My SLO Clone (Pics Inside)

[CZSER]

I build my SLO clone 50w/100w and triode/pentode switchin', loadded with Fender(Sovtek) 12AX7WA & 5881WXT(6L6GC).

It was not a personal choice (no previous experience with brands neither), just the available ones here in Rosario(city)-Argentina(country).

I also made the output trany. Since SLO POWER STAGE is a tipical Fender 6L6GC POWER, I winded myself my tranny like a tipical Fender tranny but a bit hotter: 4400-2200 ohms for 2 or 4 tubes.

At the original SLO, when lead channel is active, clean channel stills active, so I used optoacouplers(also home made VATEC style) to make a "Y" optical switch (no mechanical switches in the signal path to avoid "Pop/click" swich noise) & turn clean channel out off. Also duplicated the entyre control panel (gain-bass-mid-tre-vol-presence), now indeppendent for each.

Power output is: 100/50 (Two or four tubes: you need dual impedance @ primary windings + interconection digital relay contoled sistem) + Pentode/triode: full or half power with both 2 or 4 tubes.

Now runnig all Fender(sovtek) 5 x 12AX7 & 2 x 5881WXT (6L6 "GC" alike) read Sovtek 5881WTV & bias
ASAP I'll get replaced them with JJ

TAKE A LOOK:





I use custom re-wired (bottom pair) shefields 5150 slant cab(more bass response).
My axe is a EMG 60n/81b loadded USA Rhoads.

How it Sounds with crappy Sovteks? Beats all JCM900 & JCM2000
[img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[Twisteramps]

Re: My SLO Clone (Pics Inside)

How did you build optocouplers from scratch?
I can understand winding your own transformers, but the optocouplers? Aren't those semiconductors? How do you build those?

Pete

[CZSER]

Re: My SLO Clone (Pics Inside)

Thanxs guys, Will past some time 'till I record anything (never done before). I'll have to go rent a practice room whith decent mics & do some takes, then I'll post them for shure. At this afternoon I expect to recieve at mail a Haltron 12ax7 trio to taste them at V1(clean gain), V2(lead agin) & V5(phase inverter), V3&4 (catothe followers)aren't critycal.
Different brands make BIG different sound. A friend uses a 12at7 at V2 to reduce lead gain.
Sovtek 12ax7wa are dark & lifeless, me no like 'em.
Pete: really easy to make optos, they are a high emission led + a opto resistor, sealed close together with epoxi putty(to avoid outtern light interference). Mine are better range / faster response then Vatecs VTL5C

[CZSER]

Re: My SLO Clone (Pics Inside)

ZEEG: it's not "jibberish" , it's written in spanish (I'm Argentinian [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] ). It says (from left to right, big letters):
ENTRADAS: imputs
CANAL NORMAL: normal channel
CANAL DISTORSIONADO: distorted channel, (literaly)
ENCENDIDO: Power up (ol style pole swith for HT & Marshall stile pilot light swith for Std By)

[ July 07, 2004, 02:23 PM: Message edited by: CZ V-KNIGHT ]

[CZSER]

Re: My SLO Clone (Pics Inside)

Forgot to mention, the element between the black Trannie & the seccond 5881 is a load resistor, wich main function is to set this "default" load when no cab is attacched (no plug conected). Its also brings a headphone ouput (see jack between channels knob groups).

[Grandturk]

Re: My SLO Clone (Pics Inside)

Awesome, man. Looks like you put a lot of time and effort into it. How's it sound?

[CZSER]

Re: My SLO Clone (Pics Inside)

I've been tweeking my amp after replacing the burnt power tranny (I did build the output one, not the burnt one) & biased the Sovtek5881 to 45mA (bit Hot) last weekend.
To be honest, I've finished it Sept. 2001, but wasn't till past March (when I bought my U.S.A Rhoads Emg 81@B/60@N and 5150 old series, Sheffield Slant Cab)that I've been using it dayly.
The more I play, the more it amazes me! Big fun tweeking it!.
This is what I've got messing with the "Clean/OD Channel" pre-amp gain(master vol 8, ):
* OD switched ON, Gain 3->4= AC/DC (Back in black, Hell's Bels).
* OD switched ON, 8 -> Full Gain= IRON MAIDEN (Number of the beast, Two minutes for..., The trooper, The evil tat men do intro). To remark: at this setting pinched harmonics screams [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] and it's only at full OD!(lead channel remains [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] ).
Other Thing, EMG-60. TOTALLY AWESOME NECK PUP.
Lead Channel is Heavy Metal and starts from where OD Channel lefted. With gain at 5 (amd my EMG 81 RR) I can get pretty close to dimmu "Metal Heart" tone.
At any setting, this is a BIG BOTTOM BEAST!

[zeegler]

Re: My SLO Clone (Pics Inside)

That's really cool!! [img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

..but what's all that jibberish written on it? [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[StukaJU87]

Re: My SLO Clone (Pics Inside)

That looks killer. [img]graemlins/toast.gif[/img] Are you going to post sound clips of it for us to hear?

[zeegler]

Re: My SLO Clone (Pics Inside)

[ QUOTE ]
ZEEG: it's not "jibberish" , it's written in spanish (I'm Argentinian

[/ QUOTE ]

LOL, I know, I was joking!!! [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[IommiChild]

Re: My SLO Clone (Pics Inside)

Thats pretty cool lookin doood! [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[RacerX]

Re: My SLO Clone (Pics Inside)

Looks cool, man! I was about to post the translations, but you beat me to it! It'd be hella interesting to A/B this with a real SLO someday.

[guitar geek]

Re: My SLO Clone (Pics Inside)

really cool!!! besides it might save you some $$ the satisfaction of building a great sounding amp would be really terrific I imagine [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Harrald

[Firebird V]

Re: My SLO Clone (Pics Inside)

Cool. Ditto what Ron said. Would be cool to here the two side by side.

[CZSER]

Re: My SLO Clone (Pics Inside)

Hear side by side yeah, that's something I wish I could. But I've never seen an original SLO in a music shop here in Argentina. A Friend o' mine told me he had an article from guitarsomething, a review of A SLO vs a Recto. He told me he would scan and send the mp3 of that mag. Not done yet. Anyway, thanks to you all and hope you liked it. It's my baby, my creature, my monster. It goes further than the original SLO, and I built it my self!
BTW, Does anybody have dry takes of an original SLO?