# Clone Kits - Which Are Best?



## Mr. Bones

I have been considering putting together a Marshall clone kit amp, just for the fun of it.
I do know how to solder very well, set the bias, re-cap an amp, replace board components, etc., but I am not a tube amp tech. I feel I have the skills and tools required to assemble and trouble shoot most issues that I might run into through this process. I don't however know enough to design my own circuit from scratch and would rather go with a proven Marshall circuit and board layout by someone who knows more than I do.

I am not sure if I want a JTM 45, 50W Plexi, or another 2204? i do want a master volume, even if that means modifying a kit.

Ceriatone looks OK but Nick assembles the board and I would prefer to do that myself.

Tube Depot looks OK but pricey considering what you get, and their list of choices is pretty slim. (not a lot of models to choose from)

I know nothing about Triode Electronics and what their reputation might be?

Metro is no longer selling kits unfortunately, I have heard great things about those old kits.

So what is the general consensus on the available kits, who's kits are the best from a quality of components perspective, and what kit has a good layout and is fairly intuitive? 

Thanks in advance guy's


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## zenfly

My JTM45 was made with a Mojo Tone kit and I love it..


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## Mr. Bones

zenfly said:


> My JTM45 was made with a Mojo Tone kit and I love it..


Did you add a master volume, or do you have to crank the amp to get some nice overdrive?


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## zenfly

Mr. Bones said:


> Did you add a master volume, or do you have to crank the amp to get some nice overdrive?



I get my OD from 3 pedals..


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## Mr. Bones

zenfly said:


> I get my OD from 3 pedals..


Thanks for the input Zenfly, much appreciated!


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## ---

I'm interested in this too. Would like to build but I'm just starting to research the kits and parts. Looks like Mercury Magnetics is a good way to go for the iron and sozo for the caps. I wonder if there are kits that incorporate the high $ parts? I wonder if it really makes a lot of difference? A 50 watt master volume head would be cool. Also Mojotone has an 18 watt combo kit that looks interesting. Anyone ever build one?

18 Watt Style 1x12 Combo Amplifier Kit - Mojotone.com


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## Mr. Bones

Trev-K6ESE said:


> I'm interested in this too. Would like to build but I'm just starting to research the kits and parts. Looks like Mercury Magnetics is a good way to go for the iron and sozo for the caps. I wonder if there are kits that incorporate the high $ parts? I wonder if it really makes a lot of difference? A 50 watt master volume head would be cool. Also Mojotone has an 18 watt combo kit that looks interesting. Anyone ever build one?
> 
> 18 Watt Style 1x12 Combo Amplifier Kit - Mojotone.com



I saw that kit too. Tube Depot sells a JTM 45 kit http://tubedepot.com/kit-jtm45plus-head.html that has a master volume and you can switch between solid state and tube rectifiers. I thought it might kind of cool as well.


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## paul-e-mann

Mr Bones, you listed all the companies I was gonna recommend except one - Weber http://taweber.powweb.com/store/kits.htm. I'm driven by money and was looking for the cheapest kit so I went with Weber and they have a ton of kits to choose from. I would have much rather gone with any of the other kits but they cost twice as much. Whats nice about Weber is its all ala cart if you dont want to buy the complete kit and want to use certain brand name parts. I'm still in the midst of building my 2203 kit so I cant comment just yet on the quality. I talked to one of the techs there extensively and he said he would not substitute any of the parts from the kits they are all fine. This guy built many many Weber 2203 kits he said and said they are awesome for the money. If you get a Weber and you have money to spend, I'd get better transformers, choke, tubes, switches and jacks and I think you'd have a quality amp. And if you prefer a turret board over a fiber board then replace that. I'm building mine to look like a JMP so I ordered it with a superlead chassis and case, and I have a customer faceplate coming from Mojotone so it looks like this http://www.krampe-family.de/oldgear/2204.jpg.

Oh yeah, one other thing. Tube Depot seems to be a good source for buying quality parts if you want to upgrade anything in a Weber kit. Take a look at their DIY Central section http://tubedepot.com/. They also sell amp building tools and supplies at reasonable prices.


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## Guitar-Rocker

Kit types would depend what you want the amp to do, and the power needed for your tastes. A 18W can get damn loud, and you can get tone without having to dial up to 11. Nothing wrong with kits, but you can source components that are premium, for about the same price.


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## madmmx

+1 on weber. I built on and it sounded great. Cant beat the price.


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## Mr. Bones

Wow thank you for all of the responses everyone!
Those Weber kits are very reasonably priced. I will be looking forward to hearing sound clips of your new build pedecamp. 

Guitar-Rocker you sure build some sweat sounding amps. I loved that 18w and then the Godzilla re-build of the 18w that you did for 2203xman. I could only hope to have an amp turn out that good some day.


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## Billyblades

I prefered the kits that have a proper turret board. The weber kits dont agree with me because the black eyelet board is not to my liking. To me (imo) its cheap for a reason. 

Try to download a parts build sheet and order the parts separate if you want a better built amp!

Ps,,, the Classictone trannies are Awesome ! I have MM too. The CTs are the shiznit thi and the price is reasonable too. Ive used them before they were "Classictone ". For yrs now! 
Mojo has nice chassis n headboxes. You can go to places like Antique Elec Supply and get alot of other stuff too or get it from Moji. I like their caps too but youu can shop smart and come out with a winner.


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## ---

Here's one that I'm considering:
British 800 Style Amplifier Kit
Similar to a Marshall 2204 - 50 Watt JCM 800

The one thing that I did notice on the Mojotone Kits vs. the Tube Depot kits, is that the circuit board is already staked with turrets and the Tube Depot kits are not. This may or may not be a big deal since I've never had to put one together from scratch. In the least it would probably involve some new tools.

Youtube Demo:
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=om7UEoR8mCQ[/ame]


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## blues_n_cues

Ive heard great things about the WEBER but they're not exactly for the novice builder.

you might like this site for a 2204.
I also posted a link here in workbench for all the Marshall schematics.
Joe Popp - JCM800 2204 "Rachelle" Amp Build

http://www.marshallforum.com/workbench/48837-holy-grail-marshall-schematics.html


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## paul-e-mann

Trev-K6ESE said:


> Here's one that I'm considering:
> British 800 Style Amplifier Kit
> Similar to a Marshall 2204 - 50 Watt JCM 800
> 
> The one thing that I did notice on the Mojotone Kits vs. the Tube Depot kits, is that the circuit board is already staked with turrets and the Tube Depot kits are not. This may or may not be a big deal since I've never had to put one together from scratch. In the least it would probably involve some new tools.
> 
> Youtube Demo:
> Mojotone - British 800 Amp Kit Demo - YouTube



Thats an awesome kit and demo! My argument is that at that price I might as well spend a hundred or two more and just buy a used Marshall 2204 and bypass the risk of electrocuting myself building one, unless youre goal is to experience the build process. My sole purpose of building is it would take me a loooooong time to save up $1200 to buy a Marshall and I dont want to wait that long - hence the Weber kit. Hey, if I really enjoy it, I found a new hobby!


