"Knock-off" Mesa boogie dual rectifier pcb worth it... ...or not?

[madstayen]

So check out this link http://www.guitarsonlineshop.com/mesa-boogie-dual-rectifier-2-channel-pcb-boards/ cool isn't it. Question is, is it worth it? For $145 US it sounds incredible, as I would pay almost $3200 to import a true Mesa dual rec to my country. Has anyone bought this? Is it the "real" thing (if you can say a knock-off is real, but if it's a true knock-off it could be as real as the 100% Korean or Japanese knock-off parts used in the true dual rec by Mesa, being knocked off by a true original company, where they are staying true in using their own designs and builds, just like 100% knock-offs......wait, I'm confusing myself here !!!??!??!) Point is, would love a dual rec, am thinking about building one, but the time and effort needed to do such a thing I don't have, and I've read all over the net the difficulty of building it on a scale of 1 to 10 is about 15! ...Uh, wait...something's not adding up again It would be sterling to be able to buy the pcb, and work from there. Wonder if it's the raw pcb only, or if the parts that should be on is there. Then, on the other hand, one of the reviews there (in fact, the only review there) has this to say: "pcb have errors .
The amp doesn't work correctly. Doesn't correspond to the original scheme. You will lose money
Be careful. The high voltage can kill you from for misoperation pcb!!! "

hmmmm, yip, you read it, "from for misoperation", doesn't make sense, but the first part explains a lot. So, back to 1² on that subject, damn!

Just found this one as well http://ampclones.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=1 And it's cheaper, $94 Us. There's no reviews however. Has anyone bought a pcb from them? Any good?

[mremic01]

That's really cool. If it's easier for you to source the parts yourself, I'd say it's worth a shot. If you haven't built on yet, I would see if the Dr Boogey does what you want. I find myself using it a lot more often than my actual Dual Rectifier. The real thing doesn't sound anywhere nearly as good until you can get the power tubes pushed pretty hard.

[madstayen]

thanks, sounds good, I currently have no amp of my own, I'm using a buddy of mine's Marshall 101 cab-amps. So I think its time to get my own now. Can you recommend a good amplifier with a sound close to mesa?

[mth5044]

I would very much stay away from those PCB's. You don't know where they are from, why that site even has them, and it more than likely doesn't come with any building guide, parts list or schematic. Looks very complicated especially for someone who hasn't built an amp and even harder to debug.

If I were you (!) and really wanted that sound, I'd put a Dr. Boogie infront of a TDA power amp and see what happens.

[bancika]

go to slocloneforums.com, guy selling these is there (nick abube IIRC) and there are build reports using his pcbs (I'm referring to ampclones, not the first site you mentioned).

[JustinFun]

One other thing to bear in mind is the cost of the rest of the parts - output and power transformers don't come cheap and by the time you've added in tubes and a chassis it's going to cost a lot more than buying one of the cheaper eastern-made valve amps. So if cost is one of your main reasons for doing this, I really wouldn't bother. For fun, and if you can afford it, why not? Though maybe build a champ or Marshall 18watt first for experience.

[bancika]

Yeah, you can't really save money by making amps usually. Maybe if you're after a 25K trainwreck or something overhyped but not too complicated/expensive to build . Parts alone will be over 1K and a lot, a lot of time and patience. If you're not experienced, results may or may not live up to your expectations and there may be a lot of frustration

Depending on where you are, parts can be a problem as well. Where I live we don't have any higher quality stuff, just cheapo components, so I always have to import parts which gets more and more expensive with shipping charges and taxes rising.

[Frugal Amps]

After building amps for many years and also having built a SLO Clone using a similar PCB setup, I can assure you its not a project for a first amp build.  The circuits are complex, the places to make mistakes are plentiful and the real fun comes after you wire it all up and it does not work right- the debugging process will actually have you swearing and mumbling to yourself for days. 
    I'm not saying building an amp should not be attempted, by all means build something simple and try your mental skills on something simple first.  The Dual rectifier and its ilk are some of the most complex and prone to problem amps a builder can undertake even using a PCB board, its not an effect pedal and the voltages here will certainly kill you if you touch a stray spot with it under power.  Just sayin'.
    Since you are here in this forum, start with a nice clean simple amp- even a Blackface Champ- and then use your pedals for the high gain stuff.  If you have an inclination towards building amps, you'll then move on to the high powered stuff with multiple cascading gain stages, reverb, channel switching, etc.

[J0K3RX]

Yeah, you can't really save money by making amps usually. Maybe if you're after a 25K trainwreck or something overhyped but not too complicated/expensive to build . Parts alone will be over 1K and a lot, a lot of time and patience. If you're not experienced, results may or may not live up to your expectations and there may be a lot of frustration

Depending on where you are, parts can be a problem as well. Where I live we don't have any higher quality stuff, just cheapo components, so I always have to import parts which gets more and more expensive with shipping charges and taxes rising.

Plus side is you will know the amp personally and most likely be able to trouble shoot with ease if any problems come up, I think?

I have been eyeing the UBERSCHALL Chassis + Complete PCB set for quite some time now!

