trinityamps.com

I posted this on the 18 watt site too...lookin for some advice...

"I'm a fan of both the 18watt and Matchless amps. I'm gonna get around to building both, but I have six weeks to build one or the other before my best friends wedding. This will be my first amp build and as far as I can tell the Matchless schems and layouts (spitfire and lighting) look to be simpler than the 18 TMB-MV. I am currently playing through a FBJR with a Am. Std. Tele and it falls far short of the tones I expect from an amp. I've been playing for 25+ years and have owned them all (Fender, JCM 800, Boogies, etc.) but this will be my first amp build. Can I do this?

And of course, I'm on a TIGHT budget. 5 bills or less.

Discuss

Thanks,
Joe"

It can be done. I built my Spitfire (head only) with the West Labs transformer set, built the enclosure and everything for about $400. The Lightning has a minimal amount of additional parts.

Here's a couple of pics of mine:





If you want a combo, you might end up spending $200 more. It would be worth it, IMO.

_________________
PJM

http://www.diyguitarist.com

I have built both. They both are not that bad to build. It is about what sound you want and like. They both are different animals. Check out http://www.Ceri@tone.com/. he has kits for around 350-450 range. easy to deal with. I have bought several chassis from him.

You might want to check out the Wants Ads in this forum as well. There might be a good deal there IMHO.

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

They are both great amps and happen to be among my favs in the EL84 category. The 18 Watt is a little easier to build IMHO.

If you like a good clean sound with some loudness to it, go for the Lightning. If you are more into crunch and dirt at lower volumes, go for the 18 Watt. Another great option is a slimmed down version of the BF Deluxe. If you get rid of the trem circuit, it becomes a pretty easy build as well.

_________________
--s2
www.s2amps.com
www.category5amps.com

neon333,

I am building my first amp. I did all the parts legwork. That was a mistake. I still don't have all my parts. It cost me an extra 205.00 so far in shipping and customs etc.... I still need to get some little extra stuff.

If I was to buy a kit, like the trinity/S2 deal, I would be playing my amp right now. You got 6 weeks, spend 370 kahunas and all you need to do is build the cabinet, and get the trannies from S2.

Trust me, you don't want the headaches I have!!!! I overshot my budget, now I have to wait to get mine running. And gather parts one at a time when I get the bread.

I still need the pots, and wait for eternity for Sozo's.

I'll be kitting it up next time.

Bob

One thing that keeps getting overlooked in the whole source your parts yourself vs. buy a kit debate is what level you are and what benefit it will be to you. I am clearly still in the newbie category, but I feel I'm coming out of it very quickly and joining the ranks of the intermediate. I'm starting to learn what each and every resistor and cap does in my 18lite, instead of just slapping the puppy together and if it doesn't work cry uncle over at 18watt.

Now, did I learn what I know now, from sourcing my own parts? No...But I can tell you that I did learn little things that fill in the gaps of knowledge. Another thing to add...is that I made alot of mistakes sourcing my own parts...you learn from those mistakes...but here's the added value. Since I've bought alot of stuff I dont need, it's now going into a growing parts drawer.

I can literally build an entire Lightning clone (partly because I also ordered some stuff for the lightning when I built the 18), an ax84 P1-ex, and another 18...with all of the resistors, caps and switches I have.

That's cool, because when I start this lightning build after finals, I will essentially have to get the trannies and chassis...thats it.

But you really need to consider what you want to do here. If you want to dive head first into this hobby, like I wanted to...source your own parts. You'll spend more money making mistakes...but you'll learn what parts to get and what not to get....granted the hard way, but when it comes to really learning a craft...there's nothing like making mistakes during the learning process....I know that sounds rediculous, but it's true.

If you just want to build and amp, be done with it and go back to playing guitar (did I add, you can't play alot of guitar with a soldering iron in your hand) then do a kit, slap it together.....

also...whatever you and up doing....lean on the wonderful resources you have here and at 18watt....peoiple like coco, s2, zaphod-phil and others are absolutely bloody awesome guys that were invaluable in my first build. The amount of stupid questions that s2 answered for me, during my build...I feel I should ship the thing off to him for a few weeks so he can enjoy the thing...since at times, the thing was built with little pearls of wisdom right out of his emails.....

That makes alot of sense. I hear you.

With that said, I don't really want to bother those guys over there at 18watt much. I have posted and asked some questions, and they answered them, and I have allready learned alot from them. But, I don't want to get stomped on like the 1way threads by asking stupid question.

I will ask a question and if I don't understand the answer, I will research and try and figure it out. I know this sometimes takes some time but.... I won't have to bother them with stupid questions.

I like it here, for some reason it feels more personal.

Actually what bit me was not knowing the suppliers enough and who to buy from. I found out quickly, $200.00 later. I do alot of reading here and at 18watt.com, and their is a vast amount of data that I can learn from.

Anyway, I'm rambling.

bob

Hey bevins!

You don't need to be worried about being stomped on like 1Way. There is only 1Way I know of to deserve that kind of treatment and it is to frustrate the h3ll out of everyone for months by asking the same stupid questions over and over and over and over and over... And never doing anything with the information. And arguing with the people who are trying to help you. The guys who have bludgeoned him (myself included) are actually pretty nice and very patient folks, but enough is enough already!

You are totally different than 1Way and not much different form me or Coco a very few years ago. You are trying to learn something and are asking the right questions. You are obviously using the forums as a resource and doing your own research on the side. You are not afraid to take the bull by the horns and wrestle it into submission. You have nothing to worry about :) Guys like you and kmenard and strangegrey and others I have surely forgotten to mention are a joy.

