HawkeyeKane
1000 posts
Jun 19, 2012
4:09 PM
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I have an old typewriter case that I'm thinking of putting a 5F1 or 5F1A Champ kit into. The size looks adequate, and the case is very sturdy and protective. I just wanna take a quick poll and ask though ... Should I go with a Weber or a Mojotone kit on this and why?
EDIT: Pics so you can see what I'd be putting it in.
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Hawkeye Kane
Last Edited by on Jun 19, 2012 4:58 PM
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bluemoose
764 posts
Jun 19, 2012
4:26 PM
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Sounds like a fun project (you should whistlepunk it!)
I'm biased for Webers (love my AlNico Signature 8") but what config are you thinking?
8", 10" (or even twin 8")?
MBH Webbrain - a GUI guide to Adam's Youtube vids
FerretCat Webbrain - Jason Ricci's vids (by hair colour!)
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HawkeyeKane
1001 posts
Jun 19, 2012
5:04 PM
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Well...to clarify ...I'm asking if i should go with the amp kit from Weber or the amp kit from Mojotone, not so much the speakers just yet.
But to answer your question, it'll kinda depend on which kit maker i go with. Mojo only has the 5F1 kit which has the single 8". But Weber offers the same 5F1 AND they offer the 5F1A which includes a single 10". Either way, I'm only gonna do a single speaker combo.
https://taweber.powweb.com/store/kits_50a.htm#5F1
https://taweber.powweb.com/store/kits_50a.htm#5F1A
http://www.mojotone.com/amp-parts/amp-kits-tweed-style/Tweed-Champ-Style-Amplifier-Kit
Though, now I've spotted this and it has tone controls and a line out....I'm second guessing myself.
http://www.mojotone.com/amp-parts/amp-kits/Mojo-Bedroom-Amp-MBA-Kit_2-chassis-only
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Hawkeye Kane
Last Edited by on Jun 19, 2012 6:25 PM
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Joe_L
1890 posts
Jun 19, 2012
7:15 PM
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I would compare the dimensions of the 5F1 cabinet to that thing. My tweed Champ clone is a Mojotone kit. It gets hot. I would make sure that it has plenty of breathing space.
I think my Champ is one of the best sounding small amp that I've heard. I know Greg prefers his Kalamazoos, but its one thing we disagree on. My amp was one of the amps tested in David Barretts amp shootout on his Web site.
I don't know about the Weber. I was thinking of building a 5F2H for fun. I have a couple of speakers laying around.
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The Blues Photo Gallery
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HawkeyeKane
1003 posts
Jun 20, 2012
8:32 AM
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@Joe_L
Don't get me wrong here. I love my Kalamazoo. So much that I undertook the cabinet rebuild because I love gigging with it, and I wanted it to look nice and be sturdy.
But the typewriter case is too perfect of a piece to not put some kind of amp in it, and the Champ seems like the best suited one to fit and sound best.
In terms of the heat issue, I have plans to remedy that. The great thing about the typewriter case is that after mounting mount the chassis and speaker into the wider part of the case, I can always open the back of the amp by simply releasing the catch. But I'm definitely gonna cut vents in strategic places, put foil along parts of the cabinet walls, and if I get ambitious, mount a small computer fan inside to cross-ventilate it.
I'm also considering the Fritz Bros. Amp-in-Case right now, and if I went with that, the typewriter case would make a great tote-along speaker cabinet for it as well, and that way I could mount it with an 8", a 10", maybe even a 12".
I thought about the 5F2H as well. But I'm not familiar with using KT66's like I am with EL84's and 6V6's.
The Mojo Bedroom Amp seems like it'd be a viable option too, and I know the dimensions work. You only get 2 watts, but the trade-up for that is individual bass and treble controls, and a line out. It comes stock with a 12BH7 output, but a 12AU7 will work in it as well. I'm writing them to see if maybe a 12AV7 or 12AT7 might also be an option.
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Hawkeye Kane
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isaacullah
2026 posts
Jun 20, 2012
10:06 AM
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Just to offer a little alternative, you could buy an Epi Valve Jr. Head, pull the chassis, do some of the Lone Wolf mods to it (which really make it wail), and then mount it inside that case with the speaker of your choice... It will sound great and will save you a bit of coin/hassle versus building a kit from scratch. Now, that's assuming you think building from scratch is a hassle and not a hobby! ;)
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bonedog569
533 posts
Jun 20, 2012
10:38 AM
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Or you could do the world (in)famous 'Wig dryer' amp. Actually the Lone Wolf 6L6 SE - built into a case. I ended up reinforcing the speaker baffle side, and where the amp chassi was attached with layers of gorilla glued-in plywood.
re. the kit choice - haven't built kits from either of those. Which transformers do they use? - what caps? You can always swap the speakers.
http://www.lonewolfblues.com/proj6l6se.html
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Last Edited by on Jun 20, 2012 10:39 AM
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HawkeyeKane
1005 posts
Jun 20, 2012
12:00 PM
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@isaac
That is an interesting idea that I hadn't thought of. I often forget about the VJ. But I had really kinda planned on building an amp from the ground up, this being my first kit build. But now that I think about it, it really is a viable option and would work well.
Regarding the mods, I know the LW ones are specifically geared for harp use and they're the most popular in these circles. But what about the BitMo mods?
