Beating Herzog Clone Into Shape

[The New Steve H]

A while back, I built a Herzog clone using a couple of really sad schematics. I was not happy with the tone. It was like there was a bag of socks between me and the amp.

Today I went through the circuit and tried to make it resemble a 5F1 Champ a little more. I yanked the bypass capacitors off the preamp tube, and I decreased the plate resistors from 220K to about 110K, which is more like the Champ. Now the amp sounds a lot better.

This leaves me wondering. GENERALLY, what are the things to look at when you want an amp to have a clear sound with good presence?

One of the schematics had a foot switch mute circuit in it, and it works, but I think it makes the amp unreliable. I think I should find a way to foot-switch it completely out of the pedal line, so the switching is not inside the amp.

[rdjones]

This leaves me wondering. GENERALLY, what are the things to look at when you want an amp to have a clear sound with good presence?

Why do you think there are so many different amp designs, so many amp discussion forums ?
We are in the middle of an amp building Renaissance and it shows no signs of ending any time soon.
The answer is that nobody knows the answer to that question and if they tell they do, they are trying to sell you something.

One of the schematics had a foot switch mute circuit in it, and it works, but I think it makes the amp unreliable. I think I should find a way to foot-switch it completely out of the pedal line, so the switching is not inside the amp.

An A-B loop switcher, something like these guys have.
http://www.loop-master.com/index.php?cPath=25
Very simple, very useful and easy to build.

rd

[Reeltarded]

This leaves me wondering. GENERALLY, what are the things to look at when you want an amp to have a clear sound with good presence?
.

I am doing mostly Marshalls. Proper bypass on each stage is all that's left once you get your stability down pat, or raising cathode resistors, or lowering plates, or.... or... or..

There is no end. There is only parts count, and parts qualities. I don't mean high quality, I mean the differences between one cap, and an identical cap, or brand of resistor in one spot vs another brand in another spot.

It really is endless. You have to get it really good, and choose to give up. It's like making art. Tone is subjective. Good players do fine with a fair rig. Whatever blows your kilt up.

[The New Steve H]

I'm not asking what makes it sound "good." Just what gives a tube amp more presence and clarity.

[Jana]

It's taken me over 35 years to build my perfect amp. I've long since lost count of the number of amps I built, stripped down, rebuilt and finally started over with a new chassis once the old one became swiss cheese. The really odd thing is, once I reached my definition of the perfect amp (perfect for me), I lost interest in building them.

[rdjones]

The challenge in trying to narrow this down is that everybody hears differently, and finds different sounds or tone ranges pleasing.

I think the biggest single item is speaker choice.

rd

[LeftyStrat]

It's taken me over 35 years to build my perfect amp. I've long since lost count of the number of amps I built, stripped down, rebuilt and finally started over with a new chassis once the old one became swiss cheese. The really odd thing is, once I reached my definition of the perfect amp (perfect for me), I lost interest in building them.

Tell me more about this amp. I'm still chasing the dream...