Have no pets so I’ve been developing my nose to perform accurate sniff tests myself! Building a cab with this series playing in background it occurs to me how much of a pain it would be to have to video my progress. My hat’s off UD!!
Our sniffers pale by comparison to those of cats and dogs, William, so good luck ;) Yes, making a video greatly increases the time and effort required to repair an amp.
The greatest things about these videos are the caliber of knowledge being shared and the genuine charm from the light-hearted segments. Keep on trucking, Rusty and Doug!
Hey Uncle Doug and Rusty, oh and Jack the cat, Very informative and very fine looking amp. It's all about how its built. Love the series, inspirational. Nights are gettin' colder hear in Oregon. Take care, Cass.
I have a Crate V50 with a similar design cabinet(much larger) and it has a unique sound. Though the cabinet seems thinner than your proven 3/4" pine choice, it still breathes well. As always thanks for sharing! That Jack will make fine production engineer one of these days. Thankz
+Audio Tech Labs You're welcome, ATL. Thin cabinets probably resonate better, but since the vast majority of guitar amps are open-backed, I doubt that it makes all that much difference. Jack is proving to be a very creative force on the Workshop Dog Enterprises team.
This is fantastic! I won't ever build my own amp but I have been dreaming of designing some home brew speakers and your method for coming up with dimensions is just awesome. Thanks for sharing this. :)
I really like the thoughtful consideration in your design of not only all the working amp parts but the cabinet as well. I see you are going for just what is needed as far as spaceand the design will be compact. No wasted space. If it were me designing the cabinet, I might be a little more liberal with the size, being that you are using a 12 inch speaker. It may not really matter as far as sound goes, but I would maybe want it to somewhat over-sized if only for personal esthetics reasons. Nonetheless, its a blast watching you, and your crew taking us on the journey to how-to vintage amp build town. Cheers!
Mark Batten, your comment had no Reply capability, so I'll answer up here. I widened the cabinet a little and the tubes are at either side of the chassis (not in the middle) so they really aren't very close to the magnet. To be honest, in my experience, proximity to speaker magnets is more a heating problem for the magnet than an electrical issue within the tubes.
Great video series, really loving'Rusty's intermezzo's! I have really old (probably 60's) funky looking AlNiCo 12" speaker lying around. Im still a poor student but when I get my first paychecks I will try to build a cool vintage style tube combo for it. Thanks for making these great video's!
Thanks Doug for the video and clear explanations of the cabinet plan, looking forward to the build, the excitement is building. I too like the ruler trick as do quiet a few of your viewers. ha ha love the Tesla joke must have been a difficult choice for Rusty. Jack is getting into everything at the moment. All the best to you all. Colin
+mixolydian2010 You're welcome, Colin. Jack is proving to be a real prodigy. I fear that he may lead a cabal to overthrow me as CEO of Workshop Dog Enterprises. The Tesla joke was his idea (naturally).
Excellent video as always. You never disappoint us. Also: Thank you for not referring to "height" as "heigth". I don't know why heigth bothers me but it just does. I'm sure Rusty and Jack will agree. :-))
+crazyuncleduke9 It's good to hear from another crazy uncle, Duke. Thanks so much. Thank heavens Rusty corrected my pronunciation before the video was shot.
Nice video as always. Can't wait for the next videos - chassis fabrication and point-to-point wiring in particular. I'm at about the same point you are except my designs still need some tweaking and I still have some parts I have to order.
13:05: Oh my my. Uncle Doug. Ni-Cola Tesla? Maybe we should call him Coca-Cola? (I bet he is rolling around in his grave). The accent is on the first rather than the second syllable: Ni'kola rather than Niko'la. Thank you. Paul
Hello Doug. Another very well done video.I really like the ruler trick. I see Jack has taken the job of sniff inspector and Rusty CEO :) Looking forward to more in this series. All the best. Bobby
+Bobby Tectalabyss Thanks, Bobby. If the parts were outside, in the workshop, then Rusty has sniffing duty. Inside the house, Jack takes over. Glad you liked the video :)
I'm sure you have attachment of the back doors accounted for. Maybe 3/4 cleat? And that won't interfere with the tank? Love all the videos- thanks Now off to part five where my answers have likely been addressed
+Dr. Hodge You're welcome, Dr H. Yes, there are three cleats bracing the lower rear panel, which is permanently attached. The upper rear panel is attached to the flanges of the metal chassis with sheet metal screws. This will be evident in Part 6.
Another excellent demonstration. I use the same cm=inch technique unless I need more reduction, then I reach for my architects scale and reading glasses. :)) It would be nice to train Jack to sniff out the best sounding tubes. :))
I have built some speaker cabinets. I have found that the bolt flanges on speakers are larger than the speaker size. For a 12 in. speaker the total diameter of the speaker flange is closer to 12 1/2 inches. It is the cone that is twelve inches.