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## blues_n_cues

pedecamp said:


> Thats an awesome kit and demo! My argument is that at that price I might as well spend a hundred or two more and just buy a used Marshall 2204 and bypass the risk of electrocuting myself building one, unless youre goal is to experience the build process. My sole purpose of building is it would take me a loooooong time to save up $1200 to buy a Marshall and I dont want to wait that long - hence the Weber kit. Hey, if I really enjoy it, I found a new hobby!



you should be able to get a nice used 2204 for $700-$900.not sure where you're located but $1200 seems a bit spendy.


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## paul-e-mann

Billyblades said:


> I prefered the kits that have a proper turret board. The weber kits dont agree with me because the black eyelet board is not to my liking. To me (imo) its cheap for a reason.
> 
> Try to download a parts build sheet and order the parts separate if you want a better built amp!
> 
> Ps,,, the Classictone trannies are Awesome ! I have MM too. The CTs are the shiznit thi and the price is reasonable too. Ive used them before they were "Classictone ". For yrs now!
> Mojo has nice chassis n headboxes. You can go to places like Antique Elec Supply and get alot of other stuff too or get it from Moji. I like their caps too but youu can shop smart and come out with a winner.



Yeah I didnt understand why they dont use a turret board, its literally a $10 or $15 difference on the kit. Look at the cost on Tube Depot for the parts, and I'm sure they can be found even cheaper elsewhere. I had planned on upgrading a bunch of parts on my Weber kit but then decided this build I would stick to stock and see how it goes. On the Classictone site they have sound clips, I think they blow away the popular transformer competition for a fraction of the cost. Good call!


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## paul-e-mann

blues_n_cues said:


> you should be able to get a nice used 2204 for $700-$900.not sure where you're located but $1200 seems a bit spendy.



I agree. East coast. If I could find one for $800 I'd bought it yesterday, and I've been looking for years.


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## Guitar-Rocker

Mr. Bones said:


> Wow thank you for all of the responses everyone!
> Those Weber kits are very reasonably priced. I will be looking forward to hearing sound clips of your new build pedecamp.
> 
> Guitar-Rocker you sure build some sweat sounding amps. I loved that 18w and then the Godzilla re-build of the 18w that you did for 2203xman. I could only hope to have an amp turn out that good some day.


 

Thanks Mr. Bones. Amp building can be very addicitive, and I got a bad case of it. Kits are great for newbies, usually because of the "paint by number" instructions that make assembly more straight forward, and helps eliminate mistakes. And most have decent quality components, but for about the same money, hand selecting premium quality components can be had. If one searches the web, I do believe there may be links to find instructions on building specific types of amps. I am not a personal fan of eyelet boards either, as turretboards are easy to build on your own. I just have a block of steel that the anvil cup sets in, and don't even use a drill press, just a whack from a tack hammer on the staking punch works fine. And turretboards allow for changes, custom designs, and screw ups. Just drill the turret out and start over. ClassicTone PT's go in my amp builds, and they would be extremely hard to beat. I wish they spent an extra $1 on better paint though.
TubeDepot's turretboards come undrilled, and you would need a drilling layout plate (an extra $25 or so) to make it look the same as a predrilled board. The only bonus to that is if you need a longer board, you can have it any length. I hand drilled one a 36W (well over a hundred holes), would only do that again for a special build or a close friend, or for myself. Too much work to keep it looking like factory. 
.


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## Mr. Bones

blues_n_cues said:


> you should be able to get a nice used 2204 for $700-$900.not sure where you're located but $1200 seems a bit spendy.


I purchased two really clean un-modded 2204's this year, (well they were both suppose to be un-modded, not true for one of them) and they cost me close to $1500 each. Which is the top of the scale but they were both exceptionally clean.

I want to assemble an amp for the fun of doing it, not to save money. Of course I don't really NEED another amp (just ask my wife).


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## Mr. Bones

Guitar-Rocker said:


> TubeDepot's turretboards come undrilled, and you would need a drilling layout plate (an extra $25 or so) to make it look the same as a predrilled board. The only bonus to that is if you need a longer board, you can have it any length. I hand drilled one a 36W (well over a hundred holes), would only do that again for a special build or a close friend, or for myself. Too much work to keep it looking like factory.
> .



This is exactly why I feel Tube Depot is a little pricey; I mean at that price could they not pre-drill the turretboard?


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## GIBSON67

I did a complete rebuild on my 1987, and I have to say ordering parts from Weber is very easy. And I got parts shipped very fast. But these were just caps and resistors...and not cabs, transformers, and such. Just FYI.


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## Mr. Bones

Trev-K6ESE said:


> Here's one that I'm considering:
> British 800 Style Amplifier Kit
> Similar to a Marshall 2204 - 50 Watt JCM 800
> 
> The one thing that I did notice on the Mojotone Kits vs. the Tube Depot kits, is that the circuit board is already staked with turrets and the Tube Depot kits are not. This may or may not be a big deal since I've never had to put one together from scratch. In the least it would probably involve some new tools.
> 
> Youtube Demo:
> Mojotone - British 800 Amp Kit Demo - YouTube



Man I have to say that is some of the sloppiest wire dress I have ever seen in an amp! yikes! I am sure the kit is good, but what a sloppy assembly job IMO.


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## Guitar-Rocker

I think they go for that "no extra holes" look, which is OK, although the 18W Marshalls were built on a fully drilled turretboard, so go figure. I myself, have no problem with the predrilled boards. The only angst I have is you can't buy a predrilled 3mm in a longer board (anywhere) like you can a 2mm, and sometimes there just isn't enough room. I like the extra firm strength of the 3mm, and have used both.


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## Mr. Bones

Guitar-Rocker said:


> I think they go for that "no extra holes" look, which is OK, although the 18W Marshalls were built on a fully drilled turretboard, so go figure. I myself, have no problem with the predrilled boards. The only angst I have is you can't buy a predrilled 3mm in a longer board (anywhere) like you can a 2mm, and sometimes there just isn't enough room. I like the extra firm strength of the 3mm, and have used both.


Thank you for the tip, that is some good insight my friend!


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## Guitar-Rocker

By the way, the cabinets from Tube Depot are absolutely flawless, worth bearing in mind regardless of who you might buy a kit from.


