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Post subject: New Amp Build
Posted: Wed Dec 09, 2015 10:02 pm
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Rock Star
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Joined: Mon Apr 05, 2010 2:37 pm
Posts: 8708
Location: Natural Bridge, Virginia
It's been a while since I built an amp.

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=65668

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=83741

With work, travel, and personal health issues I haven't had much time. But I decided I needed to build another one.

Since I have three 40 watt amps, I decided to build a 5 watt amp to pair up with my modified Fender Champion 600.

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=63259

So I went with a Weber Tweed 5F1 Champ. Even though the amp was much simpler than the previous two, it still took several weeks to build due to my travel schedule (Week long trips to Denver CO, Portland OR, Las Cruces NM, San Diego CA, San Francisco CA, and Los Angeles CA since mid September. Very tiring.).

The amp actually worked the first time when I plugged it in. Since it wasn't a complex build, I won't go into great details, just post photos with comments.

The schematic and wiring diagram look like this:

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Post subject: Re: New Amp Build
Posted: Wed Dec 09, 2015 10:10 pm
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Rock Star
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Joined: Mon Apr 05, 2010 2:37 pm
Posts: 8708
Location: Natural Bridge, Virginia
Basic kit (I had already populated the eyelet board:

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Close up of eyelet board. The 0.015 mfd Orange drop on the channel two 68 Kohm resistor turns channel two into a bright channel for humbuckers.

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The completed chassis:

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Front of chassis showing power and output transformers:

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Back of chassis:

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Post subject: Re: New Amp Build
Posted: Wed Dec 09, 2015 10:17 pm
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Rock Star
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Joined: Mon Apr 05, 2010 2:37 pm
Posts: 8708
Location: Natural Bridge, Virginia
Close up of completed chassis installed in cabinet. I had to replace the pilot light with a more correct one as the cheap plastic one that came with the kit fit poorly.

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Tube compliment is (from left to right): JJ 5Y3S rectifier, EH 6V6GT power tube, JJ 12AX7 preamp tube. I have been experimenting with the EH 6V6GT and JJ 6V6S. Right now the EH 6V6GT seems to sound a little better. The JJ tube seems to be a bit too bassy for a small amp while the EH tube overdrive sounds smoother. Time will tell which tube stay or goes.

Image

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Last edited by bluesky636 on Wed Dec 09, 2015 10:28 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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Post subject: Re: New Amp Build
Posted: Wed Dec 09, 2015 10:24 pm
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Rock Star
Rock Star

Joined: Mon Apr 05, 2010 2:37 pm
Posts: 8708
Location: Natural Bridge, Virginia
Completed amp with front nameplate:

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Close up of front nameplate:

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Back of amp with rear info plate:

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Close up of rear info plate:

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Control panel:

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The amp was a fun build. It is quite loud for a 5 watt amp. With the amp volume on "10", the amp is clean with the guitar (humbucker) volume on 5, is breaking up with the guitar volume on 8, and is compressed and overdriven with the guitar volume on 10. The clean sound is very sweet and the overdrive is quite punchy. Played together with my modified Champion 600, they really sound great with good bass and a very spacious sound.

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Post subject: Re: New Amp Build
Posted: Wed Dec 09, 2015 10:38 pm
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Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 12:48 am
Posts: 26417
Location: Tombstone Territory
A real classy chassis, Bill!

Very authentic looking as well.

How does it sound with a Strat or Tele?

8)

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


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Post subject: Re: New Amp Build
Posted: Wed Dec 09, 2015 10:50 pm
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Rock Star
Rock Star

Joined: Mon Apr 05, 2010 2:37 pm
Posts: 8708
Location: Natural Bridge, Virginia
Retroverbial wrote:
A real classy chassis, Bill!

Very authentic looking as well.

How does it sound with a Strat or Tele?

8)

Arjay


Like a 5F1 Champ should sound. :mrgreen:

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Post subject: Re: New Amp Build
Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2015 3:12 am
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Rock Star
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Joined: Sat Jul 03, 2010 2:18 pm
Posts: 6544
Very nice job! These are great amps.

The 5F1 is a good kit. Quite a nice tonal reward. The amp reflects tube changes and player's input.

As much fun as my old Pignose.


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Post subject: Re: New Amp Build - 5F1 Tweed Champ Clone
Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2015 7:12 am
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Rock Star
Rock Star

Joined: Mon Apr 05, 2010 2:37 pm
Posts: 8708
Location: Natural Bridge, Virginia
Thanks.

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Post subject: Re: New Amp Build
Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2015 9:15 am
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Aspiring Musician
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Joined: Sat Dec 29, 2012 11:48 pm
Posts: 681
Location: Southern, CA
I agree with the other guys. Very nice build!!!

Glad to see you back too :)

Jerry

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Post subject: Re: New Amp Build
Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2015 9:28 am
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Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 12:48 am
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Location: Tombstone Territory
jmallard wrote:
Glad to see you back too


+1000

8)

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


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Post subject: Re: New Amp Build
Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2015 5:27 pm
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Rock Star
Rock Star

Joined: Mon Apr 05, 2010 2:37 pm
Posts: 8708
Location: Natural Bridge, Virginia
My collection:

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Left to right: Bluesbaby 5F1 clone (built by me), Wrecking Ball (built by me), modified to 5F1 spec (by me) Champ 600 Reissue, Bluesman 5F6A clone (built by me), modified closer to 5F6A spec (by me) Blues Deluxe Reissue.

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Last edited by bluesky636 on Thu Dec 10, 2015 6:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: New Amp Build
Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2015 6:36 pm
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Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 12:48 am
Posts: 26417
Location: Tombstone Territory
A collection that toppscore would surely die for!

:wink:

Damn nice jobs, all!

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


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Post subject: Re: New Amp Build
Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2015 6:46 pm
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Rock Star
Rock Star

Joined: Mon Apr 05, 2010 2:37 pm
Posts: 8708
Location: Natural Bridge, Virginia
Thanks.

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Post subject: Re: New Amp Build
Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2015 6:55 pm
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Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician

Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2013 12:22 pm
Posts: 718
Very nice build, I built a 5F1 a while back. I really enjoyed it, and you are right about them being Loud! I was not expecting a little five watt amp to rattle the walls in my room.

Image

8)

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Post subject: Re: New Amp Build
Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2015 10:03 pm
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Rock Star
Rock Star

Joined: Mon Apr 05, 2010 2:37 pm
Posts: 8708
Location: Natural Bridge, Virginia
They certainly can.

Nice rig. 8)

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