Uncle Doug, I see you do your drawings the way I do. The "sniff test"..yes, my cat does the same thing, curious by nature. Details, details, (yawn), but it's good to check clearances of the components on a proper scaled drawing...very "old school" as opposed to: " just go ahead and build it and hope to God it all fits" LOL! What's this you say? Rusty may have been Tesla's trusty assistant? I guess he's very humble and prefers the dog cookie over any fame and notoriety. As they say sometimes...... "the "tale" wags the dog'.
+SuperCarver2011 I would be lost without my furry assistants. Besides all the hard work they do, they provide a nice distraction. Yes, Rusty has had quite a career over the years......remind me to tell you about his days with Edison and Faraday :)
this project looks interesting! have you ever thought about making a cabinet with some good forniture wood, just paint it and leave it without any tolex ? i'm not a fan of mesa boogie amps but take a look of how beautiful are their mark V wooden cabinets
+matteo pancrazi I have considered a bare wood cabinet, Matteo.....not for this build, but for a future one. I'll post the results if it happens. Thanks :)
+Uncle Doug My nic isn't the strangest one on YT but it's unique and probably understandable by those of us who survived the 70's. It is a combination of Sluggo and the Bass-o-Matic from the early SNL days. Using Mr. Bill was just too easy. :)
Great video Uncle Doug !! I plan on following this instruction to the letter on my upcoming project !! I do have one question - regarding the cabinet dimension planning for the reverb tank. Does that tank have the input jacks on the top ? If not - do we need to plan a little extra space on the sides (left/right; or front/back ?) for the cables to protrude? I would guess they might take about 1 1/2 inches !! Waiting for your next installment with great anticipation !!
+Donald Filbert Thanks, Donald. The cables are pretty flexible, with RCA jacks, so they really don't require much room. Recall that Fender encloses them in a snug vinyl bag with the tank.
Great line of planning.!.... with your repair / mod / improve type approach.....will repair /replacements of parts become an issue with the speaker set tightly behind the chassis? or is the front mount baffle a solution for that? THANK YOU
+Brian Hensley You're welcome, Brian. The snug fit is necessary to achieve a reasonably "thin" cabinet (from front to back), and is not really unusual in a compact amp such as this. Once the cabinet is covered with material, the clearance can not be easily modified by moving the baffle, especially since I intend to overlay the speaker baffle with a decorative grill. I haven't started building the cabinet yet, and may alter it's width for some additional clearance, or may tilt the speaker upward, as in the red Supro, so the magnet (tilted down) clears the chassis......we'll see.
Mercury Magnetics has a wonderful reputation and great products, Sean, but they are very expensive. I am completely satisfied with Classic Tone transformers, particularly when they are sold at 1/2 to 1/3 the price of the equivalent MM unit.
Just curious. Will you be using a variac to slowly bring up the power to observe how things are going when the time comes? Also, is there like a break-in period for some of the components, like a new car for example. You don't want to just blast it out on day one do you?
+Krang Gangs Greetings, Lee. No, I'll just use a Current Limiter. I generally reserve the Variac for slow-starting vintage circuits that have been sitting, unused for many years. The only item that needs breaking in in an amp is the speaker, and the one I'm using has been broken in for almost 50 years :) I could indeed blast it out immediately.....but probably won't. I tend to go fairly easy on vintage speakers.
Hello Uncle Doug, A quick question. Heat wise, is there any benefit to choose a TR, that's doesnt sits in the chassis but rather stays out, or there is no great advantage, and its just going to use a lot more extra space for nothing?
I would say there is no benefit, with regard to heat dispersion, to either transformer style, Pan, and they both cover approximately the same "floor space" on the chassis. The stand-up is easier to mount (no big hole to cut in chassis), and the lay-down version doesn't require that all the wires pass through one or two small holes in the chassis. It's a tie :)
Just when I thought I wasn't going to build another amp;-) I'm still trying to bolt in my speaker into my 5G9 combo build and I'm already looking at my Transformers laying around for this project. I have a set of Allen Amp Transformers(Heyboers)The PT is the T25( 310V-0-310V @ 150ma, 6.3V at 4.5A, 5V at 2A. 50V bias tap, center-tapped) and the T011c output(8,000 ohm primary to 8 or 16 ohm secondary for use with a single 6V6. 4,000 ohm to 4 or 8 ohm for use with a single 6L6, EL34 or two 6V6s in parallel. Rated 95ma continuous! I think these will work great for this build and bankrupt me, I do have a Hammond 290CAX(315-0-315@115ma,6.3v@2A,5v@2A) in my stash as well. Thank you for all your help
I realize that this video is a year old, but I'm wondering how the amp's tone is affected by the relatively small size of the cabinet. Is there any significant trade off there for the compactness?
Since the cabinet is open-backed, I don't think that its internal volume has much effect on the tone, Sam. In closed cabinets, I believe the situation is quite different.