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## ---

Mr. Bones said:


> Man I have to say that is some of the sloppiest wire dress I have ever seen in an amp! yikes! I am sure the kit is good, but what a sloppy assembly job IMO.



That's funny because I thought the same thing! You could pick at that video all day in that regard, but the amp sounded pretty good...


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## Guitar-Rocker

GIBSON67 said:


> I did a complete rebuild on my 1987, and I have to say ordering parts from Weber is very easy. And I got parts shipped very fast. But these were just caps and resistors...and not cabs, transformers, and such. Just FYI.


 

I bought a combo chassis from Weber, was good quality. I also bought a channel switching opt amp card, good construction, but I have yet to test it out. I only live 60 miles from there, but it still took 10 days to receive their goods. Not horrible time, but Tube Depot is 3 days.


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## mrrstrat

blues_n_cues said:


> Ive heard great things about the WEBER but they're not exactly for the novice builder.
> 
> you might like this site for a 2204.
> I also posted a link here in workbench for all the Marshall schematics.
> Joe Popp - JCM800 2204 "Rachelle" Amp Build
> 
> http://www.marshallforum.com/workbench/48837-holy-grail-marshall-schematics.html



I have built MANY marshall clones - that Joe Popp did a first rate job!


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## rmroza

...like Billy said and best to just buy the parts yourself and assembly. I totally endorse Classic Tone and Heyboer transformers. MM and the like is a waste of money! May be decent, but the extra money is wasted, sorry. save your doe.

You can get bundled kits from Triode and I have bought from them. No issues.

Unlike others, I personally would say do NOT buy a used amp. You don't know anything about it, old components, carbon resistors, worn out tubes and iron. For the same money instead of trying to be cheap, you can build the same amp, all new and new components for the same price or cheaper...it's a no-brainer. Alot of amps I have and come across where further what was supposed to MODed with aweful MODs and you'll have to deal with that!

Companies I have delt with and endorse and reasonable costs are: Triode Electronics, Magnetic Components, TubesAndMore, Mouser, Newark, Mammoth Electronics, Digi-Key, Carr-McMaster (FR board), Watts Tube Audio.

For supplemental companies and things like chassis, etc. - Mojo, Metropolous, etc.

Cabs - SourMash

Anyway, try Triode or if you want to not kit it and reduce cost further, order seperately from the companies above for parts!

Enjoy!


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## rmroza

...just looked. Looks like Watts Tube Audio kits including all parts to make a barebones chassis for $500! You'd just need a chassis. Probably run you $140-200 on top of that, soo again $700 in parts for everything!

Ref: http://www.turretboards.com/guitar_amplifier_parts_marshall_jcm800.html


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## wakjob

I want to build a 1987, but there's alway a compromise of what parts you get with any kit.

If I do it, it will be done al-la-cart. That way I get to choose everything I like.

Down side... shipping costs. Ordering 'this' from one place and 'that' from another, the shipping cost, $6.00 here & $8.00 there, will really start to add up. If I do it over a long period of time, I won't notice it as bad.


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## Mr. Bones

Watts Tube Audio looks very interesting, I had not heard of them before.
Anyone have much experience with this company?


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## Guitar-Rocker

I bought a couple of items from them, turrets, staking tool, blank chassis. All components were good quality, but I had to really get on them to ship, more than once. I've talked with other guys that had very good dealings with them. I don't deal there anymore.


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## zenfly

zenfly said:


> My JTM45 was made with a Mojo Tone kit and I love it..



I just want to add to my first post... I bought the JTM45 chassis off ebay from a guy that built it at a guitar school class.. When I got it one EL34 was red plating so I bought a bias tool from Amp-head and found the bias was almost double.. I got great help from Mojo, fast parts, and more help after..
I had fun, and got a great amp out of it..


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## Les Moore

I´m going with loose parts myself in a hundred years when I get the money to get started. I found a partslist on el34world. Will be going with Classic Tone iron. Here are some dealers I´ve found.
JJ / Tesla JJ CAPS - Amp Parts at Hot Rox UK
Amp Parts : Granger Amplification Custom Shop, Your source for awesome tone!
Amp parts | Allparts UK Ltd
Amp Maker: Guitar amp kits and parts :: Turret board + tag board :: Perforated board
Authentic, reproduction turret boards
Marshall Circuit Boards

I have found that it is very difficult to find everything in one place. I also have found it very difficult to find a 100w plexi chassis and face/back plates. There is one at TAD, but a bit pricey. Probably end up buying there anyway.
Good to hear that there are others who "just want to build for the fun of it".


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## Guitar-Rocker

Les, Look at the chassis from Modulus Amps. The chassis match the faceplates, chassis are aluminum, and excellent made. That's who I use, and Michael is one of the best to deal with. And you can request a custom faceplate too. That's where I had 2203xmans custom plate made up to fit the chassis, and my next new experimental version of that type amp in a 36W has a very kool custom plate being shipped to me right now.


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## madmmx

Mr. Bones said:


> I purchased two really clean un-modded 2204's this year, (well they were both suppose to be un-modded, not true for one of them) and they cost me close to $1500 each. Which is the top of the scale but they were both exceptionally clean.
> 
> I want to assemble an amp for the fun of doing it, not to save money. Of course I don't really NEED another amp (just ask my wife).



If you already have 2 2204's 7, I would consider building a 1987 and adding a PPIMV. It will give you a little different flavor of tone than the 2204


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## Les Moore

GR, thanks. I had some correspondence with him. Very nice guy. Will have to email him again. Think my last one got lost somehow since I didn´t get an answer...


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## Mr. Bones

madmmx said:


> If you already have 2 2204's 7, I would consider building a 1987 and adding a PPIMV. It will give you a little different flavor of tone than the 2204


Yes I think I kind of want to try something a little different. I wish I had a chance to actually plug into a Plexi and a JTM 45. I have never had the chance to play through either one of these amps, and have only heard online sound clips, records etc. This makes it hard to decide what circuit to go with.


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## Jason77

I've been wanting to build an amp for so long! For you guys that want to source parts, here's a great resource:

ValveStorm

If you're planning on doing a 1959, 1987, jtm45 or 18w, they've got checklist setup per model with all the quantities factored in. You just have to go down the line and click "add to cart".

I've been wanting to build a 1959 with an effects loop but my problem has been that it seems like the more affordable kits have inaccurate looking face plates. So, I think what I might do, is get the chassis and panels from ceriatone (its steel), the rest of the kit from mojotone, and a few other parts from valvestorm.

Now I just need to fine the money!


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## Les Moore

Jason, sounds like your doing my project Bought this yesterday 
SMALL BOX CHASSIS + JMP FACEPLATES - MODULUS AMPLIFICATION
Maybe it suites you...


