Fired her up about a week or so ago. Got a little ground 60 cycle hum to
chase down, but she sounds really good! Big, full and punchy.
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| Author: | John Mayes [ Thu Jan 26, 2006 9:21 am ] |
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Fired her up about a week or so ago. Got a little ground 60 cycle hum to chase down, but she sounds really good! Big, full and punchy. |
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| Author: | John Mayes [ Thu Jan 26, 2006 9:22 am ] |
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| Author: | JJ Donohue [ Thu Jan 26, 2006 9:36 am ] |
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Is this a kit amp, John. Are you using this for acoustics? Tell us more. |
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| Author: | John Mayes [ Thu Jan 26, 2006 9:49 am ] |
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No kit. I did it all from scratch..... Well I did have the cab custom made for me, but the chassis I made... sourced the components, made the turret board, wired it up, and everything. Took me a while, but I finally got it! And no for sure not an acoustic amp, but I did plug a acoustic in it today. IT sounded ok. Really thick. But an electric rocks through it! IT's an 18 watter based off an old 18 watt Marshall, but with the tremelo/ EQ circuit stripped out for simplicity. Has 2 12" speakers (both webber speakers..one weber blue dog and one weber silver bell..great speaker combo...speakers were custom made for me as well.). The tubes are two 12ax7's, two EL84's, and a EZ81 Rectifier. Vintage style transformers. Mallory capacitors. |
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| Author: | crowduck [ Thu Jan 26, 2006 10:12 am ] |
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If you're getting a 60 cycle ground hum, check if your outlets are properly grounded. Circuit testers are about $8 at OSH, and have 3 LED lights that will tell if you have proper ground. If not grounded, there's a little plug for about $.50 that will fix it. CrowDuck |
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| Author: | ATaylor [ Thu Jan 26, 2006 10:41 am ] |
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Man! That's awesome! The pic doesn't look like 2-12s, I thought at first it was 1-10 and solid state. Now that I know it's tube and 2-12s I'm all impressed. You must be stoked! Congrats! 
Give us another pic w/ your guitar next to it. Really nice clean look. I'll bet she can wail. Do you think you'll build more? |
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| Author: | John Mayes [ Thu Jan 26, 2006 10:45 am ] |
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I wish I could sit my guitar next to it! I have not finished building that one yet. I borrowed a friends strat to test it out. I'm building myself a LEs Paul Jr copy right now with Lollar P-90's.....Should be a rock n roll set-up! It is a large amp. About 30 inches across...for reference the logo plate is 4 inches across. And yeah it ws very fun to build. I know I have a friend who wants me to build him one as well. |
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| Author: | ATaylor [ Thu Jan 26, 2006 10:51 am ] |
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[QUOTE=John Mayes] I wish I could sit my guitar next to it! I have not finished building that one yet. I borrowed a friends strat to test it out. I'm building myself a LEs Paul Jr copy right now with Lollar P-90's.....Should be a rock n roll set-up! It is a large amp. About 30 inches across...for reference the logo plate is 4 inches across. And yeah it ws very fun to build. I know I have a friend who wants me to build him one as well.[/QUOTE] You may have another "friend" to build one for. I'm looking for an upgrade to my Behringer 110! My brother has a Fender dual reverb that I just love. Can't turn it past "2". Fun stuff! 
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| Author: | sfbrown [ Thu Jan 26, 2006 1:03 pm ] |
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John, This very cool. How about a schematic or is it secret? I've built some small preamps for special duty etc but this is very retro. I love it! Who made the case, I thought it was production. Steve Brown PS always wanted to build a tube amp but never had the guts and the available kits are too expensive. |
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| Author: | John Mayes [ Thu Jan 26, 2006 1:34 pm ] |
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here is the schematic: http://www.silvatone.bravepages.com/18%20Watt%20Lite%20II/Pd f/ 18%20Watt%20Lite%20II%20Schematic.pdf And the cab was custom made for me by these guys: Reason Amps |
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| Author: | Paul Schulte [ Thu Jan 26, 2006 2:09 pm ] |
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Nice amp John. Tubes are the way to go. On the 60hz hum are the filamant voltages to the tubes AC or DC? Tried looking for the schematic on your link but couldn't find it. AC as a filament voltage will give you that hum and was a common practice in tube design. |
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| Author: | John Mayes [ Thu Jan 26, 2006 2:32 pm ] |
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Well I plugged it in at home and no hum...so it has to be my shop building is not grounded well. And yeah even though it is only 18 watts it is loud..really loud. |
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| Author: | crowduck [ Thu Jan 26, 2006 2:42 pm ] |
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John, The grounding plugs have a little tab on the top, you unscrew the outlet coverplate, then put the plug in, and put the coverplate screw through the hole in the plugs tab and the coverplate. Screw in all in and the plug is grounded to the outlets metal frame and any metal conduit. Makes oldtime 2 hole ungrounded outlets into grounded 3 hole'rs. Cost about $.50 each. CrowDuck |
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| Author: | CarltonM [ Thu Jan 26, 2006 2:50 pm ] |
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Oh, MAN!!! 18 Watts + P-90's = Tone Heaven!!! Where's that "envy" emoticon? |
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| Author: | Serge Poirier [ Thu Jan 26, 2006 4:09 pm ] |
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Great Job John! Now that you're finished with that one, we'll start a group buy for the next 500 of these babies aweright? 
Serge |
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| Author: | John Mayes [ Thu Jan 26, 2006 4:11 pm ] |
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ha! It took me like 5 months to finish this one! Thanks for the nice comments though fellas. It's always nice to hear some encouragement. I'm really diggin the tone of this amp a ton! |
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| Author: | John How [ Thu Jan 26, 2006 4:25 pm ] |
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Fantastic looking amp John. I too like to build amplifiers in my spare time
Here are some pictures of mine. One for the shop sterio driveing voice of the theatre cabs and horns and one built on a tweed deluxe circuit for the electric guitar. My step son is responsible for the airbrushing on the sterio amp. Pretty cool, huh. |
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| Author: | John Mayes [ Thu Jan 26, 2006 4:36 pm ] |
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sweet John! I really dig the wood cab, with the cane grill clothe. Wicked cool! I think I'm gonna build a champ style amp next. Small and not near as loud as my 18 watter, but perfect for the shop. |
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| Author: | John How [ Thu Jan 26, 2006 4:43 pm ] |
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I want to try this "Angela Instruments Super Single-Ended 6V6 Guitar Amplifier" one of these days see it here under the how to section. This ia a great place to get old tube stuff and ideas. |
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| Author: | Serge Poirier [ Thu Jan 26, 2006 4:46 pm ] |
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Way cool John and John, you should see me when there is more than 2 extension cords layin' on the shop floor!  I would never be able to build something like that when i'm scared of wiring a bender!
Serge |
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| Author: | Dickey [ Fri Jan 27, 2006 1:23 am ] |
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John, does your shop have flourescent lighting? Hum? |
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| Author: | John Mayes [ Fri Jan 27, 2006 1:59 am ] |
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[QUOTE=Dickey] John, does your shop have flourescent lighting? Hum?[/ QUOTE] It does, but that was the first thing I turned off. |
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| Author: | John Mayes [ Fri Jan 27, 2006 8:44 am ] |
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