First build - TAD Super Lead

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rgorke
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Re: First build - TAD Super Lead

Post by rgorke » Thu Nov 08, 2012 2:43 pm

vanhalen5150 wrote:Metal films will give you a more quiet signal. Put your $$$ into a good set of power tubes and some quality speakers.
Do we know where the best places are for MF to reduce noise? I have mainly Iskra Carbon Films and some Carbon Comps in the V1a and b plates and in the PI grid resistors.
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Re: First build - TAD Super Lead

Post by vanhalen5150 » Thu Nov 08, 2012 3:17 pm

Im thinking the preamp mainly, but I havent really swapped out a lot of things to really see what works.
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Re: First build - TAD Super Lead

Post by julkke » Fri Nov 09, 2012 12:06 am

I'd think v1(inputs, plates, mixers to v2), since that noise gets amplified through the whole amp. Maybe cathode follower too? And pots, arent standard alphas carbon comp? 1meg right before second stage, maybe some other pots would be better. Nothing to worry about here since plexi isn't relatively a high gain circuit. :D But it's cool to think about stuff in amps and really try to understand what affects what.

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Re: First build - TAD Super Lead

Post by vanhalen5150 » Fri Nov 09, 2012 10:53 am

Yeah, I think Alpha are carbon but with everything on 10, it takes them out of the equation I guess. Pots are really overlooked a bit. Its funny to see an amp with $200 mustards and 10 cent potentiometers though.Makes you wonder what we are all really doing.
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Re: First build - TAD Super Lead

Post by julkke » Fri Nov 09, 2012 12:38 pm

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6daidph0j7z7e6b/BjXSZlXe4_" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Okay I got my parts today and experienced a little of the not-so-fun side of amp building, but got rewarded!

Installing the PPIMV was a PITA. It was a tight space in the indicator light hole, I oriented the pots lugs away from standby switch as suggested in the PPIMV thread by Larry. Then, my wire was really hard to work on, thick, I had to twist the braid, cut just right lenghts etc. Installing it really was hard and took a long time. It didn't even came out really pretty. The tapes are there just for safety and make sure anything is not toughing something it isn't supposed to.

In the end of the install I noticed that the V6 5.6k grid stopper's (carbon comp!!!) leg connected to the tube felt really loose. That resistor felt a bit loose since installing it. Others grid stoppers seemed nice and sturdy. So, the the resistors leg just broke from the body of the resistor. I really felt bad at that point. I didn't have a spare resistor so I just wired that grid without a resistor. I can't hear any oscillations or see red plating.

So, I got the PPIMV installed, fired it up and wow. Tone for days. Honestly, this is a fucking kickass amp, I'm speechless. Even at low volumes, it sure has all the gain for VH! Almost couldn't stop playing it.

Then I took the amp back to my table and started modding with the parts I had on this order. I put in a .0022uf coupler, 25uf sprague atom paralleled to the .68uf on v2a, 820ohm cathode resistor on v1b and replaced my V1 resistors with carbon films. I put the 220k to pin 2 of v3 as I was having a little of that "cymbal crash". I had done that with my 2203 too, and it also cured that for this amp.

Well fired it up again and there it was. The tone I was looking for. Warm and deep, but not in anyway flubby bass, still that bright twang on the upper strings and harmonic content that even the 2203 doesn't have. I'm so proud of myself now, I built my tone. I don't think I want to change anything on it as for values, this is the tone I want, like the suhr sl68. The only thing I'm gonna do still is to replace the carbon comps. I read they have glued in leads and as I got to know today that isn't reliable. Or maybe it was just a bad resistor?

Oh, I don't hear the buzz almost at all anymore. Maybe it was the input or plate CC's, maybe bad solder joint, idk. All I know is that I fucking love this amp and will go do a clip now!

