Hi Doc,
You asked in one of your previous posts:
"Could you take a smaller tranny and make a 4 x 6V6 SSS style amp?"
Now you give the answer to your own question:
dr. who wrote:I don't think that there's any reason that once the topography and values are known for specific amps that it couldn't be modified to make a studio 6v6 SSS.
That's right:
Any amp can be modified and there would be a of lot of arguments to call a Marshall a "Bassman-style" amp. But I think it would become a long thread if you would start a discussion of the topic: "Is a Bluesbraker a "Bassman-style" amp in regard of their character as a musical instrument"?
My personal advise:
Perhaps it woud be a good idea to do step 6 after step 1. That's how I think it could be done (IMHO):
1. Look out for someone who owns a SSS or DL, that you like in regard of his character as a musical instrument and who gives you the possibility to A/B from time to time. This may take some time and a perhaps a lot of travels, but if you are really committed, you will succeed some day.
2. Try to understand - in a technical sense - what makes this amp that special, that you have such a joy to play with it. This again may take a lot of time, but believe me, if you are really committed and study and learn your stuff you will find out some day.
3. Test your guesses in regard of the technical aspects of this specimen of a SSS/DL that you really like by building amps based on your guesses and constantly A/B your own builds with the one you like so much.
4. As long as you like the original better and have more fun playing it: Try to understand, in a technical sense, why you still prefer the original, what could be the technical reasons for this. Again this may take a lot of time but your "guesses" will become better.
5. After some weeks or month or years the day will come, you like your own build as well or perhaps even better as the original. If this is not a happy accident but a result of the fact that at least you understood what made this beloved original SSS/DL so special for your ears and feel: Put your glorious build on the shelf and never touch it again with an iron! After this you don't need to A/B with the original anymore as you can A/B with the one on your shelf.
6. If your success is really a result of understanding and not mimicking: Throw away the ladder! In this process of "cloning" a SSS/DL you will have become a musical instrument builder who knows why an amps sounds as it does. You will no not only know THAT the tone is different if you change a resistor from metal to carbon film, you will know WHY. And as such a person you perhaps will find cloning other designs dull and perhaps prefer to make your own dreams come true. And thats how I would spell "fun" (IMHO).
If you are really a committed guy and perhaps even like it sportive: Take the hard road. Don't even open the original SSS/DL after you found one for the A/B process. Use your wits, the books, www, your fingers, your heart and try to do it without a schematic. Of course this is the harder way but the benefits in regard of "having fun" will perhaps be great.
Wouldn't it be real "fun" to - once upon the time - build John Mayer's (he's young enough) dream amp and after recovering from the first shock John asks: "And where did you hide the tubes?"
Have a great time and all the best
Max