Trainwreck Express Clone - Should I Keep It? Tone Test & Bias Check
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- Опубликовано: 9 сен 2024
- I built a DIY Trainwreck Express clone amplifier a few years back. It is a flame thrower, but I honestly just don't play it a ton. It isn't very utilitarian. I only really ever play it in my basement for tonal exploration - but rarely find it useful for playing live or recording. So I'm wondering if I should keep it?
I share some tone clips, confirm it is biased correctly, and do some experimenting comparing 6V6S and 6L6GC power tubes.
Here is the build thread documenting this amp - www.tdpri.com/...
Output Transformer Upgrade video - • Output Transformer Upg...
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A few years back I built and modded a TW clone based on the TubeTown Lummerland Express kit (Ecc99 power tube) and it is really a loud beast dispite the low whattage. Really dynamic circuit great for 'cleanish to heavy crunch'. Pairing it with an attenuator or load box makes it more flexible for home use.
That amp sounds amazing, I wouldn't change anything about that tone other than what you've done here. Definitely a keeper.
Thanks for your input! I do enjoy playing it quite a lot whenever I fire it up. Maybe I need to find a gig where I could feasibly play it...
I built a 15W Liverpool several years ago and have a 2W version in the works now. It's a wild circuit. I love your take of "playing the amp as much as the guitar". You're absolutely right on that one.
I built an express clone. The necessary accessory to go with an express would be build a Ken Fischer airbrake attenuator it’s the same attenuator that a famous amp builder with the letter Z is selling for 100s of dollars. You can easily find the information on the Internet and build one for much much less. If that’s what Ken came up with ,that’s what I use with my train wreck clone. It works awesome ,trust me you need it!
KEEP THAT AMP BROTHER!!!....Wooooooooo Lawddddddd!!!!!!!!
I have similar dilemma. Have a hand built TW Express clone. I dont use it often but its such a unique beast that I don't think I could sell it.
I made a 30 watt TWreck type and it's a monster, but a load box and some Jenson Alniocos helped tame it and it's pure joy. I had the same issue with it not liking pedals but remedied that.
I'd keep it in the original state. Those tones were beautiful.
It is a really fun amp to play! Hard to argue with that...
Did you change the impedance when you went from 6v6 to 6l6? The TW Express gets away with it due to its 6.6k output transformer. I would think a fender 6l6 OT is more like 4k ohms…. If so an 8ohm speaker would plug into the 8ohm tap when using 6l6 and the 4ohm tap when using 6v6
I just finished my ao29 express build. Absolutely love it. I think it just be my favorite amp. Ive always been a bassman/plexi kind of guy, but this thing has blown me away. The little ot is underpowered thiugh. I should have added a big R to the hv Ct like you did.. Mine has the large silver pt, and the amp has a plate v of 500 with 6v6 and 45o with 6l6. I ordered a hammond ot for it. 1760L , a deville / bassman upgrade according to hammond. Its a 4k ot with 4.8 and 16 taps .
Hoping to have it fired up tomorrow. I rhink ill add rob robinette 10% attenuator switch too.
if I owned it I would run a 2 amp setup at gigs with a great clean 50 watt and switch between them :P
You absolutely need to keep that amp! One doesn't drive a Lamborghini to the supermarket and to work but it's nice to have on a Sunday afternoon. If volume is the problem, Ken Fischer himself wrote the book on master volumes. Were I to do anything to that beast, I would experiment with a MV and possibly go back and rewire the amp from the top down trying to neaten it up to look like a Hiwatt and redo it using everything learned from the initial build. Good luck!
Good points! I really should try putting in a post PI master volume... I did one on a Plexi once. Hmm...
I hope you kept it.
Keep it.And keep that G Face. It's essentia must build morel .
Lol the G face will never quit! I can't play without it.
amazing
If you really need a pedal friendly amp then a simple splitter box would allow another amp to run in stereo for a wet/dry stereo setup with the TW being dry.
