Is my Liverpool OK?

[cap217]

I recently got a used liverpool from a well known builder (nobody here) and I just wanted to be sure that my amp is ok. I emailed the builder and he stands behind his porduct but it will cost me shipping and time without the amp and I am not even positive there is an issue.

I should note that this is my first TW experience...

I got the amp with Phillips Miniwatt EL84's and some other NOS 12ax7s. I played it at low volumes the first night and noticed that I was hearing clicks and ticks from inside the amp. It wasnt coming though the speakers at all. The amp sounds great but there are clicks and ticks from inside the chassis it sounds like. Even after I turn the ampp off, it does this for a little bit.

I emailed the builder and he said that the miniwatt tubes cant handle the voltage and I should try Sovtek EL84Ms and JJ 12ax7s. I had JJ tubes all around and put those in and ordered the Sovtek 84s (not here yet). But even with the JJ's, I still get the click and tick sound in the amp.

Also, I got to turn it up and play it and it sounds great but I hear static in the amp when the volume is up. I assume thats normal when these are pushed. But when I turn it up and turn the presence past noon and my guitar pot off, I hear a whine in the amp. It goes away when the volume pot on the guitar is turned up though.

So 3 things:

-Click and tick in the chassis, even when off
-Static sound when turned up (I assume this may be normal)
-Whine sound when the amp is up loud and the guitar pot is off



Again, this may all be normal. The amp sounds great but I just want to be sure or see what you guys think before I send it to be looked at.

[Blackburn]

As far as the hiss and squeal when turned up, that's pretty normal for these amps and seems to have more to do with preamp tube selection and lead dress. Not really a big deal because these kinds of amps can be very finicky. The clicking you hear is normal. It's not from inside the chassis, but noises the power tubes make when turned off. Not all do this, and I personally haven't heard EL84s do it, but it is common amongst tubes. I don't think there is anything wrong with them.

However, if the builder doesn't think that the Miniwatts can handle the voltage, why are they in there? You may want to have the plate voltage checked and if it's over 325v or 335v, you may have an issue. I don't know the characteristics of those 84s. Mullards can handle anything, but many other holy grail 84s cannot.

David

[Reeltarded]

Tick? More like a ping then? Like cooling rocks? All my amps do that when they are heating up or cooling down. Changing a variac by 10v will cause them to cool or warm enough to do that.. if that is what you mean.

I dunno about all the other stuff, but if you mean "ping... ping" for a minute after you power down or up...

[geetarpicker]

Some hiss is normal, but not any more than other amps with comprable gain and perhaps less actually. You should not however have any squeal issues, even with all the knobs full up. If you do first experiement with preamp tubes to find the most non-microphonice you can get. Also don't stack the head on the cab, that will make tube selection even more finicky.

You may however have feedback issues with some guitar pickups when running such high gain. However this is typical for plenty of pickups unless they are wax potted and/or if you stand way back from the speaker cabinet.

Noise wise I often use to compare my wrecks to my vintage plexi and metal panel Marshalls. Usually if you set a wreck to about the same gain as a fully dimed 4 input style non-master Superlead or 50 watter, the Marshall will actually be a bit noiser than the wreck.

A couple issues that some builders miss is you must have a ground plate on the chassis.

[cap217]

I think its just me to be honest. I am hearing things but I need to mess with the preamp tubes maybe. I put new JJ's in there when I got it. It had NOS tubes but they were very microphonic.

The builder is highly regaurded so I would think he did everything he was supposed to. He stands behind his product as well. The easy thing to do is just ship it to him to check out but I dont want to waste his time, my time, and pay for shipping both ways if its nothing. Dana Hall is building me and express now. When I get that, I will have a good comparison.

Also, the head on top of the cab is really bad with this. I see pics/videos of people using it this way but I dont know how. I just get tube rattle like no other.

Here are 2 gut shots. Anything stand out?

2 questions:
-What pots are on this? They are very nice but one is dirty and they are sealed so I need to replace it.
-Can you ID the transformers?

[Blackburn]

The pots are PECs. If one's dirty, simply desolder it out and pry it open for cleaning. Too expensive of a pot to replace when it just needs cleaning. Nice build. I've been curious of Mark Kane's work for a while. All I knew is they sound pretty damn good.

[jelle]

From my cell phone this MK amp looks like a very solid build. Congrats!

Before touching the treble pot, I would verify that there is no DC voltage coming into the pot from the preampboard. Good luck!

[M Fowler]

2 questions:
-What pots are on this? They are very nice but one is dirty and they are sealed so I need to replace it.

Those are PEC pots expensive but I have had a lot of trouble using them.

[cap217]

The pots are quality for sure. Best and smoothest pots I have used. But the volume is dirty and the other knobs might need a cleaning as well. That seems odd. I have worked them back and forth for a while now with no improvement.

As for the build. I knew MK was a quality builder and dont regret this amp at all. I am going to wait on my Hall express and then compare the "issues" I hear and see if they are consistant. If not, MK will take care of this.

As for tubes. He suggested the Sovtek EL84M's. How are these sound wise vs JJ and Miniwatts? I also have a set of EH EL84eh's I could try. But for the 12ax7's, is V1 the one that I should mess around with? I have a few nos tubes, JJ's, and GT gold plate's 12ax7c's.

[M Fowler]

I run JJ EL84's and mix V1-V3 up with what works. For high gain preamp tubes I like JJ gold pin and Sino-Chinese or NOS 7025. For PI is may use Sovtek 12AX7LPS not-matched. Tube rolling is the game.

I think what happens is we all want the Trainwreck amps but find out that very few of us guitar players can play well through a TW amp. It takes patience and learning. Myself I don't like the sound of the Express or LP.
I only like the mellower toned Rocket.

Mark

[Reeltarded]

They are very.. abrupt.

[vibratoking]

I love my Express clone. It's been said many times before, but bears repeating. It needs the right tubes. Mine is a great sounding amp WITH THE RIGHT TUBES. But it can easily sounmd like a total POS with the wrong tubes.

[Reeltarded]

Speaking of abrupt...

!! lol

[vibratoking]

There goes my abrupt, insensitive side once more. Will it ever end? Perhaps with a two prong cord...Death by lethal injection, hanging, firing squad, or two prong cord. I heard Texas is instituting a new method.

[Reeltarded]

Same as it always was, except you get a lollipop afterwards.