What's on your workbench right now?

Talk about modding or building your own guitar from scratch.
Post Reply
User avatar
wingnutkj
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 976
Joined: Thu Feb 19, 2015 4:55 am
Location: Glasgow, Scotland

Re: What's on your workbench right now?

Post by wingnutkj » Tue May 03, 2022 12:39 am

Lieutenant030 wrote:
Mon May 02, 2022 2:28 pm
Image

So this is where we are at the moment. I can see this being something that gets stripped and rebuilt/reconfigured fairly regularly.
I like the look of that - especially the Surfcaster-style f-hole.
Kenny

User avatar
Dr Tony Balls
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 476
Joined: Thu Mar 12, 2015 10:05 am
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Contact:

Re: What's on your workbench right now?

Post by Dr Tony Balls » Tue May 03, 2022 6:05 am

hexes wrote:
Mon May 02, 2022 7:42 pm
johnnysomersett wrote:
Mon May 02, 2022 11:16 am
hexes wrote:
Sun May 01, 2022 11:35 am

*sensible chuckle*[/img]
*looks over to 24yr old HRD in the corner that's never needed more than tubes and shrugs*
I just love that Tony's post was a completely gutted HRD.

There was a great video sometime in the past few years about the switch to ROHS with the same design. The old HRDs were 'fine', hot bias not withstanding. Once they moved to ROHS and started saving a couple dollars per amp, the issue with the solder joints cracking around the power tubes really skyrocketed. The only HRD failures I've seen working with backline companies have been 'newer' ones. My buddy has a couple, has toured with them forever, and has had great luck, but his are definitely old.

They're just an amp that gets piles of abuse. The price was right forever for what amounted to a great amp. The old blues deluxe in the oversized cabinet is fantastic.
To be fair, the "fixing" thing was a joke. This amp worked okay, the guy just wanted it to be something different. I've experienced my fair share of problems in these amps, but then again they've never been *MY* amps. Some people take care of gear better than others, and you're right they do get piles of abuse. The solder joints are ripe for cracking at the tubes, jacks, pots and it definitely happens (often) but the frequency at which problems happen is definitely dependent on user and use.
Instagram: thetonyballs

User avatar
Fiddy
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 12391
Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2007 11:38 am
Location: Canada Dry

Re: What's on your workbench right now?

Post by Fiddy » Tue May 03, 2022 1:54 pm

hexes wrote:
Sun May 01, 2022 11:35 am
Dr Tony Balls wrote:
Thu Apr 28, 2022 12:54 pm
"Fixing" a Hot Rod Deluxe.
Image
In all fairness, the volume pot could use "fixing"... Not everyone likes being at max volume when the volume dial is on 1.

User avatar
Shadoweclipse13
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 12435
Joined: Fri Feb 07, 2014 9:22 pm
Location: Stuck in the dimension of imagination

Re: What's on your workbench right now?

Post by Shadoweclipse13 » Tue May 03, 2022 3:11 pm

Had the day off today. Finally got around to shielding my Tele.

Image
Pickup Switching Mad Scientist
http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=104282&p=1438384#p1438384

User avatar
hexes
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 793
Joined: Tue May 07, 2019 3:59 pm

Re: What's on your workbench right now?

Post by hexes » Tue May 03, 2022 3:17 pm

starting a not so princeton princeton reverb. mid pot, 3 way neg feedback switch, 4/8/16 tap OT, lower B+ PT, NOS GE rectifier, trying a surfy industries reverb tank, 12” speaker (much to my chagrin. PRs need 10s!). Building the whole cabinet myself.

Image

User avatar
hulakatt
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 1050
Joined: Sat May 08, 2010 7:58 pm
Location: Pittsburgh

Re: What's on your workbench right now?

Post by hulakatt » Tue May 03, 2022 4:10 pm

hexes wrote:
Tue May 03, 2022 3:17 pm
starting a not so princeton princeton reverb. mid pot, 3 way neg feedback switch, 4/8/16 tap OT, lower B+ PT, NOS GE rectifier, trying a surfy industries reverb tank, 12” speaker (much to my chagrin. PRs need 10s!). Building the whole cabinet myself.
Part of me was hoping for you to "Boogie" it but this sounds promising as well.
She/Her

User avatar
hexes
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 793
Joined: Tue May 07, 2019 3:59 pm

Re: What's on your workbench right now?

Post by hexes » Wed May 04, 2022 12:15 am

hulakatt wrote:
Tue May 03, 2022 4:10 pm
hexes wrote:
Tue May 03, 2022 3:17 pm
starting a not so princeton princeton reverb. mid pot, 3 way neg feedback switch, 4/8/16 tap OT, lower B+ PT, NOS GE rectifier, trying a surfy industries reverb tank, 12” speaker (much to my chagrin. PRs need 10s!). Building the whole cabinet myself.
Part of me was hoping for you to "Boogie" it but this sounds promising as well.
this one is for a great friend of mine. i bought 3 of these chassis total, second is for my single channel tremolux, the third may be more what you’re looking for

User avatar
JSett
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 8804
Joined: Mon Jun 01, 2009 1:33 pm
Location: Old Hampshire, Old England

Re: What's on your workbench right now?

Post by JSett » Wed May 04, 2022 11:58 am

Decided tonight was the night my Bassman got a PPIMV.

As per Dr Tony Balls' recommendation
Dr Tony Balls wrote:
Tue Mar 15, 2022 1:08 pm
YES. Also i've never found a time where i've needed shielded wire for this.
I went with this version:

Image

Now, I've followed it pretty much to the letter but something's gone awry. The circuit my Bassman has has the bias control off one of the grid leak resistors. I followed everything around the board (and referenced the proper layout I have) and it works. Kind of.

