perhaps my first tube amp kit, opinions wanted !

[tonequester]

tonequester here.


I have found a tube amp kit, that although the 5W. output is lower than I had originally planned, seems to be a good choice for a beginner. At $215.00, not including shipping, the price is right. If you would like to view the add type : mod 102 guitar amp kit. It has S.S. full-wave rectification, one 12ax7, and one EL-84. It's a single channel amp. There are volume, bass, and treble pots. It has carbon film resistors and metalized polyester coupling caps(not sure about these). Hammond 269ex power trans. and P-T31 S.E. output trans. The chasis is pre-punched and painted(gun metal). It is supposed to be Class A, cathode biased. It comes with "detailed, easy to follow instructions and high resolution computer drawings of the parts list and each step of construction". It has on-line support. The reviews on their site where of course good, although one guy
recommended that they quit painting the inside of the chassis. He had to do some scraping in order to get a proper ground between treminal strips and chassis.
If anybody has advice, tips, etc., Any advice, tips, etc., are very welcome. I know that there are better kits around, but this one sounds pretty good for the money, with most kits like the Champ clones running $500.00 plus. It sounds like the only other things I'd have to come up with would be cab and speaker.
tonequester.

[loudthud]

A pretty good choice. If it's like their bigger kit, wiring is done on terminal strips.

Kit - MOD 102 DIY Guitar Amplifier | Antique Electronic Supply LLC

AES is offering 10% off this month.

[tonequester]

Many Thanks loudthud !

A pretty good choice. If it's like their bigger kit, wiring is done on terminal strips.

Kit - MOD 102 DIY Guitar Amplifier | Antique Electronic Supply LLC

AES is offering 10% off this month.

tonequester here.


Thanks for the reply loudthud. I know it's pretty simple, and cheap. The more I thought about doing the build, the more I began to believe that simple
should perhaps be my first experience. I'm not sure of the quality of the parts. I have heard of Hammond Transformers, and the simplicity of the build/low power seem
to be such that a real heavy -duty transformer would not be needed. I'm also curious about the carbon-film resistors. I can remember reading that carbon composition is better, but that may just be an opinion thing. It's the same with the metalized polyester coupling caps. With these, I can't remember whether they were recommended or
not. I'm doing some checking on this, but advice is always welcome. One thing which is an unknown factor to me ,is the use of terminal strips. If there is anything out of the ordinary that I should be aware of concerning working with them I'd be very interested to know. I've already been clued into the fact that the inside of the chassis is painted
and can cause grounding problems if the paint is not removed at strategic points. This was the only complaint in their review section, and I'm not saying that I take all the
good reviews all that seriously. Thanks once again for advice well taken. I'll check out the Antique Electronic Supply/10% off lead. Years ago I used to get their catalogue in the mail. Always a pleasure loudthud,....be good! tonequester.


Qoute : "For the mind is always easier to teach before it is set". Quintilian.

[JoeM]

Looks good to me. Dont worry about carbon film vs carbon comp. CF is fine and so are the polyester caps. You'll have a nice amp and a good learning experience. Of course, you'll get hooked on this!

[loudthud]

Terminal strips are a mixed blessing. Because they can be positioned helter skelter around the tube sockets, components are frequently connected with a terminal strip on one end and a tube socket terminal on the other. Changing components is a little more difficult than it is on an eyelet board. One temptation when first installing components is to crimp the leads tightly around the terminals with needle nose pliers, then solder. If two or more leads must be connected to single terminal, things get crowded, soldering is best left until all the components are in place.

The pain comes when you want to remove one of the components. Getting enough solder removed from the crimped lead so it can be removed completely is not always possible. Sometimes other components are damaged. Tube socket terminals can also break requiring you to replace the socket. So you have to resist the temptation to crimp the leads too tightly when first installing the components.

I suggest you build the amp with the components supplied, then once you get it working you can try swapping in components with more mojo.

[tonequester]

tonequester here.


Greetings JoeM !

Thanks for the reply my friend. I really appreciate your time spent. I'm glad to know that there isn't any great concern for the resistors and caps. Honestly,
I've read so much about tube amps over the years, you'd think that I would be an expert by now. If anything, I believe that so much of what I've read has been a matter of opinion, and
I'm having to FORGET it in order to really learn. I am looking foreward to having a nice amp, but the learning experience is even mnore important to me. As for getting hooked, I have been
hooked on tube amps since buying my first(Fender Princeton, circa 1960) in '82, and hearing the difference that tubes can make. It's only now, that my kids are grown that I can "feed" my
habit. Why must it always boil down to the "Almighty Dollar" ? Great "hearing" from you, and all the best from....tonequester.

[tonequester]

tonequester here.

Greetings loudthud ! Your advice has been added to the notebook that I'm keeping on the project. My bipolarism causes poor memory, so I've gotten in the habit of making
a file on each project that I attempt. I'm glad you clued me in to the terminal strips quirks, I've never had experience with them, only eyelet board. I can just imagine trying to suck or wick
solder out of a tightly crimped terminal. Back in "the day" when I did assembly work on avionics, a lot of boards that could have otherwise been re-worked, ended up as scrap because of
trapped solder, and we even had a "power sucker" ! I am going to build the amp, as is, like you said. one can always modify and upgrade. I want to thank you again for the lead to Antique
Radio Supply, and the 10% off deal. I missed the boat when I first read your advice. I didn't realize until I went to their site that they had the exact same kit ! $21.50 saved is $21.50 towards
another project/learning experience. I have not given up on doing a S.S. build. I just think it better to take advantage of the sale on what is already a good price now. Then when I actually
can play through the 5 watter, I'll have a better idea about what S.S. project i want to try. Thanks my man. i can always depend on you delivering the goods, complete with somw mojo !
tonequester.

[printer2]

tonequester here.

Yeah, we can tell by the info on the left side of your posts who is writing.

[tonequester]

Greetings printer2 !

Yeah, we can tell by the info on the left side of your posts who is writing.

tonequester here.


Thanks for the confirmation printer2. Still pretty computer stupid. I'll probably learn as much about how to use my laptop on the forum as I will about music/electronics. You guy's are great to help an "Old Schooler" like me. Here's hopeing that you all have a GREAT DAY ! tonequester.


Quote : " For it is in giving that we receive." St. Francis.