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## Jason77

Bookmarked the site. Those look great! Their cabinet construction seems to be pretty top notch too. I don't think I'd want to build a super lead in a small box though, especially with all the extras I want to cram in there. Well, not for my first build, at least.


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## ---

Hey Billy,

Would you take the Classictone over Mercury Magnetics? Why? Thanks!

Trev



Billyblades said:


> I prefered the kits that have a proper turret board. The weber kits dont agree with me because the black eyelet board is not to my liking. To me (imo) its cheap for a reason.
> 
> Try to download a parts build sheet and order the parts separate if you want a better built amp!
> 
> Ps,,, the Classictone trannies are Awesome ! I have MM too. The CTs are the shiznit thi and the price is reasonable too. Ive used them before they were "Classictone ". For yrs now!
> Mojo has nice chassis n headboxes. You can go to places like Antique Elec Supply and get alot of other stuff too or get it from Moji. I like their caps too but youu can shop smart and come out with a winner.


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## paul-e-mann

Go to the Classictone site and listen to the sound clips. They compare MM and a few others. I think Classictone sounded the best.

http://www.classictone.net/PaperVsPlastic.html


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## ---

You know I'm always leery of sound clips when comparing components for amps. So many factors are different. To properly analyze the components, they'd have to be swapped out of the same amp, and played with the same guitar and cab, etc.

BTW LOVE that Gold Top! I haven't had a Les Paul in a few years. Last one was a '76 silver burst custom anniversary.

Cheers,
Trev



pedecamp said:


> Go to the Classictone site and listen to the sound clips. They compare MM. I think Classictone sounded way better.


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## paul-e-mann

Thanks, I love my goldtop.

Look below the sound clips for equipment and methods used to record. Sounds like it was a level playing field.

But then again, if you laid out all those amps next to each other it would take a turn of the eq to make them all sound similarly close in sound Im sure. Still like the Classictone clip best!


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## rmroza

I've bought from Watts also. Like others has said...good quality, no issues, and have spoken with the owner on the phone before. Great company.

I don't see Billy chimed in, but nothing wrong with ClassicTone and Magnetic Components out of Chicago. People get it in their head MM and the like are better. They are not. Billy has heard my amps and has stated on record, the stuff crushes. My little 22W 6V6's sound huge and crush...either MC or Heyboer iron. Inexpensive, sound great, and as good or better the the highest priced stuff!


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## wakjob

I've talked to a few knowledgeable people about the MM tranny/Marshall amp combination. And the consensus is that MM's just don't do it for certain simpler/old circuits. They are better left to the more modern, multi gain stage, bells and whistles amps. They give old Marshall's a "hi-fi" character. I've heard this on more than one occasion.

Marstran, Heyboer, and ClassicTone seemed to be the preferred route for more accurate results.

Not downing MM's. Great, well built products for sure. Just need to pick the right parts for the job. Maybe guy's like Trace @ Voodoo are designing and adjusting his amps around the MM sonic qualities.


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## Copperheadroads

Trinity up in Canada makes some very nice kits ,I have a 18 watt plexi & it sounds scrumdiddlyumptious
trinityamps.com/Product_Parts.htm


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## ---

rmroza said:


> I've bought from Watts also. Like others has said...good quality, no issues, and have spoken with the owner on the phone before. Great company.
> 
> I don't see Billy chimed in, but nothing wrong with ClassicTone and Magnetic Components out of Chicago. People get it in their head MM and the like are better. They are not. Billy has heard my amps and has stated on record, the stuff crushes. My little 22W 6V6's sound huge and crush...either MC or Heyboer iron. Inexpensive, sound great, and as good or better the the highest priced stuff!



I've seen the video of your 6V6 amp. What did that amp start as before Billy modded it. Was it a kit? Sounded really good in the video BTW.


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## HumanJHawkins

A kit seems more comforting for a first build, but it is barely easier (if at all) than self sourcing from a good bill of materials.

The instructions and bill of materials for Metro Amp kits that are about the most respected clone kits ever, are online here:
Category:Amp Kit Instructions - MetroAmp Wiki

That said, I have ordered a 1959SLP kit #1 from Nik at Ceriatone, with the intention of swapping a few parts... Possibly even selling the pre-built turret board on ebay and doing my own. This will depend a bit on how lazy I feel when it arrives. (The cost was low enough even with shipping that this seems to be a good way to get the bulk of the hardware.)

If you do go this route and want Mercury Mag transformers, Nik can have them drop shipped at a pretty good discount, as he orders enough to qualify for their lowest prices.

Cheers.


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## Jason77

Well, its on!! I just ordered the first parts of my build: a steel chassis and faceplate set from Ceriatone. I'm getting most of the rest of the parts from Mojo. Nik from Ceriatone is doing a custom chassis so that the mounting holes for the transformers line up, which was only $20 extra. I figured if I didn't order SOMETHING, I'd keep putting it off. This is going to be fun!


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## Voodoo Amps

wakjob said:


> I've talked to a few knowledgeable people about the MM tranny/Marshall amp combination. And the consensus is that MM's just don't do it for certain simpler/old circuits. They are better left to the more modern, multi gain stage, bells and whistles amps. They give old Marshall's a "hi-fi" character. I've heard this on more than one occasion.
> 
> Marstran, Heyboer, and ClassicTone seemed to be the preferred route for more accurate results.
> 
> Not downing MM's. Great, well built products for sure. Just need to pick the right parts for the job. Maybe guy's like Trace @ Voodoo are designing and adjusting his amps around the MM sonic qualities.



Please allow me address some misconceptions and if you have any questions I am more than happy to answer them however I do not wish to get overly technical as novels can be written on transformer design. In no particular order;

Understanding Transformers – Knowing what goes into a transformer and it effects the tone is something very few take the time to understand or wish to take the time to do. Repair techs gather the enough working knowledge in order to confirm that a transformer is working properly or not, which makes perfect sense as they make their money repairing amps. Design techs order a transformer set that is readily available as it is more cost effective and design/voice the circuit around it. Back in the day (50’s – 60’s) great quality transformers were readily available and they were not costly. These days high quality transformers cost more, it is what it is.

Novels have been written in magnetic theory/design and out of all the books written there is not one book that will give you all the info, let alone all combined. Theory is great to know (much the same with working on amps) though nothing takes the place of hands on experience. IE: what it sounds and feels like, after all that’s what all us guitar players are interested in! (lol) To gain that experience requires trying a great deal of different transformers, which can be costly but again nothing takes the place of hands on experience, it is truly worth its weight in gold. Knowing how the quality of metal impacts the tone, how the metals are forged, wire gauge, how it is wound, types of insulation material, how the lams are forged, lam thickness, primary impedance, etc makes a marked difference. 

