What's on your workbench right now?

Talk about modding or building your own guitar from scratch.
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bodhi
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Re: What's on your workbench right now?

Post by bodhi » Thu Apr 21, 2022 7:10 am

Dr Tony Balls wrote:
Thu Mar 17, 2022 8:33 am
All this is reminding me that awhile ago I set out to create a true bedroom amp. Something push-pull and made with pentodes that sounded like the big boys, but at like half a watt. I didnt fully succeed. I started with attempting to use EF86s as power tubes, and it worked but really didnt sound great. Then after enough thinking and researching I decided to try the concept with ECL84s. They dont make them anymore but NOS they're cheap as chips. Each one has a pentode and half a triode as well, meaning that with a pair of them you could use the triodes for LTPI phase inversion. I alredy had a phase inverter wired up so i'm not using the triodes, but in the future I would. Anyway....blackface-ish circuit at ~2 watts and it sounds awesome. A little loud for bedroom, still, but attenuator or MV brings it into check rather nicely.

Image

Image
By the way, which attenuator circuit are you using for the small amps, or is it a VVR? I have some projects going on which I'm thinking of integrating some way of getting decent sounds out of at a low volume...
Jazzmaster project (got a body, placeholder neck, some pickups and ideas)
Tokai Telecaster Thinline with Creamery Pickups Filtertron and Tapped Tele
Blake Mills-inspired Strat project w/ Gold Foil and slide pickup

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Dr Tony Balls
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Re: What's on your workbench right now?

Post by Dr Tony Balls » Thu Apr 21, 2022 7:47 am

bodhi wrote:
Thu Apr 21, 2022 7:10 am
Dr Tony Balls wrote:
Thu Mar 17, 2022 8:33 am
All this is reminding me that awhile ago I set out to create a true bedroom amp. Something push-pull and made with pentodes that sounded like the big boys, but at like half a watt. I didnt fully succeed. I started with attempting to use EF86s as power tubes, and it worked but really didnt sound great. Then after enough thinking and researching I decided to try the concept with ECL84s. They dont make them anymore but NOS they're cheap as chips. Each one has a pentode and half a triode as well, meaning that with a pair of them you could use the triodes for LTPI phase inversion. I alredy had a phase inverter wired up so i'm not using the triodes, but in the future I would. Anyway....blackface-ish circuit at ~2 watts and it sounds awesome. A little loud for bedroom, still, but attenuator or MV brings it into check rather nicely.

Image

Image
By the way, which attenuator circuit are you using for the small amps, or is it a VVR? I have some projects going on which I'm thinking of integrating some way of getting decent sounds out of at a low volume...
The one in that was just a 5W 25Ω pot acting as a volume control on the OT secondary. The amp is so small that you can get away with easy stuff like that. However, if I was doing it over again i'd just use a LarMar type MV.
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bodhi
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Re: What's on your workbench right now?

Post by bodhi » Thu Apr 21, 2022 1:16 pm

Dr Tony Balls wrote:
Thu Apr 21, 2022 7:47 am
bodhi wrote:
Thu Apr 21, 2022 7:10 am
Dr Tony Balls wrote:
Thu Mar 17, 2022 8:33 am
All this is reminding me that awhile ago I set out to create a true bedroom amp. Something push-pull and made with pentodes that sounded like the big boys, but at like half a watt. I didnt fully succeed. I started with attempting to use EF86s as power tubes, and it worked but really didnt sound great. Then after enough thinking and researching I decided to try the concept with ECL84s. They dont make them anymore but NOS they're cheap as chips. Each one has a pentode and half a triode as well, meaning that with a pair of them you could use the triodes for LTPI phase inversion. I alredy had a phase inverter wired up so i'm not using the triodes, but in the future I would. Anyway....blackface-ish circuit at ~2 watts and it sounds awesome. A little loud for bedroom, still, but attenuator or MV brings it into check rather nicely.

Image

Image
By the way, which attenuator circuit are you using for the small amps, or is it a VVR? I have some projects going on which I'm thinking of integrating some way of getting decent sounds out of at a low volume...
The one in that was just a 5W 25Ω pot acting as a volume control on the OT secondary. The amp is so small that you can get away with easy stuff like that. However, if I was doing it over again i'd just use a LarMar type MV.
Ok, thanks for the info! I'll see what I need to sort out for amps in different sizes...
Jazzmaster project (got a body, placeholder neck, some pickups and ideas)
Tokai Telecaster Thinline with Creamery Pickups Filtertron and Tapped Tele
Blake Mills-inspired Strat project w/ Gold Foil and slide pickup

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UC3
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Re: What's on your workbench right now?

Post by UC3 » Sat Apr 23, 2022 7:29 pm

Just after first coat of Z-poxy.

Meant to be a Mustang/Tele mashup with maple neck and Charlie Christian's.

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Image

I see plenty of sanding in my future...

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daCod
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Re: What's on your workbench right now?

