Metropoulos Forum

Hiya all!

Let me introduce myself first for those who don't know that much about me.
I'm Julius, 15 year old guitarist from Finland, who has been lurker and seldom poster on this forum for like 8 months now.
During the last 8 months I've read this forum almost daily, discovering stuff about amps. In the beginning I didn't know anything, but now I know a lot of how a tube amp works. Besides this forum I have read about tube amps and electronics in Finnish, read Finnish amp forum, googled about amps, read Aiken's website through... I haven't posted a lot of questions because this forum is so full of information and the search function works awesome. I've just read, spotted some unknown term for me, then searched, read about that, oh new term! Search... and so on. I gathered the required information and then installed a PPIMV in my 85' 2203. After that I noticed how fun modding was and got hooked. I modded and modded for months until I found the spec most comfortable and best for me.

Then I started toying around with the idea of building my own... I took my time, read the build logs for months and then pulled the trigger for a TAD super lead kit. TAD because I live in Europe, ordering from USA would have been expensive....

So i've been a chaser for a nice brown tone for a while now, and what's more fun than doing it yourself! My kit came today. The journey starts here..

Oh and, I know about the voltages in tube amps, and I now how to drain caps and work safely so please dont post about that, altough safety can never be overestimated!

Sincerely,
Julkke

PICS AT

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

So yeah finished mounting all the stuff today. Wiring starts tomorrow!

Build a simple amp cradle. You need it. Post pics as you go along. Don't rush your solder joints.

Looks good so far. I wish I found out about this site when I was your age. You will find much use of masking tape like keeping wires in place waiting to be soldered, making note on things, masking over sharp edges etc.

The TAD layout has some weird groundings. The heater ct goes to mains filter caps ground and the main earth shares it's ground lug with the PI filter. Should I go with those or use different grounding?

IMO no stick to star grounding

Heater wiring and small wirings finished today. That 18 gauge wire was hard to work on. This is my firs heater wiring ever so be cool, I just hope I don't have to re-do it... What do you think?

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

That's why a lot of guys use 22awg for the heaters. That will work what you have but if you have any issues or excessive noise you'll second guess those heater wires. It's a lot harder to go back and redo them after everything is laid over top and the board is in.
If your not happy with it. Redo it.

I got wires and stuff before I got the chassis, so I spent a few days practicing on twisting those heater wires. If you're not happy use a drill

...

I can't tell from your pics but you have to be certain those heaters are wired in parallel. It looks as though your heaters are both green so it's hard to follow.

Yes they are in parallel. They are also twisted evenly, not that other is twisted around the other. I'm actually pretty pleased with the results. I tried my best and followed pictures from tad. At least three twists between the sockets, right angles etc. I think I'll post closer pics but I really think it's good. I triple checked all the connections because of the same colour. Everything is good.

BTW in the pics of eds amp, anyone noticed that the heater wires are barely twisted? :O

Heey, got back from a camp today so amp time!!

Today i went through a lot of progress. Right in the start I fucked up and cut the OT primary wires too short so I had to lenghten those. (See pic with the tape on the wires) Well, fortunately that was the only screw up today, except from TAD.

There were two pretty big things that TAD somehow screwed up: The back panels holes for fuses were not in the right places and the indicator light in the kit is something really weird, it doesnt even fit the front panel. Check that out on the pics.

Well, I left the light off completely, will be ordering one and emailing TAD about this. I got pics from finnish guy who has a TAD plexi which were really helpful. I am pleased with my work and really believe that I can do this!

Please take a look at the pics and tell me if yur eye catches something mine doesnt.

-Julius

Lots of progress done since last post. I'm up to the point where Im wiring the turret board. Still some questions, not sure about the unused voltage yet so i havent done anything to them yet. To the chassis wall or to the empty turrets? Also, at the inputs, plate wire going to volume II's input has to cross input wires. I did it so that it has a bit of distance to the input wires and is crossing them in about 60 degree angle. This is ok?

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