dumb question

[ciscokid]

If one were building exotic hardwood guitar amplifiers, would this be the correct place on these forums to post or should I be in the Hi-Fi section?

[Iain]

I thought this would be OK as guitar amps are not hi fi as such, however, others may disagree.
What exotics are you talking anyway and are you talking about the electronics or the cabinetry?

[ciscokid]

I thought this would be OK as guitar amps are not hi fi as such, however, others may disagree.
What exotics are you talking anyway and are you talking about the electronics or the cabinetry?

Well, actually, both. I've been playing guitars for 32 years now. I'm mostly partial to big archtop electrics and have some rather nice ones. I grew disgusted with the quality of new amps on the market, specially the so-called "Reissues" which are not really reissues of anything at all since the new ones are being made with mass produced Chinese PC boards. I realize the companies have to do this to cut manufacturing costs and boost profit, but it doesn't mean I have to like it. There are some rather nice boutique amps out there being hand made and they have price tags that are rather boutique themselves.
So I taught myself how to build amps out of necessity. I point to point hand wire the old circuits of yesteryear using the very best components I can find and then, being reluctant to house such nice sounding chassis in a cheap pine box covered with vinyl, I build custom cabinets out of exotic hardwoods like the canarywood cabinet in the photo above. That particular amp circuit is based on the venerable '59 5F1 Champ that many recording studios kept in stock in the early to mid '60s. Just a small home practice amp at 5 watts. The original had an eight inch cone, but I used a Kendrick ten inch Blackframe instead, prefering the warmth of a ten inch speaker over the eight. The cabinet features through dovetail construction.
I am currently building a V-front two-twelve speaker cabinet out of solid Californian black walnut to use with a new 35 watt modified "Deluxe" chassis I recently built.

I am simply unsure if amps belong in this section of the forum. If they belong elsewhere, or nowhere at all, please tell me. All I have done is to merge my lifelong love for music with my relatively new love for woodworking. Just trying to combine the two together, you know?

[Iain]

Seems you are in the right area, I have also played for a number of years but classical guitar, so I am not into the amp side of things.
Interesting point about the quality, I have never investigated this aspect (as I don't need them) but do have a background in electronics and appreciate what you are saying about inferior products, there are plenty of them around.
I am sure that some of the other luthiers will jump in with the guitar building, and there a few electronic affectionadoes who will certainly pick up on this posting.
Incidentally, what is the dog, we have a miniature fox terrier that looks very much like that, great little snake catcher.

[kiwigeo]

Cisco likes archtops....I love 'em too. He can post all he likes in here

[old_picker]

Whether you need to go to exotic timbers is a bit of a moot point. When I buy an amp I look at sound first and if it has great tone I next look at how the amp will stand up to the road. If I want an amp for home use, yes, a cabinet made of really nice timber would be nice but for the road I dont need an amp that I will cry tears of blood at every scratch or nick.

Thers's nothing wrong with pine or plywood if it is covered in a hard wearing vinyl with heavy duty metal corners. In fact I would prefer pine as it is nice and light. The players who will be interested in buying a handwired valve amp will probably be older [with plenty cash] and often have back issues. I couldnt imagine myself for instance carting around a 2x12 V front made of dense hardwood. The cabinet timber has little practical effect and is purely an aesthetic enhancement.

I have owned dozens of amps over the years and my favorite road amp riight now is a mex built 15 watt chipboard fender blues junior. I put in a chinee celstion V30 and it sounds great to my ears. Total cost around $1k. If I drop it or scratch it I dont care. Crank it up and it is deafening and easily on top of a drummer at around 4. A perfect blend of cost and practicality.

You could offer cabinets from exotic timbers as an optional extra. They wouuld look great in a studio situation or in the loungeroom etc. A player wanting a road amp would be more interested in great tone, A fragile finish.would not be high on the lsit of features at least for me.

This is defintely a music instrument type post so post away. More pics and soundclips pls

[Malibu]

Any music related postings would be great to go in here... There's always something to learn along the way and it makes good reading to see what everyone else is up to.
There doesn't seem to be any relevent slot to put instrument amp postings and I'm not sure how many others out there are into the scratch built amp scene, but maybe the moderators could add another subject to this part of the forum to cater for it. I know I'd be interested from a woodworkers point of view, and as an electronics tinkerer.

