# starting with an empty old radio chassis



## Alan Small (Dec 30, 2019)

This was a rogers model home radio...the old parts sent off to @Always12AM for upcycling.

I sanded and painted the exterior and ordered new hammond trannies and other needed new parts from NextGen...super fast overnight delivery🙂

This will be a single input push-pull 6V6 with one volume knob and possibly no tone knob(s).

The best sounding amp rating system is...start with 50 "points"(a perfect score) and subtract 1 point for each knob or switch(mesa triple crown eats the dust of a champ!)


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## Always12AM (Sep 2, 2018)

Looks awesome as usual, I’d be inner’ested in seeing the schematic for a single ended 5E3!

6V6 or?


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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

You keep this up Alan and we are gonna have to change your name to Garnet.


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## Alan Small (Dec 30, 2019)

Always12AM said:


> Looks awesome as usual, I’d be inner’ested in seeing the schematic for a single ended 5E3!
> It is no longer a 5E3 S soon S changes are made...BUT always a simple starting off point for this tube set...2 x 12a_7 and 2 x 6V6


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## Alan Small (Dec 30, 2019)

Mark Brown said:


> You keep this up Alan and we are gonna have to change your name to Garnet.


There are many more prolific and knowledgable builders in our group...I want to share what I am able to accomplish with the simplest of designs and pics so others may be encouraged to jump in with both feet and make their own amps!
Also, Mark...we are expecting more builds from you soon


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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

If it helps any I am planning on a 5E3 right this moment 

... at least that is what I am planning today lol

This time I am buying a chassis.


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## Alan Small (Dec 30, 2019)

Mark Brown said:


> If it helps any I am planning on a 5E3 right this moment
> 
> ... at least that is what I am planning today lol
> 
> This time I am buying a chassis.


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## Alan Small (Dec 30, 2019)

G


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## Alan Small (Dec 30, 2019)

She sounds pretty good like a 5E3 should..(winston cigarette commercial anyone?)

the tone control is inside beside the phase inverter

Wide open it provides neil youngs' bubbling and sustaining open chord at the end of cinnamon girl live and then roll back the guitar volume for beautiful cleans and articulate clarity

Quality black plate sylvania 6v6s courtesy of @Always12AM and his excellent tube stash...had to twist his arm a bit

I adjusted first stage to 2k cathode and 10uf bypass(from 1.5k and 25uf) and power tube grid coupling caps to .047(from .1)to remove some humbucker muddiness.


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## Alan Small (Dec 30, 2019)




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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

Curious to know why you hid the tone control up inside like that


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## Alan Small (Dec 30, 2019)

Mark Brown said:


> Curious to know why you hid the tone control up inside like that


I dont want to fiddle with knobs(nor do I want to see others do this) because it distracts people from playing...

fingers and guitar tone knob should be enough...

it is easy enough to turn the tone knob IF someone has an overly bright guitar plugged in which only has a volume knob(ie. Cabronita type)


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## loudtubeamps (Feb 2, 2012)

Have you considered an EF 86 vs a 12 ax? Lots of juicy gain to drive your 6v6.


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## Alan Small (Dec 30, 2019)

I have not used that tube before...so far I work with tubes and parts from my baskets of stuff...I will ask @Always12AM if he has an extra and I can incorporate it into another project; if run in triode mode it can provide 25x gain with no noticable distortion(.05%) which may make a unique amp if the only distortion(overdrive) manifests in the output section; I would use two for preamp and one for pi as a starting point


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## Always12AM (Sep 2, 2018)

Alan Small said:


> I have not used that tube before...so far I work with tubes and parts from my baskets of stuff...I will ask @Always12AM if he has an extra and I can incorporate it into another project


The Dr.Z M12 that we had ran on an EF86 in V1. It the classic Vox tone in a tube!

I had bought a Tesla EF86 for that or the Ghia but then traded or gave or sold it to Matt I believe back when he was on the Matchless kick.

Great tube, I would LOVE to find a schematic for an EF86-EL84 single ended with any rectifier type circuit.


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## Paul Running (Apr 12, 2020)

Always12AM said:


> a schematic for an EF86-EL84 single ended


Here's a modified Mullard 3-3 amp, with only those tubes.


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## Always12AM (Sep 2, 2018)

Paul Running said:


> Here's a modified Mullard 3-3 amp, with only those tubes.
> 
> View attachment 452529


How would I go about figuring out an output transformer / what the unlabelled resistors are?


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## Paul Running (Apr 12, 2020)

Here is a link that shows the original amp; it provides a parts list and details for the amp.
The output transformer lists several British brands and model numbers from the 50s however, I would source one from your favourite supplier...5KΩ primary impedance.
I redrew it for guitar or instrument application; mainly the front-end; you could use typical values for the resistors, such as: 33K - 100KΩ for the grid-stopper and 479K - 1MΩ for the grid-leak.
I put in a SPST switch in the feedback network because you may wish to use the amp without FB for certain applications that require the raw sound of a single-ended output.
I encourage you to read the circuit description; the amp uses direct coupling (no blocking-cap) from the EF86 to the EL84.





