Pics from my DIY tube amp project

[Charlie]

Some pics from a DIY amp project. I made this thing a few years ago but I just stumbled across some pics I took while making it. I'll take a picture of it in its finished state when I get a chance. The amp is a Tiny Tone from Torres Engineering.

:lol:

 

[MesaENGR412]

That's awesome man! How's it sound? Very cool that you have the ability to build that. Props to you man (NOT to sound like Randy Jackson or anything :roll: :lol: :lol: )

-AJH

 

[Charlie]

It sounds really good. I like playing it with my Gretsch hollowbody the most. You have to take into account that it's only 1.5 watts. It'll drive a 4x12 cabinet and it's a LOT louder than you would expect it to be but you aren't going to get any kind of bass or thump out of those tiny transformers. It is what it is. I really don't know a whole lot about putting electrical circuits together so I just learned as I went along. It's kind of like cooking.. either you can follow directions or you can't. :lol:

I really want to put together a larger amplifier... maybe a 30 or 50 watt amp but right now I don't have the time or the money to do it so the next project will probably be something from here:

http://buildyourownclone.com/

 

[Charlie]

Here is a short clip I made of this amp. Just some open chords to test out how this thing sounds when recording direct using a THD Hot Plate.

http://www.itwontburn.com/tinytone_test1.mp3

This is an early 70's Les Paul plugged directly into the Tiny Tone, which was connected to the Hot Plate and then connected to a Line6 Toneport. I used the 4x12 1967 Green 20s cabinet setting and the noise gate in the Toneport's software and then I added a little reverb in Ableton Live. No compression, EQ or anything else was added.

 

[hal9000]

Here is a short clip I made of this amp. Just some open chords to test out how this thing sounds when recording direct using a THD Hot Plate.

http://www.itwontburn.com/tinytone_test1.mp3

This is an early 70's Les Paul plugged directly into the Tiny Tone, which was connected to the Hot Plate and then connected to a Line6 Toneport. I used the 4x12 1967 Green 20s cabinet setting and the noise gate in the Toneport's software and then I added a little reverb in Ableton Live. No compression, EQ or anything else was added.

Nice work! It sounds like you're running an EL-84 output tube, but the Torres site says a 6005? The tone sounds a bit like AC/DC but heavier. My Doberman Hi-Octane has a similar sound, but runs a single-ended EL-84 at 5 W.

 

[Zee Lowell]

I ordered the kit today; The TORRES HIGH POWER MITE. Ive read some reviews and some were mixed. I hope I just didn't throw $500 down the toilet....


Any Suggestions????


HELP

 

[MesaENGR412]

is the power section solid state? I only see preamp tubes....

or is that an EL-84 beside the two with the silver covers on it?

-AJH

 

[Zee Lowell]

power section is not solid state......

 

[Zee Lowell]

http://www.torresengineering.com/nenewhipobom.html

 

[Charlie]

That's a 6005 tube in the power section and two 12ax7's for the preamp section.



Zee - I've been pretty happy with my Tiny Tone but just so you know the kits are not easy to put together. Make sure you really take your time with it and be patient. Always double and triple check your connections, resistor values etc. Unless you are really experienced with assembling electronics (I'm not) it is going to be very frustrating at times. But for me the feeling of turning an amp on that works and sounds good that I built with my own two hands was well worth it.

I've also read a lot of mixed reviews about Torres in general. I think what it comes down to is that they really don't provide a lot of support for their kits and it just tends to piss people off when they fail to get their amps working properly and/or sounding good. My experience was pretty good.. but that is just one person's experience.