Oh that's a good idea. Crank up the Trainwreck and then run my Super Reverb clean with effects...
Nah, you should probably donate it to me 😂 it sounds awesome.
LOL!
Nah...! Keep it and fit it to an a/b switch and use it in a dual amp set up. Or better still, use a " balance" pot (as in either of two sources blended equally at 12 noon on the pot, or dominance of one or the other at 3 or 9) and mount it in a pedal that all up selects all of another clean amp (left) or flat down selects all of the dimed trainwreck (right input to the pedal). With only one (mono) line emerging from the pedal, you can blend continuously different proportions of two quite different amps, and no other (channels?) are needed because you can set the blend anywhere along the clean thru 0:00 crunch through to wide open roaring trainwreck. I've experimented with this but haven't yet got an accurate "balance" type of system going. In brief, keep the amp for possible dual amp use, or for recording. If it's not taking up much space, pull the tubes out, wrap in in a cloth, and pit away somewhere. You won't miss it for years, then you might take it out and sell it, and you'll find within 6 weeks something will happen when you will need it or regret parting with it. Then again you could get rid of it real cheap to me... I'll do you a favour and get it out from under your feat for next to nothing!!!!!! 🎶🎸
I think it sounds great! I have an Express clone myself (bought, not built myself) and it’s amazing. VERY sensitive for guitar controls and pick attack.
As for the «one trick pony» thing, I find it is still possible to use mine as a clean platform if I want other flavors through pedals. I have MV (and a DR Z Brake Lite) to change between amp gain or clean platform. I mostly go for the amp gain though, or edge of breakup plus a boost or overdrive pedal that blends well with the amp tone if I feel the need to control the gain with my feet.
Have you tried it with EL34s? In my experience I felt a big difference in rolling tubes in this amp. I would also recommend old Mullard (expensive) or Telefunken (less expensive, just as cool) preamp tubes.
Depends on sales price and your ability (time to build/sourcing parts) to make another one.
Hard to say what it would sell for. It's a one off build based on an old Hammond organ. But it's also a train wreck circuit that to my ear is faithful to the original.
@@KleyDeJong It sounds like you appreciate the amp more (typically because of the sweat equity) than you think someone else would (regardless if that'd be the case in reality or not). That's a tell tale sign of a high probability of seller's remorse. Even if you built another one you'd always compare it to this one. That seals the deal - Not For Sale. Keep on rockin' ;-)
The first amp I built was a Ceriatone expression which is a TW Express clone. Didn’t like it. Not for me.
Sell every other amp before selling this one. Anybody can own a Fender or a Marshall. This does what they cannot even come close to
It is a very unique amp compared to my others. Not a meat and potatoes type amp, but sometimes that unique flavor really hits the spot.
Is this the one that's a ab763 with the wreck mods? It's a great amp. For the money you have in it I would keep it !
I'm planning an express build and I'm going to build onenin my ao29 chassis first. To be able to compare an inexpensive hammond build vs the pricey clone. I'm hoping they are very close
I say keep it. It sounds too good not to.
It does sound killer!
@@KleyDeJong I’m telling you…Yes it does..!!
you are just looking for an excuse to build something else.. believe me i know. put the tinkering away for a bit and just concentrate on playing. that would be my advise.If at the end of a few months you just can't stand it anymore, well then you know
Well, I haven't built anything in over a year. I'm just observing that this amp isn't very practical. It isn't a tool I use when I play live or record.
The only time I play this amp is for tone testing in my basement. It's been like that since I built this amp in 2017.
I admit I tinker often, but I don't think that's my motivation right now.
yea..I only say it because I am very much like you (and not ashamed to admit i have learned a thing or two from you as well). I play and I get my hands into my amps as well (mods mods and more mods) I find that sometimes I concentrate on trying to solder my sound rather than play it. Tinkering is fine but not at the expense of learning to use your fingers for playing@@KleyDeJong