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Uncle GAS Needs You: Help Design an All Tube Amp!!!

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#41
JacksonAmpworks said:
Regarding the grille, I use stainless steel perf metal for my back grille's.
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I love the grill material. Just make sure it is on the front so you can see those tubes glow.

JacksonAmpworks said:
Regarding the fuses, the type of fuse holder I use has an extra fuse built in. ;)
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Please make them user serviceable without having to take out a screw driver to replace them. During a gig you just don't
have the time to be dismantling your amp to replace a fuse.


BTW, here are few names ideas:
Longhorn
Texan (hey, Fretless5verfan started the Texas theme :p )
Heartland


One question...why go with 6SN7's over the more plentiful, and variety rich, 12ax7 tubes?
 
#43
jokerjkny said:
been there done that...

as an [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] owner, 6SL7's and 6SN7's are the shizz...
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I'll have to take your word on that as I have never tried an amp with the 6SN7's. What if one were to take a crap on you?
I know I can go to any GC and pick up a 12ax7 if I'm on the road. Can you find them readally or would I have to carry
a spare set of them?
 
#45
Kelly Lee said:
I'll have to take your word on that as I have never tried an amp with the 6SN7's. What if one were to take a crap on you?
I know I can go to any GC and pick up a 12ax7 if I'm on the road. Can you find them readally or would I have to carry
a spare set of them?
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[Invalid or Expired Link Removed], www.thetubestore.com, www.kcanostubes.com, all readily carry these tubes. and are no more esoteric than most NOS tubes out there.

also, our old friends, EH, now make a modern 6SN7, so, no biggie in finding a replacement.

and you should always carry/own a spare set. its the boy scout way. ;)
 
#46
jokerjkny said:
if you can make a 2 rack unit preamp w/ the 6SL7, you'd have liquid gold in these here parts...
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I know that this is going to be standalone-only (:() design, but this brings up an important point: I'd love a rackable pre/power all tube setup. Aguilar did it with the 680/728 but 6U worth of bass gear is just too much for me to spend that kind of coin on, no matter how good it sounds. Having a 200 watt tube power-only amp that took up 2 or 3 rack spaces (with horizontally mounted tubes perhaps?) would be great for mixing with other preamps. I wish someone would build this.

After reading some of the other posts I have to note that I would be more than satisfied with the compressor/limiter solution consisting of a defeatable limiter to save space, but something in between wouldn't be all that cool IMO. I am of the opinion that multiband is the only way to fly with bass guitar compression and I've been spoiled by the Trace SMX pedal. Also, the overdrive/clean solution consisting of the SWR Interstellar Overdrive-style variable pedal instead of the more complex switchable channels with separate EQ sections would be rockin'. I didn't know what kind of space you were talking about before. :)

And I'd call it the Americano.
 
#49
Fretless5verfan said:
Good call on the compressor!! That'd be great to have on board. IIRC that was one of the things that made the V8 so tempting to me. It's also the only thing making me weary about the SA200.
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While I find myself generally more pleased when I do not use a compressor, if I decide to run with compression and my head (or preamp) doesn't have a killer onboard compressor - like the V8's), then I just bring along my Demeter Compulator. It's small, not terribly expensive, and it sounds great (to me, at least) while doing what you want it to do (compression, of course!).

Tom.
 
#50
tombowlus said:
While I find myself generally more pleased when I do not use a compressor, if I decide to run with compression and my head (or preamp) doesn't have a killer onboard compressor - like the V8's), then I just bring along my Demeter Compulator. It's small, not terribly expensive, and it sounds great (to me, at least) while doing what you want it to do (compression, of course!).

Tom.
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Brilliant! :D

once again, thanks tom!
 
