I want to make a 100 watt tube head

[DonP]

I have nice Marshall Drake Iron from a 1979 "Town and Country" combo.

The combo I'm going to turn into a stereo low watter (pair of EL84's or 6V6's for each side, or maybe EL84's on one side and 6V6's on the other).

So what I need is a dead amp head, preferably tube, wouldn't hurt if it said Marshall. For fun I was even thinking of taking a Mode 4 head and turning it into a tube head. I think the Mode 4 is stylish looking (never played one).

I've looked at places that sell chassis and new head boxes, and they are at the price of buying a working tube head on ebay (around $400).

Does anyone know of a good way to find a dead amp head? I've been scouring craigslist, ebay, classifieds on forums, etc. Seems like no one has a dead amp to sell.

Also what would look cool? a Soldano style grating?

I'm artisticly challenged You wouldn't want me decorating your house Or picking out a graphic design for a guitar

[Cygnus X1]

I have nice Marshall Drake Iron from a 1979 "Town and Country" combo.

The combo I'm going to turn into a stereo low watter (pair of EL84's or 6V6's for each side, or maybe EL84's on one side and 6V6's on the other).

So what I need is a dead amp head, preferably tube, wouldn't hurt if it said Marshall. For fun I was even thinking of taking a Mode 4 head and turning it into a tube head. I think the Mode 4 is stylish looking (never played one).

I've looked at places that sell chassis and new head boxes, and they are at the price of buying a working tube head on ebay (around $400).

Does anyone know of a good way to find a dead amp head? I've been scouring craigslist, ebay, classifieds on forums, etc. Seems like no one has a dead amp to sell.

Also what would look cool? a Soldano style grating?

I'm artisticly challenged You wouldn't want me decorating your house Or picking out a graphic design for a guitar

I have a not-dead Crate GXT100, minty condition that would work. But it would still look like a Crate.
If I can't sell it I'm thinking of doing something similar to your idea.
Can't seem to bring myself to screw up a perfectly good looking (and ok sounding) amp.
It just doesn't have the mojo that my other amps have.
No, this isn't a for sale thread-local only-I'm not shipping it.
Not worth the trouble.

Another problem is this-I also have a butt ugly roadside find Kustom Commander 2x12 that would make a nice 50 watt plexi or SLO. But the problem is, it would still be ugly. Debating whether it is worth the time to do it.

[Newc]

Pawn shops are your best bet. Find an old Ampeg head or something and snatch the cab, though I'm sure most people that have a dead head would just dump it, or sell it to a friend who builds amps.

[Learn Guitars]

There is an empty Carvin head on Denver, Craigslist. 20$

http://denver.craigslist.org/msg/1049587830.html

[DonP]

No, this isn't a for sale thread-local only-I'm not shipping it.

I was afraid my post might be interpreted as a WTB

[DonP]

There is an empty Carvin head on Denver, Craigslist. 20$

http://denver.craigslist.org/msg/1049587830.html

That's not half bad.

[zeegler]

There are all kinds of cheapo SS heads on Ebay. You should be able to get one for $100-150 I would think. The good thing about that, is you get pots, jacks, knobs, and lots of other components that you might be able to re-use.

[DonP]

There are all kinds of cheapo SS heads on Ebay. You should be able to get one for $100-150 I would think. The good thing about that, is you get pots, jacks, knobs, and lots of other components that you might be able to re-use.

EXACTLY!

The only issue with a SS amp is that the pot values won't work, just like how pots on active pickup (about 25K) wont work for active pickups (250K - 500K). Caps won't work either, low voltage values. Pretty much all I could use from a SS amp is the chassis, head and knobs.

Which has me thinking, with Laney AOR amps so damn cheap, when not gut one of those? I just hate (in fact I refuse to) gut a perfectly working tube amp. I guess I need to keep hunting for a dead AOR head.

Can you tell me about a B-52 AT-100? They have a used one at GC that I couldn't get to work. Maybe someone tried it without having a speaker load hooked up? They want $250 for it, but if it isn't working, I might lowball them.

[zeegler]

EXACTLY!

