# Trainwreck!



## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

[video=youtube;1HIbgtOJjbg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HIbgtOJjbg[/video]


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## ElectricMojo (May 19, 2011)

Wow. 
Thanks for sharing.


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## loudtubeamps (Feb 2, 2012)

sulphur said:


> [video=youtube;1HIbgtOJjbg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HIbgtOJjbg[/video]


Some more info on Ken Fischer.
Trainwreck Circuits Official Homepage

Ultimate Guitar Gear

Thanks for posting Sulphur. Cheers, d


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

Now I can hear what all the hoopla is about, nice amps.

Anyone try one? Pete? Was there one on the "blanket"?


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## Roryfan (Apr 19, 2010)

I'd also love to rub Sarah to get some extra mojo.


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## washburned (Oct 13, 2006)

And here I was getting all excited that you had purchased one! largetongue


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

A forum buddy (from another forum) who has teched for some very big names in the industry was in town a couple years ago as part of the Foo Fighters' backup team. Now, this guy has played, and gotten to see and hear close up, some of the best gear around, under "battle conditions". As we were driving around town, he mentioned that he had played a Trainwreck in Chicago and getting one for himself was now going to be his major life project.

As the video makes clear, it's not that you can't get the tones on any other amp that you can get on a Trainwreck. You CAN get them...but you have to turn knobs to do it. On the Trainwreck, you just have to nudge your volume kob and pick a little differently; sometimes, often, just the picking is enough.


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## washburned (Oct 13, 2006)

And if you haven't got $40 000 laying around, don't forget that Ken Fischer had a hand in designing Komet amps and the Dr. Z ZWreck.


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## TheRumRunner (Sep 29, 2011)

insert double drool icon

DW


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## Guest (Dec 18, 2012)

Worth pointing out that the Wreck sim in the Axe-Fx II is stellar? Based on the actual Express amp and schematics. Amp was borrowed. Schematics were provided by Ken's estate. So...you know...obtainable by mere mortals.


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

washburned said:


> And if you haven't got $40 000 laying around, don't forget that Ken Fischer had a hand in designing Komet amps and the Dr. Z ZWreck.


Collect the whole set. :banana:


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## washburned (Oct 13, 2006)

Sneaky said:


> Collect the whole set. :banana:


What!!!No Dumble???


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Those who are competent and curious enough can find out how to make your own EXpress over at the AX-84 forum/site: http://ax84.com/


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## gtone (Nov 1, 2009)

The Rocket is the most compelling circuit of the three 'Wreck designs to me. Hard to find good demos of that amp kicking around though...


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## WCGill (Mar 27, 2009)

I've built an Express, Komet Concorde and several Rockets, awesome amps for sure. An Express clip, with feedback galore:

http://www.electroglideamps.com/mp3/Express.mp3

And a Rocket:

http://www3.telus.net/bgill1/01 Underground Mastered.wav


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## WCGill (Mar 27, 2009)

iaresee said:


> Worth pointing out that the Wreck sim in the Axe-Fx II is stellar? Based on the actual Express amp and schematics. Amp was borrowed. Schematics were provided by Ken's estate. So...you know...obtainable by mere mortals.


No one has ever seen original Trainwreck schematics. How on earth would a modelling amp company use schematics? Ken would be rolling over in his grave if he read this. Don't believe everything amp guys tell you, least of all me!


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## Guest (Dec 19, 2012)

WCGill said:


> No one has ever seen original Trainwreck schematics. How on earth would a modelling amp company use schematics? Ken would be rolling over in his grave if he read this. Don't believe everything amp guys tell you, least of all me!


LOL. Cause the Internet said so?


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## guitarissts (Oct 18, 2011)

*guitar lessons*

I'm a beginner and I am partnering with another beginner, whom I have not seen for a month. I want to have the songs I love pull me, or the improve that I discover pull me. I suspect that there are chord progressions that I will love, but do not know how to discover except by trial and error. It would be so nice of you if you could send some advice on my way as I need help for my guitar lessons....Thanks!!


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## loudtubeamps (Feb 2, 2012)

WCGill said:


> No one has ever seen original Trainwreck schematics. How on earth would a modelling amp company use schematics? Ken would be rolling over in his grave if he read this. Don't believe everything amp guys tell you, least of all me!


 I have it on good authority that no 2 Trainwrecks were identical in component values.
Each one was fine tuned after the initial build was completed.
Cheers, d


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## loudtubeamps (Feb 2, 2012)

Sneaky said:


> Collect the whole set. :banana:


A couple of questions, if I may..
1.re: your Trainwreck amp, what's her name? and
2. Can I come and live at your place, the basement would be fine!
Cheers, Doug


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

WCGill said:


> No one has ever seen original Trainwreck schematics. How on earth would a modelling amp company use schematics? Ken would be rolling over in his grave if he read this. Don't believe everything amp guys tell you, least of all me!


I would imagine that Ken kept his "secrets" to himself to some extent, but a big part of the magic of his amps came not so much from their design, but from the selection of components. Ken made each amp. Unlike some very reputable companies that we all know and love, where the "design" exists, and people at the assembly plant take those resistors and caps from their respective bins, and solder them in the right spot, Ken listened and changed parts until he liked what he heard. THAT'S why he didn't make very many.

