Hey all~
Is there anyone who's building amp similar to a 5A/B/ or C3 clone that comes anywhere close to this very Neil Young type, almost imploding type chewiness, & using octal 6SC or SL7 pre's??
From about 50 seconds in to 1:45.... https://youtu.be/vcQo9p-OHtM?si=-DWFN7ovcEfUDzZH
I don't know of any premade commercial amps, but any competent builder can make you a decent clone. There are also plenty of vintage, non guitar, amps from the same era with a similar tube complement and similar circuitry that could be converted to fender specs if you search around a bit. $40 at a thrift store and $400 at your amp tech might get you fairly close.
Those amps should be fairly easy to replicate, especially if you build it as a head and aren't as concerned about the specifics with the cabinet, speakers, etc. (although speakers are likely as important as anything else in getting the sound in most cases, IMO). 6SC7s are somewhat expensive, but the datasheet reads fairly similarly to a 5751, so I'd build an amp with those if it were me building it.
New production tubes are expensive, NOS and used 6sc7 aren't so bad and they are very common in older gear. You can find this stuff for next to nothing, or nothing, if you keep an eye out.
maxkracht wrote: ↑Wed Jun 19, 2024 2:44 pm
New production tubes are expensive, NOS and used 6sc7 aren't so bad and they are very common in older gear. You can find this stuff for next to nothing, or nothing, if you keep an eye out.
That’s a good point: rebuilding/modifying an existing amp is likely the most economical way to go. As to whether 5751 vs 6SC7, I think it may depend on the intended use of the amp. Do you plan on or foresee using it in a gigging or touring context? If so, I’d much rather have the amp accept noval preamp tubes in case one dies and you’re stuck trying to replace it without necessarily knowing how easily you’ll be able to find replacements. If you’re only planning on using it for practicing or recording, I’d be much less worried about replacing dead 6SC7s in a pinch.
cdemike wrote: ↑Wed Jun 19, 2024 5:12 pm
I’d much rather have the amp accept noval preamp tubes in case one dies and you’re stuck trying to replace it without necessarily knowing how easily you’ll be able to find replacements.
You are of course correct that novals are more common, but I thought zozoes point was to find something less common? YMMV, but I wouldn't worry too much about availability or longevity. Those old metal can tubes seem to last a long time and it's not too hard to buy 2-3 and be set for life. Plus octal tubes look cool.
maxkracht wrote: ↑Wed Jun 19, 2024 6:23 pm
You are of course correct that novals are more common, but I thought zozoes point was to find something less common? YMMV, but I wouldn't worry too much about availability or longevity. Those old metal can tubes seem to last a long time and it's not too hard to buy 2-3 and be set for life. Plus octal tubes look cool.
Yeah that’s fair enough. I tend to approach things from a wort-case-scenario perspective, which doesn’t always make a ton of sense. There’s a part of me that knows there unlikely will be a dead shortage of NOS tubes since the only demand these days are musicians and a niche section of Hi-Fi people, but it doesn’t stop me from thinking twice when considering the tube compliment for something that might get gigged. I once did a show with a 70s Marshall 4-holer that died about 30 seconds into the first song and since then I never did anything without a spare. I’d hate to be down to a spare if I was touring and not know if I could get the other amp running. If I were an Ampeg owner and needed to get a new 7199 on the road I’d be getting pretty nervous. Of course, that assumes I didn’t buy spares like you mentioned, so there’s an easy way out of the scenario anyway…
But you’re also right that the point of the thread does seem aimed at capturing those circuits as they were. If you used an amp with tremolo and reverb as a starting point, there would probably be space for a second channel using noval tubes if zozoe is half as paranoid about spares as I am.