The master is in a weird double sweep. 0 and 10 on the knob are silent and 5 is maximum volume :fp:

Any advice?

The wire in the MV diagram from the grid leaks assumes both meet in the middle. Because one of mine instead goes up to the bias circuit I put an extra wire in to replace that connection from the pot.

Image

Image

This is my wiring…

Image

I have a feeling it's that extra purple wire but I don't want to remove it and fire the amp up and risk something going pop without some advice first.
Silly Rabbit, don't you know scooped mids are for kids?

User avatar
JSett
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 8804
Joined: Mon Jun 01, 2009 1:33 pm
Location: Old Hampshire, Old England

Re: What's on your workbench right now?

Post by JSett » Wed May 04, 2022 11:06 pm

After sleeping on this I went back to it.

In order to simplify things decided to put the bias circuit to AA864 specs, remove that extra purple wire and see what happened. Same thing. So I went over it all, with a fresh head, and realised that I'd literally crossed wires and had the ones from the pots to the caps swapped over :fp:

The master volume now works as intended. However, I'm getting nasty blocking distortion when at max volume. FFS. If I turn the master down just a little bit it goes right away.

Image

Image
Silly Rabbit, don't you know scooped mids are for kids?

User avatar
JSett
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 8804
Joined: Mon Jun 01, 2009 1:33 pm
Location: Old Hampshire, Old England

Re: What's on your workbench right now?

Post by JSett » Thu May 05, 2022 2:12 am

Sorry for monologuing but it's a process and documentation is possibly helpful of others stumble across this.

Did more reading, tried to find pictures. Realised that the wires from the caps to the pot were possibly/likely meant to be moved not in addition...not overly clear from the diagram. I decided to try it. It meant making one stock lead an inch longer but also meant two less wires added to the circuit.

Image

Checked the bias again and it was about where I have been setting it (-25mA ish) and it held steady. The MV works as it should and the blocking distortion seems to have gone. The diagram showed a 100k dual pot, which I used despite the circuit having 220k as stock. I couldn't find a 220/250k dual pot anywhere so, after checking a load of other Fender schematics which use 100k, decided it was worth a shot. I don't know if it's related but I do seem to have a little more clean headroom as a result of this or something else I have done.

Half an hour of play-through indicates I might have succeeded though.
Silly Rabbit, don't you know scooped mids are for kids?

User avatar
SuperAxe
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 291
Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2012 1:46 am
Contact:

Re: What's on your workbench right now?

Post by SuperAxe » Thu May 05, 2022 10:30 pm

johnnysomersett wrote:
Thu May 05, 2022 2:12 am
Sorry for monologuing but it's a process and documentation is possibly helpful of others stumble across this.

Did more reading, tried to find pictures. Realised that the wires from the caps to the pot were possibly/likely meant to be moved not in addition...not overly clear from the diagram. I decided to try it. It meant making one stock lead an inch longer but also meant two less wires added to the circuit.

Image

Checked the bias again and it was about where I have been setting it (-25mA ish) and it held steady. The MV works as it should and the blocking distortion seems to have gone. The diagram showed a 100k dual pot, which I used despite the circuit having 220k as stock. I couldn't find a 220/250k dual pot anywhere so, after checking a load of other Fender schematics which use 100k, decided it was worth a shot. I don't know if it's related but I do seem to have a little more clean headroom as a result of this or something else I have done.

Half an hour of play-through indicates I might have succeeded though.
:) Honestly, try to learn how to read circuit diagrams, things will be so much easier then...

User avatar
JSett
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 8804
Joined: Mon Jun 01, 2009 1:33 pm
Location: Old Hampshire, Old England

Re: What's on your workbench right now?

Post by JSett » Thu May 05, 2022 11:32 pm

SuperAxe wrote:
Thu May 05, 2022 10:30 pm
:) Honestly, try to learn how to read circuit diagrams, things will be so much easier then...
Yeah, I'm getting there slowly with diagrams over layouts but I definitely lean towards the latter for a more immediate visual aid. I actually solved this issue by cross-referencing the circuit diagram. Each time I do something like that I get a little better at reading them.

I'm so much of a visual person that I struggle doing it the 'right' way. I'm better with exploded diagrams over schematics, 3D over 2D, etc. Show me an exploded picture of a carburettor and I'll rebuild it for you no worries :D My day job is totally art based and my brain just naturally gravitates that direction.
Silly Rabbit, don't you know scooped mids are for kids?

User avatar
niksureal
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 3267
Joined: Sun Jan 25, 2009 9:33 am
Location: Austin Area
Contact:

Re: What's on your workbench right now?

Post by niksureal » Fri May 06, 2022 5:35 pm

One of my Mustangs now has a Jaguar vibrato!

Image
Image

The plate doesnt quite cover every bit of the top two original mustang vibrato screw holes but its close enough. I am happy. It works perfectly. Just need to bend the arm so its more comfortable.

User avatar
Fiddy
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 12391
Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2007 11:38 am
Location: Canada Dry

Re: What's on your workbench right now?

Post by Fiddy » Fri May 06, 2022 6:12 pm

niksureal wrote:
Fri May 06, 2022 5:35 pm
One of my Mustangs now has a Jaguar vibrato!
Where did you get that square top plate for the trem?

User avatar
CROSS_guitars
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 3112
Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2008 5:52 am
Location: Thornbury Melbourne

Re: What's on your workbench right now?

Post by CROSS_guitars » Fri May 06, 2022 7:31 pm

Ha! awesome. That's my tremolo design. Designed for an Epiphone, Aria ET270

Post Reply