__





Mullard 3-3. Three Watt Amplifier






www.r-type.org


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## Alan Small (Dec 30, 2019)

Awesome new project

The 125ESE would cover the output tranny needs


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## loudtubeamps (Feb 2, 2012)

Always12AM said:


> The Dr.Z M12 that we had ran on an EF86 in V1. It the classic Vox tone in a tube!
> 
> I had bought a Tesla EF86 for that or the Ghia but then traded or gave or sold it to Matt I believe back when he was on the Matchless kick.
> 
> Great tube, I would LOVE to find a schematic for an EF86-EL84 single ended with any rectifier type circuit.











The Velvetone


On the bench today.... my first time with a Velvetone. In for a make over. All metal cabinet and "use with confidence"... cause' it's CSA approved. nonreverb ;)




www.guitarscanada.com





Sounded killer....I haven't found a schematic but I have detailed gut shots if you want em'
Cheers...


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## Always12AM (Sep 2, 2018)

loudtubeamps said:


> The Velvetone
> 
> 
> On the bench today.... my first time with a Velvetone. In for a make over. All metal cabinet and "use with confidence"... cause' it's CSA approved. nonreverb ;)
> ...


I think myself and @Alan Small would both like to see those gut shots!! Looks like a very cool tube compliment and amp in general.


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## Alan Small (Dec 30, 2019)

Always12AM said:


> I think myself and @Alan Small would both like to see those gut shots!! Looks like a very cool tube compliment and amp in general.


Amp porn


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## loudtubeamps (Feb 2, 2012)

Always12AM said:


> I think myself and @Alan Small would both like to see those gut shots!! Looks like a very cool tube compliment and amp in general.


Gimme a day or two and Ill upload em' here...if its ok with @Alan Small


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## Alan Small (Dec 30, 2019)

loudtubeamps said:


> Gimme a day ir two and Ill upload em' here...if its ok with @Alan Small


I like innerds pics, especially rats nest Bernie Raunig style flying point to point(makes feel a bit better about how my wiring looks😝), thank you


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## Alan Small (Dec 30, 2019)




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## diyfabtone (Mar 9, 2016)

Vox Ac-4, AC-10 Ac-15 and early AC-30 all used an EF86 input stage. Matchless uses it too. The values change slightly between circuits but they are all similar - 'Ballsey' is the best adjective! I built both an AC-4 from the schematic, minus the Tremelo circuit, and it is the best sounding low-powered amp I've ever had, even better than the Super Champ dual-6V6 SE 'Angela' amp.
Very similar are the 6SJ7 input amps, mostly the early Gibson models - that tube is close electrically to an EF86 but it has a slightly darker, fatter tone than the EF86.

I don't see a tone control in your schematic Alan? The only tone filtering I see is the huge curly guitar cable in the photo ;-)


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## Alan Small (Dec 30, 2019)

diyfabtone said:


> Vox Ac-4, AC-10 Ac-15 and early AC-30 all used an EF86 input stage. Matchless uses it too. The values change slightly between circuits but they are all similar - 'Ballsey' is the best adjective! I built both an AC-4 from the schematic, minus the Tremelo circuit, and it is the best sounding low-powered amp I've ever had, even better than the Super Champ dual-6V6 SE 'Angela' amp.
> Very similar are the 6SJ7 input amps, mostly the early Gibson models - that tube is close electrically to an EF86 but it has a slightly darker, fatter tone than the EF86.
> 
> I don't see a tone control in your schematic Alan? The only tone filtering I see is the huge curly guitar cable in the photo ;-)


Thanks for the schematic and the descriptor "ballsy" which is a common goal of many designs.

I used a tweed princeton tone design...


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## loudtubeamps (Feb 2, 2012)

EF 86...standard values as used in most applications.










Always12AM said:


> I think myself and @Alan Small would both like to see those gut shots!! Looks like a very cool tube compliment and amp in general.


Velevtone gut shots..quite simple to clone....surprisingly loud...nice tones...especially when plugged into a decent 12" speaker.


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## Alan Small (Dec 30, 2019)

loudtubeamps said:


> View attachment 453425
> 
> 
> EF 86...standard values as used in most applications.
> ...


Lots of room in there😊


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## loudtubeamps (Feb 2, 2012)

Alan Small said:


> I like innerds pics, especially rats nest Bernie Raunig style flying point to point(makes feel a bit better about how my wiring looks😝), thank you


@Alan Small
Here's an innards pic for you....not much room here.


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## Alan Small (Dec 30, 2019)

loudtubeamps said:


> @Alan Small
> Here's an innards pic for you....
> View attachment 453518


Wow! That is some lovely thoughtful work.


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## loudtubeamps (Feb 2, 2012)

Alan Small said:


> Wow! That is some lovely thoughtful work.


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## Alan Small (Dec 30, 2019)

loudtubeamps said:


> View attachment 453721
> 
> View attachment 453722


Something one does not see on the stage eh?
awesome mcguyver


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## MarkM (May 23, 2019)

loudtubeamps said:


> View attachment 453721
> 
> View attachment 453722


Reminds me a bit of Neil’s Whizzer!


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