The Mojotone Amp Head Kits - Questions:

Inspector #20

Inspector #20

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I've been eyeing the Mojotone 45 watt British Head Kit for quite some time, bit I think I also very wisely avoided this bottomless rabbit hole. However, I do have some questions for our more experienced builders.

I know that it's easy to add an extra gain stage to one of these amps, so I'm not going to ask anything about that, but I do have some other questions that I'm profoundly curious about.

If I could have a custom amp, it would have to give me 5 distinct, custom features:

1. Extra gain stage

2. FX loop

3. Onboard reverb

4. Onboard chorus

5. Switchable between a clean and dirty tone

I recall many of the old Marshall Valvestate amps that had a tiny chorus unit inside the amp, but it was part of a PCB.

If I could figure out how to do this, I would probably spend the money to build it, but I think it's way, way outside being a reasonable dream...
 
I've got the Origin 50H which could potentionally serve as a mod platform, but without a clean channel, it's not a likely candidate.

I have plenty of DSL40C's that already have onboard reverb and clean, gain and reverb are easily footswitchable.

If chorus could be added to a DSL40C, then that has the potential to check the boxes without building an amp from scratch.

Clean/Dirty Channel Switching

Onboard Reverb

Onboard Chorus

Zero floor FX pedals.
 
Robert Herndon said:
I've been eyeing the Mojotone 45 watt British Head Kit for quite some time, bit I think I also very wisely avoided this bottomless rabbit hole. However, I do have some questions for our more experienced builders.

I know that it's easy to add an extra gain stage to one of these amps, so I'm not going to ask anything about that, but I do have some other questions that I'm profoundly curious about.

If I could have a custom amp, it would have to give me 5 distinct, custom features:

1. Extra gain stage

2. FX loop

3. Onboard reverb

4. Onboard chorus

5. Switchable between a clean and dirty tone

I recall many of the old Marshall Valvestate amps that had a tiny chorus unit inside the amp, but it was part of a PCB.

If I could figure out how to do this, I would probably spend the money to build it, but I think it's way, way outside being a reasonable dream...
Click to expand...
Mmmmmmm...
if you are adding an extra gain stage to a 45, that's what a 2203 / 2204 'is.'
There is very little difference between the 2 amps.
A plexi or a 45 with an extra stage is a JCM 800.

And nobody has really improved upon it, that's why everybody in the industry copied it.
Including Mesa Boogie.
A Mesa is really just a copy of a JCM 800 with a few gimmicks added....not much difference.
In fact the schematics are almost identical.

Now ordering :
I would never use an aluminum chassis....
If I was going to spend money, I would get a stainless steel chassis.

Many Amp kits use extremely low quality / cheap parts to maximize profit, and if I were spending all the time I would use much better parts.
The transformers being the most expensive part, there is bound to be some really cheap transformers to make the profits better.

I would never use carbon resistors either.
 
Amp Mad Scientist said:
Mmmmmmm...
if you are adding an extra gain stage to a 45, that's what a 2203 / 2204 'is.'
There is very little difference between the 2 amps.
A plexi or a 45 with an extra stage is a JCM 800.

And nobody has really improved upon it, that's why everybody in the industry copied it.
Including Mesa Boogie.
A Mesa is really just a copy of a JCM 800 with a few gimmicks added....not much difference.
In fact the schematics are almost identical.

Now ordering :
I would never use an aluminum chassis....
If I was going to spend money, I would get a stainless steel chassis.

Many Amp kits use extremely low quality / cheap parts to maximize profit, and if I were spending all the time I would use much better parts.
The transformers being the most expensive part, there is bound to be some really cheap transformers to make the profits better.

I would never use carbon resistors either.
Click to expand...
So the JMP 2203/2204 and fellow 800s of the same model are just a plexis modded with an extra gain stage? Is that what makes them master volumes?
 
Robert Herndon said:
I've been eyeing the Mojotone 45 watt British Head Kit for quite some time, bit I think I also very wisely avoided this bottomless rabbit hole. However, I do have some questions for our more experienced builders.

I know that it's easy to add an extra gain stage to one of these amps, so I'm not going to ask anything about that, but I do have some other questions that I'm profoundly curious about.

If I could have a custom amp, it would have to give me 5 distinct, custom features:

1. Extra gain stage

2. FX loop

3. Onboard reverb

4. Onboard chorus

5. Switchable between a clean and dirty tone

I recall many of the old Marshall Valvestate amps that had a tiny chorus unit inside the amp, but it was part of a PCB.

If I could figure out how to do this, I would probably spend the money to build it, but I think it's way, way outside being a reasonable dream...
Click to expand...
I don't like any of these ideas I see here when compared to the fact that you really like that Hughes & Kettner GrandMeister Deluxe 40 that you auditioned.

The Marshall Valvestate 8200 is a good choice since you like that one too. These are cheap enough (if you can find one) that you could get a second 8200 for a backup.
 
syscokid said:
I don't like any of these ideas I see here when compared to the fact that you really like that Hughes & Kettner GrandMeister Deluxe 40 that you auditioned.

The Marshall Valvestate 8200 is a good choice since you like that one too. These are cheap enough (if you can find one) that you could get a second 8200 for a backup.
Click to expand...

Right,

Well, that Hughes and Kettner is $1,400.00 too...and you know how cheap I am....
 
Clockworkmike said:
So the JMP 2203/2204 and fellow 800s of the same model are just a plexis modded with an extra gain stage? Is that what makes them master volumes?
Click to expand...
Yes.
The master volume is added to control loudness of preamp distortion.

In a plexi:
the preamp is clean, and it overdrives the output tubes.
Power amp distortion.

In an 800:
The preamp distorts, and the loudness is controlled by a master volume.
No longer depends on power amp distortion.

But the 2 amps are almost the same, with minor differences.
And this same design has been used by almost every major manufacturer.
 
67plexi said:
This is my little project TR John Mayer signature meets Dumble SSS meets Dumble Angles Breath meets the Green Hornet pre-amp
TDS Matchless OPT $580.00 custom wound PT 9 amp filament supply and thanks to AMS wire for the foot switch to run three relays.

View attachment 77221
Click to expand...
The Dumble design has a secret.
And we will not disclose the secret out of respect for Alexander.
But this is what makes a Dumble different. Why it sounds soooo killer.

But I will give a hint: it has something to do with the parts layout.
 
Robert Herndon said:
reverb.com

Guitar Parts Electronics ACTIVE CIRCUIT ARTEC CHB-A ONBOARD CHORUS Dual Control | Reverb

Artec Onboard Chorus(CHB-A)ActiveGuitar Chorus Dual Control UnitThis is the Artec Onboard Chorus. The "CHB" is an affordable way to put Chorus at your fingertips. The main unit features a "Click-On Pot", and controls the Level of the effect. For Real-Time control, the CHB-A version is wired to an...
reverb.com reverb.com
Click to expand...
The essential element to the Marshall Chorus is stereo output.
If it were mono, it would sound bland and ordinary.

The 8200 is a stereo amp, with 2 speakers required.
 
Clockworkmike said:
Make the trip to LA, save $100 and it's $375 right here bud

reverb.com

Marshall Valvestate Bi-Chorus Model 8200 2-Channel 2 x 100-Watt Stereo Guitar Amp Head | Reverb

Reverb is a marketplace bringing together a wide-spanning community to buy, sell, and discuss all things music gear.
reverb.com reverb.com
Click to expand...

I considered that one, in fact, @syscokid actually sent me that link yesterday, but I'd be scared to buy an amp that's been beat around like that one...theooks don't bug me, but I wonder about internal condition???
 
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