The truth is a lot of us hang out on these boards when we could be doing other things because we enjoy helping new people along in learning our hobby. We enjoy the heck out of what we do and want other people to do the same. We actually worry about the times when we can't get to a question because of our 50 hour a week engineering job plus our amp building job plus the dog needs to go out plus I'm not sure when the last time my kid took a shower was and hey what's that smell?

Now I'm rambling...

Also, be aware that some of us ask question when we already know the answer just because we figure that if it came up for us, it must be coming up for other people too. I do that all the time. I'm pretty sure Phil thinks I'm a total idiot for some of the questions I post, but I think other people need the information and that is a good way to share it.

End rambling...

_________________
--s2
www.s2amps.com
www.category5amps.com

Thanks, I needed that. I was begining to wonder...

S2;

Amen and amen Bruddah! I started my leaning process a little over a year ago. If it wasn't for places like 18Watt.com, AX84.com, 5E3 Forum, etc., I would have never been able to build that first amp. At 50 years old, I fainally figured out what I wanted to do when I grow up. I love building these thangs.

And now we have this place. Thanks Stephen and the Trinity Crew!

Thanks!!!

CR ><>
WoodCross Amps.

All--
Thank you all for the response to my original post. I now realize I may have been a bit over ambitious in my desire to build my first amp. I've decided I'll make due with the FBJR for the wedding and take my time on a build.

One of my other hobbies (obsessions) is doing frame up restorations of vintage Vespas. What I have learned from that process is much like what I read hear and at 18watt.com. By the time I finish a Vespa resto (I only do about one a year) I have an intimate relationship with that machine. Every little buzz, rattle, shimmy, sputter, etc. I can trace in very short order because I re-built the scooter. Sourcing parts is much the same... "d'oh, the vendor sent the wrong carb." "I forgot to order the gasket." "That piston has been backordered for 6 months."

Anyway, I'm gonna take my time on this "first build" and do it right. I'm leaning towards an amp kit at the moment because it will allow me to really see how stuff gets done and it will come complete. I have no problem building a cabinet as my wood working skills are fairly decent, though I may have some tolexing issues. So here are my newbie questions:

1. Good reading material re: electronics/amp buiulding/safety?

2. Links for a multimeter and soldering iron.. Are these OK?
http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?c ... d=22%2D810

http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?c ... =64%2D2184

3. Tips on what gauge wire/solder to use?

4. What have I left out?

Yep, I'm a hand holder at the moment, but, I learn pretty quick (I hope).

Thanks again,
Joe

Joe,

I use a radioshack 30 watter, cat no 64-2067C. It's been *great*! cost me 8 bucks!

As for multimeters, I'm sure that one is fine. make sure it can handle up to 600vac and 600vdc....as well as ohms and continuity.

Wire? I use 22 gauge for the preamps and some of the poweramp and 18 for the heaters ...but I've since been told that 18 on the heaters is overkill. Regardless, I've got alot of it here so I'll continue using it until I'm all out. Get the teflon stuff....it simply does not melt, no matter how much you really lean on it with the soldering iron. Got mine here:

www.apexjr.com


Good Luck!!! and I echo what s2 has said!! Lean on us! We're here to help! albeit from one newbie to another!


-Frank

Joe,

This is a lot more meter for not much more money. I have been using it since my dog drug my Fluke off the bench.

http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?c ... d=22%2D813

As for wire, you can use 22AWG 600V throughout the whole amp. There isn't that much current running through these small amps, so it will be fine. I tend to go ahead and use 20AWG on the heaters just because it is stiffer and stays in place better. Apex Jr is the best place to get Teflon. they are half the cost of Mouser and just as good. They also have some very nice shielded Teflon, which you will need for your input jack wiring.

Almost any iron is OK as long as it is rated for at least 30W. You can use a cheapo iron on your first couple of builds like I did if you want to. I think mine was about $10. I still take it with me on house calls...

Any solder is fine as long as it is thin and has a rosin core. I use the large spools of the thin stuff from RS on most amps. I use silver solder on the "high end" amps and such, but I don't think it really makes any difference other than making the cork sniffers happy.

Most of all, take your time, triple check everything, be safe, and enjoy yourself!

_________________
--s2
www.s2amps.com
www.category5amps.com

As far as a meter goes, I have one that beeps to tell me when I have continuity during testing. It's really handy when I'm doing the final check on my connections because I don't have to look up to see if resistance is zero or not - just listen. And I also use a Analog meter for the high voltage testing on the 1000V setting. (they didn't have digital metres in the early tube days!)

My soldering irons are 15 & 35W, nothing special. I mostly use the 35W one.

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

I like continuity testers that beep at me, too.

_________________
PJM

http://www.diyguitarist.com

Rat Shack is the easiest place to go for the Iron and DVM. I use one of the Rat Shack irons with the 20 and 40 watt settings. The 40 is great for soldering buss wires to the back of pots (of course I've but abandoned that for a bus bar).

I'm using a $40 Rat Shack DVM I got on sale. I used to have a Rat Shack one that read RMS, but I fried it.

_________________
Richard Johnson
-------------------
Playing an insturment doesn't make you a musician, listening does

Bevins,

Ask all the questions you want. We've all been there at one time or another. Like S2 said, the people who do something with the info are the cool ones.

It's certain indecisive and quarrelsome people who frustrate everyone. I'm almost ashamed to have recommended that a certain person go to the MetroAmp forums because he's doing it again over there. Plus he's evangelizing technology he hasn't even heard after reading a web page --- but I digress.

There's nothing wrong with ignorance - it is simply the lack of knowledge. It can be cured by asking questions (and no question is stupid). Stupidity, however, is a much more chronic condition!

Don't be scared of the 18watt crowd, they are some of the best you can hang with.

_________________
Richard Johnson
-------------------
Playing an insturment doesn't make you a musician, listening does