A bit more ambitious than a pedal....

[duhvoodooman]

I've been wanting to do a full-blown amp build for some time, specifically an 18W Marshall clone. Well, thanks to some pretty brisk pedal sales of late, I built up the GAS fund to the point that I could pretty well cover the purchase. Did some homework on the various 18W kits available, considering quality, features, customer service reputation and (of course!) price. I settled on an 18W head kit from Trinity Amps up in Toronto. A couple of the regulars at the BYOC forums have built Trinity kits and really like them. They also sell finished amps, and have a nice lineup of products based upon classic amp models. Their 18W model is available in four different versions; I opted for the classic TMB version, so named for its treble-mid-bass tone stack. The amp features are described here:

http://www.trinityamps.com/Trin18Over.htm​

Here's the page on their site describing the kits:

http://www.trinityamps.com/Product_Parts.htm​

I'm getting the amp kit, a set of transformers, and a pre-built head cabinet (Fender rough blonde tolex, gold piping & gold vent grille, leather dogbone handle). Should match my 1x12 tweed cabinet nicely; I didn't want to have the head cabinet finished in tweed, which didn't seem right for a Marshall clone! The only other thing I'll need to buy is a set of tubes (3 12AX7's, 2 EL-84's, and an EZ-81 rectifier tube).

Placed the order last night; should ship in 2 - 3 weeks, so I hope to start building shortly after Thanksgiving.

Heads up, Tung! Get ready for the panic e-mails & stupid questions!

 

[Tig]

Wow, you'll save over $700 by building it yourself instead of them.
I'm sure you will get plenty of screaming solos with this amph!

 

[duhvoodooman]

Wow, you'll save over $700 by building it yourself instead of them.

Well, no, not quite that much. I suspect you were looking just at the kit price. The kit, transformers and head cabinet came to $735 including shipping. So once I buy tubes, I'll be right around 8 Benjamins. Still, that's a $300 savings over their prebuilt 18W TMB head, plus I have the enjoyment & satisfaction of building it myself (assuming success!), not to mention the experience and skills derived from the project.

I'm sure you will get plenty of screaming solos with this amph!

Planning on it!! :AOK :dude :rockon:

 

[Tig]

Doh! :thwap

Still, it will be a good savings, and you'll be able to troubleshoot (hopefully not need to) possible problems if you assemble it yourself.

Their Matchless/Vox 15 looks kinda' cool, too. Also, I browsed their photo section and they make some great looking custom cabinets.

 

[marnold]

Well, no, not quite that much. I suspect you were looking just at the kit price. The kit, transformers and head cabinet came to $735 including shipping. So once I buy tubes, I'll be right around 8 Benjamins. Still, that's a $300 savings over their prebuilt 18W TMB head, plus I have the enjoyment & satisfaction of building it myself (assuming success!), not to mention the experience and skills derived from the project.

That makes more sense, I looked at that site and saw the $1000-1100 price tag and thought, "This is saving money how?"

 

[duhvoodooman]

Also, I browsed their photo section and they make some great looking custom cabinets.

Yeah, some really nice looking cabinets, both heads & combos. That's a skill set (not to mention the required tools and supplies) that I lack totally, so I opted for one of their prebuilt 18W head cabinets ($235). But if you have the requisite carpentry & "upholstery" skills, that would be a great place to save some more $$....

 

[kiteman]

That sure sound like fun.

Me, I'll settle for a BYOC like yours.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Wow, killer project! Have a great time with it. I look forward to your always informative updates, pics, etc., and ultimately to your screaming solos from your new amph! :AOK :AOK

 

[Robert]

Can't wait to hear you demo that build! Just don't fry yourself in the process...

 

[duhvoodooman]

Just don't fry yourself in the process...

Amen, bruddah! 300+ VDC is a wee bit more dangerous than those 9V pedals I'm used to.

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

I knew it was just a matter of time Vood.

Good luck!

I can't wait for the clips.

 

[oldguy]

Go for it, Bob!
(just take your time, be careful, and post clips when you're done, OK?):AOK

 

[tunghaichuan]

Excellent. Can't wait to see and hear the results of this project.

Just take your time, and don't try to rush things.

In the meantime you may want to read up on safety precautions for building/working on tube amps.

http://www.drifteramps.com/safety.html

http://www.geofex.com/tubeampfaq/tube_amp.htm#Section0

Another thing that has helped me when building amps is when you've got all the wiring finished, put it away and don't look at it for a day or so. This will probably kill you (always does me). Then after, triple check everything.

It should go well, you've built enough pedals that this amp shouldn't present any problems at all.

 

[SuperSwede]

Planning on it!! :AOK :dude :rockon:

You know its gonna be a fat amph with no dirt in the pullgain :applause

 

[duhvoodooman]

Another thing that has helped me when building amps is when you've got all the wiring finished, put it away and don't look at it for a day or so. This will probably kill you (always does me)....

You really know how to hurt a guy, Tung! I'll be so hot to flip the power switch at that point that I'll have to wear a drool bucket like Dan Akroyd in that famous "Miles Cowperthwaite" SNL routine....

You know its gonna be a fat amph with no dirt in the pullgain

I'm just hoping that it will turn on 999999 times out of 1000000....

Thanks for the encouragement, guys! :AOK

 

[bigG]

You go, vood! You da man! Hopeless tinkerer, indeed!

Can't wait to hear how it turns out! :drool

 

[oldguy]

I've never heard a Marshall 18w TMB in person, but I like all the clips of them, and their clones, that I've heard. (By any decent players, anyway).
They always sound fat and full of timbre.
:applause

 

[SuperSwede]

I'm just hoping that it will turn on 999999 times out of 1000000....

Awesome... just imagine when your are playing all those Steely Dan songs with ultra high gain!

Speaking of that you really should name the amph "The Dustin Special screaming solo head".... and add a really scrathy gain nob!

 

[sumitomo]

 

[sumitomo]

Vood are you still with us? Sumi

 

[duhvoodooman]

Yep, sure am. Of course, I haven't even received the kit yet (it's 2 - 3 weeks, to allow time for the cabinet to be fabricated) and it's tough to electrocute yourself building 9V pedals....

 

[sumitomo]

I am doing an amph built also a tweed princeton,I got the plans from Tung.Something for the snowy days this winter.No SouthAmerica this year.Sumi

 

[duhvoodooman]

Cool. Depending on how my 18W build goes, the next project I'm tentatively thinking of undertaking (though not for a while!) would be some flavor of vintage Fender Tweed amp. Prolly a Princeton or a Deluxe....

 

[@nthony]

I've always wanted to do this, but dont have the skills or the money to be able to. I guess I'll stick to my cheap Harley Benton transistor amph until at least the cash situation changes!

 

[duhvoodooman]

Just heard from Trinity Amps. My head cabinet is being tolexed now, and they expect to ship the complete kit out on Monday. :AOK :happy

 

[duhvoodooman]

Well, it took 2 weeks to travel the 293 miles between Toronto & Albany, but look at what showed up today:

Sweet job on the cabinet! This is exactly how it came out of the box. The chassis, transformers and all parts were inside the cab when these shots were taken. Now that the kit is here, the real journey begins....

 

[Radioboy950]

Wow, that is gorgeous (is it cool for a dude to say to another dude?)
I'm sure it'll sound as good as it looks. Can't wait to hear it!

 

[Ch0jin]

WOW! That looks awesome already!

 

[duhvoodooman]

I'm sure it'll sound as good as it looks.

I'm almost certain that I'll be able to get screaming solos with this amph!

 

[Robert]

I don't see any photo in here?