TC 8W Tube Amp Project

TomCat · 2009-07-10T18:13:17+00:00

Ok.....I decided to start a new thread following from Karel's thread about his 5W amp project. I've decided to go for a 8W Class A Amp head as a project. In summary: Channel-1: 12AU7 Pre for the clean channel (Hopefully I'll get enough gain to drive the O/P Tube properly), I/P Gain Control Only Channel-2: 12AX7 Pre for the OD channel, Gain and Volume Control Output Tube: EL34, No Volume Control. Use an output attenuator - Full 8W, 4W, 1W ALA Vox AC4TV style. Loudspeaker impedance 8 / 16 ohm selectable if possible with an output attenuator. Rectifier Tube: GZ34 Overall Bass and Treble EQ No Reverb or Termelo The main goal for this project is a guitar amplifier head that gives both clean as well as OD tones. Let me know what you think and wish me luck.......

matta

You guys and your cascaded gain stages... I think Tom is a wannabe Metal Rocker in diguise ?

Matt

Karel-Mars

Nicely done Tom! Your wiring is very neat.

TomCat

Thanks Karel.

I must say that this has been a fun project and I have learned huge making this amplifier.Looking forward to completing it now and moving onto something new.

I did a bit more work on it last evening and found I had made a mistake wiring the tone stack. I've corrected it now and the amp now sounds even better. I also spent a bit more time on the cascaded pre stage and it's now sounding better as well.

As promised....clips will come soon.

TomCat

A quick question...

The 6CA7 is emitting a small blue glow on one side near the base of the tube....Have I biased the tube a little hot or is this normal. When I switch the amp into standby it dissapears.

Amp is sounding great and appears to be working normally......

Any comments.....

Edit.....Just Google'd the blue glow and it appears that what my tube is doing is normal........small blue glow near the glass envelope....Phosphorescence of electrons on the glass envelope.....looks cool though.....

matta

Hah Hah,

Was just about to tell you that, perfectly normal, and beautiful to watch!

Red plating on the other hand is not so fun...

Matt

TomCat

matta wrote
Hah Hah,

Was just about to tell you that, perfectly normal, and beautiful to watch!

Red plating on the other hand is not so fun...

Matt

Haha....fortunately, I don't have that.

TomCat

Some more Pics

Front View Head and Cab

Front View Head

Rear View Head and Cab

Head, Cab and Guitar

Next week I'll be doing the covering of the cabinets.

Hopefully soon I'll get the loudspeaker.

kayDUB

Awesome! now get that tolex on! ?

TomCat

THE TOLEX IS ON....... :woohoo:

Here are a few pics

Still to go:
Get the Celestion Blue....Getting frustrated with this one....seems like stock is never going to arrive... >☹
Fit the corners, feet and handles.
Fit the front and back legend panels...should have these next week.
Make and fit the top and rear ventilation panels for the head.

Otherwise all looks good and I'm really happy with the results.

Gearhead

I'd be happy with that kind of result! :goodtimes:

FatBoy

Wow, great job man!

AlanRatcliffe

Looking good Tom!

TomCat wrote Get the Celestion Blue....Getting frustrated with this one....seems like stock is never going to arrive... >☹

Where are you getting it from? Locally from Tradelius or did you import yourself?

PeteM

Beautiful - very nice finish. :yup:

TomCat

Alan Ratcliffe wrote Looking good Tom!

TomCat wrote Get the Celestion Blue....Getting frustrated with this one....seems like stock is never going to arrive... >☹
Where are you getting it from? Locally from Tradelius or did you import yourself?

Through Tradelius.

Stock was to arrive December....then January....now February......So I'm hoping it arrives soon.

MikeM

Dude that looks AWESOME ? Well done. Congrats.. /plans to start my new design... ?

AlanRatcliffe

TomCat wrote Through Tradelius.

Stock was to arrive December....then January....now February......So I'm hoping it arrives soon.

Some things never change. Afew years ago a "Six to eight weeks" order of some Pearl drum parts took nearly two years, between them forgetting to order, ordering the wrong thing, forgetting to order again, etc. I'd heard they had jacked up the operation immensely, but this is not promising...

I'll be looking at getting some Golds from them soon if they ever do actually get stock.

Bob-Dubery

Wow! Who needs Marshall when TomCat is in town?

Heath

looks uber sexy tom , well done
:woohoo:

TomCat

Thanks all you guys....I must say this has been a great project.....It has been a lot of fun....

Attila

Hey TC,

Here's an Idea, take a pencil or koki and write a note about yourself, sign and date it on the inside of the cabinets.... who knows where it will end up in 20 years time ?

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