Cheers,

Julius

So,

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Re: First build - TAD Super Lead

Post by julkke » Fri Nov 09, 2012 12:55 pm

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/49322143/plexigain.mp3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Clip.. that is LOW VOLUME. No eq'ing, a very subtle touch of reverb. I didn't even normalize. Now tell me that his amp wasn't stock or that he had a overdrive-distortion pedal. :D

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Re: First build - TAD Super Lead

Post by vanhalen5150 » Fri Nov 09, 2012 1:37 pm

It sounds good. You are missing a little power tube chunk though. (Sniffs cork)
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Re: First build - TAD Super Lead

Post by julkke » Sat Nov 10, 2012 6:02 am

I swapped the tone stack and mixer 500pf silver micas for 560pf 500volt ceramic discs. Bit more gain, grind and mids. I like it.

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Re: First build - TAD Super Lead

Post by julkke » Sat Nov 10, 2012 11:26 am

I opened up my grandfathers old tube radio and found a .0047uf 400v mustard in there. Any real use for that?

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Re: First build - TAD Super Lead

Post by neikeel » Sat Nov 10, 2012 11:45 am

julkke wrote:I opened up my grandfathers old tube radio and found a .0047uf 400v mustard in there. Any real use for that?
0.004uF = 4n7F = 4,700pF

You could use it as a bright channel coupling cap (stock is 0.0022uF for a split cathode superlead) a Bass or 2203 would use 0.022uF so that is somewhere in between.

Could also use it as a vol 1 bypass ('bright') cap on the pot.

Does the radio still work? If so probably best left!
Neil

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Re: First build - TAD Super Lead

Post by julkke » Sat Nov 10, 2012 11:55 am

Yeah I know the formula. :P The radio doesn't work so... It has some nice old philips tubes but only usable for guitar there is a el84. I'm thinking the mustard would be cool for PI input since there the value of .022uf is high. I read on Aikens site that for a cutoff freq of 53hz a 1500pf cap would be needed here. So, 4700pf would cutoff around freqs that arent even audible. I'd get the mustard mojo. :D

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Re: First build - TAD Super Lead

Post by julkke » Sun Nov 11, 2012 2:58 pm

This amp really has been an eye opener. I'm honestly pretty blown away. Why is there so much people not believing it when it really is so simple: a stock plexi has the vh tone. With the dsd straight in theres all the gain for vh1. Paf and it's nuts vh2. This amp also does a lot more stuff so well, I'm nailing acdc, Jimmy Page, Hendrix tones... Big low end and enough gain to play metal too. Maybe it's the honeymoon but I love this amp. I don't wanna change a thing in it.

That brings up a question, I have parts coming to swap all my resistors, but withe monster tone I'm having now I dont want to lose it. I'm replacing the swampers and bias circuit resistors but maybe not any else. I think I like the carbon comps. But the question is, are they reliable? I wouldnt want my amp to fail at a gig because of a cc.

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Re: First build - TAD Super Lead

Post by rgorke » Tue Nov 13, 2012 1:19 pm

What to do with the other parts...?

Build another amp!!

Great job, glad you are happy with it.
"If you make a mistake, do it twice and smile and let people think you meant it." Jan Van Halen.

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Re: First build - TAD Super Lead

Post by julkke » Tue Nov 13, 2012 2:25 pm

Yeah I'm already planning my next build. :) I think I'll do a jtm45 from sourced parts. Probably wont happen soon though, and now I'm also toying around with an idea of slapping together a partscaster. How cool would that be, DIY guitar and amp! :hairband: Also I start to be outta money now and maybe cant find any work at this time of year. I think I'll earn some money in the summer. Better still to start collecting parts now for next years amp project! :D

BTW, does anyone else think the larmar looks ugly in an amp with otherwise nice guts? :P

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Re: First build - TAD Super Lead

Post by rgorke » Tue Nov 13, 2012 4:30 pm

julkke wrote:https://dl.dropbox.com/u/49322143/plexigain.mp3

Clip.. that is LOW VOLUME. No eq'ing, a very subtle touch of reverb. I didn't even normalize. Now tell me that his amp wasn't stock or that he had a overdrive-distortion pedal. :D

I just was able to listen to this clip. Wow! great job. And you are correct, there is tone and gain a plenty to get Vh1, Vh2, through whatever...

Nicely done and great chops.
"If you make a mistake, do it twice and smile and let people think you meant it." Jan Van Halen.

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