# Building my first kit amp.



## ajcoholic (Feb 5, 2006)

I just ordered a kit from Trinity amps in Toronto. I went with the sIII 18 watt head kit, with their custom transformer set as well.

I think it will be a really cool amp, and from what I have read they make a great, easy to put together kit with everything but the tubes included (they are on the way from the tube store as well).

I will make the head cab and a matching 2x12 cabinet from something cool, maybe bubinga.

Anyone else have a trinity or built one of their kits??

AJC

http://www.trinityamps.com/


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## Scottone (Feb 10, 2006)

Thanks for the link! I was trying to remember the name of this company the other day.

Good luck with the build. That's a fairly simple design so should go together fairly easy.


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## ajcoholic (Feb 5, 2006)

Fairly simple is what I want! I am not too familiar with tube circuits (just started doing some reading) although I have 4 years of basic electronics from high school and know the basics of what I think it will take to do a good job.

Stephen at Trinity was very helpfull and I think with the extensive manual and the fact all the parts are included (no hutning for stuff elsewhere) will make things go quickly.

This may be the start of a new hobby within my hobby of music... I already build my own guitars, making some amps to go along with them will be very neat.

AJC


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## Scottone (Feb 10, 2006)

just make sure your soldering technique is good before starting the kit...


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## ajcoholic (Feb 5, 2006)

Oh I am not worried about the soldering... been doing that for 30 yrs. Always been a hobbiest and have lots of electronic and electrical projects under my belt. Just never anything with tubes.

Back when I was just starting to play guitar (maybe 83, 84..) an electronic tech friend of my father's drew up a solid state amp for me, and supplied me with the parts. I drew up the circuit board and etched it, and built the amp. I made a "nice" big pine box for it and had a cheap pair of Radio Shack car speakers... that was a long time ago - I think this amp will sound just a bit better 

AJC


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## Jeff Flowerday (Jan 23, 2006)

Your going to love the 18 Watt. Hand down the best amp out there, IMO.

The rest of my amps just collect dust.


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## Mr. David Severson (Feb 3, 2006)

The 18 watt marshall will be the next amp I own..Great amp, you WILL NOT BE DISSAPOINTED!:rockon:


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## Scottone (Feb 10, 2006)

ajcoholic said:


> Oh I am not worried about the soldering... been doing that for 30 yrs. Always been a hobbiest and have lots of electronic and electrical projects under my belt. Just never anything with tubes.
> 
> Back when I was just starting to play guitar (maybe 83, 84..) an electronic tech friend of my father's drew up a solid state amp for me, and supplied me with the parts. I drew up the circuit board and etched it, and built the amp. I made a "nice" big pine box for it and had a cheap pair of Radio Shack car speakers... that was a long time ago - I think this amp will sound just a bit better
> 
> AJC


If that's the case, you have nothing to worry about :rockon: 

Let us know how it turns out..


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## Tybone (Feb 12, 2006)

Al, How are you? I so some work for Trinity as playing consultant (that sounds good, that sounds bad, that sounds great! etc etc....) Stephen told me about the kit you purchased. You are going to like it a lot. It should be no problem getting cab specs, dimentions etc.... If you can't find it on the Trinity site or message board let me know.

BTW, I had this dream last night about a maple capped, mahogany bodied, carved top guitar made with animal glues. Can we talk?

Lawrence


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## ajcoholic (Feb 5, 2006)

Tybone said:


> Al, How are you? I so some work for Trinity as playing consultant (that sounds good, that sounds bad, that sounds great! etc etc....) Stephen told me about the kit you purchased. You are going to like it a lot. It should be no problem getting cab specs, dimentions etc.... If you can't find it on the Trinity site or message board let me know.
> 
> BTW, I had this dream last night about a maple capped, mahogany bodied, carved top guitar made with animal glues. Can we talk?
> 
> Lawrence



Hey Tybone,
I am doing pretty well! (by the way, my name is Andrew J. Coholic, not "AL"... that would have been a cruel joke on my parents part if they named me Al!)

I am just sitting in Markham, at my girfriend's moms place having christmas. I just got an email from the post office saying they tried to deliver my amp kit on Saturday (I was already gone) and I will pick it up on Wednesday when I return home! I got the tubes already from the tubestore as well as some cloth for the cab I will build. I am thinking to use a pair of vintage 30's in the cab, but I also have some of the celestion G12T-75's.

What is the recommended loading for the Trinity sIII in ohms?

I hope to start on it soon as I can, but I have to work Thursday and Friday/Saturday my band has a gig at one of the local bars. It will probably have to wait untill after new years before I get soldering.

What kind of guitar you looking for ?? 

AJC


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## Tybone (Feb 12, 2006)

Oops. Did I say AL I ment AJ. My apologies to you and your pearants. 

Figures the kit would arrive while you are away from home. Steve is pertty good with the shipping etc.... As for speakers I have had some pretty good luck getting great rock tones from the Vintage 30. They are quite an efficient speaker so there will be no lack of volume with the sIII for club gigs. I did a stormy monday clip using a front ported 1x12 cab with a V30 and the tone pleased me greatly. Having said that, I have also had lots of chances to play the 4x12 Marshall slant cab at Trinity. It is outfitted with G12T-75's I like them too but it depends on the cab you put them in. 

