pictures of my new amp build

[jmaf]

no no no...i can't take credit for the actual woodwork. i don't have those kinds of tools...yet. for that i called in a favor. i just made the plans for the box and made sure they were compulsively followed haha.
i thought about staining the cabinet, but just in moving it around it got dinged up noticeably. pine is soft stuff...but light and i wanted light. no free lunch again.

About the dings, I've made a few boxes made of cedar which needless to say is as soft as, or more, than pine. After a few preparations which your woodworker will know, use automotive varnish or polyurethane resin(in the USA you have lots of it, here I don't so I use automotive PU). It makes your work look like glass and as you know cars can take a lot of hostility before the paint chips off.

I've read somewhere that aged pine cabinets have the magic sound. I bet this baby sounds amazing.

[yunger]

well, after moving to the big city i determined that my 20w amp was going to get me into trouble...so, meet the little brother of my first build. it's a 1x8 combo that uses a single 12at7 as a power tube.
the speaker is a jensen mod 8-20, a very full sounding little speaker. it actually sounds like a lower volume 12" speaker.
funny thing is when i plugged the little amp into a g12h30, there was such a drastic change in volume that i feel like i could easily play with a drummer in a small band if i wanted. crazy. what a huge difference a speaker makes.

[tubeswell]

Nice l'il amp yunger. (12AT7) Reverb xformer for the OT?

[yunger]

Nice l'il amp yunger. (12AT7) Reverb xformer for the OT?

thanks tubeswell.
no that's a champ o.t. into an 8 ohm speaker. it works well.

[mooreamps]

So what are you saying ?? Big sound comes from Big speakers ??? Now that would be a concept.... :}

-g

[yunger]

So what are you saying ?? Big sound comes from Big speakers ??? Now that would be a concept.... :}

-g

this little 8" speaker is plenty big enough for my current needs. i'm impressed. i had expected it to sound like a kazoo.
it was interesting to see how loud this tiny 2w amp was into an efficient speaker though. makes me wonder if the folks who say a 15-20w amp isnt loud enough for a band might have the wrong speakers rather than not enough power...or maybe there are more people playing stadiums than i realized.

[GregS]

makes me wonder if the folks who say a 15-20w amp isnt loud enough for a band might have the wrong speakers rather than not enough power...or maybe there are more people playing stadiums than i realized.

I don't get this either. I have a 15W home built amp + 2x12 cabinet. I cannot make use of power amp distortion either at rehearsal or at any gig I've ever played without being waaaaaay too loud. Then again I don't play stadiums.

BTW nice work on the amps. They look awesome!

[mooreamps]

I don't get this either. I have a 15W home built amp + 2x12 cabinet. I cannot make use of power amp distortion either at rehearsal or at any gig I've ever played without being waaaaaay too loud. Then again I don't play stadiums.

BTW nice work on the amps. They look awesome!

When I post my next YouTube video using my 18 watt amp, I'll show you how to overdrive the power tubes without having to play "waaaaay" too loud..

-g

[cminor9]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]16716[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]16717[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]16718[/ATTACH]
well, after moving to the big city i determined that my 20w amp was going to get me into trouble...so, meet the little brother of my first build. it's a 1x8 combo that uses a single 12at7 as a power tube.
the speaker is a jensen mod 8-20, a very full sounding little speaker. it actually sounds like a lower volume 12" speaker.
funny thing is when i plugged the little amp into a g12h30, there was such a drastic change in volume that i feel like i could easily play with a drummer in a small band if i wanted. crazy. what a huge difference a speaker makes.

Nice! I have been wanting to build something like that too! What circuit did you use? One of your own design or something you found online? If it's not a secret, I'd be interested in seeing it. I might find my way to a small amp too.

[yunger]

Nice! I have been wanting to build something like that too! What circuit did you use? One of your own design or something you found online? If it's not a secret, I'd be interested in seeing it. I might find my way to a small amp too.

Schematic-2TA.pdf
thanks! here's the circuit i started with. i changed the 12at7 cathode resistor to 270 ohm and the voltage divider before it is just adjust to taste. that volume pot is log not linear btw.
i'm having a heck of a time weeding out some layout/grounding/whatever problems now though. i'm consulting the troubleshooting gurus in another thread for that. i hope to get that sorted out soon.
its a cool project though.

[cminor9]

[ATTACH]16773[/ATTACH]
thanks! here's the circuit i started with. i changed the 12at7 cathode resistor to 270 ohm and the voltage divider before it is just adjust to taste. that volume pot is log not linear btw.
i'm having a heck of a time weeding out some layout/grounding/whatever problems now though. i'm consulting the troubleshooting gurus in another thread for that. i hope to get that sorted out soon.
its a cool project though.

So, I've been staring at that schem... have you ever thought of trying it with a pentode in the power section? Like an EF86? I think that might be interesting. Time to consult the tube data sheets!

[yunger]

So, I've been staring at that schem... have you ever thought of trying it with a pentode in the power section? Like an EF86? I think that might be interesting. Time to consult the tube data sheets!

interesting idea. maybe you'll get lucky and find an output transformer to match up.
not sure what such a high voltage gain, low mu tube would sound like as a power tube.

[Chuck H]

When I post my next YouTube video using my 18 watt amp, I'll show you how to overdrive the power tubes without having to play "waaaaay" too loud..

-g

Yeah... Use an attenuator... I'm starting to sound like a friggin' parrot.

[J M Fahey]

Cool !!
Only now found this thread .
Beautiful build.

[mooreamps]

Yeah... Use an attenuator... I'm starting to sound like a friggin' parrot.

No attenuator.. Electronic Power Brake...

-g