Fender 5B6 with 6V6 point to point build

[Structo]

Man that sounds great!

Reminds me of a cranked Marshall tone or a JT45.

Great drive!

Was it pretty loud when you recorded?

[kwijabo]

nice build! and thanks for posting clips. sounds sweet.

i'm curious - what value caps did you use for the tone stack caps? did you lower them or did you use the stock 0.1uF?

[Synchu]

Thanks a bunch

It was recorded at night, so I used an attenuator, the amp was pretty cranked between 11 and 3 o'clock for the different parts. But it is a loud one!

kwijabo - I used the standard 0.1 uf values. The only difference from a standard guitar amp build would be that I used Mundorf caps, I had for a hi-fi build, where I ended up using others. These are pretty popular with the hi-fi crowd. Sound good here though.

I did a short recording with 6P3S-EV (5881 equivalents) and a big fat 5C3S rectifier tube (5U4 equivalent). Great quality rectifier. Much better than the rattly JJ 5U4. I like it quite a bit and seems the transformers are taking the increased strain just fine.
Self build Klon clone was used for the lead. Rhythm is amp only. All effects added post-recording.
https://soundcloud.com/synchu/basscho-4 ... -5c3s-klon
Niki

[kwijabo]

not having built one i don't know how much bass this thing has or if there even is a need to change to 0.1uF's, i think i had just read somewhere that someone might've said they lowered them. but if you used 0.1uF and it sounds like what you posted i'll be sure to use 0.1uF if i ever try this amp .

[Synchu]

Ok. Here's the layout.
Obligatory disclaimer - consider it a draft, it may contain errors, handle with extreme caution as these amplifiers contain lethal voltages. Do not undertake this build, if you're not comfortable and qualified working with high voltage equipment.
Now - please, excuse my limited skills with that. May try to further polish it, when time permits.
Power entry/switching not done, as these are pretty much standard.
Any questions - shoot.
Niki

[Regan]

Looks good, thanks!
Regan

[M Fowler]

Nice layout can I get the visio file?

[Synchu]

Sure.
Here it is.
Niki

[M Fowler]

Thanks I'll try use it beneficially to TAG members.

[Synchu]

Sure
...and most certainly it can get more than few polishing touches
It is embarrassing to admit that by my day job, I should be Visio guru in theory, which I am not in practice.
Niki

[Synchu]

It is official. I love this amp and how it takes pedals - used this new Bogner Harlow boost/compressor thingy with R. Neve fairy dust transformer in it

https://soundcloud.com/synchu/impromptu ... klon-boggy

forget the playing, but sounds - sounds nothing short of amazing - at least to me. I spent 2 hours in a row just exploring how pick attack changes the sound.

It probably does get boring already, but this community is so inspirational ...
Niki

[rp]

Having not built a 5B6 yet maybe it's an especially cool circuit, and octals prees are certainly fun, but the reality is all those old circuits sound great: Fender, Gibson, Rick, Valco, Sears,Magnatone, Premier etc etc. After having built a few old circuits and having played a fair share I think the real secret is just the simplicity. But mystics have been onto the value of that for thousands of years

[drew]

Nice sounding clip, and thanks for posting the Visio layout. Can you tell me what the setup/technique/secret is to drawing those closely-spaced parallel lines with the neat 90 degree curves on the left side of the diagram? I have a copy of Visio (2007, I think) and various collections of amp-related parts to use with it that I've accumulated over the years, but I've never quite been able to sit down and really learn to use the program properly.

[norburybrook]

very very nice. I agree about the simplicity theory, I'm seriously tempted to give this a go, I love the whole p2p idea as well



anything specific to watch out for, and how different is this to say the 5E3?


Marcus

[M Fowler]

I've built a few of these 5b6 amps and preamps finding no issues other then selecting good tubes.

I tried to use NOS but after trying current production tubes I stopped searching for NOS preamp tubes and no more microphonic problems. I do like to use o'rings on the tubes.

More headroom then 5E3 with a compressed almost reverb like quality to the tone with octal preamp tubes.