From Scratch Amp Building Chronicle - 6/13/10 UPDATED!!

[Anonymous]

I thought it would be fun to post my complete chronicle of building the amp I designed. I'll post in this thread whenever I have reached some arbitrary milestone. The intent will be to have captured a complete set of information with pictures on how to build the amp for people that want to try it.

Once the amp is built, there will be a couple of months of component tweaking to get the tones right. My idea is:

Plex Mode - straight '69 Marshall Super Lead tone, with a master for balancing the channels.
Rod Mode - hot rodded Super Lead tone - one additional gain stage, but components tweaked to add much more gain than a JCM 800, while preserving that Super Lead style roar
Zen Mode - a different master that can be used in either of the other modes that includes diode clipping. The "Jose Master". Adds more distortion and can be used as a boost for either mode.

Here are the schematics:

Anyway... onward...

Chronicle 1: Punching the front panel

Ok... so after actually trying to fit my layout on a pre-punched Super Lead chassis, I realized it would never work and that I needed to punch my own custom chassis from scratch. I will have to unsolder some stuff I've already done, but it should be no problem as I hadn't gotten too far.

As a reminder, here is what my front and rear panel layouts look like:

So, first, I obtained an unpunched, aluminum 100W Marshall size chassis:

I did a bunch of measuring and then I then made a fiberglass template to use to punch the aluminum chassis. I'm now not sure this was really necessary, but it seemed to work well:

Gotta get the right tools for the job! These are the cutting tools I used to punch my chassis. They worked great!

Now to punch the chassis using the plexiglass template. Once I was done, I then tested components and cut the holes for the led light holders for the channels and added the anchor holes for the pots. I then had to use my dremel grinder to smooth the holes and then sanded the interior of the front panel to make it smooth...

Testing to make sure the components all fit. I had to route some of the holes slightly, but all in all good fit for all the stuff!

Next is punching the back panel and the top of the chassis! Once that is done, I'm going to have some custom plexi panels made...

Steve

 

[yngzaklynch]

Looks cool as hell man. I'm excited to see and hear what you end up with.

 

[MichaelG]

Steve, thank-you in advance for this thread! Ever since I first read about this particular amp project of yours I have been quite intrigued, as this is exactly the type of amp that I would like to build as well.

I've got this thread bookmarked.

Michael

 

[tweed]

Outstanding idea!!

 

[Capulin Overdrive]

pretty cool!


i didn't realize you were doing it with deferent master volumes, thought you were just making the Zeners switchable.

 

[Gainfreak]

AWESOME!!!

 

[jasonP]

Another awesome thread!! Totally cool man, hopefully it all works out great.

 

[Chubtone]

I knew Steve way back when. Before he was an amp builder.

Ampfest at Steve's house next weekend and oh yes.... this amp WILL be done by then! See you Saturday Steve

 

[Bob Savage]

I knew Steve way back when. Before he was an amp builder.

Ampfest at Steve's house next weekend and oh yes.... this amp WILL be done by then! See you Saturday Steve

Are you out of your freaking mind???? By next weekend? I'll meet you at Steve's house on Thursday. Yeah, that's right, Christmas day!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Cornfordcrunch]

God...Im just happy to be able to change lightbulbs and tubes....Nice work!

 

[stephen sawall]

kick ass

 

[JTyson]

THE CHRONICLES OF STEVE Looks awesome, that is a beautiful chassis. You picked the right knobs Can't wait to hear the end result I love the layout you chose, thats got its own thing going on.

 

[jcj]

Great idea! Can't wait to follow the progress!

 

[dstroud]

Wow man, that looks killer - I'd love to hear it in person when you get it done!

 

[MARK1970]

That was very cool Steve. I can't wait for the follow up.

 

[blackba]

Very cool.

I would love to design my own amp someday, but I am not sure I have the patience to get it done.

 

[GITTarzann]

Very cool thread Steve, can't wait to see how it ends up.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all the replies guys! I'll continue to keep this thread updated as this moves along. As I said in another thread, when I launch these amps, I'm making the design completely "open source". All of the schematics, layouts and the step by step instructions I'll be posting here will be available on my web site. I won't be selling kits, but anyone who wants to build the amp will have MORE that enough information to do so if they'd like. Of course, if people just want an amp and don't want to go through all the trouble, they can buy one from me... I'll have lots of cosmetic options available, but this amp is gonna be all about the tones in my head...

Steve

 

[Anonymous]

pretty cool!


i didn't realize you were doing it with deferent master volumes, thought you were just making the Zeners switchable.

In a design like this, you really need separate masters for Rod and Plex mode because Plex has one less gain stage. If there was just one master you'd get a huge volume increase when going from Plex to Rod. With the two masters, you can balance them and you can also switch the Zen (Jose Master) master in in either mode replacing the normal master for either channel. You can balance that as well, or use it as a volume (and gain) boost for leads. Kinda like kicking in a tube screamer without having to have the pedal. All footswitchable and you can switch modes from the amp itself as well... The footswitch will come with all amps - it won't be an additionally priced option.

Steve

 

[Anonymous]

THE CHRONICLES OF STEVE Looks awesome, that is a beautiful chassis. You picked the right knobs Can't wait to hear the end result I love the layout you chose, thats got its own thing going on.

I have to tell you man - the first finished amp (the prototype I'm building) will actually have creme chicken head knobs, not the Marshall knobs I put in for test purposes. I just haven't received 'em yet, but tested a chicken head I had laying around and they work in the layout. The front and back plexi panels will be black with creme writing and the head shell will be Marshall large box Super Lead style and is going to be burgandy snakeskin tolexed. I've decided to call my company "Rogue Amplification" and the "Rogue" logo on the head case will be stylized script. Since this is the prototype, I'll be keeping it and cosmetically this is exactly what I want. You'll be able to choose alot of different cosmetic options if you buy one of my amps though...

Steve