I love your cabinets, Uncle D. So classy! Here's a question I've been meaning to ask. Where do you get your timber from? I typically see awful stuff at my local Lowe's.
+Alva Goldbook Both Lowe's and Home Depot have sections for high-grade lumber. It costs a lot more, but it's way better than the kindling wood they sell in the regular lumber area. Look around or ask them.....it's there somewhere :)
+J'llysa Dobson I think it's probably how the original was first constructed, JD. It would make a wonderful project. I'll keep it in mind for the future. Thanks.
Rusty, of all assistants to Nicola, had the vision which was of using not strictly Direct Current, but A/C and stepped down D/C as needed, marking his shift in paradigm.
Amazing series, enjoying every second of it! It is nice to see fellow countryman Nikola Tesla who had probably moved to US because of the ability to receive parts in 2 1/2 days ;) BTW, how does Rusty react to Jack and vice versa, are they allowed to be together in the same scene by their agents? :)
+Marko Delac Thanks so much, Marko. Rusty, who was Tesla's assistant back in the 30's, told me that the relocation was indeed for rapid parts delivery......and he really liked the pizza in New York. Rusty and Jack are wary of each other and don't engage in much social contact. They do, however, exchange gifts at Christmas :)
For your audience (and you): A possible source for a less expensive speaker that may nevertheless be very good sounding, check out Hempopotamus Loudspeakers on reverb.com. They take old speakers (many are alnico, every brand imaginable) and re-cone them with their own, homemade hemp cones. I have not tried one, so this is just a lead to follow. And thank you, thank you, thank you, for this particular video series! Cheers, Roger
Hello Doug, you didn't show the internal outline of the tubes coming out from the chassis. Is this not an important consideration to make sure you have adequate internal clearance to the speaker etc? Would it be better to design the chassis first and then the cabinet?
+allanpennington A good point, Allan. Since the tubes will be protruding straight downward from the center of the chassis floor, clearance with the speaker should not be an issue, but I do have a little concern about having enough room to tuck in the power cord and footswitch. I'll draw them in and see. If clearance is inadequate, I will reduce the chassis height.
stone age good for me. gunna be awesome. that inch to cm thing is handy. never thought of it before. im sure tesla will be glad you guys are thinking of him. i hope there isnt a problem with the speaker. i dont think that one was approved with the sniff test. maybee you could hand hammer a recess for the mag cover in the chassis. btw.....tesla opened for styx and def leppard in july. (woops....wrong tesla)
+R HEIDEMAN As you will see, RH, stone age is probably a flattering term for my methods......but they work, more or less :) Rusty attended that concert and threw his dog collar onto the stage when he mistook one of the musicians for his former mentor, NT.
+Bill Trom Yes, you simply compress the cabinet vertically, using clearance for the chassis and (ability to remove) tubes with reverb tank in place (if you have one) as the determiner of your vertical height. Parts of the Jeep have been visible in a few videos, but I may do a quick overview as a break in a future video......maybe even Part 5.
Attempt as I did to begin project to amp and was great success designing & ordering parts. Project failure did due to parts not pass muster of pets sniff test. What to do now, re-order different parts (or should be pets changed?) for re-pet muster sniff test to be success to project?
Greetings, Netty. Apparently, your new parts didn't meet expectations. We always order from Antique Electronic Supply......never a bad part yet. Better luck in the future :)
+Dan Berthelot I haven't made a steel chassis in a while, and steel was the material used in the vintage amps.....Valco, Fender, Gibson, Supro, etc. There is no electrolysis between the steel chassis and the steel components that are attached to it, including bolted ground lugs....while there is between an aluminum chassis and steel components.
Am I insane for wanting to build a Marshall JMP with switchable Super Lead (1959/1987)/Super Bass circuit (1992/1986) and switchable 100/50W? Would it be better to just purchase a 4x12 cab instead of making it from scratch?
+Uncle Doug Good to know :) Although I survived last long waiting period couple months ago so I'll be fine :) Also thanks for this series because it's another motivation for me :D
if the speaker is close to the amplifier does the magnet on the speaker have any effect on the function of the amplifier? (interference with the induction in the transformers or electron flow in the tubes)
This is an excellent question, Jon, and one that I have spent some time contemplating. From experience, I believe that the magnetic field has no apparent ill effect upon the tubes or transformers.....but that the heat of the tubes in close proximity to the magnet may, over time, diminish its magnetic strength.
thanks for the quick response. i had not even considered the effect on the speaker! i guess that is why you are the guru and i am just a dedicated follower! thanks again!
