kbp810 Posted December 7, 2010 Posted December 7, 2010 I wanted to change things up a bit for the next project and ended up ordering some Solen fast-caps to use in the power amp section. I knew they were going to be on the larger side (I was thinking along the lines of the big blue Sprague Atoms)... but I was way off the mark, these things are huge!!! I think I can still use them in this chassis, I'll just have to mount two inside and two on top (I already drilled the respective holes bigger to fit rubber grommets to shield the leads). - When I first opened the box my jaw dropped! - Here is a picture of the four sitting on top of the chassis to give you an idea why: (not to mention I still need to find room on top for the PT, OT, and Choke!) My initial thought for salvaging the situation: (of course I could always just set them aside for another project with a bigger chassis, but where would be the fun in that?)
DetroitBlues Posted December 7, 2010 Posted December 7, 2010 Wow, I thought those were a few D cell batteries not caps! That chasis color seems familiar!
rjsanders Posted December 13, 2010 Posted December 13, 2010 prompting the question: what's the largest capacitor? a candidate: http://www.stereophile.com/content/worlds-largest-capacitor
kbp810 Posted December 19, 2010 Author Posted December 19, 2010 Well, just finished up the amp head today so thought i'd share a few more pics: I of course went with the two on top two on bottom plan, adding grommets and shrink tube to isolate the leads from the chassis. The amp sounds dynamite, and dead quiet - so much in fact, you can't even tell it's on until you strum! It's not quite as loud as I think it should be... but i think I have a weak pair of El84's, I don't have another pair on hand to confirm at the moment. Aside from the giant solen caps... used a combination of Sozo Mustard's, Audience Auricaps, and a few spraques. Transformers came from West Labs in Okemos, MI - even got to meet and talk with Dave West who is a really great guy. He even shared a few build tips and variations to try. Aside from having to accomidate the caps, I also had to concede the location of the output jacks (4,8,16 ohm) to the side of the chassis - not a big deal, but might be a bit of a p.i.t.a if I ever want to hook it up through an extension cab on the fly. Anyways, enough gab - here are some pics: (hasn't been placed in it's home yet)
Steiner Posted December 19, 2010 Posted December 19, 2010 Excellent! I've been looking forward to this one. 2 X EL84, 2 X 12AX?7 and tube rectumfrier. Sounds VERY interesting! I see a Christmas ampfest happening ! It's good to keep up on these threads and early to the HOC simply to be able to cry DIBBS!!! That's some beautiful work KBP810
DetroitBlues Posted December 20, 2010 Posted December 20, 2010 Whoa! What is the KT88 for? I'm surprised the weight of the transformers hasn't caved in the housing! That's some serious overkill! Wait! We now have a name for the amp. "Overkill"!
kbp810 Posted December 20, 2010 Author Posted December 20, 2010 Whoa! What is the KT88 for? I'm surprised the weight of the transformers hasn't caved in the housing! That's some serious overkill! Wait! We now have a name for the amp. "Overkill"! Not a KT88, the big tube is a GZ34 (Rectifier)
DetroitBlues Posted December 20, 2010 Posted December 20, 2010 Amazing stuff. Overkill works out well for this amp!
DetroitBlues Posted December 20, 2010 Posted December 20, 2010 Excellent! I've been looking forward to this one. 2 X EL84, 2 X 12AX?7 and tube rectumfrier. Sounds VERY interesting! I see a Christmas ampfest happening ! It's good to keep up on these threads and early to the HOC simply to be able to cry DIBBS!!! That's some beautiful work KBP810 Darn, you beat me to the Dibbs.
NoNameBand Posted December 20, 2010 Posted December 20, 2010 That is amazing Kpb810. I think we are all blown away. The detail work is so precise and the symmetry is beautiful. Great job. What would you compare this to that we might be familiar with? Will you put this in a cabinet? If so, what type? Great job...
kbp810 Posted December 20, 2010 Author Posted December 20, 2010 That is amazing Kpb810. I think we are all blown away. The detail work is so precise and the symmetry is beautiful. Great job. What would you compare this to that we might be familiar with? Will you put this in a cabinet? If so, what type? Great job... Thanks! This is essentially a Spitfire - what I really need to work on is getting an at least half way decent mic so I can start sharing some clips. For this one I am repurposing a spalted maple cab 1x12 combo I had built earlier for a 5F2 princeton (I had built a 5F1 and a 5F2 pretty much at the same time, and liked the 5F1 a lot better). Here is an earlier pic of the cab I'm going to (re)use for it: Thanks to another HOC member who I will not name, (STEINER!!!) that sent me a link to an ad on the TGP... I now have three more transfomer sets on the way - One for Deluxe Reverb, a Pro Reverb, and Deluxe (not to say thats how I intend to use them, though I think a pro reverb is calling my name )
H Posted December 21, 2010 Posted December 21, 2010 Beautiful work. I love the look of the bare wood cabs.
Steiner Posted December 21, 2010 Posted December 21, 2010 Darn, you beat me to the Dibbs. It's totally fair DetroitBlues; you got the last one! Sorry about the enabler link to the trannies KBP810. Perhaps what you should have said was: For those brethren here that lean toward the Fender tone, want the simplicity of a hand built, point-to-point head with the best components and voiced to your liking... Well, I'll soon have a Deluxe Reverb, a Pro Reverb, and Deluxe available.
DetroitBlues Posted December 21, 2010 Posted December 21, 2010 KPB810 needs a logo now. He's amps keep getting better and better, no two are the same. A logo is on my list of things to do!
NoNameBand Posted December 21, 2010 Posted December 21, 2010 It's totally fair DetroitBlues; you got the last one! Sorry about the enabler link to the trannies KBP810. Perhaps what you should have said was: For those brethren here that lean toward the Fender tone, want the simplicity of a hand built, point-to-point head with the best components and voiced to your liking... Well, I'll soon have a Deluxe Reverb, a Pro Reverb, and Deluxe available. How about a 5E3 Tweed Deluxe with reverb? I love my '55 Fender Tweed Deluxe, but I wish it had reverb.
kbp810 Posted December 21, 2010 Author Posted December 21, 2010 How about a 5E3 Tweed Deluxe with reverb? I love my '55 Fender Tweed Deluxe, but I wish it had reverb. I like the sound of that! I've thought about building the standalone reverb unit as well.
NoNameBand Posted December 21, 2010 Posted December 21, 2010 I like the sound of that! I've thought about building the standalone reverb unit as well. What would something like that cost? I would be vary interested in that and I bet some others would as well.
Steiner Posted December 21, 2010 Posted December 21, 2010 It Must be Christmas! This just keeps getting better
DetroitBlues Posted December 21, 2010 Posted December 21, 2010 A little bird told me Steiner will be trying out the new amp tonight.
DetroitBlues Posted December 21, 2010 Posted December 21, 2010 What would something like that cost? I would be vary interested in that and I bet some others would as well. I know KBP810 is getting a free reverb tank this week, that should help!
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