Komet modded by Ken on eBay

[wreckboy]

Trainwreck Experience (part 3)

I had been talking to a guy from N. Carolina named J. Grey who had an Express and a Liverpool. One day Ken told me to call him because he had decided to part with his Liverpool. I couldn't swing that much money. Ken suggested that I sell one of my Express amps, if I sold the newer model Express he had an buyer ready to send me the money needed to purchase the Liverpool. I sold it the Express and got the Liverpool. Interesting fact is, the buyer had planned to flip the Express, Ken told him not to play the amp or he'd never be the same again. The guy played and was hooked! He, who is a high end guitar and amp dealer, ended being the guy that bought and sold the most Trainwrecks. The Liverpool was a different kind of amplifier. More "elastic" in feel with this "clear" kind of sustain. those notes really "hang". I think that Bernie (R.I.P.) of BB and the Stingers (who played both old and new model Liverpools and slab board Strats) gave the best recorded representation of what a Liverpool is like. I loved the tone of the Liverpool but also felt I made a big mistake by selling that Express.

[Nigel Tufnel]

I'd say that I can feel your pain in parting with that express but I've never had the good fortune of owning a real one, just my own tweaked builds. I still feel your pain though . I for one am really enjoying the tw tales, please keep em comin.

[Tubetwang]

Richie,
thanks for info, I appreciate that! I took time to research Bud and the boys. I've listen to some super Apalachian music... I am curious to know if Bud goes straight to amp? and does he use any type of amp switcher?

Wreckboy and Glen,
great stories! Tonequest Report should do a complete number on you'se two insiders for us unworthy duders and dudettes!!!

[riscado]

I love the stories, however I'd like to hear more (dare I say) technical details about the amps however, especially the "more uncomun" ones, such as the prototype and the dirty little monster...

[joe6v6]

I love the stories, however I'd like to hear more (dare I say) technical details about the amps however, especially the "more uncomun" ones, such as the prototype and the dirty little monster...

Same here, how about some pics, clips, tec info, amp names etc.

[Richie]

I am curious to know if Bud goes straight to amp? and does he use any type of amp switcher?

A little of both, he used one amp for the clean,and one for the gain sounds,and would also use a boost pedal..depended on the amp combination he was using at a gig.
He mostly used the tonebender thing i think it was. He used a wah i modded,and a univibe type pedal,and also a tremolo pedal.
He mostly would use the 36 watter,and the plexi..or 36 and 18 watter.
And used a vox 4x12 cab that sounded great.

[Tubetwang]

Thanks Richie!

[RJ Guitars]

wreckboy - thanks for hanging in there with us. I find your tales of Trainwrecks to be fascinating and I am most grateful that you'll share these with us. There is a considerable amount of knowledge here on Trainwrecks, although admittedly many of us have never been in close contact with the actually amps, but are just sucking up every word, image, and technical detail... it's really nice to hear the great stories of Ken. His amps are legendary and it seems that everyone who had close contact with him confirms that he was a terrific guy. thanks again for stories...I'd love to hear anything more about Ken or his amps.

rj

[Allynmey]

Wreckboy, thanks for the stories. What were the names of all the TW's you owned?

Allynmey

[LeftyStrat]

We'd love to hear some clips and see more pics.

[wreckboy]

