HarpNinja
616 posts
Sep 08, 2010
1:05 PM
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***This post is related to a cheap SE amp where I am trying to keep cost down.
The VHT Special 6 (6w based off of a BF Champ with a one knob tone control) is en route. It is going to come with a Celestion speaker. I've tried amps with Celestions before and I am worried it won't be harp friendly. Now I am resisting the urge to jump the gun and order something before testing the speaker - and I realize it won't be broken in - but I'd like to start at least looking at replacement options.
This amp is almost entirely for practice, but there might be a show a month or so where it will be my gigging amp (pretty much plug and play blues gig). Keep in mind I have a HG50 1210 with a Cannabis Rex and "Real" Vintage 10A125-0 that sounds great (can hear a bit of speaker breakup, but not ratty sounding). So, speaker break up with the VHT is fine.
My initial reaction is to go ceramic as the amp is small and only has one speaker*. I had great results with a 8F125 in a SF Champ. I actually thought the Weber Sig Ceramic I tried had more cut/bite. For this amp, a 10A125-0 (or F) would probably be amazing, but they are spendy (unless I find a used one, which would take some patience). The AlNiCo or ceramic Sig series is doable and would have a quick turnaround. However, I know there are other options out there like the Eminence Alpha-10a, etc.
Any thoughts as to the best budget "blues" speaker for this amp? With the understanding this amp is only 6w, a tight and large low end would be preferred over something that is very warm.
Thanks!
*I plan on getting a small HG2 or Rockbottom later this fall and running the amps together. The HG would for sure be AlNiCo. This is if this side band becomes a steady reoccurring gig. The small amp=big sound a la Kudzurunner would be perfect for the blues shows I do!
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Mike
Last Edited by on Sep 08, 2010 1:50 PM
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Joe_L
610 posts
Sep 08, 2010
6:24 PM
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I say play it as is, until Weber runs a sale on the Vintage series speakers. Decide when you reach that point in time.
If you didn't think it would be "harp friendly", why did you buy it?
Last Edited by on Sep 08, 2010 6:25 PM
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htownfess
179 posts
Sep 08, 2010
7:05 PM
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For an 8 ohm big-low-end budget 10, I don't think you can beat the Eminence Alpha 10 PA/bass/guitar speaker if it will fit in that cabinet. It's much like a Weber 10F150-O: smooth cone, big felt dustcap, big ceramic magnet, but a lower SPL. Should do both the bass and the warmth and let you run your tone knob higher. Around $45 online; check dimensions carefully.
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Scrapboss
108 posts
Sep 08, 2010
10:36 PM
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Check out the Tone Tubby Hemp line. This is the speaker in my practice amp from www.vintage47amps.com
David also sells these speaker on his web site.
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"I have a high tolerance for boredom as long as it has a groove" - Scrapboss
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HarpNinja
617 posts
Sep 09, 2010
6:07 AM
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***I've read that the stock speaker is similar to an Eminence Legend 105***
Joe_L....I said the SPEAKER probably wasn't all that harp friendly (although I haven't seen anything telling me it will be a bad harp speaker). Specifically, it is a Celestion ceramic. The speaker fits the amp well, but doesn't color the tone of the amp like a blues harp player would desire. It also doesn't break-up.
I bought it because it was essentially a SF Champ circuit, PTP, with a larger OT, 10" speaker, a multi-ohm tap, has the ability to run various types of output tubes, is easily modded, and is already voiced to have an emphasis on bass and mellower highs. It has no negative feedback loop and is very similar to the SF Champ Rick Davis modded but at a fraction of the cost.
For $189 it is a huge steal of a deal as a harp practice/small gig amp. It was also designed to be easily modded. So for $30ish dollars more than a Epi Valve Jr, I have a PTP 6v6 SE amp that should already have mods that are harp friendly - albeit maybe not harp optimal.
Adding up total expenses to tweak it to be a solid harp amp, the added costs could be minimal here when compared to the VJr, or other "small" amps currently on the market. For example, it is a better "harp" amp on paper than all the other current production mass produced SE amps OOTB, IMO. It also has been reviewed by credible sources time and time again that it can keep up with a drummer, rival a Pro Jr in output, was designed with clean headroom in mind (keeping in mind it is a 6w amp and can be set to distort earlier), and can be tweaked to sound like a 5F2A or BF Champ.
