Tweet
Originally posted by Sleepthieves
View Post
Ok I know this will not be what you want to hear but for a first build I cant recommend enough just buying someone's complete kit. Triode store has got their prices down to a really reasonable level. It is possible to save money by buying all your own parts but it can also be a real hassle and allows you to make mistakes that you wont even notice till your right in the middle of building. Having been in the same place as you about 3 years ago and buying all my own parts, then watching my friend Wittgenstein (also on this forum) get 5E3 kit from triode, the hassle difference was stunning. Now if you plan to build multiple other amp builds and really get into this hobby it can be much more worthwhile to buy your own parts as you will have extras resisters and wire among other things. Trust me it is just way too easy to order the wrong capacitor or resister when you are ordering like 40+ different parts at the same time. I still do it now and again and I triple check orders.
Upon looking at Triode's kit for the JCM800 again its not the best priced kit they sell for what you get but its not a complete rip off especially for a beginner. Especially since you have a lack of familiarity with the different parts inside an amp, no offense, I was there not that long ago.
If you want to do it yourself these are the parts I use regularly. Also this website is pretty good, if for nothing else than just a reference. Antique Electronic Supply
For NON-electrolytic capacitors - Mallory 150's ...orange drops are fine I just don't use em. You can save a bit of money using no name caps that look just like Mallory's but who knows who makes that stuff.
For Electrolytics - I used to use Sprague Atoms but they are super pricey (and super huge) and I just stopped believing the hype and started buying Illinois caps to save sometimes 50%.
For resisters - I never see a manufacturer name on resisters I'm not sure why. I used to use carbon composition which is the vintage part and a lot of people still use them. However after you have dug into the literature and this forum you discover they are probably more trouble then they are worth except in a couple spots in an amp where they might be preferred over other material resisters but that's still a deep argument. Carbon Film resisters are usually a bit cheaper and are more reliable then carbon comp. Metal film is also an option. When you need 2 watt resisters you will probably have to go metal oxide as it can be harder to find the other kinds in 2 watt. 5 watts and up are nearly always wire wound.
As for making a circuit board I bought some really good material called garolite from McMaster-Carr and it is pretty cheap and insanely strong. There are a bunch of kinds of it but I always used G10/FR4. It is both heat resistant and has very low if any water absorbing problems which can be an issue with other materials. Although I dont have any experience with others so can't say anything about perf board. Here is the link you just need to pick garolite in the side bar. Then G10/FR4 on the next page, its the only kind you can get in widths that turret boards are usually in and is roughly the cheapest. The most money efficent way is buy 3 in. wide boards 1/8 in. thick and 4 foot long. Its enough for 3 amps or so and its about 15$ with a few bucks shipping. Out of 2 sheets there was 1 princeton, 3 champs, 2 deluxes, and a reverb unit board built. But then you have to be willing to make or buy a eyelet or turret tool. This is an awesome pdf from tube depot talking about making turret boards..this is damn near exactly how I did it. Making your own turret pressing tool was too hard and you dont need a machine press to do them either like they show you can definitely use a hammer. I'll try to get a better PDF I used.
For wire - I highly recommend push back cloth covered wire. Its not the best but when you are a beginner solderer you will melt a lot of plastic coated wires even if it is pretty heat resistant whereas I'm not sure I ever started any cloth wire on fire ever or even burnt all the way through it. Triodestore sells it for a decent price and they have a bunch of colors but get it from whoever works for you and is a good price. It is completely worthwhile to have at least 5 colors of wire if not more. That way you can follow the color coding of Triode's diagram or Ceriatone I think colors theirs too. It is a nightmare to work with just 1 or 2 colors for a beginner and probably in general.
For 1/4" jacks - I dont care how many kits or people's amps you see using those shitty plastic enclosed jacks, I think they are cliff jacks. Just do yourself a favor and buy Switchcraft jacks they are really nice and last forever and are tight like a virgin. They can also be bent back into shape after years of promiscuity make them loose.
For switches - Carling makes nice ones. But it depends on what kind of switch you need.
For tube sockets - I cant remember who I used so some more experience builders who have built a few recent projects would be better to ask but there ins't a consensus as far as I know. From what I remember reading all the currently made ones are kinda shoddy.
For potentiometers - I see people use CTS most of the time. I have used Alpha and CTS and I see people use Bourns a lot as well.
In conclusion I still highly recommend buying a kit for your first time and then buying their chassis and their case. That way you know every part will go together. If you build it yourself you will have to constantly check and recheck as you get each piece and make sure the build schematic you use is the right size and layout that will fit your chassis and the right transformers to fit your chassis, then for everything to fit your head cab. You'd like to think that all the makers make them all to original spec and that everything is interchangeable but that would be too easy. If you do go kit, shop around, there are a bunch of people making them now and some are much better priced then others and have better parts. Good luck!
