About to start a tube amp, need some advice

[Zben3129]

Okay....

So, I've been doing some shopping, and bought a valve junior chassis and 2 output transformers. I also have 2 el84's, 2 6v6, 5 12ax7, and 41 12au7's. I also have a bunch of other useful tubes (12sn7gt, 6ak5, 6au6, whole load more)

OT 1 -
"Thordarson universal tube amp output transformer.

Its push pull or for single ended.  Front of box indicates "4000/ 7000/ 8000/ 10,000/ 14,000 Ohms CT secondary 0.1 to 30 ohms 4 watts"   Primary marked P  CT  P for plate b+  plate, with original long leads.  Multi taps for speaker 0.1 to 30 ohms (obviously 4-8 ohms falls in the range).  2" mounting centers.   Could be used for a single ended 6bq5 6v6 6aq5 50c5 amp, or these tubes in push pull if you don't need more than 4 continuous watts."

OT 2 -
"Speco Industries T-7020 20 watt 70 volt output transformer tests good,

has 4 and 8 ohm secondary taps, and primary marked C, 5, 10, 15, 20Watt.  The Common, 10W, and 5W taps are about 30 DC ohms center tapped, can be used as a push pull output transformer for a EL34 tube amp up to about 25 watts.  The 30 CT DC ohm primary is too low of resistance for smaller output tubes, for example, years ago I tried this same model transformer as a push pull 6BQ5 output transformer, and could only get 10 watts output because low resistance bogged down the 6BQ5s.    This transformer has a 50-15,000 Hz frequency response, and is not the most efficient transformer for EL34s but would work.

manufacturers spec sheet at bottom of this page

http://www.specotechnologies.com/cart/products/productDetails.asp?prodID=159  "


I was wondering which tube amp I should start off with. I am aware I still need a PT, but I am not sure which one I should get. Let me just say I am going for CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP not highest/best amp. So a link to a really really cheap pt would be nice



Thanks

Zach

[drewl]

I'd build an 18w Marshall clone....just the normal channel.....1-tone, 1-volume and it's a screamin' little monster of an amp!
I've built a couple and they sound great.

[RedHouse]

The best advice I could give you would be to go over to AX84.com and read up on the P1 project, it was specifically designed as a 1st build.

[PerroGrande]

+1 on the P1 and AX84.com.

[John Lyons]

+1 AX84 is the place to seek information about DIY tube amps.
You aren't going to save much money building the amp yourself but you will learn one way or the other.
The way you will save money is once you learn about building tube amps and what to look for.
Then you will be able to "make things work" using spare parts.
I recommend building one of the more established projects there in order to have the support you will need to finish it and get something that works well. Once you learn a few things it will be clearer to you what part change will make certain sonic differences.

John

[morcey2]

Come over to AX84.  We're friendly (usually).    

Matt