Jack the black cat Is a gorgeous kitty Cats are not as domesticated like Dogs are. The domestic cats we know generally came from the middle east Part of rhe world starting in ancient Egypt living in the wild When the climate was mild and the land was more green with foliage and trees. They lived on small Critters to kill and eat Mm yummy. Then when the climate turned harsh and hotter They began to move closer to people to find The critters they needed because they Lived in and around The houses to. Cats began to get used To people.besides Cats are people to Haha,and began to make friends with the people and because of there wit and cunning The Egyptians worshiped them At some time. They became more tame And domesticated but not as much as Dogs. After that they were imported to Europe Then to other parts Of the world. Like the MaineCoon long Haired cat came from Europe to the state of Maine. That has the tabby stripe M shape on there forehead above there nose. Cats are acrobatic and funny playfull to. Nice build on the supro Clone custom amptifier Uncle Doug Dwight.
The pet interludes are possibly the best bits in these vids 😂👍
Thanks, Uriel. A little distraction is always welcome :)
Have no pets so I’ve been developing my nose to perform accurate sniff tests myself! Building a cab with this series playing in background it occurs to me how much of a pain it would be to have to video my progress. My hat’s off UD!!
Our sniffers pale by comparison to those of cats and dogs, William, so good luck ;) Yes, making a video greatly increases the time and effort required to repair an amp.
Never thought of using the metric side of a ruler for scaling an inch drawing... learned something new today. Thanks!
You're welcome, Tom.
Doug, I am finding this series both educational and fun to watch. Thanks for doing these, and all, your videos.
+Shaun Merrigan You're welcome, Shaun. Glad you are enjoying the videos :)
Uncle Doug does it again. Great video mate can't wait to see you tackle the fabrication of the chassis.
+Andy Wragg Thanks, Andy. As soon as I get through responding to comments, Rusty and I are headed to the workshop.....so stay tuned.
The greatest things about these videos are the caliber of knowledge being shared and the genuine charm from the light-hearted segments. Keep on trucking, Rusty and Doug!
+Sketch-Bat We will, SB, and thanks for the very kind appraisal :)
That Tesla gag got me.. well done sir.. well done..
Glad you enjoyed it, Morik.
Man that is a beautiful finished product / amplifier / case!!! stunning!
Thanks so much, QE. Glad you like it!
Love your cabinet design proposal; it is compact, neater, and easier to transport.
+John Cunningham Thanks, John. It turned out to be one of my favorite hand-built amps.
Great video Doug, many thanks. Always made better by the the involvement of Rusty and Jack.
You're welcome, SS......my mammalian cohorts appreciate your acknowledgement :)
Hot Damn, Uncle Doug....You're a piece of work. Luv ya brother . All the best to Rusty and krewe !
+Clifton Torrence Thanks so much, Clifton. Rusty and I say "back at ya'" :))
Jack,scratch build! I love it.
Thanks :)
Always interesting Doug, your channel is some of the best amp content anywhere on the internet and gotta love Rusty he's so cute!
Hey Uncle Doug and Rusty, oh and Jack the cat, Very informative and very fine looking amp. It's all about how its built. Love the series, inspirational. Nights are gettin' colder hear in Oregon. Take care, Cass.
+Cass Virgillo Thanks, Cass. Be sure to stay tuned as the building begins :) It was 94 here today, but much cooler at night.....thank heavens.
I have a Crate V50 with a similar design cabinet(much larger) and it has a unique sound. Though the cabinet seems thinner than your proven 3/4" pine choice, it still breathes well. As always thanks for sharing! That Jack will make fine production engineer one of these days. Thankz
+Audio Tech Labs You're welcome, ATL. Thin cabinets probably resonate better, but since the vast majority of guitar amps are open-backed, I doubt that it makes all that much difference. Jack is proving to be a very creative force on the Workshop Dog Enterprises team.
Pop the bubble wrap and watch the cat jump :-)
Seriously though, really enjoying this series of videos .. learning a ton. Thank you.
+StealthParrot You're welcome, SP. Glad you enjoy them :)
This is fantastic! I won't ever build my own amp but I have been dreaming of designing some home brew speakers and your method for coming up with dimensions is just awesome. Thanks for sharing this. :)
+Joe Collins You're welcome, Joe. Best of luck :)
Can't thank you enough for making these videos! Greetings from the UK!
+Phil Johari You're welcome, Phil. Rusty and I say hi to all our British viewers :)
I really like the thoughtful consideration in your design of not only all the working amp parts but the cabinet as well. I see you are going for just what is needed as far as spaceand the design will be compact. No wasted space. If it were me designing the cabinet, I might be a little more liberal with the size, being that you are using a 12 inch speaker. It may not really matter as far as sound goes, but I would maybe want it to somewhat over-sized if only for personal esthetics reasons. Nonetheless, its a blast watching you, and your crew taking us on the journey to how-to vintage amp build town. Cheers!
+Krang Gangs Thanks, Lee. I guess it's just a matter of taste, but it's kind of a challenge to make them as compact as possible.
This thing is gonna be magnificent.
Mark Batten, your comment had no Reply capability, so I'll answer up here. I widened the cabinet a little and the tubes are at either side of the chassis (not in the middle) so they really aren't very close to the magnet. To be honest, in my experience, proximity to speaker magnets is more a heating problem for the magnet than an electrical issue within the tubes.