Unlike pedals, or pickups, and their makers, amps and amp-makers tend not to be very secretive. Three big reasons for this, I would imagine. First, while you can make pickups and pedals in your dorm room on a shoestring budget (not necessarily well, but you CAN make them and sell them), making amps requires space and a bigger investment. So there isn't quite the competition. Second, while it can be relatively easy to conceal the design particulars of one's pedal or pickup, concealment of what's inside is more difficult to achieve in amps. I can sand off the identifying info on a chip or transistor, because you're not going to change it ever; I can't hide that I'm using Mullard this or Tung-Sol that, because the tubes will eventually get worn out and you will have to be able to replace them to restore the amp - THAT'S why they have sockets. A third reason is that shipping the amp back to the maker for repair or servicing becomes a VERY big and costly deal, so they make info available for others to do the repair/service locally.

For all those reasons, the "IP culture" of amp makers tends to differ from that of pedal/pickup makers. Now, if Ken had any rules of thumb for selecting parts, he may have taken those to the grave with him, and those who have access to the reversed schematics may well never nail the tone.


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

loudtubeamps said:


> A couple of questions, if I may..
> 1.re: your Trainwreck amp, what's her name? and


"Cat Eyes". It's just a clone. A very good one though. The logo is just a paper cutout I stuck on for the pic. 

Here's the pair of them I used to have from the same builder, an Express and a Rocket. I still have the Express.It's just a killer amp. 













WCGill said:


> I've built an Express, Komet Concorde and several Rockets, awesome amps for sure. An Express clip, with feedback galore:


I think I heard one of your wrecks in Calgary one time Bill. All your amps sounded great.


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## loudtubeamps (Feb 2, 2012)

How's the detail of the build,is the rear chassis festooned with this stuff?


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## bcmatt (Aug 25, 2007)

I've been all over the Trainwrecks since I discovered them. I use my Liverpool clone as my main amp (cus I mostly use a strat), but I built an Express for my friend too.
I sort of predicted this guy in the video would like the Liverpool most as soon as I heard him mention being primarily a single-coil player. He's a good guitar player, but the video is a good example of someone trying to figure out Trainwreck amps the first time playing them. Ideally, you master the feel of your own and it becomes much more versatile. 

That's why I like Glen's videos so much. He has 2 original Expresses and really knows how to make them sing with just his guitar:
[video=youtube_share;xfX5cmSMPyo]http://youtu.be/xfX5cmSMPyo[/video]


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## WCGill (Mar 27, 2009)

Yes, the Express and Liverpool need to be played much as a guitar, with feeling and finesse, as they are musical instruments of the highest order. The Rocket is more pedestrian and not much different than any AC30, but a fine sounding amp. Thanks for the kind words Sneaky, I'd sure like to hear some of your impressive posse sometime.


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## bolero (Oct 11, 2006)

it's great when you get intimate enough with an amp to get various sounds by using the tone & vol knobs

a lot of people assume you need switches & pedals to accomplish varied sounds like that. but IMO any tube amp you can crank up will give up the goods.

*edited for crimes against grammar*


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## 7P/XT (Oct 13, 2012)

mhammer said:


> A forum buddy (from another forum) who has teched for some very big names in the industry was in town a couple years ago as part of the Foo Fighters' backup team. Now, this guy has played, and gotten to see and hear close up, some of the best gear around, under "battle conditions". As we were driving around town, he mentioned that he had played a Trainwreck in Chicago and getting one for himself was now going to be his major life project.
> 
> As the video makes clear, it's not that you can't get the tones on any other amp that you can get on a Trainwreck. You CAN get them...but you have to turn knobs to do it. On the Trainwreck, you just have to nudge your volume kob and pick a little differently; sometimes, often, just the picking is enough.



What the video doesn't make clear, is that this is what a Trainwreck sounds like over your computer speakers. It is *not* what a Trainwreck sounds like.

There is a spatial quality that goes on when you play these amps. You'd have to be a micing genius to figure out how to capture it. Glen does the best job so far on his TW videos.. but having played these amps, I can safely tell you that the video (while good) doesn't entirely capture the mojo. You'll know it when you experience it. But by then, it's too late, and as Ken Fischer used to say "you're fucked". haha. He knew his amps were unbeatable, and once you dipped your toe in the water, you were throwing down cash.

There are a couple of Trainwrecks in Canada now that I know of. At least three.. maybe four or five if I count Bigfoot sightings. There's also a guy in Toronto who has a KF prototype Komet amp. I'd love to give that a spin as well.

Most amazing all-around guitar amp I've ever played. But I'm just some dude with an opinion...


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

I'm a little late to the thread but have to agree on the amps. Very nice and I like the cabinets.


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## MCKBC (Aug 22, 2011)

+1 on Glen's videos for a great tonefest with very tasty playing. See his complete channel at : 

Glen Kuykendall - YouTube

You can get his CD on iTunes I believe. Look for "Can You Hear It Ring?". I have a copy of the now out of print CD and it is simply amazing!!!

If you wish to build one make your way to The Amp Garage :: Index

Lots of information including schematics, 100s of photos, BOMs and most importantly, friendly and very knowledgable members willing to help newcomers.

I will leave you with a few photos of my Express build. Turned out way better than I thought it would :


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## 7P/XT (Oct 13, 2012)

Oooo.. I see that you got your hands on an A-3801. Nice work!


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## MCKBC (Aug 22, 2011)

7P/XT said:


> Oooo.. I see that you got your hands on an A-3801. Nice work!


Yup. A used but clean 3801. Measured well so I used it. I chose to add a VVR and external bias pot so it is not a true clone per se but I think these mods are well justified. It is not a complex or difficult to build amp. Getting it to behave as it should is the challenge for most. Lead dress is key. I had beginners luck and it worked right straight from the bench. Here's a gut shot to encourage all other interested parties. Go for it!!!


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