All Aboard! - Trainwreck Express Build Thread

shaunf · 2012-09-21T10:28:00+00:00

So, after 5 months of research, collecting parts, cold sweats and a few nightmares, my final parts order is waiting for me at the post office to collect this afternoon. I was too excited to wait till later to start this thread, so here it is. First pics to come this evening, and the build will start over the course of this weekend. Stay tuned! 8)

bottledtone

So very cool!!!!
I've always wanted one for myself too. I love that Ken never put handles on..... Have you done the faceplate yet?
And you have to give her a name!! Trainwreck tradition!! Unless you have and i missed it :-[
But stunning bro, stunning.

shaunf

bottledtone wrote So very cool!!!!
I've always wanted one for myself too. I love that Ken never put handles on..... Have you done the faceplate yet?
And you have to give her a name!! Trainwreck tradition!! Unless you have and i missed it :-[
But stunning bro, stunning.

Thanks Benjamin! Good to have you in on this thread.

The faceplate is done, although it does not have a pyrographed image on it at this point. I couldn't decide what to put on it, plus I have my VVR control in that area too, so have less room on the faceplate than the originals. If I ever feel inspired to do a pyrograph on it, I can always do it at a later stage.

The amp will definitely have a name, although I am not going to stamp it into the chassis, because I don't think it will show up too well on the brushed aluminium chassis.

A quick update on progress. I've got the VVR working now, but having some issues getting the amp into the correct bias range. It was late and I was tired, so I'll look at things with fresh eyes this evening.

Nicholas-L

This is such a cool build... Should sneak to Natal just to come see it haha ?

Hopefully I can get to my other 5 Watter and finish it up.

bottledtone

Your VVR is also controlling the negative bias on the grids?
The one which controls just the HT will only work with cathode bias amps.

How do you find the tone network? Does the treble control totally bleed away the bass when full?
Thanks for wanting me on your thread ?

Oh and turning on an amp for the first time is still one of the best feelings!! But you become less scared....haha. I also do the toplip test, if that makes sense, but your lip senses heat quite .... I won't elaborate haha.

shaunf

bottledtone wrote Your VVR is also controlling the negative bias on the grids?
The one which controls just the HT will only work with cathode bias amps.

How do you find the tone network? Does the treble control totally bleed away the bass when full?
Thanks for wanting me on your thread ?

Oh and turning on an amp for the first time is still one of the best feelings!! But you become less scared....haha. I also do the toplip test, if that makes sense, but your lip senses heat quite .... I won't elaborate haha.

[edited by moderator]

I'm using a fixed bias VVR, so yeah, it controls the negative bias too.

I had the amp up and running over the weekend without the VVR installed and was able to bias it fine. Got the VVR working last night after I replaced the zener and mosfet and not installing it like an idiot this time, but it's thrown things into a bit of disarray. Need to go back and have another look when I get home.

I haven't really fiddled with the tone controls yet. The bit of playing I did through the amp was just with the tone controls all at 12 o'clock. Will report back more on this as soon as I've got things bedded down, and can play it at a volume that won't decapitate my neighbours.

@ Top Lip test: ??? sounds positively terrifying!

bottledtone

Haha, no not terrifying. Just helps me find components that are working to hard. (heating up too much)
Having a smoothing cap blow smoke into your face is!!

Can't wait to see completed amp chassis in the head.

shaunf

Ok, it's done. An hour or 2 of struggling last night and it was sorted in 10 mins this evening.

nick

shaunf wrote Ok, it's done. An hour or 2 of struggling last night and it was sorted in 10 mins this evening.

Awesome!

Sean

Ah, fantastic 8)

rikus

That looks fantastic! Congrats!

shaunf

couple of detail shots:

Nicholas-L

Man it's so original looking ?

Attila

well done Shaun ..... she is beautiful ..... I did not see in the thread but have you named her ?

Heath

that sir is one sexy looking amp ....

shaunf

Attila wrote well done Shaun ..... she is beautiful ..... I did not see in the thread but have you named her ?

Thanks Attila,

Yes, she has a name. I named her after my wife, Tarryn, since they both produce masses of feedback and occasional squealing! ?

I am busy designing a little spec sheet thingy that I will stick on the inside of the head cab. The name is on there.

bottledtone

I'm gonna be different and not ask about playing it.. ?
Do you sit and stare at it? It's just so pretty, I would look at it like it were art. Every brush stroke.....um.... you know what i mean ?
Before finishing an amp I sometimes find myself setting the toneknobs and flipping switches as if it were working already. yeah lame haha.
Its truely beautiful.

shaunf

bottledtone wrote I'm gonna be different and not ask about playing it.. ?
Do you sit and stare at it? It's just so pretty, I would look at it like it were art. Every brush stroke.....um.... you know what i mean ?
Before finishing an amp I sometimes find myself setting the toneknobs and flipping switches as if it were working already. yeah lame haha.
Its truely beautiful.

Thank you! Means a lot coming from an accomplished builder like you.

As you know, I am a novice builder. This is my first scratch build. As someone with more than a passing interest in art in many forms, I have to say that I really enjoyed putting it together as if it was a piece of art, rather than just for pure function. Looking at that gut shot of the amp you built for Sean, I can see you share this view and clearly impart a huge amount of time and effort into even the visual aspect of the circuitry.

I played it for about 30mins last night. The VVR works great. I'm really happy with the tone at all but the lowest levels where it loses a lot of its character. As far as the overall tone goes, I'm happy with the sound I heard coming out of the speakers, but one thing I've learnt just rolling a few different tubes though this amp to find a low microphonic complement, was that the tone of this amp changes significantly with different tubes. Far more than my Marshalls change when rolling the tubes I have access to. I'm going to spend some time over the coming weeks trying different combinations, which will ultimately lead me to the tone I finally decide to settle on.

Interestingly, I used a brand new set of Winged C EL34's to startup this amp, and have been running them for about a week now. Yesterday, I swapped them out with the set of NOS Siemens EL34's I bought especially for this amp. The different in tone and character is like night and day. Certainly not what I expected when swapping out a set of power tubes.

Nicholas-L

I would stare at it as well and just twiddle the knobs :-[

I find myself staring at the SLO at times thinking oh yeah baby what a sexy beast.

shaunf

Just to add, it's worth noting that the VVR allows me to scale the whole amp down to around 10% power. At 100% power, my B+ voltage is 410V, and at 10% a measly 41 volts. The amp is useable right down to 10%, however from a tone perspective though, it just sounds run-of-the-mill, like any other amp at low volume. From about 30% power the amp comes alive, with all of its tone and dynamics coming through. It's a hoot to have notes blooming and singing feedback on demand, at slightly loud bedroom levels.

Nicholas-L

That's super awesome dude. ?
All you can do is keep jamming hehe

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