Great video series, really loving'Rusty's intermezzo's! I have really old (probably 60's) funky looking AlNiCo 12" speaker lying around. Im still a poor student but when I get my first paychecks I will try to build a cool vintage style tube combo for it. Thanks for making these great video's!
Thanks Doug for the video and clear explanations of the cabinet plan, looking forward to the build, the excitement is building. I too like the ruler trick as do quiet a few of your viewers. ha ha love the Tesla joke must have been a difficult choice for Rusty. Jack is getting into everything at the moment. All the best to you all. Colin
+mixolydian2010 You're welcome, Colin. Jack is proving to be a real prodigy. I fear that he may lead a cabal to overthrow me as CEO of Workshop Dog Enterprises. The Tesla joke was his idea (naturally).
thanks for the time it takes to prepare for these youtubes... and nice work on the circuit stuff.
+brian foley You're welcome, Brian. We're glad you enjoy the videos :)
Jack performing yet another cat scan!!
Jack is a registered sniffologist with a B.S. in Component Analysis Techniques.....or CAT for short :)
Once again UD,,,,, thanks a lot. Really enjoy these and always learn.........Carl
+skycarl You're welcome, Carl. Thanks for watching :)
I 'd give anything to have one of these amplifiers made by you, each one more beautiful than the other omg :)
+René Michel Nunes Thanks so much, Rene, I appreciate your kind appraisal.
Excellent video as always. You never disappoint us.
Also: Thank you for not referring to "height" as "heigth".
I don't know why heigth bothers me but it just does.
I'm sure Rusty and Jack will agree. :-))
+crazyuncleduke9 It's good to hear from another crazy uncle, Duke. Thanks so much. Thank heavens Rusty corrected my pronunciation before the video was shot.
Nice video as always. Can't wait for the next videos - chassis fabrication and point-to-point wiring in particular. I'm at about the same point you are except my designs still need some tweaking and I still have some parts I have to order.
+sa230e Thanks, SA. Best of luck with your project.
Ha, I love Rusty !
+UOttawaScotty He appreciates it, Scotty :)
cool trick with the ruler!
+wardcheryldarcie Thanks. It makes dimension conversion quite simple.....which is always welcome :)
13:05: Oh my my. Uncle Doug. Ni-Cola Tesla? Maybe we should call him Coca-Cola? (I bet he is rolling around in his grave). The accent is on the first rather than the second syllable: Ni'kola rather than Niko'la. Thank you. Paul
Hello Doug. Another very well done video.I really like the ruler trick. I see Jack has taken the job of sniff inspector and Rusty CEO :)
Looking forward to more in this series.
All the best.
Bobby
+Bobby Tectalabyss Thanks, Bobby. If the parts were outside, in the workshop, then Rusty has sniffing duty. Inside the house, Jack takes over. Glad you liked the video :)
Very helpful information! Great series
Looks great so far
+Chris Barnes Thanks, Chris. Stay tuned....construction is about to start.
Amazing series!! Thanks!
+Scubasky You're welcome, Scuba :)
love this cab
+ian “valve doctor” forster Thanks, Ian.
I'm sure you have attachment of the back doors accounted for. Maybe 3/4 cleat? And that won't interfere with the tank?
Love all the videos- thanks
Now off to part five where my answers have likely been addressed
+Dr. Hodge You're welcome, Dr H. Yes, there are three cleats bracing the lower rear panel, which is permanently attached. The upper rear panel is attached to the flanges of the metal chassis with sheet metal screws. This will be evident in Part 6.
Cool Rusty is a time traveler.
+Watchman4u Yes, just one of his many extraordinary capabilities :)
Sweet. I will have to try this!
+ej222 Please do, EJ. It's not a cheap hobby, but a rewarding one :)
Uncle Doug I'm hoping your building a floating baffle on this one so I can see how you build it with a separate grill cloth
Actually, this one gets a fixed baffle, EJ. Maybe next time :)
Another excellent demonstration. I use the same cm=inch technique unless I need more reduction, then I reach for my architects scale and reading glasses. :)) It would be nice to train Jack to sniff out the best sounding tubes. :))
+bullthrush Thanks, Andrew. He tried it once but scorched his nose, so now I have to resort to a tube tester......bummer.
It is an interesting idea to do a cat scan of the parts upon delivery.
We are truly fortunate to have Jack available to scan all incoming packages.
I have built some speaker cabinets. I have found that the bolt flanges on speakers are larger than the speaker size. For a 12 in. speaker the total diameter of the speaker flange is closer to 12 1/2 inches. It is the cone that is twelve inches.
Thanks for your input, Willy.
Uncle Doug, I see you do your drawings the way I do.
The "sniff test"..yes, my cat does the same thing, curious by nature.
Details, details, (yawn), but it's good to check clearances of the components on a proper scaled drawing...very "old school"
as opposed to: " just go ahead and build it and hope to God it all fits" LOL!
