Custom amp and preamp builders in Europe?

[Finbase]

Hello folks!

I’ve tried to find some info on the topic, but couldn’t…

I’d like to get a preamp with custom specs, short of a hybrid of Aguilar db680, Mesa Big Block 750 and Ampeg SVP… Nevertheless the specs are quite demanding to engineer but not impossible. But it’s hard to find a right guy to build such a cunning pre!

Could you please help me out and recommend some names in Europe (And preferably in EU countries), who could possible be skilful enough to handle demanding tube-preamp requests, and are building fully custom? I don’t mind if the builder isn’t famous or pricey (don't tell this to my wife...), as long as he or she is reliable and proficient!

Thanks!!

[Arjank]

Maybe you can contact Hevos in the Netherlands.

http://www.hevos.nl/cms/en/

[Finbase]

Thanks! Anyone else?

[Finbase]

Maybe it helps, if I show you the specs:

General Specs:
-Aguilar DB680-styleish input (Passive/Active-switch, 12db pad)
-Input Gain
-Master
-DI out, and per-and post-option
-FX loop (before the EQ section)
-Mute switch (immediately after the input gain)
-Ampeg SVP/SVT-styleish drive control

EQ: (+/- 12db)
-Bass (Tube Driven, Shelving, 90Hz)
-Treble (Tube Driven, Shelving, 10kHz)
-Mesa Big Block 750-styleish Passive Mid! I really LOVE this single function in Mesa BB 750!!
-2x fully parametric "tube driven" EQs (in the spirit of Aguilar 680db, but with slightly different Hz ratings) 1) 100Hz-800Hz ja 2) 700Hz-16kHz

And ZILLIONS of tubes!!

Thanks!

[Passinwind]

Originally Posted by Finbase

-2x fully parametric "tube driven" EQs (in the spirit of Aguilar 680db, but with slightly different Hz ratings) 1) 100Hz-800Hz ja 2) 700Hz-16kHz

The Aguilar uses ICs for the parametric section, doesn't it? All tube fully parametric EQ is typically a pretty expensive proposition. You'll definitely end up with zillions of tubes if you choose that route !

I can't help any as far as EU builders, beyond saying to ask a few respected tube amp manufacturers who they would recommend. There are plenty of guys in the US that I could recommend if you end up warming to that possibility though.

[gillento]

This might be something for Reußenzehn

http://www.reussenzehn.de/en/index.php

Originally Posted by Finbase

Maybe it helps, if I show you the specs:

General Specs:
-Aguilar DB680-styleish input (Passive/Active-switch, 12db pad)
-Input Gain
-Master
-DI out, and per-and post-option
-FX loop (before the EQ section)
-Mute switch (immediately after the input gain)
-Ampeg SVP/SVT-styleish drive control

EQ: (+/- 12db)
-Bass (Tube Driven, Shelving, 90Hz)
-Treble (Tube Driven, Shelving, 10kHz)
-Mesa Big Block 750-styleish Passive Mid! I really LOVE this single function in Mesa BB 750!!
-2x fully parametric "tube driven" EQs (in the spirit of Aguilar 680db, but with slightly different Hz ratings) 1) 100Hz-800Hz ja 2) 700Hz-16kHz

And ZILLIONS of tubes!!

Thanks!

[Bassmec]

Matamp will build whatever you want and probably make a few very good suggestions of their own.

Beautiful quality! that one belongs to a member here called Taystee
Can't really buy a better made amp today their hand wiring is of the very best.

[Bassmec]

Originally Posted by Passinwind

The Aguilar uses ICs for the parametric section, doesn't it? All tube fully parametric EQ is typically a pretty expensive proposition. You'll definitely end up with zillions of tubes if you choose that route !

I can't help any as far as EU builders, beyond saying to ask a few respected tube amp manufacturers who they would recommend. There are plenty of guys in the US that I could recommend if you end up warming to that possibility though.

Although I would heartily recommend the Matamp for building the tube amp and associated tube pre, don't you think that it would be handy to have the two parametric EQ's separate for their many other studio uses and I would heartily recommend you try out an original Pultec EQP1a or one of the many Pultec EQ clones there are available today.
That's 4u of rack space in its self, no sense trying to incorporate that in a head case.

[Passinwind]

Originally Posted by Bassmec

Although I would heartily recommend the Matamp for building the tube amp and associated tube pre, don't you think that it would be handy to have the two parametric EQ's separate for their many other studio uses and I would heartily recommend you try out an original Pultec EQP1a or one of the many Pultec EQ clones there are available today.
That's 4u of rack space in its self, no sense trying to incorporate that in a head case.

I'm with you mate.

The Manley tube-based version of the EQP1a is also priced at around $2300 MSRP, as I've had to explain to friends of mine who wanted me to build all tube PEQ into one of my humble DIY tube preamps. My sand powered Orban or Ashly units will just have to do for now, I guess...

[Mr. Foxen]

Originally Posted by Finbase

-Treble (Tube Driven, Shelving, 10kHz)

10k treble control?

[MAMMOTHvolume]

Originally Posted by Passinwind

I'm with you mate.

