Need help deciding new amp build

Ghostman

Ghostman

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I've been wanting to do an amp project for some time and I think it's about time to get my butt started. I'd like to build a single channel amp that is inspired by a discovery I made a few years ago.

I was cruising CL as I usually do and came across this amp being sold by a Pawn Shop:

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It was listed as the BFG-100. A Billy Gibbons signature Crate amp. I did some digging and it seems that good ol' Billy played through Crate in their later years before they folded. I went into the shop and checked out the amp, and it was a stage prop only. No circuits, no Tx's or tubes, just a power plug and the front panel, with indicator lights. They wanted $150 at the time and I didn't see the value. Boy how I really regret that.

A few years later, I found the cabinets which I've shown here before. I have a BV120 from Crate that I modified slightly and then remodeled the cabinet to look like the above.

Now I'd like to build that amp in the picture above.
  • Single channel,
  • 100watt, but not sure what circuit to put into it. A regular JCM800, or maybe a Magnatone since that's what he's playing now. Maybe tweak it a little bit just to make it a little "personalized."
  • Bass, Mid, Treble, Presence.
  • 1/2 power switch
  • Gain, Master Volume
  • Effects Loop

Anyways, please help a lost tech decide.
 
I'm sure the builders will step in but that cabinet looks a lot like a jcm 800.
Circuit, sky's the limit and of course how much you want to spend on the parts.
I have some half finished builds sitting around.

3 sets of different transformers.
A 10w Plexi style build with Russian tubes I bought long ago.
A cheap 25w jcm 800 M.I.C.
And the most recent plan that is about half planned.

It could be a Bassman, Plexi, Highwatt, or Slo Clone. Not sure.I removed the amp chassis from the Bugera V22 and had a chassis made. Most of what I need is here.

I like the plexi but never actually owned one. I played a Blues Breaker once. It had miles of clean head room.
It might be better with a pedal in front?
 
Yeah the easiest path forward would be the JCM800 circuit as there are literally dozens of quick build kits and circuit components readily at hand for it.

The Magnatone Super Fifty Nine M-80 ( Billy's amp) is closely related to a Marshall JTM45 but with added Vibrato and a Master volume. There are some schematics of that amp out there as well if that's the direction you're heading, though the build with require a lil more work

As for the half power section, it's easy to do but most folks I've read who've done it say you barely notice any difference in the volume ( about 3dB give or take, which makes sense since a 50w and 100w only have about that much between the two in perceived loudness). Others say it just neuters the amp, though that was/is a feature on some Marshalls like DSL100s and the Jubilee series via triode/pentode switching. If the Magnatone route is the way you're leaning, you'd probably have to go with 45/20w power switching vs a JCM800 100/50w switching.
 
ibmorjamn said:
I'm sure the builders will step in but that cabinet looks a lot like a jcm 800.
Circuit, sky's the limit and of course how much you want to spend on the parts.
I have some half finished builds sitting around.

3 sets of different transformers.
A 10w Plexi style build with Russian tubes I bought long ago.
A cheap 25w jcm 800 M.I.C.
And the most recent plan that is about half planned.

It could be a Bassman, Plexi, Highwatt, or Slo Clone. Not sure.I removed the amp chassis from the Bugera V22 and had a chassis made. Most of what I need is here.

I like the plexi but never actually owned one. I played a Blues Breaker once. It had miles of clean head room.
It might be better with a pedal in front?
Click to expand...
I was honestly thinking about the SLO clone direction. I really never thought about it until today.
 
67plexi said:
How many guitar amps have you built ?
Do you want to sound like everybody else ?
Good parts are expensive and what's your time worth ?
A great sounding amp build will cost $5000.00 just in parts.
Then the fine tuning that's a art in it's self.
Click to expand...
1. None. This would be the first build. I am a graduate Electronics degree holder so it's not foreign to me, just never took the plunge.
2. So many different amp tones out there, I'd hate to try to find a "Unique" sound at this point.
3. This would be my own amp as a hobby so time is irrelevant.
4. That's a tough pill to swallow and I definitely don't want to spend $5k on this build. $1-$2k is much more palatable
5. That makes me nervous AF!

LOL Thanks for chiming in. I really do appreciate any and all advice

In honesty I would probably want a low-gain/High-gain channel switch before I ever wanted a half-power switch. That adds a level of complexity of course.
 
Boogie, Fender and mostly all others are some variation of Marshall.

My buddies 2203 was maybe the best sounding amp I ever played, I would prefer no more than 50w myself. Of course there are lots I have not played.
 
Ghostman said:
The more I think about this, the more I want to build the Blue Voodoo circuit on a turret board. Single channel style, but with less gain. I've changed directions about 10 times on this today. Good thing I'm not out buying parts for this yet. :D
Click to expand...
It won't be your last build.
I don't know what sound you are after but if it's ZZ Top the Marshall 1959 schematic (plexi) is well documented.
Jeff Beck helped Billy get his first 110v Marshall in to the U.S. on this song.
 
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