The only issue with a SS amp is that the pot values won't work, just like how pots on active pickup (about 25K) wont work for active pickups (250K - 500K). Caps won't work either, low voltage values. Pretty much all I could use from a SS amp is the chassis, head and knobs.

Which has me thinking, with Laney AOR amps so damn cheap, when not gut one of those? I just hate (in fact I refuse to) gut a perfectly working tube amp. I guess I need to keep hunting for a dead AOR head.

Can you tell me about a B-52 AT-100? They have a used one at GC that I couldn't get to work. Maybe someone tried it without having a speaker load hooked up? They want $250 for it, but if it isn't working, I might lowball them.

I didn't know about the pot values. That's a shame.

Funny you should mention the Laneys. I was seriously considering ripping the board out of my Pro Tube 50, and turning it into a true JCM 800 clone. I decided to sell it instead.

I tried to find a broken AT-100 for a while. I really liked my AT-100, but I found that some of the components were cheap and flimsy, and I didn't really trust it for playing live. It never did let me down, but it made me nervous. I wanted to replace all of the iffy components with good stuff, but I never found a broken one to work with.

If it's not working, offer them $100.

[zeegler]

Hey Don, have you ever built an amp before? I'm just asking, because I haven't, but I really want to do it. I was planning on starting with a cheap Weber kit. Probably the 50 watt Hiwatt clone they offer.

[DonP]

Yeah, I've made amps before. Not a huge number, but...

I had a POS Gorilla TC-25. My first amp, I hated it. I replaced the guts with a 2203 preamp (2 12AX7s), and a 2.5 watt power amp using a 50C5 power tube and a 35W4 rectifier. These are common tubes found in cheap little Harmony amps from the 60s.

I also build a similar amp with a single 12AX7 preamp.

And for my crowning achivement, I created a TSL100 in 1990, before Marshall ever thought of it, using the parts I have listed in this thread. I drilled out the combo with additional pots over and under just like a TSL.

The lead channel was a Mesa preamp, the crunch channel was a Marshall 2203, and the clean was a Fender of some sorts. Worked great out of the box, but there were issues. The Marshall channel was a lot louder (not higher gain) than the Mesa channel. The channel switching was with a bunch of relays, so I had a lot of popping going on.

The 2203 channel really roared, and I loved the smooth fluid lead sound the Mesa had.

So, I gutted it and was going to start over with better channel switching, but it just never happened.

Now, I'd like to start over again but with a new head chassis.

[zeegler]

Yeah, I've made amps before. Not a huge number, but...

I had a POS Gorilla TC-25. My first amp, I hated it. I replaced the guts with a 2203 preamp (2 12AX7s), and a 2.5 watt power amp using a 50C5 power tube and a 35W4 rectifier. These are common tubes found in cheap little Harmony amps from the 60s.

I also build a similar amp with a single 12AX7 preamp.

And for my crowning achivement, I created a TSL100 in 1990, before Marshall ever thought of it, using the parts I have listed in this thread. I drilled out the combo with additional pots over and under just like a TSL.

The lead channel was a Mesa preamp, the crunch channel was a Marshall 2203, and the clean was a Fender of some sorts. Worked great out of the box, but there were issues. The Marshall channel was a lot louder (not higher gain) than the Mesa channel. The channel switching was with a bunch of relays, so I had a lot of popping going on.

The 2203 channel really roared, and I loved the smooth fluid lead sound the Mesa had.

So, I gutted it and was going to start over with better channel switching, but it just never happened.

Now, I'd like to start over again but with a new head chassis.

LOL, you're quite clearly far beyond the level I'm at then. I wouldn't even attempt to build something that didn't have a specific layout and schematic. One day I will hopefully be at the point where I can draw up my own design schematics, but I have to learn to walk before I run.

[DonP]

I pretty much got the ideas by paging through Aspen Pittman's Tube amp books. I also would hit up electronic repair shops for schematics. I remember bringing a 6 pack of beer in exchange for some photocopys of Marshalls.

It helped that the amp I was starting with (a Marshall 4140 Town and Country combo) had a boatload of preamp tubes to use. Either 5 or 6 12AX7's. It also had a Reverb as well, but I didn't use it on my custom build. I will use it on my next builds however.