still overkill any way ya look at it (which arena did you say your playin at 
), for me i'd stay with the 6l6's i just like their tone. oh and now I'm buildin a bass amp too. sumfin simple for the local muso's club just volume bass and treble 2x 6l6pp into a 2x12 bin or maybe a single 15" combo. seems the one there is to complected, some stupid sod keeps blowin it up.(no such thing as idiot proof just proof there's idiots ) so this one will be on the kiss principle, might make it with a flat faceplate too.
), for me i'd stay with the 6l6's i just like their tone. oh and now I'm buildin a bass amp too. sumfin simple for the local muso's club just volume bass and treble 2x 6l6pp into a 2x12 bin or maybe a single 15" combo. seems the one there is to complected, some stupid sod keeps blowin it up.(no such thing as idiot proof just proof there's idiots ) so this one will be on the kiss principle, might make it with a flat faceplate too.Still working on the cabinet.
I'm not going to do any electrical mods until I live with it for awhile, just like you shouldn't try to change your spouse 'till you've lived together a while. But I do have some ideas. And some questions.
People tell me that generally for bass I might consider converting to a more powerful tube type, re-bias, and convert from ultralinear to a more blackface output section (of course there is no such thing as a blackface with 6 outputs). Sounds risky, not knowing whether the pi/driver will push other tube types. I still don't know whether the 'unpopular' breakup mode of the ultralinear output will be a problem, or whether I'll ever even get loud enough to enter that territory.
So: is a real SVT ultralinear output?
How much has to change to make it NOT ultralinear? Is this something that can be done with some switches, so its very easily reversible?
I'm not going to do any electrical mods until I live with it for awhile, just like you shouldn't try to change your spouse 'till you've lived together a while. But I do have some ideas. And some questions.
People tell me that generally for bass I might consider converting to a more powerful tube type, re-bias, and convert from ultralinear to a more blackface output section (of course there is no such thing as a blackface with 6 outputs). Sounds risky, not knowing whether the pi/driver will push other tube types. I still don't know whether the 'unpopular' breakup mode of the ultralinear output will be a problem, or whether I'll ever even get loud enough to enter that territory.
So: is a real SVT ultralinear output?
How much has to change to make it NOT ultralinear? Is this something that can be done with some switches, so its very easily reversible?
I got the tolex on. But I'm really disappointed in the latex glue. It's still a contact-type cement, just not a great one. The cabinet looks great, but the glue is not sticking worth a damn. I'm really disappointed in the glue. I tried mutliple techniques, and it's just not a strong enough glue for the job. Which really pisses me off considering all the labor involved.
Matching cream cover is coming soon. I had someone make one, rather than doig it myself. Big enough to glue in some pieces of masonit to protect the knobs and the top.
I have an inexpensive quilt that matches the color nicely, which I might also sew into a complete wrap to protect even the bottom. I don't really want a road case unless it ever really goes on the road.
I have an inexpensive quilt that matches the color nicely, which I might also sew into a complete wrap to protect even the bottom. I don't really want a road case unless it ever really goes on the road.
O sad to here your probs with the glue, worrring as the glue i hav is latex bassed too. hows the build commin other than that, any pics? im' still watin on the sign writer to do my front pannel did most of the art work myself took it in 2 weeks ago hadn't hered anything so went in on friday "oh" says he "was just about to look at your one" so hopefully i'll get it back end of this week then i can drill the chassis. Why does everything take soooo long. oh well might be going for new years. (beter arrange a gig).
Sad to hear about your trouble.
I make guitar amps commercially for over 43 years now.
Always used nasty solvent based contact cement.
Tried to move away from hydrocarbon solvents, wasted a year testing all brands of water based ones ... none works.
Plain and simple.
To be more precise, they do, sort of, with thin very flexible covering materials, including cloth (Tweed and Denim).
I developed a technique with PVA (carpenter's glue) and used it for the last 2 years, on health concerns, but it's a mixed blessing.
Once dry, it's better than anything else, but it has no tacking , so it's fine on a flat surface, but a bitch on bent edges (wrap around) and useless on corners.
I apply some staples here and there, but they either must be used on edges that are later hidden by front and back panels (or amp chassis) or removed one by one.
The last 100 Ft Tolex roll I bought came in heavy thickness and after two cabinets where I got crazy fighting "bubbles", I had to bite the bullet and go back to Toluene/Xylene contact cement.
