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Is it worth the extra effort. The ef86 is a bit more work to build.

It depends if you want a second hi gain channel that is very different from the other channel. One with a nice grind to it that can be pushed hard and you can go from reasonably clean to thick grind. Plus the tone contour control makes a noticeable difference in thickening up the sound.

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Stephen
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having built both the original 15 and the TC15 - here is my take.

The TC15 is a little more work, but not THAT much more. One extra socket, one set of inputs, the tone contour switch and the output switch wiring... not that much harder.

As for tone, well, I am starting to utilise clean on both sides of the TC15. The ef86 has a lot more mids and a really nice tone. I generally have the other side set to a very chimy clean tone (bass at 12 oclock, treble at 2).

When you push the amp with an overdrive, you actualy get a more "middly" classic rock tone through the ef86 side since it has a ton of mids. (I am by the way using a tung sol ef86 tube). When you drive the normal channel, it can get very scooped tones, or metal style stuff - while the ef86 side is IMO better for earlier rock and roll to 70's stuff.

All my opinion of course, and dependant on how I have my OD pedals set up as well.

In the end, if I had to choose just one amp, TC15 hands down. The 15 is awesome, the TC15 is awesome with some extra awesomness thrown in

AJC