Custom Sound Trucker bass head power increase

[yorkshireviking]

Hi,
My spare amp head, a Custom Sound Trucker could do with a service and hopefully a bit of an upgrade.

As the power rating is fairly low at 120 watts, I was wondering if it were possible to increase the output by replacing the coil or capacitors or something.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Cheers,
Joe

 

[JGR]

You need a new power transformer with a higher VA rating and possibly and new output transformer as well. Likely a lot of other changes in the power supply and tubes to make it work, and you aren't going to get more than around 160 watts with any of the Hammond iron without stacking supplies. I wouldn't recommend it.

If you like the head, adding more cabs or going to ones with higher efficiency is your best bet. Another option would be to add a slave out so you can run into a SS power amp and another cab.

 

[yorkshireviking]

Cheers for the recommendations man.
I do actually have a vintage solid state 100 watt ESS slave amp. I could service that bad boy and link it up.
The Custom Sound head has a slave out as well. Don’t know why I didn’t think of that before…

Cheers

 

[JGR]

Sure thing. If the slave out is taken off the speaker tap, you should get similar sound and feel even if you decide to use a SS amp as a slave. Good luck!

 

[yorkshireviking]

Would I be right in saying in order to do that I'd take a speaker out from amp 1 (Ashdown) and put it into the effects return on amp 2 (Custom Sounds)?
Putting it straight into the input from speaker out would fry the preamp on amp 2, surely?

 

[Bassmec]

Sure thing. If the slave out is taken off the speaker tap, you should get similar sound and feel even if you decide to use a SS amp as a slave. Good luck!

Custom Sound Never made a tube amp.

 

[BassmanPaul]

Would I be right in saying in order to do that I'd take a speaker out from amp 1 (Ashdown) and put it into the effects return on amp 2 (Custom Sounds)?
Putting it straight into the input from speaker out would fry the preamp on amp 2, surely?

You do not ever put a speaker out from one amp into an input of another amp. You'll possibly blow both amps.

 

[JGR]

Custom Sound Never made a tube amp.

Doh! Scrap all that then! Never heard of them, figured it was a tube amp based on the power spec!

 

[yorkshireviking]

You do not ever put a speaker out from one amp into an input of another amp. You'll possibly blow both amps.

Yeah I figured as much.

Rigged it up last night, Sounds hell of a lot punchier by bypassing the Ashdown preamp. Double stacking it at the gig on Saturday using an Ampgeg 410 and my 215. Can't wait!

 

[yorkshireviking]

And yeah, it's an old solid state amp dude, sorry should have said...

 

[T-Bird]

Hi Joe.

About the only option to increase the power would be to scrap the existing power section and to install a class D amp with the same rail voltage(s) into the chassis.

Would IMHO be the eqvivalent of making a silk purse out of a sows ear though.

Use it for what it is, or use the slave out to drive a PA amp.

Regards
Sam

 

[yorkshireviking]

Cheers Sam!
Yeah to be honest I'm pretty happy with the way it is sounding at the moment by using the Ashdown as a slave.
Might take the ol' boy in for a service to make sure everything is in tip-top shape as well.

 

[Bassmec]

Cheers Sam!
Yeah to be honest I'm pretty happy with the way it is sounding at the moment by using the Ashdown as a slave.
Might take the ol' boy in for a service to make sure everything is in tip-top shape as well.

Are those electrolytic caps, late bizantine or possibly early
roman occupation, when you change them all out, send the old ones to time team.