As for the tranny impedance, I usually run at 8 ohms with 2 16 ohm speakers in parallel or 4 with two 8 ohm speakers in parallel. 90% of the clips I have done were at 8 ohms. This is more a function of the speakers I have kicking around than my thinking one impedance setting sounds better than another. What I can say Andrew is that we did almost all of our testing at 16 ohms and the transformer sounded great. No fizz crackle or buzzy bees. No excess heating etc. Recently I have also use a couple of G12-65's at 4 ohms and I nearly cried it sounded so good. Greenbacks with balls if you will. I have yet to try 2 8 ohm speakers in par

You should't have too much trouble with the assembly. Lots of steps and lots of wires but, much like building guitars, one step at a time will do it. Please we have just started including very large 11 1/2" X 17" diagrams for the circuit and layout. It helps. Also, the install guide is very detailed. 

As for the guitar, I am torn between a guitar the performs like a Les Paul Std and the '51 Telecaster style with 10" radius and a rosewood fretboard. I also liked that 3 p-90 rosewood tele idea you were tossing around.

Have a good one and don't eat too much turkey.

Larry


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## ajcoholic (Feb 5, 2006)

Well, I started it yesterday and finished it today! I think it took me about 10 hours total time from start to finish for placing all the parts on the chassis, wiring the board and then wiring the board to the transformers/pots/jacks/tube sockets.

I triple checked all my wires as I went and checked them off the schematic. When I had finished the last one, I plugged it in and it worked perfectly right off the bat. No hiss, no noise just pure, groovy guitar sound.. 

I now need to get my cabinet made up.

I have a bunch of pics here:

http://www.third-st.com/showthread.php?threadid=1484052&perpage=20&pagenumber=3

THanks to Stephen at Trinity for a great kit and man it sure sounds good. I just played it for the last hour and now I wish I could bring it to tonight's gig but not without a case.

AJC


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## ajcoholic (Feb 5, 2006)

I have the head cabinet done, and speaker cab nearly done...


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## Jeff Flowerday (Jan 23, 2006)

I love the cabs, good work. Man I wish I had those skills.


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## Mr. David Severson (Feb 3, 2006)

Holy Wood Working Skills Batman!! Great jobDrool


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## ajcoholic (Feb 5, 2006)

the cab is bubinga (dressed to 1/2" thick) with the lighter wood being cherry. The cherry will darken with time, the bubinga stays pretty much that deep reddish brown colour.

It's pretty darn simple, mitred corners, cleated inside for strength. 

I have been using the head at home tonight through my 4x12 Orange cab with V30's... wow. It is REALLY awesome through the 4x12. I hope my 2x12 sounds half as good...

AJC


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## ajcoholic (Feb 5, 2006)

Here it is, done and at home.

I played it for a feew hours tonight. I absolutely LOVE that amp. It kills anythiung I have owned or played through (fenders DRRI & deville, Orange 30 & 50,marshall jcm 900 and a few more)

Its just raw tone. Even the clean channel has so much character and warmth - and punch. The amp responds so well to your playing. Amazing!


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Bugger! That looks good with the Gold Top. With sound too, ... wow. Clips!!!


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## PaulS (Feb 27, 2006)

Wow... that is totally awesome...Drool .. another product of fine workmanship. Great job.. I love the cabinet. Started to research the amp kits at trinity, they look very interesting glad to hear the tone is there.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

I noticed that you've jumpered the two inputs. What does this do to the sound on the Trinity?


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## ajcoholic (Feb 5, 2006)

when the two channels are jumpered you can play witrh both volumes and get some pretty good crunch. I actually like playing through the lower input of the right side channel for cleans and the upper input of the left hand side for lead/overdrive tones.

The amp is amazing, really. I was 100% in love with my Orange rocker 30 but this thing just sounds even better.

AJC


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## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

Damn you do nice work :bow: :bow: :bow:


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## ajcoholic (Feb 5, 2006)

thanks Dave...

I have been playing with the amp for a week now and loving it. Its still showing me new things as I play with the controls - all subtle but very real tonal differences and even with my various guitars the amp behaves like its alive.

Just put a set of Celestion G12H-30's in the cabinet today (thanks Ian!) and it sounds absolutely unreal.

I am trying hard to figure out how to post clips, I can record them now but have to figure how to transfer to a mp3 file. Ugh I hate computers...

AJC


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## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

ajcoholic said:


> thanks Dave...
> 
> 
> I am trying hard to figure out how to post clips, I can record them now but have to figure how to transfer to a mp3 file. Ugh I hate computers...
> ...


Just do a search for free audio encoders. I use ImTOO Audio Encoder. Works quite well and cost nothing.

http://www.soft32.com/download_75480.html


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## mario (Feb 18, 2006)

ajcoholic said:


> Here it is, done and at home.
> 
> I played it for a feew hours tonight. I absolutely LOVE that amp. It kills anythiung I have owned or played through (fenders DRRI & deville, Orange 30 & 50,marshall jcm 900 and a few more)
> 
> Its just raw tone. Even the clean channel has so much character and warmth - and punch. The amp responds so well to your playing. Amazing!


 Very nice work Andrew! You are a talented craftsman.


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