Henning Bottle Rocket Amp... UPDATED 1/22!

[tubortski]

Single channel, I'm intrigued. Excited to see it.

I'll agree with the footswitch suggestion.

 

[rlord1974]

I could be wrong but I thought amp was planned to come with foot with for solo and loop??? no

Yes, I think you're right. However, what if you lose it or leave it at home? My suggestion would allow you to use any two-button footswitch with the amp without having to also need a Y-splitter if the alternate footswitch only has one cable and one TRS male plug. It would also allow you to use two separate footswitches with the amp. It just increases flexibility.

 

[Anonymous]

I could be wrong but I thought amp was planned to come with foot with for solo and loop??? no

Yes, the amp will come with a footswitch for the SOLO on/off and LOOP on/off. It will be similar in quality to the one that comes with the Cherry Bomb.

Steve

 

[Anonymous]

IMO what would top this thing off magically would be to have two foot-switchable gain controls. Now you have a do it all single channel amp that has everything a gigging musician would want IMO. You can have a mild crunch clean channel and a high gain channel via the gain switch. You would have the solo switch ( was a great idea ) which is a def bonus for kicking up the volume for a lead on the fly. With the added second foot-swtichable gain I am suggesting you have a do it all amp in my book. Not everyone likes to roll down the volume knob on a guitar for cleans or mild breakup. I would even prefer having this alone over the solo switch if you had to eliminate something. A pedal could be used in the loop to boost volume for a solo.

This is a cool idea, but the bottom line is that it would add too much to the cost of the amp to make it viable for me. One of the goals for this amp is to come in in the $1850-$1999 range and maintain the quality, fit and finish of my flagship. For people who need this much flexibility, the flagship two channel Cherry Bomb is a better fit as far as my line goes.

Steve

 

[Anonymous]

I have another suggestion as well that has nothing to do with the tone of the amp.

I see on the rear panel you have separate 1/4" TS jacks for the 'Loop' and 'Solo' switching. I recommend you make one of the two a 1/4" TRS jack and wire it with the other 1/4" TS jack. Why? This would allow someone to use a two-button footswitch that has only one cable and one stereo male connector with your amp without needing a Y-splitter - for instance, if the included footswitch is accidentally left at home, is misplaced or breaks at a gig (not that that would ever happen )! It would also allow someone to use other rack relay switching systems that use TRS male plugs for switching purposes. The best part of all is that this would only cost you about 2 extra minutes of labour and $0.10 in solder, and would make the amp's switching much more flexible. I wish all amp manufacturer's that use separate 1/4" jacks for external switching would do this!

Cool - I'll look into this - thanks!

Steve

 

[Anonymous]

I have another suggestion as well that has nothing to do with the tone of the amp.

I see on the rear panel you have separate 1/4" TS jacks for the 'Loop' and 'Solo' switching. I recommend you make one of the two a 1/4" TRS jack and wire it with the other 1/4" TS jack. Why? This would allow someone to use a two-button footswitch that has only one cable and one stereo male connector with your amp without needing a Y-splitter - for instance, if the included footswitch is accidentally left at home, is misplaced or breaks at a gig (not that that would ever happen )! It would also allow someone to use other rack relay switching systems that use TRS male plugs for switching purposes. The best part of all is that this would only cost you about 2 extra minutes of labour and $0.10 in solder, and would make the amp's switching much more flexible. I wish all amp manufacturer's that use separate 1/4" jacks for external switching would do this!

Cool - I'll look into this - thanks!

Steve

OK, I thought about this a bit more. My footswitches have LEDs that require 6V. I could make all the switching work on the TRS and have the other TS just supply the 6V to power the LEDs, however, the issue is that if someone plugged the TRS into the TS jack, it would fry the regulator in the 6V power supply unless I build some protection into the regulator (perhaps a simple power resistor might work). Not sure this is worth it for such a corner case though. Don't lose or leave your footswitch at home - it won't break because it's case is built like a tank!

EDIT: Consider this done, guys! I found a regulator that has output short circuit protection:

Fairchild Linear Voltage Regulator

I'll relabel the TRS jack w/ SOLO/LOOP SWITCHING and the TS as SW POWER, and put smaller 'TRS' and 'TS' labels beside the jacks (or just label the jacks TRS and TS?).

Steve

 

[SkyhighRocks]

That's all kinds of cool.

 

[Anonymous]

I have another suggestion as well that has nothing to do with the tone of the amp.