Upon looking at Triode's kit for the JCM800 again its not the best priced kit they sell for what you get but its not a complete rip off especially for a beginner. Especially since you have a lack of familiarity with the different parts inside an amp, no offense, I was there not that long ago.
If you want to do it yourself these are the parts I use regularly. Also this website is pretty good, if for nothing else than just a reference. Antique Electronic Supply
For NON-electrolytic capacitors - Mallory 150's ...orange drops are fine I just don't use em. You can save a bit of money using no name caps that look just like Mallory's but who knows who makes that stuff.
For Electrolytics - I used to use Sprague Atoms but they are super pricey (and super huge) and I just stopped believing the hype and started buying Illinois caps to save sometimes 50%.
For resisters - I never see a manufacturer name on resisters I'm not sure why. I used to use carbon composition which is the vintage part and a lot of people still use them. However after you have dug into the literature and this forum you discover they are probably more trouble then they are worth except in a couple spots in an amp where they might be preferred over other material resisters but that's still a deep argument. Carbon Film resisters are usually a bit cheaper and are more reliable then carbon comp. Metal film is also an option. When you need 2 watt resisters you will probably have to go metal oxide as it can be harder to find the other kinds in 2 watt. 5 watts and up are nearly always wire wound.
As for making a circuit board I bought some really good material called garolite from McMaster-Carr and it is pretty cheap and insanely strong. There are a bunch of kinds of it but I always used G10/FR4. It is both heat resistant and has very low if any water absorbing problems which can be an issue with other materials. Although I dont have any experience with others so can't say anything about perf board. Here is the link you just need to pick garolite in the side bar. Then G10/FR4 on the next page, its the only kind you can get in widths that turret boards are usually in and is roughly the cheapest. The most money efficent way is buy 3 in. wide boards 1/8 in. thick and 4 foot long. Its enough for 3 amps or so and its about 15$ with a few bucks shipping. Out of 2 sheets there was 1 princeton, 3 champs, 2 deluxes, and a reverb unit board built. But then you have to be willing to make or buy a eyelet or turret tool. This is an awesome pdf from tube depot talking about making turret boards..this is damn near exactly how I did it. Making your own turret pressing tool was too hard and you dont need a machine press to do them either like they show you can definitely use a hammer. I'll try to get a better PDF I used.
For wire - I highly recommend push back cloth covered wire. Its not the best but when you are a beginner solderer you will melt a lot of plastic coated wires even if it is pretty heat resistant whereas I'm not sure I ever started any cloth wire on fire ever or even burnt all the way through it. Triodestore sells it for a decent price and they have a bunch of colors but get it from whoever works for you and is a good price. It is completely worthwhile to have at least 5 colors of wire if not more. That way you can follow the color coding of Triode's diagram or Ceriatone I think colors theirs too. It is a nightmare to work with just 1 or 2 colors for a beginner and probably in general.
For 1/4" jacks - I dont care how many kits or people's amps you see using those shitty plastic enclosed jacks, I think they are cliff jacks. Just do yourself a favor and buy Switchcraft jacks they are really nice and last forever and are tight like a virgin. They can also be bent back into shape after years of promiscuity make them loose.
For switches - Carling makes nice ones. But it depends on what kind of switch you need.
For tube sockets - I cant remember who I used so some more experience builders who have built a few recent projects would be better to ask but there ins't a consensus as far as I know. From what I remember reading all the currently made ones are kinda shoddy.
For potentiometers - I see people use CTS most of the time. I have used Alpha and CTS and I see people use Bourns a lot as well.
In conclusion I still highly recommend buying a kit for your first time and then buying their chassis and their case. That way you know every part will go together. If you build it yourself you will have to constantly check and recheck as you get each piece and make sure the build schematic you use is the right size and layout that will fit your chassis and the right transformers to fit your chassis, then for everything to fit your head cab. You'd like to think that all the makers make them all to original spec and that everything is interchangeable but that would be too easy. If you do go kit, shop around, there are a bunch of people making them now and some are much better priced then others and have better parts. Good luck!
That is the information I was looking for. I appreciate it. I don't want to go with a kit on the build for multiple reasons. Price is one. And I just want to do the whole thing ground up. Ill plan on doing more of these down the road. This is my first amplifier build but I've been studying for about 2 years and took a 1 year program on electronics and electricity. Fingers crossed.
Comment