Marcel's scratch build AC15 based clone

[DrNomis_44]

Looking cool Marcel, once she's up and running you'll have to do a demo of it so we can all hear what the amp sounds like mate.


I'm definitely going to have to start ordering the new bits and pieces I need for rebuilding the amp head I'm making, it's been languishing in a partially worked-on state for far too long for my liking.

[Marcel]

Thanks Dedman...

Don't rush Doc... though it does hang heavy on the heart when a project like that sits unusable and dormant...

Last night I did some receipt number crunching and Ebay auction surfing and the better value odds are on the 2nd hand market. It turns out that I could have bought a real complete near new 2nd hand VOX AC30 plus a trip to Melbourne to pick it up for near the same dollars this clone AC15 head has cost me. Well almost, I will have a small stack of spare bits and tubes left over as sometimes (most times) I had to buy 10 or 25 when I only needed 1 or 3. Much food for the digestion of others who seek to follow my footsteps...

However, The money is spent now, and unlike a real VOX AC30 this build is at the mercy of my customising whims... so I'll just march (build) on forward and we all will see/hear wherever I end up...

(Note to self - learn how to upload to soundcloud...)

[DrNomis_44]

Thanks Dedman...

Don't rush Doc... though it does hang heavy on the heart when a project like that sits unusable and dormant...

Last night I did some receipt number crunching and Ebay auction surfing and the better value odds are on the 2nd hand market. It turns out that I could have bought a real complete near new 2nd hand VOX AC30 plus a trip to Melbourne to pick it up for near the same dollars this clone AC15 head has cost me. Well almost, I will have a small stack of spare bits and tubes left over as sometimes (most times) I had to buy 10 or 25 when I only needed 1 or 3. Much food for the digestion of others who seek to follow my footsteps...

However, The money is spent now, and unlike a real VOX AC30 this build is at the mercy of my customising whims... so I'll just march (build) on forward and we all will see/hear wherever I end up...

(Note to self - learn how to upload to soundcloud...)

Uploading to soundcloud is relatively easy, although you need to go through the initial registering process, which reminds me, I need to pay for more time if I want to upload more stuff to soundcloud.

[Marcel]

I lashed out and ordered a Behringer U-PHORIA UMC204HD USB 2.0 Audio Recording Interface as my current AtoD interfaces just are not up to the job. Hopefully the new input device will yield better and more consistent results.

Did some hunting in the shed and found some items of golden info. The Radiotron book is circa 1940 and is chock full of tube theory, as is the 1947 RCA receiving tube manual. The 1974 Philips pocket book and the RCA book both have lots of tube data text and info but neither is the book that I was actually looking for.

The guitar book is from 1982 and has plenty of interesting tid bits of current and forgotten info....

[Fretworn]

I have a very well worn copy of "The Guitar Handbook". I think it is in my daughter's room because she uses the chord book in the back.

[WeirdBits]

Yep Frets, excellent book, was glancing through my old copy just the other day.

[DrNomis_44]

I've got a more up to date copy of that guitar handbook, definitely worth the money, and I'd be the first one to recommend that all guitarists buy themselves a copy, whether they play bass or guitar, the music theory section alone is worth the money, plus there's a useful preamp project that you can build on a small piece of Veroboard and install in your guitar, I've built it and it does work well.

[Marcel]

Output stage and HT power supply wired.

Not exactly happy with the current amplifier main common ground point which may get changed if it all bugs me too much. Ground commons point for the amplifier will not be chassis earth but a point separated by a 10 ohm resistor, two diodes and a 220nF cap in an effort to minimise potential ground loops with external connected equipments (like pedals).

FYI - the tremolo oscillator output feeds into the amp via the two 220k output tube grid resistors that in other amps are normally held solid at ground potential.

[Guvna19]

impressive skills - much jealously watching this thread - I want a 'Marcel' built amp

[Marcel]

Thanks for the compliment Guv... but lets wait til we hear it before making rash decisions....lol