Build Your Own Clone Message Board

Lookee what showed up on the front doorstep today! Unpacked, it looks like this:



MUCH more to follow!

EDIT: Oops!! Had the plexi panels sitting over on the workbench when I took the above shot. But I got 'em!

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“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2

Looks great! I'd suggest you nicely pack it all back up and send it to my place for a second inspection. Just to make sure nothing is missing

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First night's progress--mounting hardware. Got to page 20 of the instructions:







One issue to report: The #10 nuts (qty. 4) used to fasten the power transformer to the chassis were improperly sized (or perhaps a mix-up with a metric size?). They were too loose on the threaded PT studs, and couldn't be torqued down with any substantial force without slipping back up a turn on the stud. Luckily, I had several of this common nut size in my hardware junk box and was able to substitute properly sized nuts. Brit45 builders should BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THIS ISSUE, because it's very important that the PT be firmly bolted to the chassis. I'll let the BYOC folks know about it immediately, but it's very possible that some (all?) of the first kits shipped may have this problem.

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“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2

Subscribed!
...I'm going to have to live vicariously through your build for now, Bob.

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"Spud knows tone"

codtone.com

Dayum!

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MasterDelayer/Reverbrador/Ampaholic/TopJacker

want. Will have. Must have.

Sub'd......fo' sho'......

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http://www.danielzink.com

Got the mains power and the two transformers wired up tonight; just the filament heater wires left to do on the PT. The kit needs a couple more M3 nuts than the 10 they give you (I'll let BYOC know), so I came up with a creative temporary solution to attach the mounting ring for the big 32+32 can cap to the chassis until I can get them:

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“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2

Motherboard stand-offs, hah, great work Bob. I can't wait to see this done.

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If practice makes perfect, and nobody is perfect, then why practice?

It hurts me to say this.. but.. follow me on facebook and.. instagram

Exactly! Good eye, Spin.

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“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2

I would suggest adding a master volume. these are awesome sounding amps.. currently my fav go to amp.

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Doh! Stupid Diode

I've got mixed feelings about putting a master volume control into a JTM45--kind of an authenticity thing, I guess. I was thinking maybe a voltage regulation module, like the Hall Amplification VVR3, to tame the output volume when the amp is cranked....not that the JTM45 had one of those, either! However, I'm building this amp with the intent of selling it, since I have no use for an amp of this kind of power, not to mention owning too many tube amps already! So I'll leave the VVR3 decision to the eventual buyer....

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“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2

I use a Mesa Cab Clone into a powered speaker setup. That doubles as my recording rig since I now live in a condo. Works good, but it is a purely resistive load and can make a slight difference in tone. Plus it comes with its own cab sims (three, and they are good).

Another route is the Suhr Reactive load, but you have to provide your own cab sim...

The third night's progress: The chassis is all wired up now except for the (many!) connections to the turret board, and I got about halfway through populating the board. No problems encountered, except for the huge PITA that wiring up those filament heaters always is!

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“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2

Looking good! Can't wait for the 18w model…

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Scott

My band, Austin Hollow

Though I am unlikely to ever be at the level where I could take on a project like this, I am intrigued at watching your progress on this.
Thanks for taking the time to post it.

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"What you say is not enough, its what you try to do. "

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Twisting and tinning is for chumps.

Thursday night's progress: Finished populating the turret board & soldered all the wiring to it, then mounted it into the chassis and made a few connections. Basically just a matter of wiring up the preamp tube sockets, the pots and the input jacks and she'll be ready to test out.

TIP: Contrary to what you read in Step 7 on page 63 of the instructions, you can't make all of the wires on the potentiometer side of the board 4" long (except for the two longer ones specified there). Specifically, the white and yellow wires connected to each of the 220K resistor/0.1uf cap junctions will be passing under the board and connecting to the power tube sockets and will be TOO SHORT TO REACH. Make them both about 7" and you'll have no trouble.

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“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2

mmmmmmmmmm ... waffle runoff ....

DONE!! Wired the board to the preamp tubes, control pots and input jacks, and then ran through the start-up sequence. Everything worked the first time, and the amp sounds great. I haven't been able to crank it yet back here in my little 12'x12' "man cave", but the clean tone is very crisp and well-defined and the KT-66's have a rich, punchy bass. Very quiet amp, too--with nothing plugged into the input jacks, you have to turn up one of the volume controls past 8 (they go to 10, not 11 ) before you can hear any discernible hum.

One additional kit issue found--the build requires a 1N4007 rectifier diode that didn't come in the component pack. I had a spare UF4007 on hand (ultra-fast switching version of the 1N4007), so I used that. Will notify BYOC of the oversight, of course.

Here's today's set of photos:

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“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2

Bitchin'

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If practice makes perfect, and nobody is perfect, then why practice?

It hurts me to say this.. but.. follow me on facebook and.. instagram

Beautiful work, Bob.

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Everyone likes sausage. Nobody wants to see how it's made.

Thanks, guys! Now...somebody please BUY THIS THING!!

** EDIT **

SOLD!!

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“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2

The cabinet arrived yesterday (the buyer opted for the classic black, no badge), so here are a couple of shots of the finished amp. Très Marshally!!

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“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2

Proud lookin' amp, Bob.

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Everyone likes sausage. Nobody wants to see how it's made.