My first wreck post! Need advice

[Tdale]

I've been active in the Dumble forum, and haven't thought too much about trainwrecks..

But I need to expand. Could anyone point me in the right direction, or maybe write a short overview of the different trainwrecks, and how they sound.

Are they all "overdrive amps" or are there any clean playing trainwrecks?

I'd like to build an amp that is small, light, that sound good without having to play loud. The sound should be pretty clean, with very little break up....

Any ideas?

Tommy

[unklmickey]

...Are they all "overdrive amps" or are there any clean playing trainwrecks? ...

hi Tommy,

i think the whole concept of a 'Wreck is they're clean with your guitar volume down, but have enough gain to get mean when you turn the (guitar) volume up.

even an Express tends to be quite loud, when cranked.

if you're only looking for clean, an Express would probably be just fine.

but if you want power-amp distortion, an Express would be very loud when you get there....unless you went off-script, and re-designed around a lower voltage power supply, maybe EL-84s, and/or cathode bias, and/or tube rectifier, etc. of course something like that would easily end up with a much different personality than an Express.

i'm sure Allyn, Dana, and the other guys will be able to give you much more comprehensive advice......but at least this gives you a start.

[Normster]

I'd like to build an amp that is small, light, that sound good without having to play loud. The sound should be pretty clean, with very little break up....

That would be the antithesis of an Express.

[philmanatee]

The rocket would be the cleanest of the bunch. Phil

[HiGain]

Tommy,

None of the trainwreck stuff is built for chimey clean. As said above, the rocket is close to that. It is KF's take on the vox. However, even that has a little less headroom to my ears than a straight up vox clone. The liverpool can also get pretty clean, but is meant to break up at gigging levels for an awesome bluesy tone. The express is a distortion monster, though it will produce a decent amount of cleanISH tones that are middy and punchy, but not the notched bassy/trebly tones of a fender. Again, as stated above, you can coax more cleanish tones by dailing back your guitar volume, but it won't be like a dumble/fender clean.

Best.
Jake

[Tdale]

Ok..

What would you build if someone wanted a small, light amp, for very low stage volumes, with clean tone, with only a slight break up if turned up a bit?

A Bad Cat Cub was too hot for him, but he used to have a VOX pathfinder that was ok (solid state though).

Any ideas about what could be a good amp for this guy?

He is also a great Chet Atkins style player, but needs 100% clean tone for that. What would be a suitable amp for such use? Still not too hot/loud/heavy?

Here he is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ShzF5q8sps

Bad video, but the sound is ok.

Tommy

[unklmickey]

Fender Deluxe clone?

[Tdale]

Is that a small, light and quiet amp?

Tommy

[sliberty]

The Matchless Spitfire has nice chimey cleans, and gets pretty agressive when turned up. It might suit nicely. Its a simple circuit, so it can be built into a pretty small package. It sounds great through a 1x12 V30.

[joe6v6]

I agree with liberty only I would recomend a Lightning, its a little more versital than a spitfire. I think that guy would sound amazing thru a Lightning. Check out the clips at Trinity amps.

JOE

[Tdale]

Well, he already have several matchless amps...but probably not a ligtning.

A friend of mine do have one though, and I'm afraid that it might not be clean enough...

He wants an amp that is clean, with only a very slight break up if it's turned all the way up. And when it's turned all the way up, it shouldn't be very loud..

Maybe he's whishing for the impossible..?

Tommy

[sliberty]

Well, then maybe a Deluxe Reverb is the way to go.

[Fischerman]

Maybe a Bruno Cowtipper? They make them in a few different sizes/power ratings. But they are (allegedly) very similar if not the same as blackface Fender amps...so maybe just get a Fender. He just needs to find the right size and speaker compliment. They're all basically the same preamp...they just beef up the power supplies for the bigger amps, use bigger (or more) power tubes, and bigger (or more) speakers, etc.