Post by daCod » Tue Apr 26, 2022 7:55 pm

My very first guitar lives again. 97 Cyclone bought brand spanking new by yours truly from the long gone Scotty’s Guitars in Norfolk NE. Ordered the fender pearloid guard from Mars Music (oh man those were the days) in the sprawling metropolis of Omaha my senior year of HS. Good times. Simpler times.

Now sporting a Novak WR in the bridge and 80’s Schaller Germany Telecaster bridge pickup (adaptor plate made from a scrap of tort) in the neck. No real clue how it actually sounds as kiddos are sleeping so we’ll have to wait until tomorrow for loud time.

I’m giddy. Feel like a damn kid again. 🤩🤩🤩

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Image
your paranoia must be weapons-grade.
“I have terrible hearing trouble. I have unwittingly helped to invent and refine a type of music that makes its principal proponents deaf.” ~ PT

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s_mcsleazy
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Re: What's on your workbench right now?

Post by s_mcsleazy » Wed Apr 27, 2022 1:32 am

daCod wrote:
Tue Apr 26, 2022 7:55 pm
My very first guitar lives again. 97 Cyclone bought brand spanking new by yours truly from the long gone Scotty’s Guitars in Norfolk NE. Ordered the fender pearloid guard from Mars Music (oh man those were the days) in the sprawling metropolis of Omaha my senior year of HS. Good times. Simpler times.

Now sporting a Novak WR in the bridge and 80’s Schaller Germany Telecaster bridge pickup (adaptor plate made from a scrap of tort) in the neck. No real clue how it actually sounds as kiddos are sleeping so we’ll have to wait until tomorrow for loud time.

I’m giddy. Feel like a damn kid again. 🤩🤩🤩

Image
Image
do you mind if i sent this to my bandmate? i have a feeling they'd love it
offset guitars resident bass player.
'Are you trying to seduce me Mrs Robinson? Or do you just want me to solder a couple of resistors into your Muff?'

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daCod
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Re: What's on your workbench right now?

Post by daCod » Wed Apr 27, 2022 2:54 am

s_mcsleazy wrote:
Wed Apr 27, 2022 1:32 am
do you mind if i sent this to my bandmate? i have a feeling they'd love it
But of course- Do it!
your paranoia must be weapons-grade.
“I have terrible hearing trouble. I have unwittingly helped to invent and refine a type of music that makes its principal proponents deaf.” ~ PT

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Dr Tony Balls
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Re: What's on your workbench right now?

Post by Dr Tony Balls » Thu Apr 28, 2022 12:54 pm

"Fixing" a Hot Rod Deluxe.

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hulakatt
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Re: What's on your workbench right now?

Post by hulakatt » Thu Apr 28, 2022 2:16 pm

Ahh, what's going in there?
She/Her

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Dr Tony Balls
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Re: What's on your workbench right now?

Post by Dr Tony Balls » Fri Apr 29, 2022 5:49 am

hulakatt wrote:
Thu Apr 28, 2022 2:16 pm
Ahh, what's going in there?
Well, there was a full, working, Hot Rod Deluxe circuit in there that the owner asked me to gut and replace with a different one. So that. It's gonna be a 30W version of the BF-15 circuit I often make. Sounds more like what the guy wants and will be a ton more reliable.
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ThePearDream
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Re: What's on your workbench right now?

Post by ThePearDream » Sat Apr 30, 2022 3:09 pm

A white Limba body.
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Testing the fit on a control cavity shield plate that I had laser cut from 1mm aluminum.
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Doug
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hexes
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Re: What's on your workbench right now?

Post by hexes » Sun May 01, 2022 11:35 am

Dr Tony Balls wrote:
Thu Apr 28, 2022 12:54 pm
"Fixing" a Hot Rod Deluxe.
Image

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JSett
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Re: What's on your workbench right now?

Post by JSett » Mon May 02, 2022 11:16 am

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
*looks over to 24yr old HRD in the corner that's never needed more than tubes and shrugs*
Silly Rabbit, don't you know scooped mids are for kids?

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Re: What's on your workbench right now?

Post by Lieutenant030 » Mon May 02, 2022 2:28 pm

I've been working on this recently, which incidentally led me to OSG. I'm humbly in the presence of some very talented craftspeople, but taking it all in.
Image

This was a Guitarbuild Mustang blank in Poplar. Just the neck pocket was routed out.
Image

What I did was rout out two large chambers from the back, then glued on a 4mm Poplar ply backing piece which was then bound.

Image

Neck is an Epihone, so 24.75" scale, built up with a Chigsby and Jag-style bridge.
The scratchplate is 3mm trans blue perspex, rescued from work. I've glittered the reverse of it, but I'm not totally sold on it so far.

Image

So this is where we are at the moment. I can see this being something that gets stripped and rebuilt/reconfigured fairly regularly.

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hexes
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Re: What's on your workbench right now?

Post by hexes » 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
Dr Tony Balls wrote:
Thu Apr 28, 2022 12:54 pm
"Fixing" a Hot Rod Deluxe.
*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.

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