kit ordering questions

hrod455 · Post by **hrod455** » Sun May 01, 2005 2:12 pm

Hi all, been lurking here for a while. Have a '98 1987X I'd like to change to ptp board and a new output tx. Not sure which circuit I want to make, split cathode, shared cathode. Have read many posts about starting with the '69 board and taking it from there. Easier to mod back to any style circuit etc..
Output tx? heyboer, mm, oei.....not sure which one. Seems anything is an improvement over the stock marshall. I dig it all VH, Hendrix, Allmans. Would prefer a bigger, warmer sound to a thinner gainier sound.

So now to my ordering questions. Are all the different circuits ie. 67-8-9 included on the disc? Nowhere in the ordering page does it ask which circuit or which year board you want. Do I have to contact George to spec out a '69 board for example?

Just received an assorment of Sozo's to try so I'm rarin' to go.

Thanks in advance!

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Sun May 01, 2005 6:22 pm

Your in luck because theres not as many tranny and other options with a 50W. I had a 1987x a few years back as well. I upgraded the board and then bought an MM tranny thinkin it was just a reliability issue or something. I was pretty shocked at what a difference it made. Its just my opinion. I know a few people here who think the trannys in x RIs are really good and its just their sound. I eventually came to prefer othr trannys. MMs seem to be to be very bright and glassy in general which suits many people here especially for a real compressed 70s rock or EVH sound. But I suggest trying Heyboer, OEI, or even Marstran first. I have 2 reasons for that. One is since you dont know which youd prefer why start with the most expensive. The other is what I said earlier. If you want a big fat warm sound it seems to me the other trannys are less bright and aggressive or whatever.

As long as you have all the turrets you need to do both a lead and bass type circuit (bass and JTM [67] era circuits are very similar) then all you have to do is swap around and see which you prefer. You can put both pairs of cathodes on the board at V1 for split but wire it up to share and try split at your convenence. Most other differences youll need to swap components but thats not a big deal as long as you take your time and are neat. Get one of those sodler removing tools that suck up the solder. Theyre called plungers I think and they work well with turrets. I consider the shared circuits to be more of a big fat singing sound while the split are more a bright thin scream sound good for 70s rock kinda stuff and EVH. Those are my words and they mean different things to different people but to me it seems a bass circuit may be a better place for you to start givin what you said earlier. The only thing is I think most people including myself feel that all EVH, Jimi, and Allmans sounds are easier to get with Lead circuits then Bass to a certain degree anyway. That doesnt mean those guys didnt use 67 style amps which as far as I know they all did at one point or another. Its relative too. A Fender person who doesnt play marshalls would plug into any Marshall and hear EVH and Boston etc..

hrod455 · Post by **hrod455** » Mon May 02, 2005 12:06 am

Thanks for the reply Dan. Have read many and enjoyed your posts.

Help me here (kinda dense

) Order page: 50 Watt Lead RI replacement board minus signal caps? And the different era circuits and layouts will be on the disc? Are the different year boards just for the 100Watt SLP's?

Flames1950 · Post by **Flames1950** » Mon May 02, 2005 12:10 am

You'll have to reference the 100 watt section for many of the differences between the different years. No biggie, the only real difference between the 50 and 100 watt boards is the rectifier layout.

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Mon May 02, 2005 12:15 am

You can carry over anything for the 100W to the 50W. Well almost everything. Yes you want the 50W lead board -signal caps (order them seperately from metro [mallorys] or sozo) or when you order write in the order note entry that thats what you want to do. Unless you want sozos then you have to order from sozo. All the differences are on the board. Ill tell you right now:

69 Lead vs JTM/Bass

V1 cathode- split vs shared
bright couplr- .0022 vs .022
bright cap- .005 vs 100p-500p
V2a bypass- .68 vs none (rare cases 330)
Slope resis.- 33k vs 56k
treble cap- 500p vs 250p
PI couplers- .022 vs .1
NFB resistor- 100k/47k vs 47k/27k

All this info is on the CD.

hrod455 · Post by **hrod455** » Mon May 02, 2005 12:25 am

Wow you guys are quick with the replies this late at night!

I have the Sozo signal caps.

Output TX: gonna go with the Heyboer since George offers it, unless you can talk me into the OEI or Marstran quick

Flames1950 · Post by **Flames1950** » Mon May 02, 2005 7:35 am

On a price vs. performance level those Heyboers are a great deal. Will be a great place to start on your RI.
Personally, I don't think Dan sleeps. You can tell when he's got a gig, though -- he disappears for five or six hours -- otherwise I think he skips sleeping and just lurks on the 'Net........

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Mon May 02, 2005 9:19 am

HA!

Actually between working day and night lately I only get like 2 or 3 times a day to check up here and sometimes in the evening Ill hang out for a while. You can tell when I just got here because Ill find 15 threads to post on and Ill do em all at once and youll see 'Billy Batz' on every page on the main page.

hrod455 · Post by **hrod455** » Thu May 05, 2005 11:26 pm

Ordered a 50 watt Lead board, Heyboer Output Tx, and an extra amp wiring kit.

I'm more use to looking at Fender schematics 'cause of the Super Reverb and Dual Showman Reverb that I have. Marshall schematics are harder for me to read for some reason. I should be okay, but I know where to come to ask questons

For tubes I like the Svet EL34 and have tried EI's and JJ's for the pre amps. If you were to use current production tubes, which do you prefer?

Flames and Dan, thanks for your help.

Flames1950 · Post by **Flames1950** » Thu May 05, 2005 11:57 pm

I guess I'd go with JJ 12AX7's or maybe the GT12AX7M's. I've got some JJ's here and they sound OK. But I'm still milking along about eight vintage Telefunken 12AX7's that I've scrounged through tube stereos for, along with some RCA/GE 12AX7's.
If you can find some RCA/GE's they usually aren't that expensive (at least compared to the $20 each GT12AX7M's) and will reward you with better sound -- even if you get them used.

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Fri May 06, 2005 7:18 am

How much for one Flames?

Flames1950 · Post by **Flames1950** » Fri May 06, 2005 8:16 am

I thought I'd seen the GE/RCA/Sylvania 12AX7's in Vintage Guitar advertised for about $30 NOS. The Telefunken's go for freakin' $90-$95 NOS, yikes.
That's why old tube stereos are such a great steal, usually the idiot selling it has no clue that the stereo is worthless and you just want his tubes.

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Fri May 06, 2005 8:58 am

I mean how much for you to sell it...

Ill have to give the swap meet thing a try. Im not good with old tubes though. Ill have to post pics if I find some but I dont have a dig cam.

hrod455 · Post by **hrod455** » Wed May 11, 2005 11:49 pm

Damn, it feels good chopping that stock board out of this small box!

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