Personally, and I'll know for sure this weekend, I think the amp will probably be fine with a simple preamp swap. From what I've read, and it is just about everything online about the amp, the stock tubes are so-so (and I have good tubes to flip).
Ultimately, for the cost of a few resistors, I can have a harp specific 10" Champ for under $200. Closer to the $260 SAJ spent on his VJr if I want new tubes/budget speaker.
Here are just a couple of links regarding the amp.
http://www.tdpri.com/forum/shock-brothers-diy-amps/207986-vht-special-6-mod-thread.html
http://www.frugalguitarist.com/Frugal.aspx?Issue=19&Page=Terry%20Buddingh%20Interview
I had a SF Champ and loved it. I recorded most my CD with it. I ended up selling it in part to fund the HG50 I have, which was a great decision as this amp is perfect for me. I sold it for what I had put into it, mostly because it had very expensive RCA blackplate ANOS tubes in it and the seller had no clue.
SF Champ - $250 shipped to me in amazing condition
8F125 - $85 shipped to me to replace crappy replacement
Amp Tech - $15 to make sure it was up to spec
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Total=$350
It still had an 8" speaker, stock OT, and typical resistor values that I couldn't "mod" without paying someone to do it. I would have needed to hack up the cab, get a new baffle, buy an OT and pay someone to put it in. That would be at least another $100?
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Mike
Last Edited by on Sep 09, 2010 8:09 AM
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KCBLUES
30 posts
Sep 09, 2010
7:24 AM
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@HarpNinja - just a thought... I know you are pleased with youe HG50 but are searching for an additional, smaller amp... a possible solution might be to try to use some speaker silencers for the HG50...
https://taweber.powweb.com/weber/silencer.htm
"in theory" it should allow for the tone you already like at a lower volume because you could hook up a four ten cabinet to only be pushing air through 2 speakers... Maybe somebody on here has some personal experience with these..
K
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HarpNinja
618 posts
Sep 09, 2010
7:39 AM
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Thanks for the link! The size of the amp is a concern here as well. For both groups the practice spaces are small and don't require gig volumes. With my band the HG50 will work 95% of the time for volume and space. With the blues band, there will be times where stage size is very small and the smaller the footprint the better.
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Mike
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joshnat
57 posts
Sep 09, 2010
8:41 AM
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Mike, did you order the combo or the head? It looks really nice either way, especially the eyelet board wiring. Surprisingly, the speaker cab is selling for more than the combo in some places!
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HarpNinja
619 posts
Sep 09, 2010
8:55 AM
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I bought the combo. It would be hard to fit a large 6L6 or KT66 in there, but that wasn't my intent. I just wanted a grab and go little amp.
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Mike
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HarpNinja
620 posts
Sep 09, 2010
10:38 AM
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I am not doubting his awesomeness, but SE is an acronym used almost obnoxiously in guitar forums. It took me forever to figure out what they meant!!!! To do a search on said topic is near impossible as the acronym is used so often that "single ended" doesn't net much.
Thegearpage.net is a solid page related to gear but you have to have at least 4 letters to use the search engine. Makes looking into a Pro Jr, VHT, SE, RCA, JJ, 6V6, etc. a huge pain!
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Mike
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toddlgreene
1756 posts
Sep 09, 2010
11:12 AM
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I'm anxious to hear how this works out, Mike.
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Crescent City Harmonica Club
Todd L Greene, Co-Founder
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Ev630
749 posts
Sep 09, 2010
12:55 PM
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I'm a veteran of the Gear Page. (In fact you and I have had some fun there). I just never saw SE here until Fess started spruiking it.
;)
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Joe_L
614 posts
Sep 09, 2010
1:32 PM
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Hi Mike - thanks for the clarification. I went and took a look at one of these amps at lunch. It looks interesting. I would be concerned about the speaker magnet clearing the 6V6, if you use a speaker with a big magnet or if you don't pull the bell cover on an Alnico.
I'm thinking of buying one of these to gut it and build a 5F2H or the Lone Wolf Project amp.
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