6v6

[quote name='hubrad' timestamp='1381840521' post='2244361']
You'll probably find there's a decent supplier close to you.. I know of two local to me, but I live in Yorkshire!
I just Googled 'nut and bolt suppliers hampshire' and brought up loads.
[/quote]

Thanks, I did call a couple but they didn't have what I needed (it's the black finish that's problematic), so decided it would be easier to trawl the internet instead of phone book

The online supplier has just mailed me saying dispatched, a week after ordering, so I guess I'm sorted now but I won't be using them again.

Can anyone suggest reliable online suppliers of somewhat-specialist nuts and bolts?

I'm after some M4 and M5 black dome-socket head machine screws (or just black pozi pan head machine screws, but I'd prefer the socket head ones)

I ordered some from a supplier I found via google, and no dispatch or communication after a week so considering cancelling and ordering elsewhere.

Surely there must be some major online suppliers of fixings/fasteners? (Note I know about screwfix, toolstation etc, but they don't stock black finish machine screws)

Need these to finish off my DIY cab build, so any pointers appreciated!

[quote name='Noisyjon' timestamp='1381749656' post='2243044']
These vids are great Skelf, thanks for making them and sharing them with us all.
I wish I had the space to set up a workshop and try to make an instrument!
[/quote]

I think these videos are an amazing illustration that if you have a router, basic hand tools, plenty of time/patience and a lot of talent, you can make fantastic instruments.

I have a router but alas very little time (or talent ), but I'm still getting tempted to give it a go in my shed after I clear the current backlog of DIY amp/cab projects

You could try this guy: [url="http://www.ampmaker.com/infocentre/forum-21.html"]http://www.ampmaker.com/infocentre/forum-21.html[/url]

Or zilla cabs: [url="http://www.zillacabs.com/"]http://www.zillacabs.com/[/url]

[quote name='Phil Starr' timestamp='1381358710' post='2238183']
It's looking great, how did it sound at the rehearsal?
[/quote]

It sounded really good - the room was too small to really use much volume, but there's definitely way, way more low end extension and low-mid punch. I'll post a more detailed description after it's been used in anger at gig volumes (got a few coming up but not until next month), but so far I'm very pleased.

Already making plans for a DIY head to go with it, followed by another beyma loaded cab

Great, thanks for doing these!

The attention to detail is amazing - really illustrates the difference between a mass produced CNC instrument and a handmade one.

[quote name='GarethFlatlands' timestamp='1381341078' post='2237907']
Gordon Smith GS series should be small bodied if the Gypsy is anything to go by.
[/quote]

+1, I have a GS2 and it's a great guitar, small thin body, great playabilty and range of tones, like a les paul junior but UK made and much much cheaper.

[size=4]I think spotify, from a consumer perspective is great, and one of the most exiting things to happen to music distribution in a generation - I mean the dream has become a reality, everywhere I go, I've got essentially unlimited access to whatever music I want, on my phone. It's pretty amazing IMO and I've discovered loads of new music because of it.

The Thom Yorke rant is essentially a misguided attack on the consumers, i.e. suggesting you shouldn't use spotify, when the actual issue is the fee structure for artists (which admittedly sounds like a terrible deal, but I'd love to know how many times a song had to be played on radio, or singles sold etc for comparison). The fees paid to artists is a contractual thing between the artist and the distributor (spotify in this case), I don't see how public rants really help, he'd be better lobbying other artists to gain strength for a fee renegotiation.

I actually laughed at "[color=#333333][font=Arial, sans-serif]We can build the sh*t ourselves" Oh really, so you, the recording artists, could trivially implement a global streaming platform, client applications, pricing model, secure payment system etc etc, which scales to millions of users. Yeah right! I work in this industry, and these kinds of large-scale distributed software problems are hard, and cost money to solve.[/font][/color][/size]

[color=#333333][font=Arial, sans-serif](Edit, weird font issue)[/font][/color]

[quote name='Lowender' timestamp='1381236488' post='2236158']
there's this notion that there are special people who do "good" set ups.
...
That takes a bit of an eye and I understand that some people have it and some people don't
[/quote]

Answered your own question IMO!

Personally I wouldn't do it - those have alnico Jensen speakers in an open back cab, which IMHO really really won't work well for bass, dirty or not (sounds lovely for guitar tho), you'll just end up blowing them.

