I think I finally found the perfect amp for my bench

[waltdogg]

After asking you guys, looking around, and a lot of indecision I found a tech/builder on Craigslist by chance and decide to email him. Turns out he's a really swell and fairly knowledgeable guy. We got to discussing specifics about the amp I need to use to test guitars, basses, and tubes. Here's what I decided on.

High and low gain inputs
F.A.C. control
Bax EQ
Master volume
A voltage switch for swapping between higher and lower gain preamp tubes
Runs any one octal base power tube or one EL84 tube socket after rebiasing
Multi-tap transformers rated for KT66/6550/KT88 voltages
User adjustable fixed-bias with external probe point and adjustment pot


Basically I needed an amp that would not only be great for bass or guitar I wanted it to be stupid simple yet really useful because I need to be able to run tubes at their actual voltages (that my tester just cant do) in order to properly test for microphonics and bias stability more accurately and easily than I can by testing in my Hellhawk or Mother. He's quoting me $400 or less so I'm stoked. It's just going to be a raw chassis that I'm going to have the corners welded to prevent debris from getting inside then mounting it on wood panel, maybe even covered in diamond tolex like a B-15 coz I always wanted one and it'll be reminiscent of one already as just a chassis for easy tube access. I think I got just about everything I could want/need covered but I figured since it will be so affordable is there anything else I should consider or change?

[amnesiac305]

Sounds like a pretty sweet amp for a good price...and for "just" a bench amp

[D.o.S.]

After asking you guys, looking around, and a lot of indecision I found a tech/builder on Craigslist by chance and decide to email him. Turns out he's a really swell and fairly knowledgeable guy. We got to discussing specifics about the amp I need to use to test guitars, basses, and tubes. Here's what I decided on.

High and low gain inputs
F.A.C. control
Bax EQMaster volume
A voltage switch for swapping between higher and lower gain preamp tubes
Runs any one octal base power tube or one EL84 tube socket after rebiasing
Multi-tap transformers rated for KT66/6550/KT88 voltages
User adjustable fixed-bias with external probe point and adjustment pot


Basically I needed an amp that would not only be great for bass or guitar I wanted it to be stupid simple yet really useful because I need to be able to run tubes at their actual voltages (that my tester just cant do) in order to properly test for microphonics and bias stability more accurately and easily than I can by testing in my Hellhawk or Mother. He's quoting me $400 or less so I'm stoked. It's just going to be a raw chassis that I'm going to have the corners welded to prevent debris from getting inside then mounting it on wood panel, maybe even covered in diamond tolex like a B-15 coz I always wanted one and it'll be reminiscent of one already as just a chassis for easy tube access. I think I got just about everything I could want/need covered but I figured since it will be so affordable is there anything else I should consider or change?

[waltdogg]

Lol that took me a second to see it. Maybe. Just to go more OR instead of OD...

[D.o.S.]

yeah I read the first three and got all "this sounds familiar..." before I saw your heresy.

[waltdogg]

yeah I read the first three and got all "this sounds familiar..." before I saw your heresy.

I was thinking non-MV to begin with...

[D.o.S.]

Can I ask why you're not rocking EL34s?

[waltdogg]

Can I ask why you're not rocking EL34s?

I can rock anything I want. One 6V6, 6L6, EL34, KT66, 6550, KT88 or EL84 with that extra socket after rebiasing the amp. I probably will leave a bigger bottle tube in it for more oomph but I could buy a single NOS EL34 to use and that would sound oh so sweet.

[D.o.S.]

Ah ok, gotchya I misunderstood that part of the initial post.