Started my new project - Hilbish GT120

MadAsAHatter

MadAsAHatter

Well-known member
I just received the first parts of a future project. The chassis, faceplate, and PCB come into today. I wasn't expecting it to be delivered until tomorrow so it was a nice surprise to see it a day early. This will be a Hilbish Design GT120 amp build. It's pretty much a straight clone of a 70's Matamp GT120. I intend on it being mainly a bass amp, but like that it can double for guitar if I want some stoner/doom fuzz tones.

Unlike the other amp build project I did, this one isn't a kit. I'll have to source all the parts myself and there are no full instructions. Hilbish supplied only the schematic, wiring layout, BOM, voltage chart, and a handful of build pics. I'm sure any experienced builder could make do with less. Me being pretty much a novice it feels a little intimidating without the crutch of instructions. But the layout doesn't look overly complicated where I couldn't follow it and I also feel it's another small step in my journey.

I'm not starting this right away. I'm planning on doing an Allen Chihuahua kit build first, but couldn't pass up getting the PCB & chassis for nearly half off. I saved enough that it would cover the cost of a Toneclone PT for it. While I'm working on my other projects I'll be getting the parts togther for the GT120 so I have them all in hand for when I start. I'm looking forward to the challenge of this build and having something a good bit different from my other amps.

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I had the pcb from them and never bothered with it. I'm doing a pcb build now that is the same as the hillbish but the guy who did it found a couple issues with the hillbish design (I think they were missing a cap around the nfb section) and corrected it.

At any rate, if you need any help on the iron I have some info for a company that worked on the original transformers and I also have part numbers for a heybooer set that is supposed to put around 500v on the plates. I think the first company ran about 380 shipped from the UK. The heybooer was about 410 minus the choke.
 
I got a long way to go but I'm stuck until I get the transformers.
 

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ClintN667 said:
I had the pcb from them and never bothered with it. I'm doing a pcb build now that is the same as the hillbish but the guy who did it found a couple issues with the hillbish design (I think they were missing a cap around the nfb section) and corrected it.

At any rate, if you need any help on the iron I have some info for a company that worked on the original transformers and I also have part numbers for a heybooer set that is supposed to put around 500v on the plates. I think the first company ran about 380 shipped from the UK. The heybooer was about 410 minus the choke.
Click to expand...

I'm not overly worried about it being 100% vintage correct or not as long as there are no detrimental flaws in the Hilbish board. I'm assuming since others have built it that's not the case. My big focus is that it works and sounds decently good.

I've only done a quick search for a transformer sets and saw Mercury had some. Outside of that I haven't done much shopping around. I'll probably PM you later on about those Heyboer part numbers after I do a little more looking around.
 
MadAsAHatter said:
I'm not overly worried about it being 100% vintage correct or not as long as there are no detrimental flaws in the Hilbish board. I'm assuming since others have built it that's not the case. My big focus is that it works and sounds decently good.

I've only done a quick search for a transformer sets and saw Mercury had some. Outside of that I haven't done much shopping around. I'll probably PM you later on about those Heyboer part numbers after I do a little more looking around.
Click to expand...
Yeah no problem. I can send you the info for the UK made ones too.
 
It took me a bit to finally get all the parts together. I'm still waiting on the transformers, but they've been ordered and I have everything else on hand.

I started doing a little bit this morning and got most of the the components on the PCB. I didn't put any of the lead wired (except one) or diodes on yet. I'll save that for later. I didn't realize how big some of those orange capacitors would be when I ordered them. I was concerned they'd be too big and get in the way of other components, but they ended up fitting just fine.

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