Building a Portaflex - PT, OT, cab?

[Don Moose]

Hey, fellas.

I'm getting lined up to build me a Portaflex, probably a B15N, but single channel.

I have some suspicions about what iron (PT and OT) to use, but I'd like suggestions - it's a 2x6L6 power section in a bass amp.

If anyone has cab dimensions for the 15", and maybe speaker brand/model suggestions, they'd be welcome as well.

Thanks!

[Don Moose]

Fliptops.net seems to have most of what I need - except a chassis.

[Arthur Dent]

The original speaker was a Jensen P15N, which sounds quite nice in there. If you need any dimensions, let me know.

[Don Moose]

Please, yes - whatever you have. There isn't much documentation ... at least not that I've seen.

Thanks!

[Don Moose]

Let me rephrase that - Chassis size, knob/jack spacing, locations of chassis mounting bolts (if convenient).

I sort of think I'll buy the cab from Fliptops.

Thank you!

[Don Moose]

Since this is a bass amp, I'd think I need a rather beefy OT. Would a HiWatt unit from Heyboer/Mercury/Weber be a good choice?

I may go 100W while I'm at it.

[Steve A.]

Oh, I thought that this was about building a Porta-Potty! Sorry about that... I think it should clean right up with a little Lysol.

Steve Ahola

[Arthur Dent]

I will try to compile and post all that as soon as I can. I've got a '68 B15N in my bedroom.

The only proper Portaflex iron I've seen is obnoxiously overpriced. Unfortunately, it's also the only iron that will look right without modification. I would probably fabricate covers for the transformers that look like the original covers.

The real ones don't seem all that big for a 30-watt amp. Transformers for a Bassman would certainly work electrically, although I'm not sure if the dimensions would allow them to be covered like the Portaflex trannies are such that they would work cosmetically.

How would you do a 100 watt Portaflex? There's certainly no room for two extra 6L6's. I suppose you could use two KT88's at 600VDC, but you would then need expensive iron which would be too big to fit on a chassis of original size.

[Don Moose]

Ampeg's reissuing the B15 as a 4x6L6 100W product, and 30-50 seems a little light. I have been playing with some tubes-n-iron layouts and thinking a HiWatt style format (output tubes across the back between trannies, preamp and PI tubes across the front between tagboard and pots) might work.

Fit is more important than cosmetic correctness right now, but we'll see where this leads.

The plans haven't solidified yet, but the more information I start with, the ... less stupid I can be about my options.

Whatever notes I get from you I will try to turn into drawings for general sharing purposes.