Maybe get a Bassman head, and use it with a more bass-appropriate cab? Or a Traynor, or an Ampeg V4b, or a Marshall super-bass, or ... there are loads of 50-100w heads you could choose I guess.

Tuff Cab done, going to wait a couple of days to ensure it's fully hardened then do final assembly:

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1381179072' post='2235573']
what schematic/type are you building the preamp from?
[/quote]

Not decided yet, but I've got boxes of tube amp bits sitting around, as well as several guitar amps in various states of modification, so initially I'll probably raid the spare parts and build a fairly simple 12AX7 based preamp, then add features when I've got a solid basic tone.

I started out looking at the mesa walkabout schematic, and it's essentially just a Fender style preamp, into a solid-state active EQ, then a solid-state compressor, a tube driver, and a mosfet power stage. So I might emulate that, or just go more all-tube and copy something like an SVT preamp with an LA2-a compressor.

[quote name='bertbass' timestamp='1381163394' post='2235209']
I've got some of those BK modules sitting around doing nothing, they were used with our PA for awhile. Really nice amps. PM me if you're interested.
[/quote]

Ooh, PM incoming!

Southbound - The Allman Brothers
Big Leg Woman - Charlie Musselwhite (simple but really grooves!)
Touch Of Grey - Grateful Dead
Funk 49 - The James Gang
Thats what love will make you do - Little Milton
Get outta my life woman - Arthur Miles (the Derek Trucks version of this is very cool too..)

I could carry on... but then I'd end up pasting in half our set

There's something different which happens to the rhythm and attack when you use fingers IMO, just eq/compression or whatever won't make a plectrum sounds like fingers, particularly if you don't play only downstrokes with the plectrum.

Great work, really interesting to watch

Can I ask, is there a reason why you do so much routing freehand, vs using a router table?

Also the super-fast bandsawing made me wince a bit, I kept expecting a bit of your finger to fall off!

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1381146226' post='2234874']
Why not just buy a cheap used Ashdown head and use the whole power amp section and transformer?
[/quote]

Well that's basically what has already been suggested above, and I am considering it. The main thing putting me off atm is the ebay definition of "cheap" in this case appears to be around £300, which doesn't make sense to me as a donor amp, particularly when you can get something like a Hartke LH500 for less than than new.

Trace Elliot AH/GP 200/300 heads look promising. People are asking silly money for them on Ebay tho.

[quote name='dood' timestamp='1381140501' post='2234753']
Try out these guys: [url="http://www.bkelec.com/Modules/Amplifiers.htm"]http://www.bkelec.co.../Amplifiers.htm[/url] - I had one of their 450W modules years ago - it was bullet proof. My first 'big' amp was something I put together myself using one of these!
[/quote]

Interesting, that's the sort of module I've been looking for, but only found lower power or class D modules so far, thanks!

I may shoot them a mail or give them a call, as there's not much detail on their website but it definitely does look promising!

[quote name='RandomBass' timestamp='1381140462' post='2234752']
Yes, and the Trace Elliots too. An alternative to the BUZ901 is the Exicon ECF10N20 and it's complementary device, but is probably not much cheaper. I recently fitted some BUZzes in my TE AH200 and are great, though.
[/quote]

Thanks for the suggestions, will look into TE, and the Exicon device!

[quote name='RandomBass' timestamp='1381140462' post='2234752']
How about the suggestion of a class D module?
[/quote]

Yeah as mentioned in my reply above, I have considered using a Hypex class D module, but tbh I'm drawn towards a more traditional mosfet design, because I can understand how they work, and fix it if it breaks, whereas I don't really understand how class-D amps work, and the component density and surface-mount stuff on the Hypex modules pretty much means if it fails I'll have to replace it.

[quote name='RandomBass' timestamp='1381140462' post='2234752']
EDIT: 8 Devices? That's a chunk of current
[/quote]

Yeah, well based on the schematic's I've looked at so far, the walkabout uses 6 mosfets and the m-pulse 600 uses 12, so I think I'd want 8 at a minimum, since the walkabout only delivers 165w RMS into 8ohms. Obviously I'll start with one pair if I build from scratch to avoid a huge fire if I wire them up wrong

[quote name='Bigwan' timestamp='1381137602' post='2234671']
The original series Ashdown ABMs used those trannies I believe... Might be able to find one of those cheap enough.

Or you could try and find a B&O icepower module if class d was of any interest to you.
[/quote]

Thanks, the Ashdown is a good suggestion, particularly if I can pick up a cheap faulty spares/repair one somewhere.

