2203 build, attempting image links

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coldengray
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Re: 2203 build, attempting image links

Post by coldengray » Sun Oct 15, 2017 12:21 pm

Wow, very well done. Looks fantastic!

revolver1
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Re: 2203 build, attempting image links

Post by revolver1 » Mon Oct 16, 2017 2:22 am

Thanks guys.

Next week end I can get the wire on the board and that's about as far as I can take it with out the trannies. I think it will just make things awkward if I wire in the power section.

So then yes.... On to the next build, I think I'm going to attempt a 1987.

Since I have sorted the imageshack account I might as well make the most of it. I'll get another thread going in the 50w section in a couple of weeks.

I'll be back to finnish this one though and put some more pics up.

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Re: 2203 build, attempting image links

Post by revolver1 » Wed Oct 18, 2017 1:31 pm

Got some good news this morning, transformers should be shipped in 5 to 7 days. :rockon:

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Re: 2203 build, attempting image links

Post by revolver1 » Mon Nov 13, 2017 6:46 am

Image

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Re: 2203 build, attempting image links

Post by revolver1 » Mon Nov 13, 2017 6:48 am

Image

revolver1
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Re: 2203 build, attempting image links

Post by revolver1 » Mon Nov 13, 2017 6:49 am

Image

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Re: 2203 build, attempting image links

Post by revolver1 » Mon Nov 13, 2017 6:50 am

Image

revolver1
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Re: 2203 build, attempting image links

Post by revolver1 » Thu Apr 11, 2019 11:16 am

So I've come back to finish this one off, it does make me laugh seeing that I posted the trannies would be shipped with in 5 to 7 days :lol: :lol: :lol: :popcorn:

Had to come back in and edit because I nearly forgot. When I went to mount the P.T all the wires were coming out the hole's on one side of the P.T. It all looked a bit tight and I couldn't then bring the wires into the chassis the way they were shown in the build instructions. So I opened up the bell cover to see if it was possible to split some of the wires to the other side of the P.T and as I kinda guessed that can't be done. But then I noticed some of the cores were crushed from where the bell cover tightened up on the winding's and there were two wires that were crossed and one of those wires had split the insulation open where the bell cover had tightened up on it and mangled the wire.

So I heat shrank the crushed cores and jointed and heat shrank the core that was crushed with split insulation. Then I spread the cores out so they wouldn't get crushed and fitted some grommets to protect where the wires came through the bell cover.

I got lucky but I'm quite glad I found that one.

And then there was the 5 Henry Choke with bell covers that I asked for and was told sure that won't be a problem and instead received a 3.5H Plexi Choke. I guess it was so long between ordering and receiving the detail got lost along the way. As It was that didn't work out so bad, I used that Choke on the West Coast modded 1987 and got a 5 Henry Choke with bell covers from Classic Tone which looks great and seems to do the job just fine. :thumbsup:

Any way all done now so here we go, gotta say I love this amp.
Last edited by revolver1 on Thu Apr 11, 2019 1:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.

revolver1
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Re: 2203 build, attempting image links

Post by revolver1 » Thu Apr 11, 2019 11:45 am

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So I had to swap the bias electrolytic caps and the trim pot out for new components and other than that I made a little cock up by crossing the green wire with the orange wire going to the swamp resistors.

This showed up when I went to bias and it was all OK until I shut off a pot and the knocking of the wiper hitting the stop was enough to send the amp squealing like a banshee. So luckily a fairly simple fix, I was more worried about causing more damage to something else while in there with a hot iron but it all worked out OK.

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Re: 2203 build, attempting image links

Post by revolver1 » Thu Apr 11, 2019 12:20 pm

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This amp just rocks, it's just stock 2203 only difference not that I think it would make that much is a 32/32uf filter cap on the preamp. The mixer and tone stack dog bones are both 470pf.
Negative feed back is 100k on the 4ohm tap.

It does it all, cleaner sounds through to as heavy as I'd ever need to go. Throw a boost or a graphic EQ in front for solos and I'm away.

Valves;

V1 NOS Mullard Ecc83
V2 NOS Mullard Ecc83
V3 NOS Mullard Ecc83
V4 GT EL34M
V5 GT EL34M
V6 GT EL34M
V7 GT EL34M

I'm quite liking these Groove Tubes EL34M, I know some people seem to have an axe to grind with GT or has that changed since Fender brought them out? Personally I don't see the big deal I couldn't care less, they sound great to me for new production tubes and they are well matched. I've got NOS XF2's and 3's and Winged C's and I honestly think these GT EL34M aren't bad at all. I only got them for firing the amps up and after testing I was going to drop the Mullards in but I think I'm going to hang on to the Mullards for the 67 build and leave these in.

revolver1
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Re: 2203 build, attempting image links

Post by revolver1 » Thu Apr 11, 2019 12:57 pm

Image

It's dead quiet so the Larry grounding scheme worked out great.

He put those bell covers on the P.T and O.T which usually are reserved only for his own Boutique builds. For that I am very great full because they really look great, I think I've got this right I believe he said they are made from molds taken from original Dagnall Bell covers.

Presence 1
Bass 3
Mid 3
Treb 3
Master Vol 6
Pre amp 8

Totally nails AC/DC, Love it!

Presence 5
Bass 7
Mid 5.5
Treb 5
Master Vol 6
Pre amp 10

Totally nails GNR. I'd be pretty sure a graphic eq with a mid boost and a noise gate would do the solos, cant wait to try it out.

I messed around with it for about 4 hours and it just sounds great, very versatile loads of tones in it.
I've only ever played one of these before at a rehearsal studio it was a 78 and I really liked it which made me want to build this one and this one rocks.

I put it through my 2x12 StoneAge cab with the Celestion Marshall V30 and the G12T75, the speakers aren't even broken in and It still sounds good. I've got a soft spot for this amp already.

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