Break In – Anything with new metal has a break in period. It is a real thing and if you study metallurgy it makes perfect sense. On average transformers tend to take about 100 hours to break in before they settle in and stop changing. How does this impact what you are hearing? Much like a brand new speaker, transformers will not have the proper low end and will seem harsh on the top end until it settles in. This means you are not hearing what the transformer really sounds like when you first fire it up. The same is true when you load in a brand new speaker, etc. By the same token this also means if you fire up an amp that has a brand new transformer and the high end sounds perfect, it is important to realize that it will change. 

Plexi Transformers - Mercury literally has hundreds of transformers to choose from. If you call them and purchase a transformer you have to know what you are looking for. IE: Many call asking for a plexi output transformer. This is where things can get complicated and I will try to explain; Plexis did not use just one or two transformers, they used a lot of different transformers and the results varied greatly. We tend to loose sight of the fact that once upon a time Marshall started out as a small company with a few employees. They would go to the military surplus store and purchase transformers from the cut-out/bargain bin as these were more cost effective. They might purchase a dozen or so transformers to fulfill those orders. When they went back they would purchase more transformers from bargain bin and so on. Output transformers varied a lot and so did power transformers. Among other differences this is one reason why plate voltage on plexis varies from 385VDC to 525VDC. It’s no wonder why it is so hard to find and two old plexis that sound the same (lol) but seriously though, this also led to some amazing sounding plexis and they would also experiment with transformers to get different tones. 

Which Transformer To Order - As you can begin to see it is a 50/50 gamble if you randomly order (1) output transformer hoping that it will be the right one for your needs. It really is best to get with a tech who truly understands transformers. From there explain what it is you are like and dislike about the amp in its stock form and what you would like to improve. From there they can order the proper transformer(s) to get you what you will like. 

Mercury Transformers – They have cloned a tremendous amount of vintage transformers. I can tell you have worked on the most sought after vintage amps in the world that the Mercury’s are the most accurate. I am not saying this because I am obligated as we are free to use what ever transformers we like. Aside from Modding hundreds of amps each year, building our own line of amps we also do a great deal of Custom Builds. As such we continue to purchase/try numerous transformers (we have a warehouse full of transformers). All I can do is speak from our experience and in my humble experience Mercury Magnetics has always met my needs. Granted our transformers are custom designed to our specs but that is to work hand-in-hand with out Mods and circuits. 

Kit Amps – There are numerous amp companies making clones of Marshalls and we have worked on them all. What I can say is this - you get what you pay for. If you are fussy about tone and want a kit amp to sound as well as feel amazing, do not try to purchase based on the cheapest price. This is all free advice based on working countless vintage Marshalls as well as every Marshall kit amp out there as well as, so please take it for what ever it’s worth! (lol) 

I hope it helps and I also hope everyone in the states has a great Thanksgiving! 


Cheers;
Trace


----------



## wakjob

Voodoo Amps said:


> Kit Amps – There are numerous amp companies making clones of Marshalls and we have worked on them all. What I can say is this - you get what you pay for. If you are fussy about tone and want a kit amp to sound as well as feel amazing, do not try to purchase based on the cheapest price. This is all free advice based on working countless vintage Marshalls as well as every Marshall kit amp out there as well as, so please take it for what ever it’s worth! (lol)
> 
> I hope it helps and I also hope everyone in the states has a great Thanksgiving!
> 
> 
> Cheers;
> Trace



A class act as usual Trace. Thanks for that write up!

There are a lot of us 'tinkerers' and hobby modder/builders around here, and hearing sobering words of wisdom is much needed sometimes. Your knowledge is very welcomed, at least by me.

Cheers and enjoy your holiday too.


----------



## Voodoo Amps

wakjob said:


> A class act as usual Trace. Thanks for that write up!
> 
> There are a lot of us 'tinkerers' and hobby modder/builders around here, and hearing sobering words of wisdom is much needed sometimes. Your knowledge is very welcomed, at least by me.
> 
> Cheers and enjoy your holiday too.



Happy to help where I can my friend. All the best to you and yours. 


Enjoy the holiday!
Trace


----------



## LP Freak

I've built 3 Metros now and 1 Mojo tone. I prefer the Metros but unfortunately George isn't offering them any more. 

Here's a pic of my Metro 2203


----------



## demonufo

Voodoo Amps said:


> Mercury Transformers – They have cloned a tremendous amount of vintage transformers. I can tell you have worked on the most sought after vintage amps in the world that the Mercury’s are the most accurate.



In what respect, exactly?

Well, sorry Trace, but I couldn't refute this more even if I wanted to. Whilst I wouldn't even dare to attempt to discredit Mercury Magnetics and their exceedingly high quality line in transformers, they are FAR from being the most accurate. The build quality far exceeds anything that Drake or Dagnall EVER built in their lifetime, and they are made differently too. They do NOT use the same materials or processes, and these differences DO make a tonal difference. Whilst Mercury make very nice transformers, their Vintage clones are definitely nowhere near being first choice for tonal accuracy. The Heyboer clones are far closer (especially those from Metropoulos or Marstran) and even the ClassicTone transformers offer far better value for money and better results when it comes to accuracy.

If designing a new amplifier from scratch, then I would quite happily use Mercury Magnetics, should they fit the bill, but when it comes to cloning an existing circuit of an amp which originally used Drakes or Dagnalls, I can't imagine using them ever again. They do not fit the bill, and given the excessive cost in comparison to MORE authentic clones that aren't built to such unnecessary high tolerances, would be money not very wisely spent.

This is of course, just my opinion, but it is one which has been hard earned, and at the end of the day, I don't have any axe to grind, other than having used Mercury's many times (often at the request of customers), and many times being left radically underwhelmed.


Mercury in a Marshall? Don't waste your money.



Ooh, and LP Freak, nicely built kit btw. That's the first time I've noticed that George's kit actually have v1a feeding into v1B, rather than the other way around (the accepted norm). I can only assume the amp he cloned it from must've been the same way, since technically it would be quieter the other way around since 12ax7's are by design, quieter in the 'b' triode.


----------



## Guitar-Rocker

LP Freak said:


> I've built 3 Metros now and 1 Mojo tone. I prefer the Metros but unfortunately George isn't offering them any more.
> 
> Here's a pic of my Metro 2203


 

I build amps, and try to build them as good as possible (within means), but Metro is without a doubt the benchmark that most everyone shoots for. If you shoot for perfect, it'll end up good enough. If you shoot for good enough, you'll need to redo your work. Metros are pretty much perfect.