I had forgotten what a cool adhesive it was.
Nasty fumes, of course.
I make guitar amps commercially for over 43 years now.
Always used nasty solvent based contact cement.
Tried to move away from hydrocarbon solvents, wasted a year testing all brands of water based ones ... none works.
Plain and simple.
To be more precise, they do, sort of, with thin very flexible covering materials, including cloth (Tweed and Denim).
I developed a technique with PVA (carpenter's glue) and used it for the last 2 years, on health concerns, but it's a mixed blessing.
Once dry, it's better than anything else, but it has no tacking , so it's fine on a flat surface, but a bitch on bent edges (wrap around) and useless on corners.
I apply some staples here and there, but they either must be used on edges that are later hidden by front and back panels (or amp chassis) or removed one by one.
The last 100 Ft Tolex roll I bought came in heavy thickness and after two cabinets where I got crazy fighting "bubbles", I had to bite the bullet and go back to Toluene/Xylene contact cement.
I had forgotten what a cool adhesive it was.
Nasty fumes, of course.
I think people who love the latex glue like I got from Rocket Cabs like that it can be used as a cross between contact and air-dry glue. You can use it wet but as it dries you can use it like a contact type. I might be having even more trouble because I spray painted the cabinet with appliance epoxy for strength and consistency before I started, so the wood is smooth and solid and doesnt' breathe at all, and I don't imagine the vinyl breathes much, so any glue that's not dry may never dry. I finished the task with the latex, but I'm concerned that it really won't last as long as good old fashioned contact cement. The contact cement sold at Home Depot & Lowes etc. (mostly for formica laminates and wood veneers) also offer less smelly non-flammable versions now, which are probably also latex-base but might be heavier-bodied. I have to admit the latex stuff brushed well and very smoothly. It would probably be OK for large cabinets. But the details on the front of a fender-type cab are demanding. Even fender just wraps a seperate sheet on the top, preferring the lap joint on the top over mitred corners for long-term durability. But some people mentioned the old-fashioned glue also softened the tolex, making corners and seams work nicely. Others complained that it allowed the tolex to stretch during gluing and then shrink afterward. I imagine neither effect occurs much if you let the contact cement dry completely before assembly. The latex just didn't seem to stick all that well in the critical mitred corner details I decided to use. In the end, I coated all butt seams with the vinyl glue they use for seamless flooring. Vinyl cement for beach balls and waterbeds might be more affordable, the flooring cement was very expensive but included stuff to match the degree of gloss/matte/flat. I used only about 1/16 stripe of it; it doesn't seem to really melt the vinyl to any depth but seems more like a clear layer on top. It made the bottom butt seam completely invisible. The mitred front panel seams started out less perfect and ended up les perfect. The problem with the flooring seaming stuff is that the matte additive is already in a mixing bottle; it's not meant to be used in partial batches, they expect you to mix it all, which is wasteful when I only need a few drops.
I added air intake grates from the tops of Marshalls to the bottom of the amp, routed in flush. I made the openings a bit too large for the screws to bite sufficient wood, so I had to epoxy in some thin strips.
The strap handles I used were such a nice color match to the blonde! But I mounted the supports a bit too far apart and used T-nuts, kind of a pain to relocate, and yiou can barely fit your hand under the handle. So I'm making some polished aluminum bases for under the handle supports, mostly to make it easier to get your hand under but also to add strength, as this is pretyt heavy for just one handle.
Now I ran out of wheat grille cloth with little silver (not gold) strips and little balck threads. I'm really not sure which side I was even supposed to use. I used the less flashy side, maybe it was supposed to be the back? But I want the speaker cabinets to match and I can't figure out where I bought it...too late now as I bought a lot of the really plain wheat which looks good with the tolex (if a bit boring). Now I bought some fender 4/12 bottoms from the Roc Pro series, with metal grate grilles. They look too punk IMHO, but were only about $100 each. Fender made similar cabs with grille cloth and they sell for a lot more, so I'll probably add a grille cloth frame and grille cloth to each.
If I did it again I would not use the Marshall grates on the bottom, they will probably get destroyed when somebody sets the amp on an uneven surface. I should add additional rubber feet to prevent that, and also to allow this huge head to sit on various size bottoms but avoid some common indentations for wheels when stacking.
I added air intake grates from the tops of Marshalls to the bottom of the amp, routed in flush. I made the openings a bit too large for the screws to bite sufficient wood, so I had to epoxy in some thin strips.
