Beginners tips and advice on new design..

[Feel_My_Twang]

Sorry if this is posted on the wrong topic forum. but here it goes..

I'm an extreme beginner with amp building but I know what sound I want to achieve in my head.
How would I go about building a Push-pull 20 watt with dual 6L6 power section
As for features I want these...
Volume,Gain,Tone,Shape(the way the gain clips) and Presence.
I mainly want to build a lead tone amp for "me". I've played COUNTless amps and set-ups and none of them please me as "my" lead tone amp wise.
(bogner,matchless,Diezel,Vox,marshall,blah blah blah... and endless pedal set-ups)
None of the leads "sing" they dont have enough sustain and the overdrive doesent clip the way I want.
This probably sounds very amatuer but I gata start somewhere.

Would I need to "steal" some circuit designs from my favorite amps?
(bogner,matchless,Diezel,Vox)

I also purchased the P1eXtreme kit and about 200$ worth of books as well as college classes on tube amplifier design. HELP A BROTHA OUT! Thanks guys!!


-Kyle www.myspace.com/kyleroop

[Don Moose]

Would I need to "steal" some circuit designs from my favorite amps? (bogner,matchless,Diezel,Vox)

More than likely.

Who's tone comes closest to what you're after? 2112-era Lifeson? Phenomenon-era Schenker? Abraxas-era Santana? Fillmore-era Betts?

[stokes]

If nobody out there makes an amp that comes close to what you are looking for,you've never built an amp before,you seem to be looking for some extreme gain characteristics,you have a serious uphill battle to face.High gain amps are very sensitive to lead dress problems and noise.What may not even show up at your speaker in a lower gain amp is gonna scream like hell when you add a gain stage.Lets be realistic here,if all the years and millions in $$ amp designers and engineers hasnt come up with an amp that does it for you,how are you,a novice, going to re-invent the wheel?Its great that you want to build your own,but I would set my goals a little lower.Of course you will have to "steal" from other designs,every tube amp in production comes from somewhere else, the very first Fender designs came from a tube manuals circuit suggestions,and are still used in almost every tube amp made today.I would suggest starting with something simple to get an idea of the problems you will have,an amp like the 5E3 is a good learning platform,and when you see the problems you may have with that,you can multiply by ten when you try a high gain circuit.Sorry if this isnt what you want to hear,but a novice should really keep his goals simpler.I dont mean to sound like I am doubting your abillities,just offering a dose of reality.Whatever you decide,this forum is a great place,and there are plenty of people here that will be glad to help,like you said yourself "I gata start somewhere",I think you should start a little simpler.

[Feel_My_Twang]

Thanks guys..

I understand you guys completely. I dont care how long it takes me to get there. The tone closest to what I want is somewhere between E.Johnson and Billy gibbons from ZZ top and a touch of Brad Paisley. I love the e j. tone for legato stuff but its too candy sounding for the ZZ top grit. I guess to be more specific - I have a bogner 2-12 shiva right now and I love the overdrive but when it comes to legato and fast twangin the gain clipping is way too harsh sometimes. I have a Jetter gain stage red but it just doesent cut it. Sorry if I sound too whiney! ha Im very self concious about me tone!!