----------



## Voodoo Amps

LP Freak said:


> I've built 3 Metros now and 1 Mojo tone. I prefer the Metros but unfortunately George isn't offering them any more.
> 
> Here's a pic of my Metro 2203



Nice build my friend!! 


Happy Thanksgiving!  
Trace


----------



## Voodoo Amps

*demonufo* - Regarding transformers; You are entitled to your opinion and I respect that, truly. Tone is subjective and as such is a matter of taste and as with all matters of tastes there can be no right or wrong, just what you feel sounds best to you. 


All the best to you;
Trace


----------



## LP Freak

Voodoo Amps said:


> Nice build my friend!!
> 
> 
> Happy Thanksgiving!
> Trace


 Thanks Trace. Definately a compliment coming from you.


----------



## LP Freak

demonufo said:


> Ooh, and LP Freak, nicely built kit btw. That's the first time I've noticed that George's kit actually have v1a feeding into v1B, rather than the other way around (the accepted norm). I can only assume the amp he cloned it from must've been the same way, since technically it would be quieter the other way around since 12ax7's are by design, quieter in the 'b' triode.


 Thanks allot. It's definately a great amp.


----------



## LP Freak

Hey Trace, how much do you think the PT affects the tone?


----------



## Voodoo Amps

LP Freak said:


> Hey Trace, how much do you think the PT affects the tone?



That is a good question and one that is not easy to quantify. It is probably best to call me so we can talk as much of this comes down to how much experience you may have. IE: when we first start out building or tweaking tube amps we go through stages of gathering knowledge through hands on experience. Some focus on the preamp first, cap types, resistor types, PPIMV’s, phase inverter, etc. Check your PM as I sent you some info. 


Thanks and talk soon;
Trace


----------



## mAx___

Great info on this thread as I am preparing for my first build.

Note to amp kit makers: You guys are all offering the same exact kits. I'd wish one of you would come up with a Marshall Major kit with optional MV or Power Scaling or -better- a 50w/100w "Mini" Major. As it is right now I'll have to assemble it myself starting with maybe a Superlead kit.

Anybody knows of a better alternative?


----------



## HumanJHawkins

mAx___ said:


> Great info on this thread as I am preparing for my first build.
> 
> Note to amp kit makers: You guys are all offering the same exact kits. I'd wish one of you would come up with a Marshall Major kit with optional MV or Power Scaling or -better- a 50w/100w "Mini" Major. As it is right now I'll have to assemble it myself starting with maybe a Superlead kit.
> 
> Anybody knows of a better alternative?



Just curious (not trying to be a jerk), but why do you want a Marshall Major? Played one and liked the tone? Or some feature of this amp?

Someone might make a kit for one if they hear enough interest, but no one is going to make a mini-version as a kit. The market for any model with a specific mod (like reduced wattage) is way too small. Some of the best kit makers have gotten out of the business because they just couldn't make enough profit even on the most popular models.

The one person I can think of to write about a major kit though, would be Nik at Ceriatone. He may know which of his kits is the closest match, and possibly be able to tell you what you would need to change out.

Good luck.


----------



## mAx___

Hey, no problem, the reason I want a Major is because my favourite guitar tones were recorded with one. Ritchie Blackmore specifically. I can get close with my current setup but the Major really is a one of a kind amp with a very distinct circuitry and unique tone.

I get your point and you are probably right about marketing a kit like the one I'd like. But if there were at least a regular Major kit, I could do the mods myself. Starting a mini-Major based on a Superlead can be very tedious as just a fraction of the circuit is similar.
My point is, if everybody else is selling JTM45s, 18w, 50w and 100w replicas, why not offering something different and be the only one? Just saying...

I contacted Nik a while ago about this and he told me he is not planning in offering one. I might try again with your suggestion of which kit would be the closest match and what to do to turn it into a mini-Major.

Thanks!


----------



## Gordon Thunderfuck

I built the JTM45+ from tube depot and I must say it's amazing. I love it. I run in SS rectified and I think its a great amp and a fun project. I'm a 1st time builder and I only had a couple flubs. I caught them before I powered up the amp(some electrolytic caps in the wrong polarity) after I ran the amp I had found a heater wire I had forgotten to solder...other than that...I'm stunned that this sort of thing is available to an amateur & can be built.

My next build I'll work on improving my lead dress etc..


----------



## john l

rmroza said:


> ...just looked. Looks like Watts Tube Audio kits including all parts to make a barebones chassis for $500! You'd just need a chassis. Probably run you $140-200 on top of that, soo again $700 in parts for everything!
> 
> Ref: Marshall JCM800 / 50w Kit & replacement parts


 
The kit is made up of quality parts but unfortunately ken is a nightmare to deal with and I couldn't recommend him to anyone in good faith. He dances around it but he doesn't stock the chassis, he has them fabbed out once someone orders one and doesn't say anything about the lead time until you ask where the hell your order is 3 weeks later. The kit is missing parts if anything is damaged in shipping get ready for a wild ride getting it straightened out with him. 

Good parts bad management here Im afraid


----------



## T-Mac

ScottMercer said:


> I built the JTM45+ from tube depot and I must say it's amazing. I love it. I run in SS rectified and I think its a great amp and a fun project. I'm a 1st time builder and I only had a couple flubs. I caught them before I powered up the amp(some electrolytic caps in the wrong polarity) after I ran the amp I had found a heater wire I had forgotten to solder...other than that...I'm stunned that this sort of thing is available to an amateur & can be built.
> 
> My next build I'll work on improving my lead dress etc..



I've been looking at this kit as well, but don't the EL34 power tubes and selectable SS rectifier make it more of a JTM50/JMP50 than a JTM 45? I've been trying to learn the differences in these circuits and this kit confuses me.


----------



## HumanJHawkins

T-Mac said:


> I've been looking at this kit as well, but don't the EL34 power tubes and selectable SS rectifier make it more of a JTM50/JMP50 than a JTM 45? I've been trying to learn the differences in these circuits and this kit confuses me.



The differences between a JTM45 and a 50 watt Plexi are (let's see if I can remember them all... I'm sure someone will fill in the gaps if I don't):

1) V1b cathode is not shared with v1a. V1b get's it's own 2.7K resistor with a .68u bypass cap.
2) V1b coupling cap (sometimes) dropped to .0022u from .022 on the JTM.
3) Higher bright cap value (though this was inconsistent anyway)
4) Plexi adds a .68u bypass cap to the v2a cathode.
5) Most plexis have the Jimi Hendrix values on the cathode of V2b, though this also was inconsistent.
6) Way bigger coupling caps all the way around. They varied through the years (increasing over time). But the earliest 50 watt plexis had about double the filter cap values of a JTM45 everywhere.
7) Decreased NFB via increasing the resistance of the NFB resistor and moving closer to the 4 ohm tap to get NFB from.
8) Solid state rectification (as you mentioned)
9) 5 to 10% lower voltage coming off the power transformer.

