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Hi: I am new to the forum. My wife and I will be building a Tramp soon for me; she does meticulous and detailed soldering. I am going to use a 12 inch speaker and have narrowed my choices to two speakers, that I know are very different, but both look attractive to me. I know there are other threads, but i wanted to focus upon my two options which are either 1) a BBQ Blue Dog Ceramic at 15 watts, or 2) a BBQ Vintage Alinco 12A125A. The Blue Dog Ceramic has a nice breakup tone to it (that I do like); so that is why I am considering it. However I also love that classic "tweed" vintage tone of the Alincos. If I choose the 12A125A I do not know whether to get the 20 watt or to get the 30 watt version. So here is my question: is it better to get the 20watt or the 30watt if I decide to get the 12A125A?

A little more info to know what I am thinking-- I am planning on running the Tramp in both Tweed and Tude modes with the 6V6 (6watts) most of the time in my little studio and around the house, and sometimes would put in a 6L6 (12Watts) to play with others. I want to get that classic brown tweed compressed crunch even at low volumes. My initial thoughts are that the 20 watt would be good for this, but don't want to damage a low wattage speaker when I use the 6L6. If I were building a Deluxe Kit 5E3 I would definitely get the 30 watts, but this Tramp is 6w/12w with the tubes I will use. So if I choose the 12A125A, should I get 20Watt or 30Watt? BTW, a tech guy at BBQ recommended the 15watt for the Blue Dog Ceramic; that is why I am not concerned with its wattage, but perhaps you might chime in on that as well since it also comes in 30 watts.

Thanks for this excellent forum and all the helpful threads. I am reading up in advance of our build.

Cecelius2

no replies yet. Let me ask it this way: 20 watt or 30 watt for BBQ Vintage Alinco 12A125A with Tramp using 6v6 and 6L6 options?

Either will work fine as you probably know.

I'd go with the low wattage option. You might get a bit of speaker breakup which is a good thing imo. Sometimes when you have a over speced (high power) speaker the amp has a hard time pushing the speaker as much as a lower wattage speaker.

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http://pdfelectronics.com

Thanks Kurtlives! This helps. I am leaning more and more toward the BBQ Blue Dog Ceramic as I want to avoid the flabby bass. The 15w version should be fine for the 6V6 and even for the 6L6. However, would the BBQ Blue Dog ceramic 15w still be sufficient for the EL and KT bigger tubes?

I have thought about just playing it safe and get the Blue Dog Ceramic in the 30watt version for some head room and in case I gig with the Tramp or use the bigger EL or KT tubes. I vaguely recall hearing in the distant past that you should not put too large (wattage) of a speaker in a low watt amp for risk of hurting the OT. However, I haver read through many of the Tramp threads and most of you are using 30 or larger watt speakers on the Tramp.

Since I am so new to these low watt amps, do you guys think that the BBQ 15watt has the head room (with no farting)? Or would you go with the 30watt?

BTW, I have ordered the Tramp Kit from Trinity, and have ordered a custom 5e3 cabinet with a chassis cutout to fit the smaller Tramp chassis. The 5e3 cab should handle any size 12" speaker even with the bells on it.

So any further advice about wattage?

The 5E3 cab with the Tramp sized cutout sounds like a great idea, I have been thinking about building another Tramp as a matching combo to my Head in that exact format just recently. Is Trinity doing the Custom cab for you?

Regarding the wattages, I can only comment that since building my Tramp the only speakers I have used it with are an Eminence CRex and a Texas Heat, the Tramp sounds fantastic through both of them (sometimes both together), very loud and ballsy (I use my Tramp with a band) and they are rated at 50 watts and 150 watts respectively. (also the CRex is spec'd at 102dB efficiency, so it's loud! )

Regarding the risk of damage to the O/T by running these higher powered speakers ....and Stephen or one of the other guys might correct me on this, but I would be very, very surprised if this would cause the Tramp's O/T an issue as it is WAY beefier and overbuilt than any other small amp I've laid eyes on, or played through.

Nice work on ordering the kit and that special cab, I think you'll be super happy with that Tramp.


Snowy

Cecelius2... I am getting close to ordering my first amp kit... The Tramp. Great idea you offer in ordering a 5e3 cabinet with cutout for the Tramp chassis. I think I will follow your lead. I was going to get a Tramp cab with 12" speaker cutout, but the 5e3 is even better. Thanks for the thread!

Thanks Snowy for this reassurance about wattage; btw, I have read through your build countless times--it will be a helpful guide for my build.

To reply to both you and DHart regarding the cabinet, I did not get the 5e3 cabinet from Trinity Amps, although Stephen did send me a diagram of the cut out for his Tramp cabinents--this helped. I am having a guy who normally builds 5e3 and 5F1 cabinets do a minor customization in two areas: 1) the chassis cut out will be 10 inches instead of the usual 12 inches, and 2) I am having him move the speaker opening from the left side to the right side (just like the Trinity Tramp cabs have the speaker location) just to make sure the speaker does not interfere with the location of the power tube--just in case I would ever put a Celestion Blue Dog with its deep bell cover. BTW, the cabinet maker is only charging $20 extra for this customization (total cost is under $250 shipping included== a great deal). The cabinet maker and I are speaking this evening to finalize the deal. I will try to report later here and see if I can give you his contact info so you can contact him. I had originally planned on getting the cabinet from Memphis Amps, but there has been no reply to numerous emails and the phone line is disconnected. So I am glad that I found this new builder. Again, I hope to post his contact info when grants that permission.

Cecelius2... Thanks for clarifying the info on the cabinet. And I look forward to any additional info that you can provide.