[bancika]

Yes and no. If you buy a quality production amp, most likely you won't have any issues for long time. If you make it yourself, you need to have decent level of experience just to get it running. Complicated amps rarely start working flawlessly the first time you power them up and finding the problem is not trivial.  Also, you'll need even more experience to have confidence that it will run with no issues after it's built. In the past I've built several amps and pedals that I got running but after several months they would develop some issues.
I'm not saying that we shouldn't be building anything, it's just that more often than not you won't save money/time.

[defaced]

So check out this link http://www.guitarsonlineshop.com/mesa-boogie-dual-rectifier-2-channel-pcb-boards/ cool isn't it. Question is, is it worth it? For $145 US it sounds incredible, as I would pay almost $3200 to import a true Mesa dual rec to my country. Has anyone bought this? Is it the "real" thing (if you can say a knock-off is real, but if it's a true knock-off it could be as real as the 100% Korean or Japanese knock-off parts used in the true dual rec by Mesa, being knocked off by a true original company, where they are staying true in using their own designs and builds, just like 100% knock-offs......wait, I'm confusing myself here !!!??!??!) Point is, would love a dual rec, am thinking about building one, but the time and effort needed to do such a thing I don't have, and I've read all over the net the difficulty of building it on a scale of 1 to 10 is about 15! ...Uh, wait...something's not adding up again It would be sterling to be able to buy the pcb, and work from there. Wonder if it's the raw pcb only, or if the parts that should be on is there. Then, on the other hand, one of the reviews there (in fact, the only review there) has this to say: "pcb have errors .
The amp doesn't work correctly. Doesn't correspond to the original scheme. You will lose money
Be careful. The high voltage can kill you from for misoperation pcb!!! "

hmmmm, yip, you read it, "from for misoperation", doesn't make sense, but the first part explains a lot. So, back to 1² on that subject, damn!

Just found this one as well http://ampclones.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=1 And it's cheaper, $94 Us. There's no reviews however. Has anyone bought a pcb from them? Any good?

The gentleman Bancika mentioned is no longer a member on the SLO Clone forum - he was banned for his conduct surrounding taking community developed work and using it for his commercial gains.  I believe some of the work those boards are based off of is still present on the forum, but that's an old thread and stuff disappeared from that board in during the storm that resulted in that person's banning. 

If you really want the Recto sound, you can easily get the it in a pretty straightforward manner by taking a 50 or 100 watt amp that's available in your country and replacing the preamp and some assorted circuitry.  You only need a schematic to do this, you can make a layout pretty easily.  The only thing that makes that amp complicated is all the switching, but since most people only want 1 or 2 sounds that it has available, it can be simplified greatly - which would be a much easier project for a beginner.  I agree with the other comments though that building an amp is generally not cost effective because most of the cost is in the transformers, tubes, chassis, and head shell.  The parts in the amp itself are generally pretty inexpensive, totaling maybe 1/5th the cost of the entire project.  So if you can get an inexpensive used donor amp that has the big parts, you can get a very good amp with much less headache and cost to you. 

I have been eyeing the UBERSCHALL Chassis + Complete PCB set for quite some time now!

I proofed the layout Leo did on the SLO forum.  Since you have done the BF project, you have most of the info to do a Uber build - though there are reported errors in those schematics.  If you have specific questions, I can help you out. 

[madstayen]

No it's good thanks. Thanks 10 million for the advice, I learned my lesson 10 fold with the boogey pedal, Finally got it working today, still some minor hassles, but I will sort it out this week. See I was warned about taking a project like that on, but my stubborn self decided, what the hell, just do it. Cost me lots of swearing, mumbling, fussing and shouting. Soooo, my next project would be a simple booster or something like the "little angel". As for the amp, I bought a new Marshall 102Fx this morning for R4099, that's something like $400 US, which is not bad. Still, it's solid-state, and I would appreciate a valve amp so much more, but this one will do for now

[mistahead]

Marshall solid state is not bad...

Drop good modelling box with a 127A_7 tube (that has more than 9V to play with), and it will out-survive its usefullness when you do move to big Mesa tubes. 

[madstayen]

Thanx, appreciate the help. Still want to build an amp, someday soon, but not now.

[madstayen]

if "f" in frequency =10.53hz, and r=270K in resistance, c in capacitance = what value using the standard reactance formula. Round to the nearest common value:  WTF, need the answer to reg at sloclones, closest thing I can find on the net is: XC = 1 / (2 * π * f * C). Doesn't help me much!!

[stallik]

Put in any answer and hit ok. It will say you're wrong and give you a different question, hopefully easier

[defaced]

That's a good idea.

[duck_arse]

56nF is nearest standard value. just substitute the XC in the equation, which you have (270k) with the C, which you want.

[madstayen]

Listen, I couldn't care one bloody bit what they ask, as soon as you retry an hour later, whole different, but even worse question. So it's actually clear that they aren't interested in gaining members, less you are a f@ckin genius. So that tells me heaps about someone, and I'm compelled to not ever wanting anything to do with them, eh, for short!

[mistahead]

Maybe they want to cull out the folks who jump in with the sort of rubbish you see from some first posts around here.

"I have X question because I fancy myself as capable of doing Y... so can someone step me through Y from start to end, its ok I've done Z before and it EVENTUALLY worked out".

There are lots of communities that don't have quite that level of gate for a learning person, I know - I lurk them.