What's this you say? Rusty may have been Tesla's trusty assistant? I guess he's very humble and prefers the dog cookie over any fame and notoriety. As they say sometimes...... "the "tale" wags the dog'.
+SuperCarver2011 I would be lost without my furry assistants. Besides all the hard work they do, they provide a nice distraction. Yes, Rusty has had quite a career over the years......remind me to tell you about his days with Edison and Faraday :)
this project looks interesting! have you ever thought about making a cabinet with some good forniture wood, just paint it and leave it without any tolex ?
i'm not a fan of mesa boogie amps but take a look of how beautiful are their mark V wooden cabinets
+matteo pancrazi I have considered a bare wood cabinet, Matteo.....not for this build, but for a future one. I'll post the results if it happens. Thanks :)
Awesome advice!
+Slugg0matic Thanks, Sluggo :)
+Uncle Doug My nic isn't the strangest one on YT but it's unique and probably understandable by those of us who survived the 70's. It is a combination of Sluggo and the Bass-o-Matic from the early SNL days. Using Mr. Bill was just too easy. :)
I remember both Sluggo and the Bass-o-Matic. I guess I'm an old-timer.
That sounds really interesting!!!
+joegile I'm glad, Joe.....stay tuned for more :)
Great video Uncle Doug !! I plan on following this instruction to the letter on my upcoming project !! I do have one question - regarding the cabinet dimension planning for the reverb tank. Does that tank have the input jacks on the top ? If not - do we need to plan a little extra space on the sides (left/right; or front/back ?) for the cables to protrude? I would guess they might take about 1 1/2 inches !! Waiting for your next installment with great anticipation !!
+Donald Filbert Thanks, Donald. The cables are pretty flexible, with RCA jacks, so they really don't require much room. Recall that Fender encloses them in a snug vinyl bag with the tank.
Great Video. !!!
+Alexander Ross Thanks, Alex :)
Great line of planning.!.... with your repair / mod / improve type approach.....will repair /replacements of parts become an issue with the speaker set tightly behind the chassis? or is the front mount baffle a solution for that? THANK YOU
+Brian Hensley You're welcome, Brian. The snug fit is necessary to achieve a reasonably "thin" cabinet (from front to back), and is not really unusual in a compact amp such as this. Once the cabinet is covered with material, the clearance can not be easily modified by moving the baffle, especially since I intend to overlay the speaker baffle with a decorative grill. I haven't started building the cabinet yet, and may alter it's width for some additional clearance, or may tilt the speaker upward, as in the red Supro, so the magnet (tilted down) clears the chassis......we'll see.
The only bad thing about these videos is waiting for the next one... :)
+Sean Edwards The wait should be a short one for Part 5.....it's almost done.
+Uncle Doug Nice :) Quick question... why did you go with ClassicTone over Mercury Magnetics? Do you think they're about the same quality?
Mercury Magnetics has a wonderful reputation and great products, Sean, but they are very expensive. I am completely satisfied with Classic Tone transformers, particularly when they are sold at 1/2 to 1/3 the price of the equivalent MM unit.
Uncle Doug ***** Thanks for the input. I built a vintage style Vox and used a Classic Tone PT but I used a MM OT. The MM OT was very expensive. Lol.
So funny! My cats and dogs always do the same thing...gotta sniff everything!
I guess they can learn a lot from a sniff. I'm not sure if I envy them :)
Just curious. Will you be using a variac to slowly bring up the power to observe how things are going when the time comes? Also, is there like a break-in period for some of the components, like a new car for example. You don't want to just blast it out on day one do you?
+Krang Gangs Greetings, Lee. No, I'll just use a Current Limiter. I generally reserve the Variac for slow-starting vintage circuits that have been sitting, unused for many years. The only item that needs breaking in in an amp is the speaker, and the one I'm using has been broken in for almost 50 years :) I could indeed blast it out immediately.....but probably won't. I tend to go fairly easy on vintage speakers.
Nicola Tesla's got nothing on a milky-bone! haha loved that!
+Dan79istheman I thought you might, Dan. Yes, old Rusty is a realist when it comes to choosing between sentiment and something edible.
Gotta love Jack's QA test!
Uncle Doug I hope the tubes are affected by being that close to the speaker. I am having a blast watching these videos thanks again
Hello Uncle Doug, A quick question. Heat wise, is there any benefit to choose a TR, that's doesnt sits in the chassis but rather stays out, or there is no great advantage, and its just going to use a lot more extra space for nothing?