Hmmm. I don't know the terminology for the remaining couple of changes. But the JTM45 does not natively support EL34 tubes due to having too small of resistor across pins 4 and 6 of the power tubes. That needs to be bumped from 470 ohm to 1K. 

Also the 2Watt 8.2K resistor near the power supply is doubled up to form 16.4K (or more) in a plexi.

Probably going to solid state, splitting the V1 cathodes, boosting the filter caps, swapping to EL34s, and decreasing negative feedback would put a JTM45 solidly into plexi territory. All of the other changes are splitting hairs. But just solid state rectification and EL34s would not be enough.

Cheers.


----------



## Gordon Thunderfuck

T-Mac said:


> I've been looking at this kit as well, but don't the EL34 power tubes and selectable SS rectifier make it more of a JTM50/JMP50 than a JTM 45? I've been trying to learn the differences in these circuits and this kit confuses me.


All I know is listening to the sound coming out of this amp for the first time is like the first time you got to put your face in boobies.


----------



## sct13

Didn't read the whole thread, but checkout 
Valvestorm...
My next kit is coming from that store. 

They have kit check lists, instead of "kits" probably for liability.....??

but top notch components and you can get NOS if its available. 

I'll build it for you too....


----------



## T-Mac

HumanJHawkins said:


> The differences between a JTM45 and a 50 watt Plexi are (let's see if I can remember them all... I'm sure someone will fill in the gaps if I don't):
> 
> 1) V1b cathode is not shared with v1a. V1b get's it's own 2.7K resistor with a .68u bypass cap.
> 2) V1b coupling cap (sometimes) dropped to .0022u from .022 on the JTM.
> 3) Higher bright cap value (though this was inconsistent anyway)
> 4) Plexi adds a .68u bypass cap to the v2a cathode.
> 5) Most plexis have the Jimi Hendrix values on the cathode of V2b, though this also was inconsistent.
> 6) Way bigger coupling caps all the way around. They varied through the years (increasing over time). But the earliest 50 watt plexis had about double the filter cap values of a JTM45 everywhere.
> 7) Decreased NFB via increasing the resistance of the NFB resistor and moving closer to the 4 ohm tap to get NFB from.
> 8) Solid state rectification (as you mentioned)
> 9) 5 to 10% lower voltage coming off the power transformer.
> 
> Hmmm. I don't know the terminology for the remaining couple of changes. But the JTM45 does not natively support EL34 tubes due to having too small of resistor across pins 4 and 6 of the power tubes. That needs to be bumped from 470 ohm to 1K.
> 
> Also the 2Watt 8.2K resistor near the power supply is doubled up to form 16.4K (or more) in a plexi.
> 
> Probably going to solid state, splitting the V1 cathodes, boosting the filter caps, swapping to EL34s, and decreasing negative feedback would put a JTM45 solidly into plexi territory. All of the other changes are splitting hairs. But just solid state rectification and EL34s would not be enough.
> 
> Cheers.



Great info. Thanks. I'm not sure about the other differences you mentioned, but after skimming through the build manual, I see there is a 3 position NFB selector switch by the 4 ohm tap that adjusts NFB resistance. Settings are for Bassman, JTM45, and 1987.


----------



## HumanJHawkins

T-Mac said:


> Great info. Thanks. I'm not sure about the other differences you mentioned, but after skimming through the build manual, I see there is a 3 position NFB selector switch by the 4 ohm tap that adjusts NFB resistance. Settings are for Bassman, JTM45, and 1987.



That's a nice switch to have, though it is not stock on any of the models mentioned. I'm sure what it is doing is switching between the 4, 8, and 16 ohm output transformer taps for the NFB loop. Some people would call this a "clean/dirty" switch. The 16 ohm tap gives more NFB resulting in taming the circuit a lot. The 4 ohm tap is quite untamed. (It may be one step fancier than that, switching both the tap and the resistance value.)

Another way of looking at that switch is just as a low, medium, and high amount of beautiful tube distortion.


----------



## Garrett

Gordon Thunder**** said:


> I built the JTM45+ from tube depot and I must say it's amazing. I love it. I run in SS rectified and I think its a great amp and a fun project. I'm a 1st time builder and I only had a couple flubs. I caught them before I powered up the amp(some electrolytic caps in the wrong polarity) after I ran the amp I had found a heater wire I had forgotten to solder...other than that...I'm stunned that this sort of thing is available to an amateur & can be built.
> 
> My next build I'll work on improving my lead dress etc..



Bumping an old thread and my first post on this site.

I wanted an older Marshall head but didn't have the funds to get a vintage amp. 

I looked at many of the available kits but was intrigued by the circuit layout that the Tube Depot JTM45+ kit offered. I think they should have called it a JTM50 due to the differences in the two circuits.

This kit allows switching between tube and solid state rectification, very cool option. And the 3 position switch for varying the NFB is off of the 4 ohm tap. 

The down side is you have to drill and install the turrets.

Installed the Triode PPIMV master volume.

The quality of the head cabinet is good and the tolex job is great. The instructions provided are superb as well. Everything was individually packaged to make it easy for the first time builder.

Had this amp for a couple of months now, the tonal options are simply amazing. The way the amp responds to the volume and tone knob provides a lot of tone possibilities. The way the amp reacts to your pick attack is fantastic.

The PPIMV works fairly well for lower volumes but would benefit running it with an attenuator to get the full tone.

When this amp is cranked the roar it produces is absolutely outstanding. It takes pedals like a champ.


----------



## sct13

Nice build. 

That has extra filtration in there?


----------



## Garrett

sct13 said:


> Nice build.
> 
> That has extra filtration in there?



No, that's about the only place to put the caps due to the rectifier tube socket location I would guess.


----------



## sct13

No, this first one is a JTM 45 clone and its real, close cousin a 1968 50 watt.

but as long as it sounds good.


----------



## sct13

Oh nevermind....I see....your cap is placed on the inside.....

Marshall had Two holes, one for the tube and one for the cap, 

Your chassis is different. 

Anyway nice build.


----------



## Garrett

Appreciate it sct13. This was my first build and just starting to learn how amp circuits work. I think the chassis is a bit undersized to save on the cost a wee bit. Not sure, but it is pretty small and a was a bit cramped to work in.

If you don't mind me asking, what is the difference in the two caps on the 45 vs the three caps on the 1968?
EDIT: NVM, I see now that it's a clone and original JTM45 in your pics.