The Manley tube-based version of the EQP1a is also priced at around $2300 MSRP, as I've had to explain to friends of mine who wanted me to build all tube PEQ into one of my humble DIY tube preamps. My sand powered Orban or Ashly units will just have to do for now, I guess...

I'vw been tempted by this in the past to, but i've gone back toward smaller powerful tonestacks

[bassophil]

PCL Vintage Amps do build custom amps on order as well.
Maybe worth worth checking them out/asking them aswell:
http://www.pcl-vintageamp.de/index.php?change=1&la=en

[Passinwind]

Originally Posted by Mr. Foxen

10k treble control?

Just depends. This is my current favorite:



The actual measured shelf is at 20K or so (this graph is a sim without the input and output transformers), but I would spec it at 6.8K, the halfway effect point. A 10K shelving high pass can easily spec at 3-4K using that methodology. There's a nice discussion of this here.

[Jazz Ad]

Hevos doesn't do custom jobs as far as I know.
Custom with lots of tubes, probably Chillbass.
http://www.chillbass.fr/en

[Finbase]

Originally Posted by Passinwind

The Aguilar uses ICs for the parametric section, doesn't it? All tube fully parametric EQ is typically a pretty expensive proposition. You'll definitely end up with zillions of tubes if you choose that route !

I can't help any as far as EU builders, beyond saying to ask a few respected tube amp manufacturers who they would recommend. There are plenty of guys in the US that I could recommend if you end up warming to that possibility though.

Those ICs make sense. Every builder in my home country that I've asked about the parametric section has been horrified, and they are quality builders! I just wanted to scan some possibilities inside the EU marketing area, since we are one big family now! (Especially by sharing the common problem of the corrupted bankers...)

Thanks for the recommendations!

I have had the sincere belief that Aguilar's EQ's ARE tube driven, but it seems like I've been astray...

Maybe I'll just have to tame my one-pre-does-it-all daydreams and do some re-thinking!

[Finbase]

Originally Posted by Mr. Foxen

10k treble control?

Yes, IME it's usable Hz rating. For adding some "air" to the tone, or for cutting off the fret noise. No more "clack-clickety-clack", but without loosing any high-mid edge.

Of course you can "tune" the treble lower, but one likes the mother, one likes the daughter...

[Passinwind]

Originally Posted by Finbase

Those ICs make sense. Every builder in my home country that I've asked about the parametric section has been horrified, and they are quality builders!

There are some cool possibilities dating way back to literature from the 30s and 40s, for instance the Radiotron Designer's Handbook, which one can find for free online. I spent a lot of time contemplating this, and came up with some computer sims that looked pretty do-able, but semi-parametric certainly looks a lot more reasonable if you just have to go with an all tube signal path. In the end, financial realities led me to do something simpler that I knew would still sound nice. For now at least...

Best of luck!

[Energy]

Originally Posted by Finbase

Those ICs make sense. Every builder in my home country that I've asked about the parametric section has been horrified, and they are quality builders! I just wanted to scan some possibilities inside the EU marketing area, since we are one big family now!

Glockenklang also does custom jobs. Not sure if they ever used tubes, though, or are even willing to.....

[chadds]

Originally Posted by Finbase

Hello folks!

I’ve tried to find some info on the topic, but couldn’t…

I’d like to get a preamp with custom specs, short of a hybrid of Aguilar db680, Mesa Big Block 750 and Ampeg SVP… Nevertheless the specs are quite demanding to engineer but not impossible. But it’s hard to find a right guy to build such a cunning pre!

Could you please help me out and recommend some names in Europe (And preferably in EU countries), who could possible be skilful enough to handle demanding tube-preamp requests, and are building fully custom? I don’t mind if the builder isn’t famous or pricey (don't tell this to my wife...), as long as he or she is reliable and proficient!

Thanks!!

Jule Amps ships all over the world.
Many of his customers are pros throughout Europe.
You get point to point hand wiring.
Rich fat tube sound.
Add the Demeter class D power amp within and you've got it all.

[jsbarber]

Originally Posted by Finbase

Hello folks!

I’ve tried to find some info on the topic, but couldn’t…

I’d like to get a preamp with custom specs, short of a hybrid of Aguilar db680, Mesa Big Block 750 and Ampeg SVP… Nevertheless the specs are quite demanding to engineer but not impossible. But it’s hard to find a right guy to build such a cunning pre!

Could you please help me out and recommend some names in Europe (And preferably in EU countries), who could possible be skilful enough to handle demanding tube-preamp requests, and are building fully custom? I don’t mind if the builder isn’t famous or pricey (don't tell this to my wife...), as long as he or she is reliable and proficient!

Thanks!!

There's a guy in Santa Barbara named Roger Modjeski who is a world class tube designer. He designed some of the famous Conrad Johnson audiophile amplifiers, and has his own line of audio amplifiers (Music Reference). I'm not sure if he'd take on a project like this, but if he did you'd be lucky. He has a website http://www.tubeaudiostore.com He is the purveyor of the famous RAM tubes.

Good luck, (getting Roger to build you a custom preamp is not going to be cheap, but you will end up with something truly special),

Jim