I would say there is no benefit, with regard to heat dispersion, to either transformer style, Pan, and they both cover approximately the same "floor space" on the chassis. The stand-up is easier to mount (no big hole to cut in chassis), and the lay-down version doesn't require that all the wires pass through one or two small holes in the chassis. It's a tie :)
Just when I thought I wasn't going to build another amp;-) I'm still trying to bolt in my speaker into my 5G9 combo build and I'm already looking at my Transformers laying around for this project. I have a set of Allen Amp Transformers(Heyboers)The PT is the T25( 310V-0-310V @ 150ma, 6.3V at 4.5A, 5V at 2A. 50V bias tap, center-tapped) and the T011c output(8,000 ohm primary to 8 or 16 ohm secondary for use with a single 6V6. 4,000 ohm to 4 or 8 ohm for use with a single 6L6, EL34 or two 6V6s in parallel. Rated 95ma continuous! I think these will work great for this build and bankrupt me, I do have a Hammond 290CAX(315-0-315@115ma,6.3v@2A,5v@2A) in my stash as well. Thank you for all your help
+Lionel Berthelon You're welcome, Lionel. It sounds like either PT would probably work in this circuit. Best of luck.
Nice drawings!
Thanks
I realize that this video is a year old, but I'm wondering how the amp's tone is affected by the relatively small size of the cabinet. Is there any significant trade off there for the compactness?
Since the cabinet is open-backed, I don't think that its internal volume has much effect on the tone, Sam. In closed cabinets, I believe the situation is quite different.
I love your cabinets, Uncle D. So classy! Here's a question I've been meaning to ask. Where do you get your timber from? I typically see awful stuff at my local Lowe's.
+Alva Goldbook Both Lowe's and Home Depot have sections for high-grade lumber. It costs a lot more, but it's way better than the kindling wood they sell in the regular lumber area. Look around or ask them.....it's there somewhere :)
I've seen on a couple videos where people make a couple portable tape deck players into a tape delay. I would love to see your take on that.
+J'llysa Dobson I think it's probably how the original was first constructed, JD. It would make a wonderful project. I'll keep it in mind for the future. Thanks.
Rusty, of all assistants to Nicola, had the vision which was of using not strictly Direct Current, but A/C and stepped down D/C as needed, marking his shift in paradigm.
Indeed. Nick, as we call him, was effusive in his praise of Rusty, particularly during his later years, when Rusty essentially took over.
Hey Uncle Doug, I meant to say here in Oregon. Be good, C.
+Cass Virgillo We will, Cass :)
Amazing series, enjoying every second of it! It is nice to see fellow countryman Nikola Tesla who had probably moved to US because of the ability to receive parts in 2 1/2 days ;)
BTW, how does Rusty react to Jack and vice versa, are they allowed to be together in the same scene by their agents? :)
+Marko Delac Thanks so much, Marko. Rusty, who was Tesla's assistant back in the 30's, told me that the relocation was indeed for rapid parts delivery......and he really liked the pizza in New York. Rusty and Jack are wary of each other and don't engage in much social contact. They do, however, exchange gifts at Christmas :)
For your audience (and you): A possible source for a less expensive speaker that may nevertheless be very good sounding, check out Hempopotamus Loudspeakers on reverb.com. They take old speakers (many are alnico, every brand imaginable) and re-cone them with their own, homemade hemp cones. I have not tried one, so this is just a lead to follow. And thank you, thank you, thank you, for this particular video series! Cheers, Roger
+Roger Taylor You're welcome, Roger. That sounds like an interesting option for an updated vintage speaker. Thanks for sharing the info.
Hello Doug, you didn't show the internal outline of the tubes coming out from the chassis. Is this not an important consideration to make sure you have adequate internal clearance to the speaker etc? Would it be better to design the chassis first and then the cabinet?
+allanpennington A good point, Allan. Since the tubes will be protruding straight downward from the center of the chassis floor, clearance with the speaker should not be an issue, but I do have a little concern about having enough room to tuck in the power cord and footswitch. I'll draw them in and see. If clearance is inadequate, I will reduce the chassis height.
Thanks Doug, nice video :-) at first I thought you would use Tesla's image for the design of that amp's front cover :-D
+LowEndStrings You're welcome, LES. An interesting possibility, perhaps his image flocked on the grill cloth. Rusty would approve, I'm sure :)
+Uncle Doug haha! That would be mega awesome! :-D
Indeed :)))
stone age good for me. gunna be awesome. that inch to cm thing is handy. never thought of it before. im sure tesla will be glad you guys are thinking of him. i hope there isnt a problem with the speaker. i dont think that one was approved with the sniff test. maybee you could hand hammer a recess for the mag cover in the chassis. btw.....tesla opened for styx and def leppard in july. (woops....wrong tesla)
+R HEIDEMAN As you will see, RH, stone age is probably a flattering term for my methods......but they work, more or less :) Rusty attended that concert and threw his dog collar onto the stage when he mistook one of the musicians for his former mentor, NT.
I don't like making assumptions but to make a head unit we just eliminate the speaker ?
Also could you fit in a shot of your Jeep. I also have a CJ5
+Bill Trom Yes, you simply compress the cabinet vertically, using clearance for the chassis and (ability to remove) tubes with reverb tank in place (if you have one) as the determiner of your vertical height. Parts of the Jeep have been visible in a few videos, but I may do a quick overview as a break in a future video......maybe even Part 5.
