Small Special project, Morgan guts

[whitewave]

Hi all,

I'm really interested in building a Small Special.
There are a couple of threads about this project, and the Morgan SW50 came up as an amp that probably is based on this project.
On an australian tech blog there are some huge guts images:
here and here.

My knowledge is very limited, I've built a couple of amps, but no way I feel confident about tracing a layout by myself. But I tried.
Many of the values can't be read on the photos, and you'll see them here marked in red.
I did this with DIYlayout creator, I can share the editable file if someone wants to try completing it.

THIS FILE CAN INCLUDE LOTS OF MISTAKES!!!

do you think the Morgan is really a Small Special based amp?
Someone would like to help me and us having a layout for this awesome project?


Best

[sunny]

Hi Whitewave,

Maybe this helps?

https://tubeamparchive.com/viewtopic.ph ... c&start=15

Paul

[whitewave]

yes, this helps a lot.
I'm using the layout found here to trace differences and the values I'm missing.

Thanks.

[amplifiednation]

So that's what it looks like inside a Morgan amp?? Interesting. I would have thought differently.

[Synchu]

Whitewave,
The Small Special and Morgan are identical with few (clever) changes of component values here and there.
I know, I did the layout based on this information and few SW gut pictures that were on tgp. Seemed easier than Jelle's version (that looks insanely neet, hence more complicated to me, since that was my first non-kit amp build. These are the looks however of pretty much everything I seen him posted ).
Those gut shots at the Australian blog look great, I think I saw them somewhere as well, some weeks ago.

The layout posted, though, produces quite a nice amp as I can attest as well as another forum member. You may want to change the NFB resistor to 820R though.
Niki

[amplifiednation]

Has anyone put reverb into a Small Special yet? I bet that would be cool.

[sunny]

So that's what it looks like inside a Morgan amp?? Interesting. I would have thought differently.

That's what i thought to!

I am building a SS with reverb right now. When i'm done with the boards i will post some pictures. If people are interested i can try to draw a layout/schematic, if it passes the ''smoke test''

[Synchu]

Sweet. Can't wait to hear the result.
I think of, due to the "darkish" nature of the Small Special amp, sort of Two Rock reverb implementation as on the Meyer sig. schematic floating around should suite well .
Niki

[sunny]

Niki, it's almost like you can read my mind

I started building a board with a one tubed reverb configuration. But when i took my Two Rock apart to steel some of the tonal options, i asked myself: would it be nice to use a Two Rock kind of reverb, instead of the one tubed reverb?

So i did! Aah well, i'm working on it

I hope it all works out well so i can share it with you guys.

Paul

[talbany]

Nothing against Morgan BUT!

In the early day's I've built several (Fender style) amps from those Xicon CF's and Jupiter vintage caps repros..Those amps never made the cut and were either stripped or rebuilt..I won't go near those caps/resistors now..I wouldn't build a pedal with those parts. ..IMO

Tony

[hitchcaster]

Nothing against Morgan BUT!

In the early day's I've built several (Fender style) amps from those Xicon CF's and Jupiter vintage caps repros..Those amps never made the cut and were either stripped or rebuilt..I won't go near those caps/resistors now..I wouldn't build a pedal with those parts. ..IMO

Tony

the 1w xicons aren't that bad . but what do you like better? I like the vintage hard to find stuff, and the modern hifi stuff is cool sparingly but a whole amp built with them sounds worse to my ears....

never tried the Jupiter but was thinking about it.... did you try the red astron clones as well?

[Synchu]

Great Paul!
Hope it works well. A schematic of the end result will be highly appreciated (sound clips considered a must ).

I used those yellow Jupiter caps, some noname carbon comps and carbon films in this build.

The thing sounds great. Might be that they just fit in this case.

I do intend to use them in my next Trainwreck-ish build as well.
Will see how it turns.
Niki

[sunny]

Will do!! But firts, lets hope the TR reverb circuit works out well on the SS.

I wonder what the tonal difference will be between the different SS based builds. Since everybody is using different parts.

What do you guys think about the classic tone irons? I just bought a set for my build.

Paul

[telentubes]

I was pleasantly surprised with the Classic Tone iron I used on the first 50 watt. I'm in the final stages of the second 50 watt, using the same iron. I have yet to wire the heaters, and the "on/off" and "standby" toggles. The first amp was plug in and play. No tweaking, no nuthin'.

[sunny]

That sounds great! (Some soundclips would be great to )

I cant wait to finally finish my build. But i'm waiting on some parts.. and i HATE waiting.. ahh well that's the problem living in Europe