Ordering a TW clone from Ceriatone, what upgrades?

[pickslide]

I will get Nik to build the amp for me, so anything that I should ask Nik to add to make it sound better? I read somewhere that somebody suggested Orange Drop PS Cap Upgrade and External Bias. Anything else?

[leaveitalone84]

If you are ordering a completed amp get it with tubes, and use those for all trouble shooting/moding. Plan to get better valves later on in the tuning stage.

Get the 2 above mentioned mods.

The output transformer primary-selector is also a cool thing to have. You could find which tap sounds good to your ears.

Be prepared to tweak some of the lead dress to really get it singing.

I enjoy mine a lot! But, after the initial romance has settled you think of ways to make it sound "that much better".

Congrats on the new amp.

[Mark]

Dear Pickslide

The main question you need to ask yourself what transformer set do you want to use?

If you are going to use the Heybour you will needed the chassis drilled for these transformers. I would ask around about the sound difference between the two transformer sets.

I'm not sure the choke option is really worth it as I suspect the 1K resistor sets up the sag in the amp.

Once again it's all about what you want?

[leaveitalone84]

Mark,

I heard the toneslut Irons are a direct drop in.

Not true?

Thanks.

[Phil_S]

If you are ordering a built amp and intend to upgrade the iron, ask Nik to omit the iron. This will make the amp cost and the shipping cost less, particularly the shipping cost. Take this money and buy the iron stateside (assuming you are in North America). Tell him what you are using, so provision can be made to drop it in and complete the amp when it arrives.

[gearhead]

The TS Power Transformer has one outlet from the bell. Need to check with Ceriatone about that (if his PTs have two).

[pickslide]

Thanks for all of the replies. I guess I should have mentioned that I will not be doing any of the tweeks or mods myself as I dont know the first thing about that stuff, so you guys have to speak to me like a complete idiot ha ha.

Are there tweeks that Nik can do before he ships the amp to me, but I still want the amp to be completed so that I can just play the darn thing.

Thanks!

[Allynmey]

Pick, the toneslut trannys are much better than Niks for a real TW sound. Mallory PVC caps are better than the one Nik uses to my ears. The tranny Nik uses has bell cover holes on both sides and so does his chassis. The toneslut and other "authentic" style trannys have connector wires coming out of one bell cover only. Skip the MV, skip the 1/2 power, and skip the dual tap switch. They all take away from the tone in the ones I heard.

Just my opinion.

Tubes are by far one of the most important things.

[pickslide]

Thanks for that. Forgive my ignorance, but is toneslut a company that makes wreck clones? Are there any other companies that make affordable (around $1300) clones that I could look at?

Thanks!

[leaveitalone84]

Toneslut is a supplier of power and output transformers; which are very close to the original Trainwreck units.

I do not know of any other makers; but if you ask around I'm sure one of the builders here would be willing to help you.

[57goldtop]

Mallory PVC caps are better than the one Nik uses to my ears..

Before I started my build I asked nick what he thought about the Mallory PVC caps and he said that they would certainly add more meatyness to the sound..

[Allynmey]

Pick, PM Moose on this forum to order Toneslut trannies.

[pickslide]

If I get a toneslut tranny, then I will have to get it installed myself after I get the amp shipped to me...correct?

[Allynmey]

yup. You could probably do it yourself.

[pickslide]

I am not the handy type of fella, not do I have the minimal knowledge or equipment to do anything like that...even the easiest job.

Nik at Ceriatone mentioned to me that he could do the following upgrades:

MV pot,
1/2 power switch
OT primary impedance selection (5K2 and 6k6) for slight tonal variation Sprague PS caps (now standard in our amps),
PI tail resistor trimmer pot (inside the amp for tonal variation again esp
distortion)
switch to select between choke and the standard 1K 25W resistor.

I know what most people think about the MV and 1/2 power, but what do you folks think about the other stuff?