#51
jokerjkny said:
*cough* stand alone 6SL7 2 unit rack preamp *cough*



:D
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The 12SX7 is, from what I can glean, a very similar tube to the 6SL7 (one is twice the voltage of the other, or something like that, but otherwise, they share many similar characteristics). FWIW, Pete Skjold is just getting ready to start production on his 2-space tube preamp using the 12SX7 tube. I have a prototype unit (review is coming!), and if the production model lives up to the proto (and by all means, it looks to exceed the model I have), we are all in for a treat! :D
 
#52
Regarding Brad's amp design, there have been tons of great suggestions already (I'm a bit late to the party, I see). I will second the request for higher output. My SA200 is probably the least powerful tube amp that I would want to gig with as my primary rig (I have done some mix and match tube/SS rigs with lower powered tube heads), and IME, the SA200 is a "loud 210 watts." 400 is truly ideal, but 300 is a noticable step up in headroom and clean volume potential. Other great ideas are the 6SL7/6SN7 front end (presuming that we are going for clean headroom and not overdriven tones), the Baxandall EQ section, 2/4/8 ohm taps, and the tube driven effects loop. I might suggest an added tube gain stage for overdriven tones (either with a 12AX7, or maybe even an EL84). I might also suggest an "EQ bypass" option. For every preamp I have which has this feature, I tend to prefer the sound of the bypassed signal (when using a good bass in a neutral room, at least).

One other feature that I think can be incredibly useful in a tube amp is the option to select different damping factors. This is something that the Eden VT-300A/B offers (although only through the d@$% footswitch, unfortunately), and I really like how you can go from a more round, vintagey tone to a more tight/quick modern tone by just switching the damping factor. The Peavey Classic 400 employs both variable low freq and variable high freq damping (which in theory, I like even more), but for whatever reason, I found the Eden's Lo/Hi Damping switch to be more effective.

Brad, your gear looks wonderful, and I can't wait to see what you come up with! Good luck!

Tom.
 
#53
The features I would desire are an EQ section like a 680 Aguilar. Being able to adjust the Q, and being able to fully sweep frequencies to be able to pull out a particularly bad band because of a venue would be excellent.

The other two elements in a desirable bass amp to me relate to power. The new Sadowsky amp is wonderful by all accounts, but the thing that is making me give it second and third thoughts is the fact that it is 200 watts. Now 200 would be fine for my jazz calls, and singer/songwriter calls, but for hard rock/metal, 200 just isn't enough to play over a big hitting drummer and two guitar players plus keys. To me, 300 watts would be the difference between admiring and buying.

Similarly, headroom is vital. One of the greatest things about the Aguilar 750 is its gobs of headroom. Seemingly no matter how hard I'm playing, when I have to nail a huge note, the 750 always has the reserve to accomodate me without petering out. Having that kind of reserve is important for rock and funk bass players.

Thanks for listening to us.
 
#56
tombowlus said:
While I find myself generally more pleased when I do not use a compressor, if I decide to run with compression and my head (or preamp) doesn't have a killer onboard compressor - like the V8's), then I just bring along my Demeter Compulator. It's small, not terribly expensive, and it sounds great (to me, at least) while doing what you want it to do (compression, of course!).

Tom.
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hmm...

i think in this case an F/X loop is best.

sometimes for gigs where its mostly fingerstyle stuff, then no compressor if i can get away w/ it. but once i start the slappin', i.e. on some gospel, gotta have the compressor.

but frankly, i think Brad is building something that's more straight up plug 'n play, and deep down inside that really resonantes w/ me. my Alessandro Basset Hound is literally just volume, treb, mid, bass, and cause it sounds sooo good, i'm more than happy to leave it at that.

as long as there's plenty of wattage, i think Brad'll have something killer here. the only real point of contention up until now is the tone stack. again, guitars are one thing, while bass is a completely whole other.
 
#57
tombowlus said:
(...) I might also suggest an "EQ bypass" option. For every preamp I have which has this feature, I tend to prefer the sound of the bypassed signal (when using a good bass in a neutral room, at least).
(...)
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BRILLANT!!!

inside1-guinness.jpg
 
#60
jokerjkny said:
hehe...

but seriously, i really like the idea of a "bypass" EQ section. i wouldnt mind at all using just my MTD or Sadowsky's onboard pre to shape my tone, while letting the tubes of the Jacksonworks amp do its thing.

:cool:
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HA!!
The Gear Page!!
A very close and good friend of mine and also my guitar player is Scott Peterson. The Admin of the Gear Page!
 
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