I probably would go with the low watt as well. We do use a 100 watt Jensen Alnico blackbird in production combos tho and 40 watt Tone tubby as well, but that is more about efficiency than power handling capacity.

As for the combo cabinet, the size of the Tramp 110 Combo cabinet is 9.5D X 16H X18 W.
The Tweed is 9.5 D X 16.5H X 20H.
So not much difference between them but the Tramp has more of a slant-back front to better broadcast the speaker.

We've thought about combining the two and making the Tramp a drop-in for a Tweed cab.

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Stephen
Web: www.trinityamps.com. Facebook: facebook.com/trinityamps. Twitter: @trinityamps

Yeah Stephen, I reckon having an official Trinity "upsize" option would prove popular. Tramp 10" Combo, Tramp 12" "Deluxe Size" Combo, Tramp Head, it all fits well with the Tramp's versatility, the amp is just so versatile it lends itself to all types of uses and users, might as well leverage that to the max.

I reckon they'd all be popular choices in their own right and each version would have it's loyal fans.

Then again, why not just collect all Three?


Snowy

I think offering a 12" Combo Tramp would be even more popular than a 10" version. To me the extra 2" in speaker size results in a significant improvement in full tone.

As I contemplate ordering a Tramp, I'm trying to figure out the best way to get a 12" combo tweed cabinet to house it.

Update--I spoke with the cabinet maker last night. He is working today on my customization to the 5e3 cabinet (Tramp size cut out, and moving the speaker to the right side of the cabinet). I will give updates and pictures once the cabinet arrives next week.

There is one little hiccup that we think we have worked out. The 5e3 chassis that this cabinet maker builds normally slides under the cutout by about 1/8 to 1/4 inch on his 5e3 cabinets. However, the Tramp Chassis plate does not have that extra 1/4 to slide under the handle side of the cut out. This means that there is no overlap of the cabinet over the Tramp face plate. So, we are fine tuning this to make sure it is an exact edge to edge fit, with not even a hairline gap. I suspect that the Tweed covering with provide the just a touch of overlap so that nothing (like a guitar pick perhaps) could slide in. We do not think there will be any gap at all. But this is a design change in his cabinet cut out. We will not know for sure how precise the chassis will fit (with no gap at all) until we actually fit it in the cabinet next week.

There is a minor other issue. Trinity cabinet has a 1/8 inch back panel, and the 5e3 cabinet we are building has 1/4inch. The cabinet maker is seasoned at doing this. We have made the adjustments, but I will not know how well this works until we fit the chassis in the cabinet next week.

Once I get the kit (it has shipped) and the cabinet next week, I will pass the contact info for this cabinet maker on to you guys so you will at least have an option for an alternative to Mojo and BBQ and Mission Cabinets.

One or two Tramps have been built with a 12" speaker shoehorned into a regular Tramp cab.

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Great tones come in small glass jars!

Good to know.... But also wondering how the clearance would be for those choosing some of the larger 12" speakers? Any idea? Would it be a much safer bet to go with a deluxe cabinet?

It would be awesome, Stephen, if Trinity offered a cabinet option with enough clearance to ensure compatibility with the larger 12" speaker models.

If he did the chassis cutout as 2.5" x 10" as per the standard Tramp cab, shouldn't it be OK?

see cab specs:
download/file.php?id=263&mode=view




Snowy

Good Question Stoney. There is a 1/4 inch back panel on my cabinet that creates a set back of an extra 1/4 inch for the chassis. Also, Stephen had already sent me a diagram of the cut out used for the top of his cabinets which indicates 2.6875 cut out which includes his 1/8 inch back panel. I double checked with other brand 5f1 and 5e3 chassis measurements and their chassis are wider than 2.5 usually by and extra 1/8 (or so) so their chassis's slide under the cabinet by about 1/8--so there is no gap. What is a little confusing is that the Tramp chassis is exactly 2.5 inches not 2 & 5/8s, with nothing extra for sliding under the cabinet. Also the pots and inputs on the Tramp faceplate are centered on that 2.5 inch faceplate, whereas on 5e3 chassis, they are set off center down by about 1/8 from center--if this makes sense. So, my cabinet guy is doing the cut out at 2.5 (for chassis) + 1/4 (for back panel) which is 2.75. This should be an exact fit for the chassis which would be set back 1/4 inch by the back panel, but would not slide under the cabinet at all--no cabinet overlap.

So on your Tramp head, what is the opening size for the cutout? I realize your tramp chassis is sitting on the bottom of the head. Is your opening 2.5 inches? Did any of the Tramp chassis come up behind the cutout? If it is exactly 2.5 then it seems there would be no overlap.

Again, thanks for helping. your experience means a great deal.

Back panel should be 1/4". Chassis is exactly 2.5" deep.
Most 12" speakers will fit in there except the Alnico blue and Tone tubby red. Then they interfere with the larger tubes.

_________________
Stephen
Web: www.trinityamps.com. Facebook: facebook.com/trinityamps. Twitter: @trinityamps

Thank you for this info. I can't wait to start the build and become part of the "family" of Tramps.

I got the ruler out today.
Actually it looks like mine's a bit less than 2.5", it measures closer to 2 + 3/8" (60mm)



There's definitely no gap though so I'd guess I have about 1/8" overlap.



Snowy

Updates:
1) My Trinity Tramp kit arrived today! Hurray. I have put the instructions in a 3 ring binder; next will be the careful read, reread, read again, sleep on it; read some more. Read Snowy's build thread five more times. Begin build slowly and methodically.

2) My customized cabinet shipped today

3 My only decision left for now is which speaker to order--the 12A125A or the Blue Dog Ceramic. I flip back and forth on which to order. [edited: I figure either will sound good at this point and I can always sell the speaker if I don't like it]