Mod Kits for Epiphone Valve Jr
Now I know these were devised with guitarist in mind, but it seems to me like the EVJ-TV Bundle would really be a good investment. Could the new hardware provided in the BitMo kit be installed in conjunction with the LW harp tweaks?
@bonedog
I dunno about the 6L6 deal. From what I'm reading about it, it sounds like a helluva setup! Fattened tone at any volume level. What more could one want? I just don't know that I wanna make that my first build job. Looks considerably more complex than a Class-A 5-watter.
In terms of the components you asked about, I'm still relatively new at reading schematics, so I dunno about the caps, but the trannies are as follows.
Weber 5F1:
PT - W02272
OT - W022905
Weber 5F2H:
PT - W02272
OT - WSE15
Choke - W014684
Mojo 5F1:
PT - Mojo759
OT - Mojo NOS771
Mojo MBA:
PT - Mojo779
OT - Mojo1580
And yes, I dunno what kind of speaker I'll go for yet. I'm very fond of Blue Marvels, but I'm betting an Alnico would sound better with any of these circuits.
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Hawkeye Kane
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MP
2300 posts
Jun 20, 2012
12:03 PM
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Bonedog! that is cool!
hey Hawk! a friend builds various Fender knock-offs from Weber kits and they're pretty cool.
i've never played a Mojo Tone build but i doubt you could go too far wrong with either unless you don't follow the recipe.
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MP
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isaacullah
2027 posts
Jun 20, 2012
12:49 PM
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I've done all the LW mods to my Vj head, and they are all fairly non-invasive, so I don't see why they *couldn't* be compatible with those kits. I suppose it depends upon where the reverb module will be inserted into the circuit, but even then, I don't think there's a reason why they couldn't live side by side. The LW mods include a really effective hihg-cut tone control, btw, so I'm not sure you'd need to buy the EVJ-TV Bundle kit, which essentially adds a tone control to the reverb unit. Especially since that tone control would be geared towards guitars, and not harps like that in the LW mods... I also added a master volume control, and switched a few more caps in the power tube bias, basically to get more bass, but I did all the LW mods to it, and it sounds really really great. I use a Behringer XM8500 dynamic mic (SM58 clone) with an impedance matching x-former, and it sounds really really great...
BUT, there is something to be said from building a kit from scratch. I've built a few amps, and you do have a huge sense of accomplishment in the end. That being said, I'll probably never build another one from scratch since in the end, it wasn't really worth all the time and headaches it cause me! :) Now, MODDING and existing circuit? Yeah, I'll definitely do that again... Basically, you can take a decent budget stock amp, and make it something really really special for a modest time and money investment... IMO, you get more bang for your buck and for your hour with that route...
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== I S A A C ==
View my videos on YouTube!
Check out my songs on Soundcloud!
Visit my reverb nation page!
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HawkeyeKane
1006 posts
Jun 20, 2012
2:23 PM
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Maybe you're right Isaac. I really wanna build one from the ground up, but maybe this time, the EVJ transplant and mod would be the better way to go.
I also have a major hinkering to attempt to build a much more difficult project....a Kalamazoo Reverb 12 head clone. That's gonna be a major undertaking, I know, because there isn't a whole lot of definitive info out there about those amps anymore. Schematics are about it. Which is good...but I have yet to find an original bill of materials on it. I'm having to piece together information relayed to me by R12 owners.
But that's a reason why I wanna build a simple Class A 5 watter from the ground up before I try tackling the more ambitious endeavor of the R12, which is really a more effective amp when the output is rebiased from Class A to Class AB.
What was that you said Isaac....? Headache? Ya think?! LOL
EDIT: Speaking of Valve Jr's, anyone seen or heard from Todd Greene lately?
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Hawkeye Kane
Last Edited by on Jun 20, 2012 2:33 PM
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bonedog569
534 posts
Jun 20, 2012
2:51 PM
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I say build it. To paraphrase Lt. Kilgore "there's nothing like the smell of solder in the morning - - smells like - - victory."
re. the transformer part #s -- they don't mean anything to me offhand - sorry. You'd have to google around to read reviews and impressions.
the 'high end spread' for transformers is Mercury Magnetics. Hammond's are good to and less expensive. - they are what I've used mostly.
From what I've gathered in the past - people seem to think the Weber kits use cheaper components - but I don't really know. Their kit's do give you 'a la carte' options and seem reasonable. I'm tempted to build one.
The MissionAmps 5F2H harp amp kit also should be really good if they are still available.
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bonedog569
535 posts
Jun 20, 2012
2:57 PM
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couple of discussions on mojo vs Weber
http://www.tdpri.com/forum/amp-central-station/173681-mojo-music-supply-weber-tad.html
http://music-electronics-forum.com/t1010/----------
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HawkeyeKane
1007 posts
Jun 20, 2012
3:30 PM
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@bonedog
Doesn't look like Bruce is still offering kits. At least there's nothing on his site about them.
Yeah, I'm gonna do SOMETHING with that case one way or another. Ultimately, it'll boil down to what kind of cash I have to play with and how much time I have on my hands. First thing I'm gonna do though is finish up my 'Zoo, and then put it up inside of it, pump some fattened sound into it and see what rattles if anything. Troubleshoot that little issue before it even starts.
@isaac
I'm really liking the BitMo idea of turning a VJ head into a standalone reverb unit! Be a helluva lot kinder on the wallet than the Fender!
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Hawkeye Kane
Last Edited by on Jun 20, 2012 3:40 PM
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