Mystery Express Clone?

[tjstrat]

A noob to this forum, but I have an oddball question and figured someone may have encountered this...

A few months back I bought what was described as a TW clone, similar to the Express. It cost $300.00 on Reverb.

Two EL34s and 3 12AX7/ECC83s. It appears to be a cathode biasing amp, of all things, which I've never seen in an EL34 based amp. The controls are laid out in the same array as the Express clones I've seen.

I opened it up, and while the power tubes were mundane Sovteks, the preamps were some nice E German NOS ECC83s. I sent some gut shots off to a brother in the Z Foum who thought that the components and dressing looked very cloneworthy.

Okay, so I ASSUME that I have some odd EL34 cathode biasing Express clone. The tolex on the cab is perfect. The Z brother said I must have found a clone built by a junkie or something to get it so cheaply... It has an owl silkscreened onto the front panel and handwritten speaker settings on a 3 way selector.

Does this ring a bell with anyone?

[Colossal]

Can you post some gut shots and other photos?

[pompeiisneaks]

Yeah agreed, the only way people are going to be able to get you more useful information is if we can see photos' especially high quality well lit ones of the guts.

~Phil

[M Fowler]

Yes a lot of us here have built cathode bias EL34 amps, Especially TW Rocket types.

[lumox0013]

yes would like to see some pics sounds like some of my work , is there a signature inside the amp?

[RockinRocket]

Thought I saved this .

https://reverb.com/item/11060084-trainw ... -tube-head

[andresound]

Tube recto GZ34?

[tjstrat]

Thought I saved this .

https://reverb.com/item/11060084-trainw ... -tube-head

Yup, that's the one. Well, $400.00... it's been awhile. I guess I'm MAINLY wondering if anyone recognizes that logo? Any builder who uses it?

[lumox0013]

yeah thats one of mine, it is a rocket style amp . that amp would have been built with 6l6 output tubes someone has been playing on it for a while I built that one several years ago . it was a great sounding amp though, one of my better builds.glad to see its still kicking around. cheers

[tjstrat]

yeah thats one of mine, it is a rocket style amp . that amp would have been built with 6L6 output tubes someone has been playing on it for a while I built that one several years ago . it was a great sounding amp though, one of my better builds.glad to see its still kicking around. cheers

Hey, thanks!

This came loaded with EL34s... It can run 6L6s though? I think the ELs make it sound raspy and would love a little rounder Fendery tone with it. Still cathode biasing? I've been running on the assumption that it was 50 watts, which I guess would be the same wattage with dual 6L6s, but is it 50 watts or something more in the Rocket range? It's a Rocket based amp though... Excellent.

The entire piece is absolutely outstanding, cosmetically and inside. A beauty. You do GREAT work if this is representative, and it sounds pretty amazing.

Tim

[Reeltarded]

Yeah, throw 6L6s at it and report back. What a deal!

[tjstrat]

Yeah, throw 6L6s at it and report back. What a deal!

I'm glad it wasn't a junkie build! It's gorgeous inside.

[Reeltarded]

Yeah, throw 6L6s at it and report back. What a deal!

I'm glad it wasn't a junkie build! It's gorgeous inside.

It IS a junkie build; AN AMP JUNKIE!

Best kind. If I had seen that I would have been absolutely all over it. It looks like it sounds great.

[lumox0013]

any question just let me know , I dont know what may have been changed inside they may have rewired the cathode resistor if you post a gut shot I will tell you if it is stock .it is probly more around 25-35 watts ,good tubes make a big impact with these style amps. cheers

[tjstrat]

any question just let me know , I dont know what may have been changed inside they may have rewired the cathode resistor if you post a gut shot I will tell you if it is stock .it is probly more around 25-35 watts ,good tubes make a big impact with these style amps. cheers

It was already loaded with 2 nice NOS ECC83s, and I put a third one in V3 last night... A Mullard 4004 in V1, a Telefunken in V2 and one of the original East German NOS tubes in V3. NOS power tubes are a little rich, so I'll use JJs. Will this take 6V6s, and what rectifier would you recommend for this? I have a NOS GE in it right now and the amp sounds beautiful, but I have some Bendix and Westinghouse 5Y3s and some others (GZs and so on) that I'd be willing to try, both for getting good cleans for pedals or a little early breakup for blues.

Thanks!

Tim