Triode TW - Express Kit Build

[Curranproducer]

that kind of what I think as well, when it comes to the A/B stuff, any other recommendations, The heyober's just seem about impossible to find, get pricing on and stright answer from people, dealers or other wise.

[martin manning]

M Fowler has used MC transformers in an express. IIRC the only issue he noted was that the MC PT has a thicker core stack and is physically larger than the Pacific.

[ToneMerc]

that kind of what I think as well, when it comes to the A/B stuff, any other recommendations, The heyober's just seem about impossible to find, get pricing on and stright answer from people, dealers or other wise.

Here's the deal with Heyboer; they are mainly private line transformer manufacturer and like most other musical instrument transformer companies, MI transformers are a small fraction of the core business.

You won't find colorful end bells, sales folks pitching products on forums, a comprehensive website, stocking dealers with hundreds of Heyboer part numbers nor does Heyboer keep inventory on the shelf, although sometimes there are a few overrun pieces on hand. You will find a couple of companies like Weber or Mojo that have Heyboer winding their own private line transformers, hence the Heyboer part numbers seen.

They are not the cheapest, but I find in that with some items they are equivalent or even cheaper than MCI and in many cases I can get a custom PT for not much more than an off the shelf MCI piece. I have gotten custom pieces in little as 10 days and typical lead times are around 2.5 weeks, so plan accordingly.

They will clone, rewind or setup a wind for just one piece or 100 pieces, as simple or as labor intensive that you are willing to pay for. Since they are really no stocking dealers perse', you need to contact them directly for pricing.

They are really the last the 50's style lets deal on a handshake or just your word kind of company. If the beancounters or marketing folks ever take over, it will kill this type of relationship.

TM

[Curranproducer]

what about an opinion on the weber transformers and kits? just curious, cuz i am pretty sure the "JAVA" is their version of an express

[martin manning]

Listen for yourself: http://www.classictone.net/PaperVsPlastic.html

[Curranproducer]

well Heck!!! that is cool!I am liking the classic tone tranformers the best , big full bodied bottom end, the heyober is a close second and the weber is 3rd, I am not hearing anything worth the money coming form the mercury magnets

[RJ Guitars]

I am going through output transformer testing right now for Express amps and I am finding that it's extremely difficult to create a single test scenario that brings out the best sounds in any setup. As I dial in an amp setting that brings out the very best from for one transformer, those same settings aren't right for the next one.

If I read the test parameters correctly, they set all the knobs at 12 o'clock and ran their sonic tests. In the tests I have run, this doesn't work very well. I need to reset the knobs for each transformer if I want the amp to sound it's best. I think that it in some cases you might need to select some different component types or values to bring out the best sound with any given transformer.

I think I believe the trannies that sounded good indeed sounded good but I'd also be surprised if the others couldn't be tweaked to sound good.

[martin manning]

I can see value in recording the sound of each transformer with exactly the same (re-amped) input and EQ so that just the difference that the transformer makes is revealed. What I like about the way the linked demo is presented is that I can listen to a short passage from each one and then compare just that part to the others back-to-back. I conclude from this that the various tones and playing styles do not all sound best through any one transformer. What is wanted is the best overall sound quality for the preferred type of music and playing style.

[Curranproducer]

i am sure ever transformer can sound good/great/decent. But the only what I have ever been able to get a feel for what any mod or component is doing is the DI re-amp route of the same performance. that being said I hope they are being honest about the tones they are getting, I do really like the classics in that clip. I have used them on a few builds and have been nothing but happy

[RJ Guitars]

Ken Fischer built awesome sounding amps with the mediocre quality generic Stancor output trannies... I am sorta inclined to think that if you can't get fantastic sounding amps with Mercury Mag trannies, you aren't really trying hard enough.

I don't know for sure, but doesn't Heyboer make a lot of the Weber products?

[Curranproducer]

I agree with you, I always feel that there becomes a diminishing return when the dollar amounts start to get out of control(AX-FX). I am just not impressed with MM's for the dough required to use them in my amps. the classic-tones are awesome IMHIO. They work, every amp I have built with them has sounded great and they are HUGE AND HEAVY and look real neat-o!! The webers sounded 3rd place in those samples, BUT they make tones of kits and sell lots of them for sure, so they must be more than OK.