I see on the rear panel you have separate 1/4" TS jacks for the 'Loop' and 'Solo' switching. I recommend you make one of the two a 1/4" TRS jack and wire it with the other 1/4" TS jack. Why? This would allow someone to use a two-button footswitch that has only one cable and one stereo male connector with your amp without needing a Y-splitter - for instance, if the included footswitch is accidentally left at home, is misplaced or breaks at a gig (not that that would ever happen )! It would also allow someone to use other rack relay switching systems that use TRS male plugs for switching purposes. The best part of all is that this would only cost you about 2 extra minutes of labour and $0.10 in solder, and would make the amp's switching much more flexible. I wish all amp manufacturer's that use separate 1/4" jacks for external switching would do this!

Cool - I'll look into this - thanks!

Steve

OK, I thought about this a bit more. My footswitches have LEDs that require 6V. I could make all the switching work on the TRS and have the other TS just supply the 6V to power the LEDs, however, the issue is that if someone plugged the TRS into the TS jack, it would fry the regulator in the 6V power supply unless I build some protection into the regulator (perhaps a simple power resistor might work). Not sure this is worth it for such a corner case though. Don't lose or leave your footswitch at home - it won't break because it's case is built like a tank!

EDIT: Consider this done, guys! I found a regulator that has output short circuit protection:

Fairchild Linear Voltage Regulator

I'll relabel the TRS jack w/ SOLO/LOOP SWITCHING and the TS as SW POWER, and put smaller 'TRS' and 'TS' labels beside the jacks (or just label the jacks TRS and TS?).

Steve

Here is the new rear view of the model with the changes:

Steve

 

[rlord1974]

Hmmmm. It's awesome that you are listening to and acting on suggestions. The changes are good, but don't provide the flexibility I had mentioned. Now someone HAS to have a footswitch with a stereo male plug in order to control both of your amps switching functions. Or, if they are using an external relay switcher, they have to either (a) have a stereo plug going from relay switcher to rear of amp, or (b) use two mono male plugs into a Y connector/merge into the rear of the amp.

Suggestion: why not make the Solo the TRS jack, the Loop a TS jack and wire the two jacks together. Then, just stick a battery in the footswitch to power the LEDs? If the footswitch is unplugged after use, the battery would probably last a year. If the battery died at a gig, the LEDs would go out but the footswitch would still work.

Thoughts?

 

[Anonymous]

Hmmmm. It's awesome that you are listening to and acting on suggestions. The changes are good, but don't provide the flexibility I had mentioned. Now someone HAS to have a footswitch with a stereo male plug in order to control both of your amps switching functions. Or, if they are using an external relay switcher, they have to either (a) have a stereo plug going from relay switcher to rear of amp, or (b) use two mono male plugs into a Y connector/merge into the rear of the amp.

Suggestion: why not make the Solo the TRS jack, the Loop a TS jack and wire the two jacks together. Then, just stick a battery in the footswitch to power the LEDs? If the footswitch is unplugged after use, the battery would probably last a year. If the battery died at a gig, the LEDs would go out but the footswitch would still work.

Thoughts?

First of all, thanks for the input, man!

I'm not going to require a battery in the footswitch, that is a non-starter. Your original suggestion was implemented, although you may have intended what you are saying now. You suggested to be able to use "a two-button footswitch that has only one cable and one stereo male connector", which is now possible.

Like I said, I think it's a good idea and I put something in to help, but I don't want to require a battery in the footswitch when I have a 6V DC power supply built into the amp to power the amp and footswitch LEDs...

Steve

 

[rlord1974]

Hmmmm. It's awesome that you are listening to and acting on suggestions. The changes are good, but don't provide the flexibility I had mentioned. Now someone HAS to have a footswitch with a stereo male plug in order to control both of your amps switching functions. Or, if they are using an external relay switcher, they have to either (a) have a stereo plug going from relay switcher to rear of amp, or (b) use two mono male plugs into a Y connector/merge into the rear of the amp.

Suggestion: why not make the Solo the TRS jack, the Loop a TS jack and wire the two jacks together. Then, just stick a battery in the footswitch to power the LEDs? If the footswitch is unplugged after use, the battery would probably last a year. If the battery died at a gig, the LEDs would go out but the footswitch would still work.

Thoughts?

Not going to require a battery in the footswitch, that is a non-starter. And your original suggestion was implemented. You suggested to be able to use "a two-button footswitch that has only one cable and one stereo male connector".

