Heyboer Transformers

[crisisat22]

anyone have an opinion on the Heyboer transformers? Primarily, the OT's? the Partridge clone to be specific?

thanks!

[Gaz]

sound great in my build, but it's not like i have the ca$h flow to A/B them with anything else. i'm using 300-0-300, 250mA, and a 50w 5k for the OT, fwiw. they are very affordable as well.

[Bruce / Mission Amps]

I could use any transformer winder out there but for nearly all my customs builds or refurbs, I use Heyboer trannys and chokes WAY WAY more then any other.
Hammond is real good too but their prices can be a little high.
MMs sound good and are well made, but they are too pricey unless you can buy a handful. And, they are made with modern (inexpensive) construction practices, including nylon bobbins. That cheaper construction method seems to be a negative with many of my customers.
The real trick is simply picking a good winder with solid musical instrument amplification experience and not some new crap from China, ROC, or Mexico.
I haven't heard an amp yet that if made with the junk from China, didn't take a nice leap up in tone when replacing the cheap ass transformers with higher quality iron from the USA or Canada.

[Chuck H]

I can't say about the Partridge clones but Heyboer treated me very well indeed. I worked with Alden (last name ???) and told him what I needed. He wound me two custom proprietary OT's for US $65.00 each. They even rushed the order for me as I was under the gun for Winter NAMM 2009. Then Alden actually stopped by our booth at the NAMM show just to ask how it worked out, super guy. The OT's were everything I hoped they would be. Alden's instincts and skills are well honed. Now I understand why they do so well specializing in custom guitar amp OT's. +++ on Heyboer products and services.

Chuck

[tedmich]

Is it just me or is their WEB site pretty hard to navigate? I can't find simple things like primary impedance, DCR, weight etc. just name brand amp "upgrades" with sparse technical detail.

Maybe I'm missing something!

[Diablo]

Originally Posted by tedmich

Is it just me or is their WEB site pretty hard to navigate? I can't find simple things like primary impedance, DCR, weight etc. just name brand amp "upgrades" with sparse technical detail.

Maybe I'm missing something!

Yep, I can't find out any decent info on their website either. I have limited experience with only 4 builds, but I've used Heyboer OTs in all of them, and they all sound good to my ear. I must confess that I never tried 'em with any other OT for comparison.

[Chuck H]

Originally Posted by Diablo

Yep, I can't find out any decent info on their website either. I have limited experience with only 4 builds, but I've used Heyboer OTs in all of them, and they all sound good to my ear. I must confess that I never tried 'em with any other OT for comparison.

IMO Heyboer is basically a "small" big company. For example, Alden Emailed me about doing a two bolt open framed mount vs. a four bolt end bell mount. I hadn't given any indication that I wanted to switch from my original four bolt end bell design. But what I was sent was a two bolt open frame product that was never confirmed. Since I was on a tight schedule I made it work. And the OT's sounded soooo good that I never bothered to raise the issue. Alden must have misconstrued our conversation as an oral contract. They are a real "handshake" kind of operation. Very old school. I'm not too concearned with the weight of the OT, I can guess that within ounces. And I'm sure anyone can get the impedance specs with a phone call. If your looking at a prototype design or an order for a bunch of units you should deal with Heyboer. Otherwise you should deal with a distributor that will probably list the specs for the transformers they're selling. As for the Heyboer site, well, They're a "magnetics" MFG. As electronics go it's sort of along the same line as a lumber yard. It;s a very blue collar operation. If you don't know what you want they probably can't help you. The company hasn't grown into the slick marketing/mojo genra yet. If you need a transformer you call them and tell them what you need and they submit a quote. Very business district/industrial MFG oriented, but with a small company charm and service.

More important than specific specs, they're products sound good and they follow up on projects. If you ever get a Heyboer transformer you don't like, it's probably because the distributor they made it for ordered something lame. Most of what Heyboer does is spec'd by the distributor, not their own agenda.

Chuck

[soundmasterg]

Hey Chuck, I see your in the Pacific NW, and you were talking about NAMM....what do you build?

Greg

[daz]

for what it's worth, and probably little since tone is subjective, but i had a heyboer in my marshall hi gain style build and then tried the hammond marshall 50w replacement. I swapped back and fourth many times but every time i could not dent the hammond was just fuller sounding and just as good in all other respects. I wouldn't hesitate to use hammonds over anything after that experience, at least the guitar specific line.

[Chuck H]

Daz, +1 on Hammonds. The prototype for the amps I built with the proprietary Heyboers was built with an 'off the shelf' Hammond OT. The Heyboers sound exactly the way I wanted them to, big bass, loud and smooth with a little kiss of top end. The Hammond is more brash and a little louder with more upper mids, which actually suits "my" taste better than the Heyboer. But most guys like the Heyboer amps better. The proto with the Hammond is now my personal amp and I love it.

Greg, I don't "build" anything but prototypes so far. The NAMM show thing was a pair of prototypes I built stuffed into what looked like market ready packaging. I've been doing some design work for someone else and that's who I presented for at NAMM.

Chuck