Ceriatone AFD #35 100W Build Journal

[JonnyFunk]

I've pulled the trigger and ordered Kit 1 from Nik @ Ceriatone. I'm waiting for my Classictone PT/OT to arrive, I've already received my Mercury Magnetics 10H choke. The Classictone PT didn't have a 5v line so I had to use an extra filament transformer to power the channel switching. I noticed that this amp is closer to Nik's 2555 clone in some ways of layout than the actual Plexi or JCM 800. I have a fulltime job and a family so if this goes by a little slower than it should that is the reason. I don't get much time to myself nowadays to build this! This is my first build and realize that I should have started smaller but I have small amps and I don't have a full stack which I need for gigging soon. I've had to solder and wire Jaguar/BMW ECUs and I've taken engines and transmissions apart so I'm not too worried about this. I've got books and this great forum and I've done tons of research before I touch a soldering iron. Anyways here are some pictures.

[syscokid]

That Big Cook's Knife is scarring me....

[JonnyFunk]

It was only used on the shipping box i swear!

[neikeel]

That Big Cook's Knife is scarring me....

Now do you mean scaring which I can understand.........

..........or do you mean scarring, in which case mentally (yeah I get that!) or physically - in which case you are standing too close

Looking forward to this project, and to find out from you if the three different modes do what they are supposed to

[JonnyFunk]

I think scared is preferable to scarred unless you get so scared your mentally scarred. lol

Me too I hope the 3 modes do deliver as well! I was thinking of going over to PVC wire but it maybe a bit too much for me to handle at my current level of expertise. But I do know that the wire plays a part in the tone. As far as worksmanship and quality of parts this thing is chocked full of good resistors and capacitors, no metal film that I can see. Just carbon comps and carbon film in the right places. I'm going to be running JJ 6550s in output and ECC83/12AX7s in the preamp. I don't think this hi gain monster would benefit from NOS in the preamp section, it'd be too shrilly.

I just want this bad girl to:

A. Give me plexi!
B. Give me some slash gain!
C. The rest I can do with a good tubescreamer or fx loop.

I am thinking of doing a zero loss fx loop on this bad boy. Any tips are welcome! Nik is a great guy by the way. If all goes well I will definitely be making some amps for all my guitar buddies, even some touring ones. I went to high school with the SJC Drums guys here in Massachusetts. Was in a band in high school with Chip Ferrari haha as he calls himself now. They've definitely been an inspiration on my gear building and $ was a factors as well.

[JonnyFunk]

PT/OT mounted, out to get better hardware later this afternoon. The weekend is upon me! Expect to seem some serious soldering unless the rear control arm bushings in my car take longer than expected!









I don't have the tubes yet but I'm wondering if that bracket is still in the way?

[JonnyFunk]

PT/OT mounted, out to get better hardware later this afternoon. The weekend is upon me! Expect to seem some serious soldering unless the rear control arm bushings in my car take longer than expected!









I don't have the tubes yet but I'm wondering if that bracket is still in the way?

[JonnyFunk]

PT/OT mounted, out to get better hardware later this afternoon. The weekend is upon me! Expect to seem some serious soldering unless the rear control arm bushings in my car take longer than expected!









I don't have the tubes yet but I'm wondering if that bracket is still in the way?

[syscokid]

That Big Cook's Knife is scarring me....

Now do you mean scaring which I can understand.........

..........or do you mean scarring, in which case mentally (yeah I get that!) or physically - in which case you are standing too close

Looking forward to this project, and to find out from you if the three different modes do what they are supposed to

Mentally, I wasn't standing close enough...I meant scaring...

Watch out for those edges on those brackets. They look ready to pick up some souvenirs...
Lookin good so far...

[JonnyFunk]

Yeah it looks more jagged than it is, that is actually a fragment of paper towel from wiping it down. I agree the corner could have been cut better. I'm going to smooth it out when I change out the mounting screws tonight. Good looks!

[neikeel]

I am afraid at the moment your OT is 90 degrees out of whack!

To avoid hum the PT and OT lams should be on 90 angle (Nik's amps on his site show it mounted correctly.

You may have been confused as early amps with laydown PT, before caps went up top had the OT that way (my 68 does) but when the caps went up top and when PT became upright.

May solve your bracket conundrum too

[JonnyFunk]

Yeah man I'm having an issue. I can't orient the O/T the other way without it hitting the tube socket or having the huge feet on this thing hang over the front side. I may just have to alter the feet so it doesn't hit the tube and it doesn't hang off. The transformers are not on permanently ! Just mocking it up. I'm glad for the look out! I believe it's the OT that should the other way around. I did put in a 6550 and that bracket doesn't touch the PT.

[Roe]

do you prefer a 10H choke? I swear by 3H chokes, either c1999 or 352-114

[neikeel]

Yes I see the issue, your OT is at least a 2" stack (normally used on earlier amps where that alignment was correct), this amp typically uses a 1 1/2" Dagnall OT.

Tricky one

[JonnyFunk]

It is what Nik recommended, he called for it and the 3H would have been too little he said. It called for a 5H+ so I went with the 10H. A choke isn't hard to swap out so maybe I will try a 5H if I don't like the sound. Honestly I haven't owned many tube amps, this is my first build. I'm a car guy. I've done engine rebuilds, transmission rebuild (manual), wiring, diagnosing etc, on Porsche, BMW, Jaguar, Ford. So I'm not afraid to get my hands dirty. I have a great tube amp book and I know how to drain the capacitors and bias the amp so I'm ready for this!