Attempt
as I did to begin project to amp and was great success designing & ordering
parts.
Project failure did due to parts not pass muster of pets sniff test. What to do now, re-order different parts (or
should be pets changed?) for re-pet muster sniff test to be success to project?
Greetings, Netty. Apparently, your new parts didn't meet expectations. We always order from Antique Electronic Supply......never a bad part yet. Better luck in the future :)
Hi Doug, Just curious why you switched from Aluminum to steel for this chassis?
+Dan Berthelot I haven't made a steel chassis in a while, and steel was the material used in the vintage amps.....Valco, Fender, Gibson, Supro, etc. There is no electrolysis between the steel chassis and the steel components that are attached to it, including bolted ground lugs....while there is between an aluminum chassis and steel components.
Am I insane for wanting to build a Marshall JMP with switchable Super Lead (1959/1987)/Super Bass circuit (1992/1986) and switchable 100/50W?
Would it be better to just purchase a 4x12 cab instead of making it from scratch?
I can't answer your questions, Joshua. Only you know your desires and capabilities.....but my advice would be to at least try to build or obtain them.
Good.
+MrMac5150 Thanks.
Great! Now I have to wait for part 5 :(
+nusior It shouldn't be a long wait, Nusior. It's almost finished.
+Uncle Doug Good to know :) Although I survived last long waiting period couple months ago so I'll be fine :) Also thanks for this series because it's another motivation for me :D
You're welcome :)
Hit that like button as soon as I seen Tesla
I would be flattered if you watched and saved them, YT. Thanks for your very nice comment.
if the speaker is close to the amplifier does the magnet on the speaker have any effect on the function of the amplifier? (interference with the induction in the transformers or electron flow in the tubes)
This is an excellent question, Jon, and one that I have spent some time contemplating. From experience, I believe that the magnetic field has no apparent ill effect upon the tubes or transformers.....but that the heat of the tubes in close proximity to the magnet may, over time, diminish its magnetic strength.
thanks for the quick response. i had not even considered the effect on the speaker! i guess that is why you are the guru and i am just a dedicated follower! thanks again!
You're welcome, Jon. It's all observation and supposition on my part, but I believe it to be true.
Nikola Tesla,jedan od najvecih umova ikada!!! thanks Uncle Doug!
+bashchelik100 My Serbian is a little rusty (no pun intended), Bash, but Да, био је. Тханкс фор ватцхинг видео.
Fantastic video lesson as alway! (^^)
Thanks, KM. Glad you liked it :)
How much will it cost for a 200 watt valve uncle doug
If you mean a 200W tube amp......lots. It would require about 4 rectifiers and would be very complex and expensive.
I couldn't believe the way he treated his old student Tesla.
That's the "younger generation" for you ;)
Rusty looks like he has been hanging around the cookie jar, quite a bit.
+MrMac5150 It's solid muscle, Mr. M.....just like his partner (me) :))
Uncle Doug
Good one.
Ha ha... Big ol' steamer trunk full of cinder blocks... Sounds like a Fender Twin! ha ha....
My hernias aren't laughing, Chris ;)
1cm=1inch, seems legit Doug ;-) smallest cabinet ever ;-)
Disregard, I forgot the scale part ;D
No wonder my last amp build went horribly wrong.
I forgot to have the components sniff tested.
You're lucky to have survived the experience, V. A thorough sniff test is always essential.
I could listen to you talk all night.............
Be careful what you wish for, Julia :):)
uncle doug can you make me a valve amp please and send it to london
Yes, indeed, Delroy. I have several recently completed gems and was going to take them to the dump.....but I'll send them all if you want :):):)
Jack the black cat
Is a gorgeous kitty
Cats are not as domesticated like
Dogs are. The domestic cats we know generally came from the middle east
Part of rhe world starting in ancient Egypt living in the wild
When the climate was mild and the land was more green with foliage and trees.
They lived on small
Critters to kill and eat
Mm yummy. Then when the climate turned harsh and hotter
They began to move closer to people to find
The critters they needed because they
Lived in and around
The houses to. Cats began to get used
To people.besides
Cats are people to
Haha,and began to make friends with the people and because of there wit and cunning
The Egyptians worshiped them
At some time. They became more tame
And domesticated but not as much as Dogs. After that they were imported to Europe
Then to other parts
Of the world. Like the
MaineCoon long
Haired cat came from Europe to the state of
Maine. That has the tabby stripe M shape on there forehead above there nose.
Cats are acrobatic and funny playfull to.
Nice build on the supro
Clone custom amptifier Uncle Doug
Dwight.
Thanks for all the nice comments, Dwight.
Rusty Tesla.
They were best pals.....Rusty still misses him :)
Tesla 😂😂
He's my brother from another mother.....and father :)