Like I said, I think it's a good idea and I put something in, but I don't want to require a battery in the footswitch when I have a 6V DC power supply built into the amp to power the amp and footswitch LEDs...

Steve

Fair enough. I have many amps that require a stereo male plug to access two of the foot switchable functions and I am making do just fine. I think what you have done is an improvement.

 

[Anonymous]

Hmmmm. It's awesome that you are listening to and acting on suggestions. The changes are good, but don't provide the flexibility I had mentioned. Now someone HAS to have a footswitch with a stereo male plug in order to control both of your amps switching functions. Or, if they are using an external relay switcher, they have to either (a) have a stereo plug going from relay switcher to rear of amp, or (b) use two mono male plugs into a Y connector/merge into the rear of the amp.

Suggestion: why not make the Solo the TRS jack, the Loop a TS jack and wire the two jacks together. Then, just stick a battery in the footswitch to power the LEDs? If the footswitch is unplugged after use, the battery would probably last a year. If the battery died at a gig, the LEDs would go out but the footswitch would still work.

Thoughts?

Not going to require a battery in the footswitch, that is a non-starter. And your original suggestion was implemented. You suggested to be able to use "a two-button footswitch that has only one cable and one stereo male connector".

Like I said, I think it's a good idea and I put something in, but I don't want to require a battery in the footswitch when I have a 6V DC power supply built into the amp to power the amp and footswitch LEDs...

Steve

Fair enough. I have many amps that require a stereo male plug to access two of the foot switchable functions and I am making do just fine. I think what you have done is an improvement.

Steve

 

[guitrials]

This may be a silly question but, could you run the LED at 9v then add a jack to power other pedals to the footswitch?

 

[Anonymous]

This may be a silly question but, could you run the LED at 9v then add a jack to power other pedals to the footswitch?

Sure, but there would be many limitations to that in terms of the amount of current available to power the other pedals AND it would add additional cost, which will make it hard to come in at my target price...

Steve

 

[Anonymous]

So... a quick update. Went through a lot of design with my PCB/Mechanical design guy and we have a design to implement the amp with either PLEX or ROD implementable on a single board with wire jumpers depending on implementation. Chassis design was done as well. I also have my creative company working on a new logo for this amp as I have decided on the name. Then I went and threw a monkey wrench into things.

I decided that I want to have a second gain control (for the second gain stage) with an additional bright switch. Bottom line is that I think it will give a lot more options for shaping the tone of the amp for the user and will be much more in line with my original Arredondo mods I owned. That change means we are rethinking control placement as well as the whole idea of offering the PLEX/ROD channels on one board in this amp...

I'm thinking 99% of people are going to order the ROD channel when they buy this amp anyway because it has more gain on tap and still cleans up very nicely with the guitar volume control. So... this amp may just be offered in a single configuration - ROD channel...

Now... I could also make a second PCB for the PLEX and still offer either implementation, but then my cost is higher and that means a higher price, which I don't think is good, especially since I feel almost everyone will go for the higher gain channel.

Thoughts?

Steve

 

[jerrydyer]

i think you should do a 6v6 thing. those tubes kick ass in high gain circuits as well. they just have that voice.

 

[Anonymous]

i think you should do a 6v6 thing. those tubes kick ass in high gain circuits as well. they just have that voice.

I just dig EL34s so much though, ya know... I'm really looking for feedback on the PLEX/ROD channel thing...

Steve

 

[suhrimmetal]

Thanks for the update Steve!! Really stoked and intrigued with this build. And I agree, I think majority (myself included) will go for the Rod channel...and the 2nd gain control is a good addition Can't wait to see the logo and name you came up with. Love the layout and cosmetics of your CB. Cheers and keep up the good work

Cory

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

I'm in agreement with the above. If you can dial back the rod channel to get more traditional 800 sounds (big fat crunch) then I think the Rod is the way to go for versatility and because a lot of people interested in this amp will be cock rockers.

I'm also interested in whether or not you have ever played a Friedman BE and how you feel it compares in tone/feel/EQ to your amp/s?

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the update Steve!! Really stoked and intrigued with this build. And I agree, I think majority (myself included) will go for the Rod channel...and the 2nd gain control is a good addition Can't wait to see the logo and name you came up with. Love the layout and cosmetics of your CB. Cheers and keep up the good work

Cory

Cool and will do!

Steve