The strap handles I used were such a nice color match to the blonde! But I mounted the supports a bit too far apart and used T-nuts, kind of a pain to relocate, and yiou can barely fit your hand under the handle. So I'm making some polished aluminum bases for under the handle supports, mostly to make it easier to get your hand under but also to add strength, as this is pretyt heavy for just one handle.
Now I ran out of wheat grille cloth with little silver (not gold) strips and little balck threads. I'm really not sure which side I was even supposed to use. I used the less flashy side, maybe it was supposed to be the back? But I want the speaker cabinets to match and I can't figure out where I bought it...too late now as I bought a lot of the really plain wheat which looks good with the tolex (if a bit boring). Now I bought some fender 4/12 bottoms from the Roc Pro series, with metal grate grilles. They look too punk IMHO, but were only about $100 each. Fender made similar cabs with grille cloth and they sell for a lot more, so I'll probably add a grille cloth frame and grille cloth to each.
If I did it again I would not use the Marshall grates on the bottom, they will probably get destroyed when somebody sets the amp on an uneven surface. I should add additional rubber feet to prevent that, and also to allow this huge head to sit on various size bottoms but avoid some common indentations for wheels when stacking.
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What I haven't tried is spray contact cement, which I have a few cans of. I also have a few cans of 3M spray rubber & vinyl cement to check out.
Next is to add some stainless grates to the back, to prevent people from putting the footswitch into the cabinet and breaking tubes. I'll have another angle-shaped stainless grate in the upper back, between the chassis bottom and top of the back plate, to further protect the tubes.
Next is to add some stainless grates to the back, to prevent people from putting the footswitch into the cabinet and breaking tubes. I'll have another angle-shaped stainless grate in the upper back, between the chassis bottom and top of the back plate, to further protect the tubes.
I got the cover, from amplifiercovers.com
The color match to the blonde is very nice. The handle opening has a nice tongue to protect the cabinet from drity hands.
I want to add something semi-rigid inside the cover at the top and the angled area that covers the faceplate and knobs. The knobs and pots need protection IMHO.
The color match to the blonde is very nice. The handle opening has a nice tongue to protect the cabinet from drity hands.
I want to add something semi-rigid inside the cover at the top and the angled area that covers the faceplate and knobs. The knobs and pots need protection IMHO.
I can't figure out what to glue inside the soft vinyl amp cover to reinforce it at the top and across the knobs. Maybe something rigid like plastic or spring-tempered stainless, or maybe something like masonite (though I would prefer something a little thinner). I want the cover to maintain its shape across the top, despite the scallop I cut toward the back to access the speaker jack and footswitch jack etc. And like I mientioned, I want something rigid protecting the knobs, and some padding there too.
Maybe I'll just leave it, so that it folds easier.
Maybe I'll just leave it, so that it folds easier.
Now I've got the first real problem with this amp. There's just one band of the rotary graphic EQ which does nothing at all. There's only 3 parts involved: a small inductor, a cap, and a rare pot with a strange fourth tap. So I'm going to hope it's the capacitor. With the cap and inductor in series either could cause complete failure. Of course, I should check the wires soldered onto the pot first!
I really like the aluminum reflector / insulator (more reflector) on the Sound City chassis basket case I picked up. Same on many HIWATT amps, plus often another aluminum reflector on the nearby transformer. This amp could definitely use something similar! I went way out of my way to make the cabinet flow air but it's still really hot; way too hot for long-term reliability IMHO. At the least I can protect some parts.
Sylvania 6v6 - YouTube
scored some 58' grey glass 6v6 for the stealth HOLY ****! lol these smoke the **** out of all the new stuff and even better than my GEs I had Amazing lol, I was really really missing that snappy/zing thing in the mids lol
scored some 58' grey glass 6v6 for the stealth HOLY ****! lol these smoke the **** out of all the new stuff and even better than my GEs I had Amazing lol, I was really really missing that snappy/zing thing in the mids lol
i found the problem wih the one band of the rotary graphic EQ. The inductor is intermittent! Bend the leads and it goes off/on/off. At first I measured it and it was completel open, removed it and it measured OK but kind of 'blinking' on & off and I thought maybe it was the meter probe on the VTVM. So I wired it in on one side and touched the wire to the other end, and played guitar...could hear it go on & off when I push or pull on the leads.
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