First build - TAD Super Lead

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emmjaydubya
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Re: First build - TAD Super Lead

Post by emmjaydubya » Wed Nov 14, 2012 2:31 am

julkke wrote:Now I'm also toying around with an idea of slapping together a partscaster. How cool would that be, DIY guitar and amp! :hairband:
Funny, I play through a parts tele I built years ago and its the best guitar I've ever had, and I play it through a JTM45 I built. Pretty cool feeling when you play them together gig after gig with no issues and they sound killer every time!

Great build and playing, keep it up! I cant wait to finish my 12,000, getting really close!

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vanhalen5150
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Re: First build - TAD Super Lead

Post by vanhalen5150 » Wed Nov 14, 2012 7:10 am

I play with a $450 parts guitar. KNE body and A Warmouth neck. $45 Stewmac PU. All my others sit in tha cases.
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julkke
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Re: First build - TAD Super Lead

Post by julkke » Wed Nov 14, 2012 9:39 am

This hasn't been asked here a lot but where do you guys like to run your normal channel volumes? On 10 just doesnt seem to work. I like it around 3. Ed and Pete Thorn had it on 10 though?

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Re: First build - TAD Super Lead

Post by vanhalen5150 » Wed Nov 14, 2012 10:05 am

Everything on 10.
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Re: First build - TAD Super Lead

Post by julkke » Wed Nov 14, 2012 10:15 am

Nice, to me it sounds more "right" on 3. Each on their own I guess.

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Re: First build - TAD Super Lead

Post by julkke » Wed Nov 14, 2012 12:23 pm

After experimenting diming the normal vol does give you the squish you hear on I'm the one chorus. I just don't like it that much, it feels like the amp is collapsing under my fingers. I like it a bit tighter.

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Re: First build - TAD Super Lead

Post by BoogieEngineer » Wed Nov 14, 2012 7:03 pm

Even when you are not jumping channels the normal channel is still in the signal path and the normal volume still has an effect on the overall sound.

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Re: First build - TAD Super Lead

Post by julkke » Sat Nov 17, 2012 3:44 pm

Update, I just changed my PI coupling caps to .1uf. Definitely an improvement! The low mids filled out in a cool, eruption A chord kind of way. And more importantly, now I can dime my normal vol and get it sound great! I don't know how that is possible but these couplers are staying until I change my mind.

Trying the amp for the first time in a band practice tomorrow!

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Re: First build - TAD Super Lead

Post by julkke » Sun Nov 18, 2012 8:09 am

Band practice went well, amp sounded awesome! I ran it half way open and PT got pretty hot. Not too hot to touch but pretty hot. Nothing to worry about?

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Re: First build - TAD Super Lead

Post by julkke » Fri Nov 23, 2012 11:45 am

Did some stuff: Replaced bias circuit CC resistors and power tube swampers for CF an MF, for reliability. Switched back to .022 output couplers and put in a 32uf PI filter. Also made my screens 25uf. Then I checked bias, which had drifted a bit colder (or just due to the resistors changed measuring a little different) and biased to 37ma hottest tube at 448 volts.

Amp sounds like I want it to. I really don't wanna mess with it much anymore since it sounds so good and I'm afraid of screwing something up. If it ain't broke don't fix it I guess.

Bias has to be pretty much cranked to get the 37ma, this is weird? It's good but the range seems odd. Could be just my set of tubes? Now I'm also having a little pop when switching standby off to play mode, could this be due to the lower filtering?

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Re: First build - TAD Super Lead

Post by julkke » Sat Nov 24, 2012 9:05 am

Upgraded all other resistors to 1w carbon film today, except those 4 in PI (470, 1m, 1m, 10k) since I figured they arent getting high voltage so carbon comps will be fine. And redoing that 4 component turre would have been pain. :D

I had some motorboating at high volumes and whoa, the 5.6k grid stoppers were 5.6ohm! :oops: Replaced those with 10k's I hd in hand and the motorboating and standby popping was gone! Lesson learned: always check your resistor values twice. :D

Then I to the mixer cap to 500p and didn't really like it. 560 is much crisper, more alive. I'll put that in again.

So, the spec I'm running now:

v1b: 820ohm/.68uf
bright ch coupler .0022uf
mixer 470k/470k/560p
v2a: 820ohm/.68uf+25uf
tone stack 33k/560p
Output couplers .022uf

FIltering
Mains 50uf
Screens 25uf
Pi 32uf
pre 50/50uf


It's sounding pretty damn good! I might still change preamp filter but I think maybe the 50/50uf is making my fat cap work so well. It's not flabby at all even when bass is dimed, but balssy with punchy bass.

Cheers

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Re: First build - TAD Super Lead

Post by vanhalen5150 » Sat Dec 01, 2012 5:30 pm

Leave your amp as it is for a while and get use to the sound. That way when you make some minor adjustments, you'll notice it more.
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Re: First build - TAD Super Lead

Post by julkke » Sat Dec 01, 2012 5:50 pm

Yep I will. It still probably hasn't even broken in. I'm just a tinkerer by nature, always trying out stuff.

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Re: First build - TAD Super Lead

Post by julkke » Sun Dec 09, 2012 3:14 pm

Fucking shit this is stressing. Cross posting here to get more eyes on this: http://forum.metroamp.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=40803" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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Re: First build - TAD Super Lead

Post by julkke » Sat Dec 22, 2012 12:04 pm

Enjoying the amp...

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

Loads of gain, I'm using PAF pickup and volume is on 8 (no bright cap), all tone controls on 7.

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