Fender Tube Amps - I have questions

[terrapin]

Originally Posted by knuckle

Don't be sorry man, I'll take all the info I can. Hate to go tube amp shopping with my pants down around my ankles

Now THAT's an UGLY image

[Landru]

Call Kendrick Amplifiers in Texas:

http://www.kendrick-amplifiers.com/

Talk this over with Gerald Weber.

[knuckle]

I would if I was rich.

[lmacmil]

Based on the experience of many posted here, you might as well just pick something that seems closest to what you're looking for and try it out. You're probably not going to get lucky enough to find the amp of your dreams on your first try. If it was me, I'd go for a 40 watter for the clean headroom and use a Tube Screamer or similar to get the crunch when you want it.

[royd]

Originally Posted by knuckle

So Royd, you think that 22w is overkill?

as someone else replied... 22 probably isn't too much, but I certainly wouldn't go higher than that.

A huge +1 on ceriatone. Nik does great work and even with shipping the prices are unbelievable. My champ needed some new parts and it was cheaper and easier to have him just build me a new board which I put in my chassis. If I ever find myself in a position were I need a bigger amp than the champ, he will be on my short list - likely one of the Matchless clones. His Prinzetone sounds like it might meet your need with a good OD pedal and for lower volume, the Ultra Champ also sounds like a cool design. He might even be willing/able to do that with larger transformers and a 6L6 rather than the 6V6 which would take you up to about 12 watts. In the Matchless clones, the Lightening and the Spitfire are both in the 15-18 watt range and likely would work well for you too. And there are the 18 watt Marshall clones too.

http://www.ceriatone.com/index.htm

[blaren]

I do use an old TS-9 btw. I run the amp with a little snot and crunch. I turn down the guitar's volume slightly for CLEAN clean and I crank the geet and hit the TS9 for the full dirt.
I also run an old boss eq. The 7 or whatever? I run it flat but with the level boosted a bit. It's my clean and dirty "slight volume boost" pedal.

Nice to see another ceriatone fan. These days SO many people build amps. Seems like every guitar show you go to has 5 more new amp builders/companies.
BUT...Nik and ceriatone will do ANYTHING you want, you can talk to HIM throughout the build if you want. All you have to do is talk to him back and forth for a while, telling him your situation and tones you want and at what volumes and..he'll come up with a recipe that NAILS what you want.

Now, I've ONLY dealt with him so there may be a TON of guys doing the same now. I highly DOUBT though that their amps will be less money than a ceriatone. For the service and amp you get from Nik, you'd have to pay thousands and thousands and thousands anywhere else.

Oh and..you can probably get Nik to use whatever brand transformer set you like..but, I had my amp built with the iron he was having made for him. His "normal" trannies and I don't desire anything more or "better".

[knuckle]

I played through one of these today at a friends house that had a buddy over. His was a clone, but basically the same as this. He had some sort of OCD pedal in front of it.

I tried it with my resonator baritone and my standard NRP reso and it sounded killer. The frickn tremelo doesn't really fit my music but it's absolutely amazing.

Same amp as this, I can't remember the builder. He said it was an exact clone as the original. He also said that he prefers the punch of two 10's vs. 1 12" speaker and also thought the reso sounded cool through it.

The baritone reso also sounded really good through the OCD pedal, with a tad of overdrive. Something I never really thought of doing. The thing is 40 watts I believe he said. He said he'll never really need anything louder unless he's playing stadiums. And yes my ears are still ringing. Or is that the tinnitis?

http://store.marshamps.com/product_i...roducts_id=369

So I could build one of these for a little over a grand with the upgraded caps and mercury transformers. I'm seriously thinking about doing that. I use to solder for a job, back when there was jobs, 20 years ago or so. I know there's more to it than that, but have an expensive iron and multi meter. I heard the best way to discharge a cap was to stick it in your mouth too. I'm not afraid.

Sucks I don't have the cigar box guitar yet to test with that vibrolux.

[royd]

Originally Posted by knuckle

I played through one of these today at a friends house that had a buddy over. His was a clone, but basically the same as this. He had some sort of OCD pedal in front of it.

I tried it with my resonator baritone and my standard NRP reso and it sounded killer. The frickn tremelo doesn't really fit my music but it's absolutely amazing.

Same amp as this, I can't remember the builder. He said it was an exact clone as the original. He also said that he prefers the punch of two 10's vs. 1 12" speaker and also thought the reso sounded cool through it.

The baritone reso also sounded really good through the OCD pedal, with a tad of overdrive. Something I never really thought of doing. The thing is 40 watts I believe he said. He said he'll never really need anything louder unless he's playing stadiums. And yes my ears are still ringing. Or is that the tinnitis?

http://store.marshamps.com/product_i...roducts_id=369

So I could build one of these for a little over a grand with the upgraded caps and mercury transformers. I'm seriously thinking about doing that. I use to solder for a job, back when there was jobs, 20 years ago or so. I know there's more to it than that, but have an expensive iron and multi meter. I heard the best way to discharge a cap was to stick it in your mouth too. I'm not afraid.

Sucks I don't have the cigar box guitar yet to test with that vibrolux.

the OCD is a very nice overdrive at a reasonable price. The vibrolux is a great amp... although I'd guess more than you'll need. Don't forget that tube amps like to be pushed. Maybe a good thing to do would be to borrow it or rent it for a few rehearsals and maybe a gig to see how it works for you at the volumes you'll be playing. Also, don't forget that a larger amp will weigh more - those transformers can be real beasts... if you're playing out with it much, schlepping a heavy amp can get old fast.

[Gypsyblue]

Originally Posted by knuckle

I heard the best way to discharge a cap was to stick it in your mouth...

I wouldn't make a habit of that.

[knuckle]

Well I think that amp might work out. My drummer is loud, real loud. I am going to put it where the bass speaker is. I've since moved the mount of the mixer over to make more room for an amp to sit on the wagon. This thing gets a lot of laughs.

[blaren]

Originally Posted by knuckle

I heard the best way to discharge a cap was to stick it in your mouth too. I'm not afraid.

That might not be the best but it is one of the fastest ways. Don't forget that you should be standing barefoot in a galvanized metal pail half full of luke-warm water to correctly discharge filter caps completely using the mouth method.

Also works well for 9-Volt batteries.

[leeasam]

I see they just released the Eric Clapton series hand wired tube amps.

http://davesguitar.com/products/fend...ries/fender-ec