Hmmmmm....

Doc B

Doc B

Former President For Life
Staff member
This just showed up at Bottleheadquarters. Now what do you suppose that might be going into?
 

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Definitely a guitar amp with MIDI plug-in, and multi-effects capabilities. Any plans for including a reverb tank? I look forward to it. My Rivera Suprema 55 is a beast at 75 pounds.
 
Wish I had something vintage and/or really sweet.  Only thing that I have that is vintage is an old Kalamazoo Bass 30.  Beat to hell but it works.  Actually not bad for guitar with a pedal in front of it ... just for messing around anyway.
 
Laudanum said:
Thats easy ... geetar amp :-)  Im assuming a replacement in a combo?  Or maybe building something custom?
Click to expand...

Getting warm. It's for a prototype small combo/practice amp. After a few years of head scratching I finally came up with a kit concept I like that also fits our design sensibility. It's somewhat unconventional in terms of circuit and construction - perhaps more Vox-like than Fenderish or Marshally. Of course anything that isn't a Champ clone is considered unconventional, like we need another Champ clone in the world. We have yet to see if it sounds any good, so it's strictly in the POC realm for now.

A few talking points about this project -
8" Weber speaker (obviously). Haven't tried the Webers, but their reputation is excellent. And this one will fit in the rather interesting cabinet I want to try
EL84 SE output - it's a great sounding tube that guitar players can relate to
EF86 input - another great sounding tube that keeps it very simple to build
simple tone stack and volume controls - ditto the simple build
auxiliary speaker output for that 4X12 cabinet you have in the basement - I have a smaller combo amp with an 8 that I leave plugged into a 12. It's very nice to have that option.
headphone output for quiet practice - does that mean we have another headphone amp? I guess so. PB says we need to make an iPod dock for it. I have other priorities.

We should know in a week or two if the idea is going to fly or if it ends up in the incubator with the ribbon headphone and other long term projects.
 
Doc, love the use of an EF86 as the driver. In fact, I've often wondered why more guitar amp builders don't do that - seems like a 12AX7 driver is much more common. Your project sounds similar to something I want to put together for headphone use - a single-ended EL84 with a pentode driver for a cleaner and more brilliant tone. I find a lot of 12AX7 front-ends to sound rather predictable; what an overrated input tube!

Here's hoping this ends up as a released product - I'd buy it :-)
 
Laudanum said:
Cool, maybe I will have a chance to get, or better yet build, that sweet amp.   
Click to expand...

Well, we hope it will be sweet. ;^)>
 
Initial impression of the Weber driver driven by my Electar 10 in open air is very positive. Very responsive and gets nice and crunchy when pushed. Stock speaker in the Electar is rather bassy and flubby, at least it is in the closed cabinet. I had trouble getting a good overdrive sound with a low output Teisco single coil into the stock speaker, but the Weber gets a nice bluesy growl on chords and yet gives a nice clean sound playing slide on the first string with that p'up. It can really dig into the mud with a 335. Hopefully we can maintain some of that feel at half the power with the EL84 (the Electar uses a 6L6 SE)
 
Doc B. said:
Laudanum said:
Cool, maybe I will have a chance to get, or better yet build, that sweet amp.   
Click to expand...

Well, we hope it will be sweet. ;^)>
Click to expand...

Yeah, I said in another reply that I wish that I had a sweet amp.  Just looking at this as a possible chance to have one.  I know it's just in the possibility stage.
 
Dr. Toobz said:
...I've often wondered why more guitar amp builders don't do that...
Click to expand...
Microphonics.  I like the sound of the EF86 but I've heard they can be noisy in a combo played at loud volumes and overdriven. 
 
dbishopbliss said:
Dr. Toobz said:
...I've often wondered why more guitar amp builders don't do that...
Click to expand...
Microphonics.  I like the sound of the EF86 but I've heard they can be noisy in a combo played at loud volumes and overdriven.  
Click to expand...

Could be. But I can't say for sure unless I try it. We do have a reasonable amount of experience with the EF86. Luckily The EHs don't seem to have too much of a problem with it.
 
I like the EF86 sound.  A friend had a Vox-ish amp using EF86 preamp with a 12AX7 Phase Inverter and 2 EL84's.  Great sounding amp.  Different from the 12AX7 pre, 12AX7 PI, EL84 output amp I have (which I like as well), but there is something great about the EF86. 

I recently swapped out my Celestion Vintage 30 for an Eminence Red Fang.  I like the sound, but originally the Red Fang was in a closed back cabinet.  I gotta admit, I liked it better in the closed back as opposed to the open baffle.  I'm thinking of swapping the V30 back in and building a cab for the Fang. 
 
Sounds like a great project Doc. Looking forward to hearing more about it and more importantly, being able to order one! Sounds like it would be a nice addition to my '59 Harvard and '65 Deluxe.

Doug
 
Sent the driver over to PB yesterday. Hopefully that's the last piece he needs to construct the prototype.
 
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