Yet another "Weber Kits" thread

[axpro]

SO, my latest kit build (princeton "high power" variant 6a14hp) Has me getting a little negative on Weber kits.

Fighting with the layout to get rid of the extra noise, the lower quality pots, the iffy caps... Defective Copper cap rectifier, cracked knobs.... it is all adding up.

My first amp builds were mods, usually cheap (at the time) Traynor YBA's and YGM's. After that i custom built some amps with transformers from Marshall, parts sourced from chinatown electronics shops (the HORROR!) and chassis made by a buddy who worked in a metal shop.

Finally i moved to weber kits. Easy to use and simple to set up. no real "info" on building, but that wasn't much of an issue at the time. I built a 5e3x2 and never really liked it. I got out of amp building soon after (funny enough, after recieving a Ceriatone DC-30 head kit i sold instead of building!)

Now back in, I messed withthe 5E3x2 a bit (still don't like it) building my current weber 6a14, and also doing a rebuild on a Laney AOR 50 watter with aboard kit from Metro.

After seeing the build quality and organization from Metro, i won't ever buy another Weber kit. The only problems with the metro were reworking some things for the iron i was working with. I think the quality parts route is definitely worth the extra sheckels in the short run... and even more so in the long run.

[Diablo]

I've built three Weber kits, and really like the results. They give you a schematic and layout drawing, but it's up to the builder to decide on the grounding methods to minimize hum. They let you upgrade any of the components you like, so you're not stuck using Weber transformers or metal film resistors if you prefer something else. They also sell Heyboer and Mercury Magnetics transformers at reasonable prices. I used the Weber PTs and chokes in my builds, but subbed in Heyboer OTs. Any problems I had with defective or wrong part were handled quickly by Weber. I believe the difference with the Metro kit is that they do all the thinking and planning for you - more of a build by the numbers and follow these instructions exactly and the amp will turn out fine. For that, they charge several hundred $ more than for the equivalent Weber kit.

[ampbldr2]

I have always wondered about weber kits and read good and bad over the years. I had looked over there entire website but never bought any kit except for a copper can cap. I have scratch built 8 amps in the last 12 years sourcing parts from every supplier on the planet and was never really happy with them and wound up selling them all. The one i wish i never sold was a 18w 2x12 combo with EMC transformers. That was a great sounding amp that I regret selling but suffered from a buzzing that i could never resolve thus selling it.

Still today I have my gripes with an 18watt TMB and a 5w SE amp that I built 2 years ago that i use around the house that I was hoping one day to call final build. Crappy parts does make for a crappy amp.

As for the kits that are on the market id say hit and miss. A good circuit layout and parts goes a long way and thus the premium charge but if the parts are cheep how will that affect the tone department is always questionable. Go with your instinct next time you are shopping for a kit. Remember too that parts are replaceable and there is enough help in forums to get things fixed or get you on the right track again.

[axpro]

In the past, my problems with defective parts were handled quickly, but lately, not so much

Don't get me wrong, i have no "Hate on" for Weber, they are a good stepping stone in the amp construction hobby. I just feel that for the money, there are other kits on the market (especially in the Marshall end of the spectrum) that compete much better. with higher end parts.

I think they are great kits, but I do get some issue with costing... TRansformers for the most part are $40 to leave out of a kit. whether they normally sell for $160-ish (Jcm800 clone) or $85-ish (5e3)

Upgrading to Heyboer transformers is better, but for the extra $150 (still thinking JCM800) you are getting up into the$750 range for a JCM800 kit, and it still has generic signal caps and is on a paper Eyelet board.

Its affordable, but for my $$$ there are better kits, though none with such a large offering.

[axpro]

Hey ampbldr2, I feel your pain. The reason i quit building originally was that i was sick of rebuilding amps over and over again trying to find perfection. I was happy with a Kughes and Kettner Statesman for a while, but needed something with more OOMPH to play in a metal band. Now i've quit the band, sold off my Mesa, and decided nobody makes the small portable amp I wanted for jams (dual 6l6 1x12 Princeton reverb) and I found myself hungering for a high gain head, so I rebuild a Laney AOR into a JCM800.

The high gain head is almost done, the noise problems and oscialtion are dealt with...

Just getting the princeton quiet is KILLING me....

[tubeswell]

Weber do do good stuff, like their speakers are pretty damn good. But some of the other parts in their kits are a bit junky (like the plastic lamp holders, and fuse holders. And their euro voltage PTs have been a bit suspect in the past, altho' rumour has it that this has been fixed now)

But by all means get a Weber speaker or 2, and also worth getting their cabs, chassis, OTs, because they have quite a range and the prices are good. They also stock other bits like sozo caps, CC resistors, and Heyboer and MM trannies, etc, but these do not ship as 'standard' parts in their off-the-shelf kits.

[Marc]

Hey Axpro,
Check out the Carr Rambler. It's a Princeton reverb derivative....w/ 6L6's and a 12" speaker. their website has a youtube video showing the build up of a Rambler hosted by Steve Carr.

[axpro]

I hear ya Tubeswell.

I really like the large number of options with Weber, they have lots of cabinets and chassis. But i think from now on, my Weber orders will be just that... cabinets, chassis and speakers. I have an order with Metro to get the parts i need (hopefully) to finish rebuilding my princeton clone.

I hope i don't end up having to replace transformers too!

The Carr does look sweet, unfortuantely they are rare as hell north of border. I've never even had a chance toplay one!