Amp Build: Ceriatone Kraken 50
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Amp Build: Ceriatone Kraken 50
Ok fine, it's really a Chupacabra. But it's got some voicing changes of my own and if the Yeti gets its own name... then this does too lol . They're all the same anyway—basically a Cameron SomethingOrOther, which is the same as a Fortin Kali. All the same design (JMP/JCM800 with a Jose master, dual gains, and some bright switches). Since y'all liked my SLO Clone build thread, I figured I'd do another one. Chassis, turret board, and all the hardware are from Ceriatone. I sourced everything else myself. Still waiting on the iron and a few components here and there. But figured I'd get this ball rolling.
Without further ado, I give you... The Kraken!
Without further ado, I give you... The Kraken!
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Re: Amp Build: Ceriatone Kraken 50
Chassis:
Turret board:
Turret board:
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Re: Amp Build: Ceriatone Kraken 50
Still waiting on transformers so I decided to just get started on the turret board.
And some resistor porn lol. I wen to the Container Store and found some awesome containers, y'all. I got way more excited in there than I should have. I feel like I can really relate to Monica, from the show Friends...
And some resistor porn lol. I wen to the Container Store and found some awesome containers, y'all. I got way more excited in there than I should have. I feel like I can really relate to Monica, from the show Friends...
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Re: Amp Build: Ceriatone Kraken 50
More progress. I discovered I'm missing the V1a plate resistor! The value is pretty obscure and I could only find it in a different brand. My OCD alarm is gonna go off because it won't match the others lol.
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Re: Amp Build: Ceriatone Kraken 50
Meticulously beautiful so far...
"When I'm on stage and first plug in, and I feel a rush of air in my balls... That's when I know my guitar is sounding good!" -Leslie West
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Re: Amp Build: Ceriatone Kraken 50
FourT6and2, nice work, but I have to say the "My OCD alarm will go off!" is making me laugh. Thanks for that!
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Re: Amp Build: Ceriatone Kraken 50
So I'm trying to figure out if I need to change the bias supply values. The circuit shown is what's in the stock Chupacabra, based on its PT Secondary (325-0-325). There is no separate bias winding. Bias supply is fed from the PT's AC high voltage. In my stock Chupa, I measure about 337v in reality.
The PT I am using for this build will either have a 345v or 350v secondary. And will probably put out something closer to 365v. Do I need to change the circled value (dropping resistor)?
The Yeti, for example, is the same amp. But uses a 350v PT secondary. And its bias supply uses a 180K dropper with a 47K shunt (instead of 56K). Should I use this arrangement instead, I wonder?
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Re: Amp Build: Ceriatone Kraken 50
Try a cold bias the first time you fire up with power tubes. Just measure voltage at pin 5s before you insert the power tubes
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Super 100 amps: 1202-119 & 1202-84
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Re: Amp Build: Ceriatone Kraken 50
It's time for everybody's favorite part of building an amp—heaters!
JK, it's the worst.
Decided to run DC on V1 and V2; regular AC on V3-V6.
JK, it's the worst.
Decided to run DC on V1 and V2; regular AC on V3-V6.
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Re: Amp Build: Ceriatone Kraken 50
Jesus Christ, man.... the heater wiring is phenomenal...
I don't know if I'm impatient or just plain incompetent... my heater wiring beauty skills are lacking. Nice job...
I don't know if I'm impatient or just plain incompetent... my heater wiring beauty skills are lacking. Nice job...
"When I'm on stage and first plug in, and I feel a rush of air in my balls... That's when I know my guitar is sounding good!" -Leslie West
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Re: Amp Build: Ceriatone Kraken 50
Thanks man, I do my best.syscokid wrote:Jesus Christ, man.... the heater wiring is phenomenal...
I don't know if I'm impatient or just plain incompetent... my heater wiring beauty skills are lacking. Nice job...
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Re: Amp Build: Ceriatone Kraken 50
More progress today. Finished up the power section and did the power tube sockets, bias test points, impedance switch, and a few other things here and there.
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Re: Amp Build: Ceriatone Kraken 50
A bit more today. Having routed a bunch of stuff now, I'm making some notes about how to do it better the next time around. And by better, I mean more OCD lol.
