First JTM45 build

BashCoder · Post by **BashCoder** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 4:07 pm

Well, here's the kit -- so big it takes three pics to show it all:

Hardware (brass, no cheap stuff here), sockets, jacks, switches, resistors, caps, PTP board (which fits perfectly on the 5-point chassis standoffs), Mercury Magnetics 7H choke.

You can see there was a slight shipping goof, in that I got two Heyboer PT's instead of an OT. No problemo -- can build around that while the OT ships so it won't slow me up much. Great packaging of the parts.

Brushed aluminum chassis, killer faceplates, JJ preamp and Valve Arts power and rectifier tubes.

Gen-u-ine Marshall knobs, pots, wires, shrink, etc. and the tech data / build instructions on CD-ROM (just like back in 1966). The yellow organizer in the back is what keeps me sane during the build. All the parts come in ziplock bags, and some are bags within bags. So I just dump each one into one of the drawers of the chest and I'm good-to-go.

BashCoder · Post by **BashCoder** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 4:12 pm

Day one. In the first couple of hours, I got halfway through step #4 in the instructions.

Tonight I wire all the heaters -- ironically in a very cold garage workshop!

MacGaden · Post by **MacGaden** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 4:35 pm

Very cool ! Nice to see the whole kit before assembly. Do we have a future sticky here ?

Looking forward to more pics.

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 4:48 pm

Finish the heaters before you do anything else. You'll be happy once you get that out of the way and its much easier with no jacks or fuse holders o anything in the way.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 5:15 pm

Finish the heaters before you do anything else.

Will do, Billy -- thanks. You'll be glad to know that's the next step in George's instructions too.

Very cool ! Nice to see the whole kit before assembly. Do we have a future sticky here ?

Thanks, Mac! I just decided to post what I would want to see if I were thinking about doing this. I'll keep posting pics as I go, and I'll also try to post some lessons learned, from the first-timer perspective. I've already learned some little things that experienced builders may take for granted. I think some of those kind of things often go unsaid, or undocumented in a typical manual.

BashCoder · Post by **BashCoder** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 5:17 pm

First note to self: REMEMBER TO LOG IN BEFORE YOU POST!!

rockstah · Post by **rockstah** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 6:09 pm

build on brutha! build on

Flames1950 · Post by **Flames1950** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 11:27 pm

That's looking mighty fine, nice start!!

Flames1950 · Post by **Flames1950** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 11:29 pm

One quick question though......

....why does it look like you got two laydown power trannies with your kit, but no output tranny? The output tranny should have an end bell on both sides.........

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 11:51 pm

BashCoder wrote:
You can see there was a slight shipping goof, in that I got two Heyboer PT's instead of an OT. No problemo -- can build around that while the OT ships so it won't slow me up much. Great packaging of the parts.

Loosing your touch? You used to be able to spot a wrong resistor value in 2 seconds AF?

Flames1950 · Post by **Flames1950** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 12:08 am

Billy Batz wrote:
BashCoder wrote:
You can see there was a slight shipping goof, in that I got two Heyboer PT's instead of an OT. No problemo -- can build around that while the OT ships so it won't slow me up much. Great packaging of the parts.
Loosing your touch? You used to be able to spot a wrong resistor value in 2 seconds AF?

aaaaahhh Bite Me..........

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 12:22 am

tisk, tisk...

BashCoder · Post by **BashCoder** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 10:18 am

Thanks for the encouraging comments, folks!

In the "for what it's worth" department, here's a method I tried to allow me to twist and dress out the heater wires the way I wanted. I used temporary cable ties to help hold each wiring drop in place, allowing me to continue to twist fairly aggressively without screwing up what I had previously done:

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 10:24 am

Youd normally twist a long length first then cut smaller lengths and unravel the ends to go to and from the tube sockets.

BashCoder · Post by **BashCoder** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 10:59 am

Youd normally twist a long length first then cut smaller lengths and unravel the ends to go to and from the tube sockets.oud normally twist a long length first then cut smaller lengths and unravel the ends to go to and from the tube sockets.oud normally twist a long length first then cut smaller lengths and unravel the ends to go to and from the tube sockets.

Ahhh.... I see, thanks. Well, at the time it was the only way I could think of to get the look I wanted with the twists continuing between the drops. And I always needed about 1.5" more of the black wires than red. But now I see where the infamous drill method comes into play.

Here's the layout after I removed the wire ties:

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First JTM45 build

First JTM45 build

Re: First JTM45 build

Re: First JTM45 build