I did consider class D (in particular these [url="http://www.hypex.nl/product/ucd-amplifier-modules/ucd700hg.html"]Hypex[/url] modules), but I'm going for a more classic/vintage vibe, which based on many reviews seems to be more readily achievable with more traditional mosfet (or tube, obviously) power amps.

Hi All,

I'm considering making a DIY hybrid amp (tube preamp, mosfet power amp), "inspired by" a mesa walkabout/m-pulse, probably with the addition of a tube compressor, and maybe with two different switchable preamp circuits/channels.

I've been looking at parts for the poweramp, and it looks like the mosfets, heatsinks and transformer are going to be a lot more expensive than I'd anticipated (the mosfets alone are £11 each and I'll need at least 8!)

So it occurred to me that there must be some suitable donor amps (old PA amps, other hybrid heads with a similar power stage etc) out there, which I can pick up cheap and modify...

I'm looking for something with a decent sized power section (say 300-600w), ideally with BUZ901/906 Mosfets or similar in the power amp - any suggestions?

[quote name='Phil Starr' timestamp='1381014981' post='2233518']
I'm really pleased it has worked out, that flat clean response takes some getting used to, I really like the Hartke sound but it does clank and it makes all my basses sound a bit 'Hartke' which is good in some situations but not others. What I like about the Beyma is the control over the deep bass, as you say it does bring out the sound of the bass. I find them a lot less boomy on stage too.
[/quote]

Yeah, I'm certainly not saying the Hartke sounds bad, I've been pretty happy with it for what it is (a small, cheap practice combo), but I now realize what it is lacking, which is that low end extension, and low-mid "push", which is what I've been looking for. I'm a grove/pocket type player and that punchy low-mid push that ties in with the drums and provides a foundation for the rest of the band is what I really need. Trying to dial it in on the Hartke has always been a challenge, and I think it's going to be much, much easier with the Beyma. All I need now is to decide what head I'm going to pair with it which will suit that usage.

[quote name='Phil Starr' timestamp='1381014981' post='2233518']
were you using the Hartke in the kickback position? If so you might be losing the top end because the speaker is no longer pointing at you, the audience might be hearing more than you are.
[/quote]

No, it was as in the last photo above, but that's a good point, I guess the Hartke was much closer to ear-level than the Beyma so I was probably not hearing the treble of each cab from an equal perspective.

[quote name='Phil Starr' timestamp='1381014981' post='2233518']
Of course the solution is a second Beyma, You'd better keep those templates.
[/quote]

Haha, yeah, that was half the reason for making them

I'm going to gig this one for a while, and if it works out I definitely do plan to build a second one for a full stack (possibly with a tweeter or mid driver and crossover)

Got a rehearsal today so may take the cab along for a proper test

So, apologies once again for the infrequent updates, a busy period at work has interrupted progress, but today I finally got the chance to hear the cab for the first time

In summary, it sounds great, fat, punchy, warm, everything I was hoping for. The top end is pretty subdued, so I can understand now why some folks would want a tweeter (or mid-range) driver in a cab like this - there is a lot less treble and clank than with the stock Hartke speaker. However it's a brand new driver, so I imagine it will open up a bit with use, and for my (rock/blues/folk) usage there is certainly enough top end.

I a-b'd the Hartke speaker and the Beyma, and it's a really night/day contrast - the Hartke sounds fine, but in comparison it's clanky, harsh and boomy - the new cab has much much more low end extension, a tighter and more punchy mid-bass, and the mid range is much more detailed (my Precision sounds woody and "characterful" whereas through the Hartke built in speaker it tends to be either boomy/pillowy or a little bit clanky, it's hard to dial in much inbetween)

Anyway, I'm more than happy enough to go ahead and get the tuff-cab out, and get it out gigging. Shame the kickback won't drive 4 ohms or I could use both as a stack





Edit: spelling

To be fair, many of their complete instruments arrive requiring setup attention such as cutting the nut or a fret dress, so I don't see why the replacement parts would be any different.

(Before I get flamed, no I'm not a Fender hater, I even bought a brand new Fender recently and the setup was initially pretty bad but OK after some basic adjustments. It won't be perfect until it gets a proper luthier setup which will involve cutting the nut slightly and dressing the frets to allow a lower action, same as the replacement parts. It does sound great tho )