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Re: Amp Build: Ceriatone Kraken 50
Preamp tubes all done. In the home stretch now.
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Re: Amp Build: Ceriatone Kraken 50
All done!
Just doing some testing now. I'm using a 47K 5W pot wired as a variable dropping resistor. This way, I just clip it to the filter cap and I can tune all the voltages in the amp. Typical value is 10K. I set it to 18K, which is what the Yeti uses (higher voltages). And my B+ is a whopping 515vdc! That's without power tubes though. Once I stick some in, it'll probably come down a bit. I don't really have a set goal in mind. But I'll play it with a few of the resistor values I have on hand and figure out which one to use.
I also got some new Tefzel hookup wire in some fancy colors for the next build. And I'm going to try to make the lead dress a little better next time around. I wanted to get this one done so I can start testing a few things first, tone wise.
Current voltages with no power tubes and 18K dropping resistor:
MAINS: 124.4VAC
AC FILAMENTS: 3.47VAC
DC FILAMENTS: 6.09VDC
BIAS/PI SPLITTERS: -50 to -36VDC
PT SECONDARY: 375VAC
V1:
1: 151VDC
2: SIGNAL
3: 1.47VDC
4: FILAMENT
5: FILAMENT
6: 274VDC
7: SIGNAL
8: 2.47VDC
9: FILAMENT
V2:
1: 226.1VDC
2: SIGNAL
3: 1.26VDC
4: FILAMENT
5: FILAMENT
6: 381.5VDC
7: 226.1
8: 228VDC
9: FILAMENT
V3:
1: 257.3VDC
2: 26.2VDC
3: 42.24VDC
4: FILAMENT
5: FILAMENT
6: 245.2VDC
7: 27.6VDC
8: 42.24VDC
9: FILAMENT
V4/V5:
1: 0
2: FILAMENT
3: 511VDC - 515VDC
4: 509VDC
5: -50VDC
6: 509VDC
7: FILAMENT
8: 0
B+: 515VDC
SECOND CAP AFTER DROPPER (18K): 381VDC
BOARD CAP AFTER DROPPER: 366.8VDC
V1a: 151.7VDC
V1b: 274VDC
Just doing some testing now. I'm using a 47K 5W pot wired as a variable dropping resistor. This way, I just clip it to the filter cap and I can tune all the voltages in the amp. Typical value is 10K. I set it to 18K, which is what the Yeti uses (higher voltages). And my B+ is a whopping 515vdc! That's without power tubes though. Once I stick some in, it'll probably come down a bit. I don't really have a set goal in mind. But I'll play it with a few of the resistor values I have on hand and figure out which one to use.
I also got some new Tefzel hookup wire in some fancy colors for the next build. And I'm going to try to make the lead dress a little better next time around. I wanted to get this one done so I can start testing a few things first, tone wise.
Current voltages with no power tubes and 18K dropping resistor:
MAINS: 124.4VAC
AC FILAMENTS: 3.47VAC
DC FILAMENTS: 6.09VDC
BIAS/PI SPLITTERS: -50 to -36VDC
PT SECONDARY: 375VAC
V1:
1: 151VDC
2: SIGNAL
3: 1.47VDC
4: FILAMENT
5: FILAMENT
6: 274VDC
7: SIGNAL
8: 2.47VDC
9: FILAMENT
V2:
1: 226.1VDC
2: SIGNAL
3: 1.26VDC
4: FILAMENT
5: FILAMENT
6: 381.5VDC
7: 226.1
8: 228VDC
9: FILAMENT
V3:
1: 257.3VDC
2: 26.2VDC
3: 42.24VDC
4: FILAMENT
5: FILAMENT
6: 245.2VDC
7: 27.6VDC
8: 42.24VDC
9: FILAMENT
V4/V5:
1: 0
2: FILAMENT
3: 511VDC - 515VDC
4: 509VDC
5: -50VDC
6: 509VDC
7: FILAMENT
8: 0
B+: 515VDC
SECOND CAP AFTER DROPPER (18K): 381VDC
BOARD CAP AFTER DROPPER: 366.8VDC
V1a: 151.7VDC
V1b: 274VDC