my Warmoth Thinline thru it and finally find out for myself whether there really is
*magic* in the mythical vintage designs!