National/Valco repro amps

[snakehips]

Hi Michael !

I remember you use a small valve amp by some UK maker who does repros of 1940/50's type amps.

Been using the search funtion for the last half hour to try and find threads were you talked about them and how to contact the guy - to no avail !!

Can you direct me to the guy's website or some sort of a contact ? Thanks !

Also, have you ever tried the THD Univalve amp head (or the bigger versions) - the one where you can put in whatever valves you fancy in the pre-amp AND power amp sections - without needing to re-bias it all (as it does it for you) ?? Any thoughts on that, using old amp type valves eg. 6V6 valves etc

Many thanks in advance for your time answering !

[Deleted]

hmmm used to be able to get to it using the side menu clicking on 'mm amps'. But there's nothing about amps there anymore! I think the guy was just named as Amp Dr. John, or some such....

[mistercanetoad]

Hope you don't mind me sticking my oar in...I love resonator guitars but have to say I know more about valve amps...I've built a few and mended lots more. There are lots of valve amps out there and it all depends what you want from them.. Vintage amps tend to have a single volume control and some tone controls if you're lucky. You have to turn them up to get a distorted tone and they can be very loud but it tends to be a mixture of preamp and output valve distortion which gives a dynamic and harmonically rich tone. Old Gibson, Valco, Silvertone, National, and tweed Fender and early Marshall amps fall in this category...In the 1970's master volume amps became the thing, These relied on overdriving the pre-amp valves with varying results. This is the 'modern rock sound' as typified by stacks of Marshall Amps. It's okay but very compressed, midrangey and can tend towards a bee in a jampot sound. And it still sounds better when turned up loud and the power amp starts overdriving.....but 100w through a 4X12 hurts at 10 (or is it 11!). Conclusions; lots of preamp distortion = modern american rock. Output valve distortion= Charlie Christian, Muddy waters, Buddy Guy, through to the severe amp abuse of Neil Young. Personally I like the old Tweed Fender amps; originals are V Expensive V cool and probaby v unreliable. Reissues abound; from Fender, Victoria, Ceraitone, or get a kit and make your own or for a semi modern versatile sound try Matamp or even some modern Laneys. Try Googling Fender Deluxe 5E3 or Champ 5F1or Princeton 5F2.. Clones regularly crop up on ebay. BUT bear in mind that a 12 W amp tuned up loud through an efficient speaker is loud enough to play a medium sized venue and will piss your neighbours off no end,. Smaller 5w amps are still way louder than the average Hi Fi up full.... I even have a 0.5W amp...still not quiet but better!!!! You can get an attenuator that will let your amp run flat out and soak up some of the volume. Best value and sound are by Ted Weber...but they seen to be having a few problems at the moment according to the website...THD Hotplates are good but pricy.

FINALLY (essay over) I have tried the Univalve and it's good but firmly a modern, Marshall-sounding amp, albeit better built and more versatile. Depends what you want.

[Deleted]

Hi snakehips,

Have sent you PM.

Cheers, Clive

[steverino]

I learned a lot from your post, mistercanetoad. Thanks.

[Michael Messer]

Hi Snakehips,

Apologies, I missed this thread. The guy that built my amp does not advertise or have a website and only builds a few amps. My amp has no brand name on it. If you do want to call 'Amp Doctor John' as he is known, PM me and I will give you his number.

Mistercanetoad, thanks for your input. The only point I would disagree with is that old 50s Fender, National & Supro amps are unreliable. I have never had one break down on stage, they are just as reliable as a new valve/tube amp.

Shine On
Michael.

[davey]

Has anyone tried the little 5 watt Vox ??

It comes in either 8 inch or 10 inch speaker versions, both switch down to lower outputs, the 8 inch goes a bit lower.

If someone says they're brilliant I'll buy one.

[Deleted]

I've tried one of the Vox 5-watts at the guitar store. They are okay but somehow they just don't have that authentic sound to me. Very solid state. Not warm like a tube amp.

I prefer the Epiphone Valve Jr. amps. They are genuine tube driven amps and are available as a head or combo. Plus, there are a lot of hot rodding kits out there to improve them. I love the simplicity of them: a volume knob and an on/off switch. Speaker outputs for 4, 8 or 16 ohms. Turn it up for crunch, down for clean. If it isn't loud enough (like if you are playing at a club or in a band situation) just mic it and send it through the PA for a boost.

