Metropoulos Forum

hey all, I'm planning on starting a 1969 super lead build using the metro amp 100 watt plexi kit instructions. I'm planning on sourcing mostly from valvestorm but had a few questions before I started gathering parts-

From your guys' experience, what is the best laydown power transformer and OT for a '69 SL build? I've done quite a bit of research on classic tone, heyboer but can't seem to find a clear cut winner. This will be my first amp build so I need all of the opinions I can get.
Thanks

I guess you are from the US? If so - I think you can´t go wrong with either Heyboer or Marstran. At least that´s my conclusion from what I´ve gathered through months of reading this forum, hearing some clips etc. I´m in the process of building a 1969 SB myself - my first amp build actually. I chose Heyboer - the 1203-80-ML (laydown) PT and C1998 OT - many use Marstran. I think these two are more or less equal and are said to represent really authentic clones of the originals.

In Europe I´d recommend IG-Transformatoren from Germany - great quality from what I heard.

Hope that helps.

Cheers
YF

I just finished my 1969 100w superlead build 2 weeks back with the same planning as you. I went with the classic tone pt / ot / choke and it sounds great. Surprisingly as good as my 72 and 74 original superleads.

I'd highly recommend them if your interested in saving some $$.

In saying that I have a marstran OT in my 74 50w marshall and love that to so either option will sound great.

I've used Mercury Magnetics in my blackface deluxe reverb and they sound great, but haven't tried in a Marshall build yet though so can't comment on them.

angusbadass80 wrote: From your guys' experience, what is the best laydown power transformer and OT for a .....

I will go out on a limb and say there is no "best" transformer. Like there is no "best" flavor of ice cream or "best" guitar player (since we aren't in the EVH section... ).

Each of the main manufactures have different characteristics. Some guys like one and some like the others. What I find curious is that many of them begin with an "M" (Metro, Marstran, M#rren, Magnetic Corp)...what does that tell you?

To hear the difference between PT's and choke's a lot more harder than between the Output transformers. I have a JCM 800 with "Classic tone" OT and "Mojo" PT and choke and I am very happy with the results. In general - every component that is in the signal path is worth to be the highest quality.