Cheap Ugly Express - now Emily Express

Express, Liverpool, Rocket, Dirty Little Monster, etc.

Moderators: pompeiisneaks, Colossal

joeboo88
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Cheap Ugly Express - now Emily Express

Post by joeboo88 »

Hello: I built this on the cheap. Actually I am kind of embarrassed to even show it, when there are so many beautiful express builds on this site.
But what the heck....I want to thank all the great guys here

I got the chassis and a couple of other ones as well from my father-in law.
He restores jukeboxes and has parts and tubes I could get for nothing.
This amp has 2 old Westinghouse 6v6's

this chassis is small, so I had to cram in things, but it’s fairly neat.
I build the rectifier board from some tough plastic I found, and copied the layout from what others did here. Many thanks to Mark Fowler for information and i followed his build threads with interest.

I had a wicked hum on this amp, but I was staring at a picture Joe Con posted of his 2xel84 Liverpool, i was trying to figure out his Rectification when I saw he had 2- 100ohm resistors......DUH , I forgot to put in a heater center tap because my PT didn’t have one.....now the thing sounds great

I have learned a lot here, I am still confused by what you guys talk about, but from a lot of reading /researching, I am getting better.
The layout is a bit different from the first picture, I fixed up the bright switch
and volume pot orienatation, I got that from a post that Martin Manning posted ( a lot of guys helped me and didnt even know it ) :D

I will be changing out the OT ( I hopefully will buy it from RG )

I just started a JTM45 build, and I will still have enough parts to build a Liverpool or a Rocket....so the ugliness continues.....
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Last edited by joeboo88 on Tue Jul 28, 2015 1:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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M Fowler
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Re: Cheap Ugly Express - now Emily Express

Post by M Fowler »

Hey Joe nothing wrong with building with what you have. I do think it is easier to start with a blank chassis myself.

Glad you got your amp working good and enjoying the building process.
Lots to learn and this place is where to be for that.

Mark
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Colossal
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Re: Cheap Ugly Express - now Emily Express

Post by Colossal »

The Millenium Falcon wasn't much to look at either, but she made 0.5 past light speed.
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xtian
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Re: Cheap Ugly Express - now Emily Express

Post by xtian »

When I hear "ugly," I usually think, "wired by Bubba." But this is a very nice looking build, despite the patchwork chassis and beaks-and-feet parts list. Great job!
I build and repair tube amps. http://amps.monkeymatic.com
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Littlewyan
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Re: Cheap Ugly Express - now Emily Express

Post by Littlewyan »

It may not look brand new mate but it sure does look pretty dam cool. I like it :D
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rp
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Re: Cheap Ugly Express - now Emily Express

Post by rp »

Needs a cheap ugly cabinet :)
vibratoking
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Re: Cheap Ugly Express - now Emily Express

Post by vibratoking »

I am impressed. Congrats. I appreciate rat bikes and I view this as sort of a rat amp. No disrespect intended. I rather like your approach over all those amps that look like they were built by Hiwatt.


I also like the fact that you did your research well. You used this site exactly as it should be, IMO. I applaud you and your build.
Electronic equipment is designed using facts and mathematics, not opinion and dogma.
joeboo88
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Re: Cheap Ugly Express - now Emily Express

Post by joeboo88 »

Thanks for all the comments. I have pictures of Colossals Karen and one of Marks Rocket builds above my bench.I just wanted to cut my teeth on this build. I will buy a proper chassis for my Liverpool build when I do start it. I would like it to look like a beauty, I already have a beast. I am just happy the voltages are close. It might be corny but I find this site to be the most helpful without judgements, even though my build leaves a lot to be desired.....
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johnnyreece
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Re: Cheap Ugly Express - now Emily Express

Post by johnnyreece »

Cool build! I'm not opposed to "whatever's in the parts bin" builds. Especially when it looks like you put some time into figuring out proper construction techniques. I'm curious to see the cab you come up with. 8)
stretch2011
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Re: Cheap Ugly Express - now Emily Express

Post by stretch2011 »

Not ugly just full of character: )
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Reeltarded
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Re: Cheap Ugly Express - now Emily Express

Post by Reeltarded »

The chassis is fine. Your works looks great!
Signatures have a 255 character limit that I could abuse, but I am not Cecil B. DeMille.
Bob S
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Re: Cheap Ugly Express - now Emily Express

Post by Bob S »

Well Done !
How's she sound?
Methinks the sickness will be on you.
:D
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Meat&Beer
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Re: Cheap Ugly Express - now Emily Express

Post by Meat&Beer »

Man, that is too cool looking! Don't change it! As long as it sounds good, that's what counts. Like already mentioned, it straight up reminds me of a Rat Rod, and I love 'em.

It looks like an old beat up POS, but it runs like a top, because they're usually new inside. (Even though they don't look it.) And yours is no exception, your internal build skills look pretty good to me.

My opinion may not mean much, but I approve the living shit outta this amp. I see many things that are unique to this particular model done right, you have indeed done some research. Great job! Lets hear it!
Play your guitar(s)!
joeboo88
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Re: Cheap Ugly Express - now Emily Express

Post by joeboo88 »

Thanks again guys, I cant crankit right now, I have a 8month pregnant daughter (her husband is an AirForce pilot stationed elsewhere for a couple more weeks.)
Also my brother has my 2x12 cabinet. I am plugged into my Fender with 2x10's It sounds good on 1or 2 (lol)
With my homemade delay pedal and my homemade Souped up tubescreamer, (picture of them above) which is acting like an attenuator, the sound is awesome

I just have to figure out how to make a mp3 (I'm old).
Because of how everthing was crammed in the chassis, I was worried about
noise, but apart from the normal amp hiss.....no noise.
I will wait until I'm a Grandpa, then I can ring it out
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lumox0013
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sweet

Post by lumox0013 »

thats what im talking about ! sweet build man
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