It would be a great idea for schematic ideas, general banter of amps/effects and a knowledge base that might spur a few non-electronics people into something they may never have considered doing...

[gratay]

i'd say you are definitely posting in the right spot....
an amp is a musical instrument ...to help shape the sound and it also has a lot to do with woodwork so .....I don't think you have any problems posting here...

There is a number of great aussie valve amp builders around at the moment that are doing great stuff for reasonable dollars.....the boutique PTP handwired valve amp community is ripe at the moment

People like Ulbrick, sherlock, ledford, reynolds, bj amps are just a few that are doing real quality amps in australia at present....and very good value compaired to imported handmade stuff...

old picker, I have tried the blues junior and a lacquered tweed pro junior ....same amp essentially but the pro was a pine cabinet and the sound was quite different......
I have noticed that different thicknesses in cabinets also makes a difference in the sound..
i don't know what effects of making cabinets out of different materials has on sound as such but i imagine there would be a difference.

The plus's of PTP valve amps is the superior sound, reliability as opposed to a lot of PCB type circuits around today usually arn't to reliable...hence a few people I know have had their new fender re-issues's re-wired to PTP blackface specs because of reliability issues

[watson]

Damn!!
Don't understand this new stuff.
I have a very old Fender Twin.....that I can't lift anymore.
Old Valves .....tons of grunt.

Regards,
Noel

[gratay]

watson,thats because the old twin is built like a tank, heavy as hell ...PTP handwired wonderful sounding amp....built to last a lifetime..i had one and love them..

I have'nt found a good quality built valve amp that sounds any good that is light....especially one that will have sufficient headroom and stay clean enough to play at band volume in all the different size rooms .
mine is tiny in size.... 50w 1 x 12 valve combo...but heavy as anything also.....about 35-40 kg's..i wish they we're lighter....

solid state is a lot lighter but i don't particularly like the sound...

[old_picker]

Damn!!
Don't understand this new stuff.
I have a very old Fender Twin.....that I can't lift anymore.
Old Valves .....tons of grunt.

Regards,
Noel

Yeah that back thang happened to me. I started using the tweeds cos they was lighter to carry. Went from a 100 watt twin to a 60 watt deville to a 40 watt deluxe and now a 15 watt junior. I lke the sound and for what you pay the're ok afetr a speaker swap. I got a traynor 40 also which is more like the setup of a twin. Pretty heavy but nice tone and frighteningly loud. The jnr is way loud enough the bigger amps are just ridiculous.

Would love a fancy PTP class A though. maybe in 2007.

You be surprised what that ole twin is worth today so maybe you should get out of it and get something you can at least cart around.

Gratay I agree that ptp is the best sound [no SS rectifier] and in a good solid cab is even better. I use the junior cos it kicks butt and sounds scary at 8 or 9, is lite on my back and cost under $1k new including the new celestion which by the way made the amp come alive. It was crap without it.

[gratay]

old picker, i haven't seen them but there is a guy in melbourne called archilles amps.....he's doing handwired tweeds and blackface fender circuits for good prices ......I'm going to check them out ...I'm keen on a blackface deluxe reverb....hope they sound good .I've heard good things said about him.

http://www.achilliesamps.com/

[old_picker]

old picker, i haven't seen them but there is a guy in melbourne called archilles amps.....he's doing handwired tweeds and blackface fender circuits for good prices ......I'm going to check them out ...I'm keen on a blackface deluxe reverb....hope they sound good .I've heard good things said about him.

http://www.achilliesamps.com/

Lets know what they sound like. I have 3 amps here and would like to simplfy thigs a little by selling them to have 1 amp. Well i would sell 2 at least.

[ciscokid]

Incidentally, what is the dog, we have a miniature fox terrier that looks very much like that, great little snake catcher.

Iain, that would be my little Jack Russell Terrier, "Adriana". She runs my farm and is great at keeping the barn clear of snakes, possums, rabbits, rats, mice, stray dogs, and pretty much anything else that moves. She is afraid of nothing. I have never seen a dog with so much self-assurance. She has two titles in agility and she is retired from a successful career in terrier racing. She has been on television twice and interviewed on the radio once.

She is the apple of my eye and is never far from my side.