trinityamps.com

Ok, so I'll start with the caveat that I'm a chronic ditherer, hence the new laptop I'm typing on has been 2 years in the buying. Strangely enough, proof that I eventually empty my pockets is also in the same fact that a shiny new laptop is sitting in front of me.

I like amps and I like to DIY, which led me to this place. I play guitar poorly, only in my bedroom, but I still love tone.
For some time I was saving up to buy a Trinity 18watt kit. Then the Tramp came out and caused serious excitement, but I still wasn't sure if it was exactly what I want, and I already have a boutique 5W SE amp.

Then I found this Greg V clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKjA276LcDk
and realised every tone he gets on this video is really what I want. Obviously Greg is an amazing player, with great recording gear, which skews my perception a bit, but if any clip on the net showcases what I want, it would be this one.

Finally to my question: If I built the Tramp (head version), stuff an EL-34 inside and drop a G12H30 in my cab, can I get close to the tone achieved in Greg's vid? Obviously it will be at a lower volume, which is actually my preference anyway, but the general topology of the amps seems fairly similar from an amateur's perspective...

Probably you can get that tone. Just remember tone comes from the whole chain, fingers, strings, pickups, guitar, amp settings, tube brand, speaker(new,used and worked in, or about to die), cab(open back, closed, or ported.).
I have said it here before and will standby it. The Tramp is the most flexible amp I have ever owned.
I have both a head version and a combo version.
I prefer the combo. With a combo if you want to go somewhere you pick up the combo and guitar case and go. A head and cab means 1 more cable and 1 more cab making it harder to transport.

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Fantasy Noise is what my shop of dreams is called and was the only way to beat my addiction, like many here I suffer from G.A.S.


Tele's make the best noise

Yes, certainly all those things are important, but not unobtainable (except for Greg's fingers - which might pose a challenge ). Given that he sounds great with both Tele and SG, the G12H30 is likely to be broken in but still fairly new and I can see from the vid that the cab is semi-open, I can either replicate these things in my build, or just take them into account as variables. Similar strings, pickups, tubes can all be purchased, if I deem it necessary.

I guess what I'm actually asking (and it could be difficult without a schematic) is whether the general amp designs in question are similar, or in fact quite different? From the vid, those with a Tramp might be able to say that the same levels of gain can be acheived, or that the Marshally character is also present in the Tramp in 'tude mode.

I note there is at least one extra pre-amp stage in the Top Hat, perhaps there is many more significant design differences I am not aware of?

Good to know the Tramp is highly flexible, I hear great things about it here.

I built an EL34 into my Tramp, and it definitely brings the rock!

My combo I use either a 6V6 or 6L6, for the head version I have been playing around with a KT88 as well as EL34. I also use the Tramp as a bass amp.
My 18w, Triwatt and Tweed have accumulated a layer of dust since the Tramp arrived, others play them but I am hooked on the Tramp.

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Fantasy Noise is what my shop of dreams is called and was the only way to beat my addiction, like many here I suffer from G.A.S.


Tele's make the best noise

Interesting, you use the Tramp as a bass amp too eh? What tube do you use for that and what speaker(s) do you go through to use for bass?

KT88 or 6L6 for tube. WGS G10A, WGS G15C, WGS ET65 or Reaper 55hz for speakers. I also have a bass cab that I use with my Triwatt.
Also viewtopic.php?f=16&t=2155
And viewtopic.php?f=16&t=2046
Here to viewtopic.php?f=16&t=1985&start=0

_________________
Fantasy Noise is what my shop of dreams is called and was the only way to beat my addiction, like many here I suffer from G.A.S.


Tele's make the best noise

I have the previous incarnation of the Tramp in my workshop, and I was pretty surprised to find it worked fine as a bass amp for band practices in the basement. I ran it with a 6L6 or EL34 tube, and big old Marshall cab. Turned the Gain down and the MV all the way up, and it handled the noise of the drums, guitar and keyboards quite comfortably.

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Great tones come in small glass jars!

I could quite happily use the Tramp for anything, it hasn't failed me yet. The wgs g10a handles the bass very well, we have also run it clean and plugged a mic into it. Sounded better then some FOH/PA systems I have heard. Works extremly well for harp with a good mic.

_________________
Fantasy Noise is what my shop of dreams is called and was the only way to beat my addiction, like many here I suffer from G.A.S.


Tele's make the best noise