Trainwreck Express Build

[Littlewyan]

Hi

For my next project I wish to build a Trainwreck Express Clone, however I'm struggling to find the parts for the job! I live in England and cannot find anyone here who makes a pre punched chassis for the Express. Worst case I could use a Hammond Aluminum Chassis as I know those are supposed to be quite good but was just wondering if any of you guys knew of someone who sells pre punched chassis'?

I'm also looking for the turret board and transformers. Tried the BOM for the Express but www.ampbuildersparts.com doesn't seem to exist and the site specified for Transformers can't ship them at the moment.

Thanks
Ryan

[Colossal]

Check out our friend RJ! Great member and contributor here for many years.

www.rjguitars.net

Good luck with your build.

[Littlewyan]

Thanks I've sent him an email.

[Littlewyan]

Hi guys, I got a quote off RJ for the parts but unfortunately I couldn't afford to buy them thanks to Import VAT and Customs Duty (I live in England). So i've bought a Marshall JCM800 chassis, Danbury OT and Hammond 372jx PT. The chassis can be used for 4 x Octal Valves so when it arrives I'll measure the two spare Octal holes to see if they can be used for Capacitors.

Fancied a challenge...

[Littlewyan]

Guys I'm struggling a bit with the layout of the front of the amp. As I'm using a Marshall Chassis I've got the four Input holes on the front, however I still only want one input with this amp as I never have any had any need for more than one. I've attached the layout that I've got so far, do you guys think it looks weird with the INPUT so high?

[Zippy]

If the input placement bugs YOU, consider making a new face plate and drilling one more hole.

Or, you could install all 4 input jacks, and make only one of them active.

[xtian]

only want one input with this amp

Me, too. I agree with Zippy, drill a new hole.

[Littlewyan]

Sorry didn't explain fully, haven't got the faceplate yet and can't drill a new hole in a good spot due to other holes. Like I looked at having one in the middle of all four inputs bit then i'd have to move all the knobs along one and then they'd be further from the turret board inside. So the best place for the input is the top right hand hole. Now I thought it looked fine until I put INPUT beneath it as the rest of the writing is central. Maybe INPUT would look better above it? Or perhaps I could write something below input?

[Zippy]

I'd prefer to have a lil' offset for the jack, rather than have it exactly one knob-space from the last knob. Then you can label it just like you have the rest. OTOH, why do you have to label it at all? There's only one input jack on the front face plate. Even on a very drunk night, it would be easy to find.

You're WAAAAY overthinking this.

[Littlewyan]

I know i'm being a bit anal its just this is the first valve amp i've built completely from scratch. The other amp i built was a kit and amps before that were solid state but not in a nice chassis like this one with a proper faceplate. I think like you said it'll be fine, if I don't like it well I just won't do that on the next amp

[Zippy]

It's alright to take pride in your work, as well as learn from each build.

Enjoy the path!

[Littlewyan]

Right just doing the layout for the Turret Board and had an idea!

Going by the layout on the Trainwreck Files Section for the Express you'd have C8, R7, R5, C7 and then R8. Well how about moving R5 and C7 before R7 beneath C8 so it looks like the attached image. That way the cathode components are a bit closer to V1b and the load resistor (think its called that, 150K) is closer to V2. Obviously I'd raise C8 so that it isn't that close to the cathode component's turret. I just think it'd shorten a few wires and stop them from crossing.

Hope that made sense

[Zippy]

The Express is among the least forgiving with respect to layout and lead dress. I wouldn't dink with it.

[Littlewyan]

Ok I'll put it back to how it is on the layout provided. Using MSPaint for the layout, once I've done this then I can finalize the layout of the controls on the front, get my faceplate ordered, then I can finally start building!

[Littlewyan]

Hi guys, bit stuck, I need to mount two turret boards on the underside of my PT and OT, however no screws can go beneath the transformers as they sit flush with the chassis. Any ideas?