[snakehips]

Hi Michael !

Thanks - however, some nice chap (from the forum) has already pointed me in the right direction.

[honeyboy]

The new chinese 'Fender' small tube amps are pretty good.

The Super Champ XD (15watt) in particular is quite cheap, is light (11kg) and portable with a reasonable quality 10" speaker and has a nice range of sounds. The 'tweed' and 'bassman' sounds are particularly nice when playing electric slide.

It doesn't have a valve rectifier like the original '50's amps, but it is a fraction of the price, and it is widely available.




Fender Super Champ XD Review

[mistercanetoad]

I didn't mean to imply that old amps are inherently unreliable in my above reply. I would like to bet that a well maintained old amp will be more reliable than a chinese printed circuit board champ which I would be surprised to see working 40 or 50 years down the line!
Its just that about half the vintage amps I've worked on have been full of decades worth of dodgy repairs, leaky electrolytic caps, burnt out resistors, dodgy pots etc. Restoration is usually pretty easy, a low wattage 50s amp has very few parts, all of which are easily available...However a Tweed Fender will set you back a lot more than a hand built brand new clone which will be more relaible and will sound as good if not better. And restoring an old amp to reliable gigging status could affect its value. I was just suggesting a hassle free alternative way of getting that old amp sound without breaking the bank too severely! Still....... theres something about an old amp thats older than I am and still sounding good...

[Stevie]

Has anyone had any experience of the Harley Benton 5 watt valve amp? In head format, it's only £65 and there is a review on Harmony Central that states that it is a clone of the Epiphone Valve Junior, even to the extent of claiming that the name is scratched off of the circuit board! Well, they're all made in China after all.

I'm looking to mount a small low power valve amp inside an old Session Rockette combo cabinet that has a Celestion inside. At the price, it's a steal, but not if it's useless rubbish...

[Bob Stockton]

The Harley Banton 5 watt ( and the Grainger that was sold by Sound Control / PMT ) are both Epiphone Valve Juniors , yes the board has the name scratched out & there are tone controls, but they the same.

I have modded a head within an inch of it's life but found that a couple of simple mods can really make them sing. ( and prolong active life ).


They are a great fun little amp to mess with , but if you don't intend to change anything I would have a good listen to the champ and vox 4 watt tv fronted thingy, which don't need anything.

Bob

[andys]

I have a modded Valve Jnr, and I like it though the tone is a bit "dark" if you see what I mean, in other words it sounds better with more trebley guitars through it. Teles, Squier 51s, Strats etc sound nice, but things like Les Pauls and semis, are rather basy even withthe 8" speaker.

I have rejigged the input and pre-amp stage, put new valves in added a brightness control and a master volume to mine.

But for home use they are very loud, a 5 watt valve amp will easily do a small gig or a rehearsal. I have jammed with a drummer with mine, and it easily coped. Run it into a 2 x 10" cabinet and it has an even bigger sound

I quite fancy building one of the amps that this guy does www.ampmaker.com All I need to do is find a blown amp and cabinet and use the chassis to build one of these into.

He also does a small champ sized amp. I have heard mixed reports about some of the small valve amps, some folk love the Fender Champion 600, some folk dont. The Vox seems to get good reviews, as things like the Blackheart amps. They a tiny 1 watt valve amp called the Killer Ant.

Peavey also do the Valve King Royal 8, and I have also seen the little Peavey Nano Valve amps selling very cheaply.

[Bob Stockton]

Andy - I've built one of the Ampmaker 5 watt amps & it is a nice little amp. Barry is a *really* helpful bloke - I've used ampmaker to buy bits for a few homebrews and copies because his prices are very reasonable.
If you are interested in building something that's a little more adventurous you could have a look at the AX84 site ( if you haven't already ) . My favourite sounding designs are the October Club and Studio ( 2 watts & still too loud for home use without an attenuator ) which are really flexible.I've got a SEL with a single KT88 on the bench which should be interesting.

www.ax84.com/october.html


By the way Just in case any one is tempted to build one - don't expect to save money by building your own valve amp , unless you're copying something particularly expensive.

Bob