If you look at the Tube Depot JTM45+ schematic, what would you say the circuit resembles in the Marshall lineage?

https://d1sjrnpi226dnf.cloudfront.net/spree/attached_files/jtm45plus_schematic_v4.pdf?1391458241


https://d1sjrnpi226dnf.cloudfront.n...es/jtm45plus_wiring_diagram_v4.pdf?1391458259


----------



## sct13

No problem, one thing to remember is that Marshall never did it the same, they were inconsistant, so the wiring you might find in a JTM45 from 1965 to 1968 will be differnt. 

I can't speak for the clone builders, but maybe they wanted more filtration? or change up certain components to make it thier own.???

Also the two amps are somewhat different, since the diode rectifier might sound better that way. 

In my 68' 50 watt the extra hole is plugged by a cap. 

I can say that my JTM build very closely matches the Marshall of 1965/66


----------



## HumanJHawkins

Cool stuff. 

<CUT mistaken comments on the resistance of the NFB circuit --- Tried to use strikethrough the text, but couldn't figure out how. I totally missed the 22K resistor in line with the switch and still on the board. D'oh!>

Personally, I would go with either a 3-position 20K, 80K, 160K off the 4-ohm, or a 20K in series with a 150K pot.


----------



## hopkinwfg

why don't acquire metro plexi instruction and list out your own where to get materials and assemble your own metro diy ? thats what am planning to do after my SLO clone which is coming weeks from now... cant wait


----------



## sct13

hopkinwfg said:


> why don't acquire metro plexi instruction and list out your own where to get materials and assemble your own metro diy ? thats what am planning to do after my SLO clone which is coming weeks from now... cant wait



This is how mine is done....


----------



## hopkinwfg

sct13 said:


> This is how mine is done....



where was your answer to that ?


----------



## sct13

?? I dont understand what you mean...


----------



## Garrett

I think he would like a post with all associated parts for the build.


----------



## sct13

Oh, I think this is the same guy I told him I would help him out with his build.....

Yea he really just needs to go to "ValveStorm" and go shopping, there are whole build lists there. 

Also 

MetroAmp.com Forum &bull; View forum - MetroAmp JTM 45 Kits

And 

MetroAmp.com Forum &bull; View topic - JTM 45 amp kit instructions ***UPDATED*** Oct 2008


Something might be lost in translation? Might be the wrong person. 

anyway, the above links are available. thats how I did mine 
Valve Storm (parts) 

Plans (metroamp)

Season to Taste....


----------



## hopkinwfg

yeah maybe so i did posted a 50watt 2204 build ar metroamp forum a year ago ... always wanted to learn and try to do my own build and evolve to a high gain grinding beast... but.recently i got a SLOclone from C3 as many of anxiety that builds up... but again i would like to do a marshall ptp 2204 i guess is be more fun than doing a pcb... 






sct13 said:


> Oh, I think this is the same guy I told him I would help him out with his build.....
> 
> Yea he really just needs to go to "ValveStorm" and go shopping, there are whole build lists there.
> 
> Also
> 
> MetroAmp.com Forum &bull; View forum - MetroAmp JTM 45 Kits
> 
> And
> 
> MetroAmp.com Forum &bull; View topic - JTM 45 amp kit instructions ***UPDATED*** Oct 2008
> 
> 
> Something might be lost in translation? Might be the wrong person.
> 
> anyway, the above links are available. thats how I did mine
> Valve Storm (parts)
> 
> Plans (metroamp)
> 
> Season to Taste....


----------



## jd267

I would go Ceriatone all the way. Read the drop . Nik calls them packs . The board you can get not assembled .


----------



## DeathAdder

Mr. Bones said:


> Man I have to say that is some of the sloppiest wire dress I have ever seen in an amp! yikes! I am sure the kit is good, but what a sloppy assembly job IMO.


Is it just me or are the heater wires not even twisted? 
Same color (looks like PVC) wire? It can't sound as good as it does. They must have hand picked it out of a garage load of built ones.


----------



## DeathAdder

hopkinwfg said:


> why don't acquire metro plexi instruction and list out your own where to get materials and assemble your own metro diy ? thats what am planning to do after my SLO clone which is coming weeks from now... cant wait



Where did you get the SLO kit from? What trannys and filter caps are in their?


----------



## DeathAdder

hopkinwfg said:


> yeah maybe so i did posted a 50watt 2204 build ar metroamp forum a year ago ... always wanted to learn and try to do my own build and evolve to a high gain grinding beast... but.recently i got a SLOclone from C3 as many of anxiety that builds up... but again i would like to do a marshall ptp 2204 i guess is be more fun than doing a pcb...



I built two of Rob's SLO kits and they are both killer. And his PCBs are the best I have ever seen! 
Also, Rob now stocks SLO 100 turret boards if you wanted to go that way.


----------



## Alexander Raven

I actually do have the files that metroamp used for their amps, and like, what parts are needed for the amp... even down to the types and brands of little parts such as capacitors, or tube sockets... also, metropolous still sells dagnall parts, which is (i believe) what marshall plexis used... alternatively though, as listed in the schematic, you could use either a merren, or a mercury magnetics transformer... just so longs as its the 1.5" OT, and the 1.8" PT @460VDC. (if you're looking for an authentic marshall tone though, I would go with dagnall)
they also have a pretty awesome step by step guide on how to build the amps, as for the schematics, maybe just use the schematics of the ceriatone plexis? i know that they are available for download... and alot of em to!
(I tried to upload the file to here, however its a bit to big to be uploaded. I can however do this:
https://
drive.google
.com/file
/d/1u1Psy5DpJw
9VqJb8dO4KbIklrnXGu38
O/view?usp
=sharing


----------



## Max Gahne

I've made kits from Mojotone, TubeDepot and TedWeber. I started on a Tubedepot 1974X kit mainly because of the wonderful tutorial vids Robert Hull made which are on their site. If you've never built a kit, regardless of your source check out his vids. This was some years ago so things may be different today but something that really stood out is the fabulous quality of the cabinet. It's a beautifully made Marshall clone cab. I've done tweeds from Mojotone, they also make great cabs. One thing I don't like about Mojo's current kits is that many come with multi tap power transformers and I hate all the extra wires. I'm in the USA and want a USA specific transformer. No wires to bundle up. I only buy Ted Weber speakers, for me they're absolutely the best. The amp kit, well they're probably the cheapest provider but if I do another kit I'll get it from probably Mojo, delete the speaker from the order and get the speaker from Weber. I build them all from scratch now, just get a chassis, order transformers and build the cabs myself. After you've done a few all you need is a schematic.


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## neikeel

I agree the Weber parts are not the best, imo.


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## Chris-in-LA

neikeel said:


> I agree the Weber parts are not the best, imo.


 Especially the cheesy Chinese transformers.


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