Trainwreck Experience # 4

Ken called me and mentioned that Casper McCloud the owner of the Original Prototype 15 watter and the 1st Liverpool called and hinted that he might be selling. (The whole story of Ken's association with Casper McCloud, and the origins of the Trainwreck Prototype and the 1st Liverpool were documented in one of his column written for Vintage Guitar Magazine). I expressed an interest in the 15 watter, Ken called Casper, letting him know that I was a potential buyer. I got to talk to Casper and agreed to buy the amp under the condition that the amp got sent to Ken for his inspection. All agreed to the plan, I paid for the Prototype, and the amp got sent to Ken. When Ken got the amp he notified me that the amp really needed a new output transformer and a complete retubing. Casper had played the amp with the same set of tubes for all those years ...they were shot. He also used an Power Soak and the output transformer was shot. A few days later called me back and played the amp over the phone....WOW.,,,that amp sounded GREAT!!! His comments were that he always preferred the prototype over the 1st Liverpool when they left the shop. The Prototype was built on a gutted Fender Super Reverb chassis, from all the spare/scrap parts the he had lying around his shop. Now the amp sounded even BETTER ....he said it killed every Marshall 18 watter and every Vox AC15 that he had ever heard ,played , or worked on (he's been through a lot of them as an ace vintage amp tech). The amp was sent to me as a chassis because thats how it left his shop (Casper had a huge head cab to transport the chassis that I didn't want). I got the amp and Ken was right this amp was a KILLER. Nothing in that power range could touch it, either in tone or performance. (My friend built me a simple cab to transport the chassis.)

Interesting facts about the Prototype:
Cathode Bias
Tube Rectifier
Volume/Bright Switch/Treble/Middle/Bass/ Presence
single 8 ohm speaker out
No Standby Switch
3 12ax7/ecc83
2 el84s
1 5y3 rectifier.
Featured solid state or tube rectifier
Featured a switchable fixed or cathode bias switch
Both features were disabled after the initial testing was done.

[drhulsey]

Trainwreck Experience # 4

Thanks for sharing

[kec]

I'm really diggin' this wreckboy! Keep 'em coming

[wreckboy]

Trainwreck Experience #5

At some point after I got my Liverpool, Ken played the "original" Dirty Little Monster for me over the phone. As I remember, he mentioned the amp in his Trainwreck pages.
It was a little Fender (Champ?) that he totally "NUKED". Wow, what was that, he told me it's a amp called the Dirty Little Monster that he gave to his brother. The amp was in the shop for a little servicing. Raunchy Rock n Roll at it's finest. I believe he said that it was a rock n roll machine with no real clean sound, I didn't care, that amp sounded GREAT! I asked if his brother was interested in selling the amp, I'd like to be the 1st in line, he laughed and said that the amp was not for sale.
Later, he mentioned that he planning to design an amp for an nationally known amplifier company. This was after the Kendrick Climax (heartache) and before Komet got off the ground (story was an experience). He was calling it the Dirty Little Monster. It was designed to be a guitarist 1st real low powered true tube amp. I heard the Prototype DLM just after he built it. He told he had decided not to do the deal with the company and was planning to just keep the amp. I asked him that if he ever decided to sell the amp to give me the 1st call. As it was with my one of a kind Komet, he told that he wasn't going to sell the amp at this point, but agreed to give me the 1st call. And about a year later, he gave me the call. Interestingly, he sold the amp to me for the price of the parts. He was being a good friend and he knew I was a struggling musician. I ended up sending him twice the asking price. I know that he got lots of offers for that amp and could have made a fortune on a regular sale. But Ken was always true to his word.
INFO: Front Panel

Input
Gain
Treble
Bass
Master
Harmonics (Presence)
Slope (Midrange)
On Switch
Pilot Light


Back Panel

Power Cable
Fuse
Ext speaker
Main Speaker (8ohm)

2 ECC83 (GT Yugo)
1 EL 34 (Mullard xf2 )
1 GZ 34 (Mullard)

Single ended (EL34/6L6/6550) 8 to 10 watts
note: the original used a 6550
this Prototype sounded best with an EL34

The Prototype Dirty Little Monster that he built was very different from the Original. He described it as a Killer Plexi with Trainwreck clarity and voicing with the master disengaged. Using the master gave it a more JCM 800 flare. This Prototype wasn't as gained out as the Original. There was a trade off more tone and clarity less raw distortion. This would be a great recording amp and takes pedals really well (Menatone Blue Collar was killer combination). There is definite vintage plexi Marshall vibe to this amp. Great amp

[doctord02]

Scha-weet! Thanks for that morsel Wreckboy. Interesting that he chose to tube rectify a SE amp like this. Any idea on the PT and OT?