Dual rectifier replica.

[Keregioz]

Hello guys...

Since buying a dual rectifier solo head here in Greece is impossible for me with it having a price range around 2500 euros or more, i was thinking other solutions. What i am considering is to make a replica of the head based on schematics found on internet. Probably won't sound exactly like a dual rectifier but is there any chance to make a decent amp this way? I haven't looked in to it much yet so i don't know if it's even possible. Does someone maybe have experience with that stuff or have attempted something like this?

 

[STINNETT]

Hello guys...

Since buying a dual rectifier solo head here in Greece is impossible for me with it having a price range around 2500 euros or more, i was thinking other solutions. What i am considering is to make a replica of the head based on schematics found on internet. Probably won't sound exactly like a dual rectifier but is there any chance to make a decent amp this way? I haven't looked in to it much yet so i don't know if it's even possible. Does someone maybe have experience with that stuff or have attempted something like this?

Sure, there are people who build replicas, but it's not a good idea at all if you don't have a good knowledge base with electronics and tube amplifiers in general. There are alot of things that the schematic is not going to tell you. There are books out there concerning tube amps and what makes them tick. I've been researching building a low wattage tube amp for my studio but I've barely gotten started with any actual work. I've just been reading books and gathering information. I wouldn't dream of starting out with something as complex as a Dual Rectifier clone. Do you have any experience building amps at all?
By the way, you'll still be looking at a lot of money. I certainly wouldn't look into that option purely as a money saving venture because it probably won't work out that way.

 

[Genius Gone Insane]

what about finding a busted used one and fixing it?

 

[Keregioz]

I'm not the one who is gonna be doing the building of the amp. I know a guy who supposedly has experience with tube amps... i have not asked him about it yet so i don't know about the price... but it should be much cheaper than the original...i hope.

 

[Genius Gone Insane]

I'm not the one who is gonna be doing the building of the amp. I know a guy who supposedly has experience with tube amps... i have not asked him about it yet so i don't know about the price... but it should be much cheaper than the original...i hope.

Hey malaka what are you playing through right now? You sure you need a recto? Have you tried the less expensive stuff?

 

[Jaymz]

Cant go wrong with a cheeky recto!!

 

[Mr. Brokenamp]

I work on electronics for a living.
Assuming you don't have experience working on electronics/amps you would be in for a treat trying to build a cloneuke:
If you know something about electronics....
1 Go Buy a fender silverface (1970's) like a bassman.
2 rip out the circuit board.
3 Put in new filter caps, assuming you're not building an exact clone add more filter caps. Mesas have TONS of filtering. You have to find a balance here. More filtering in the power supply= tighter bass, but less harmonics. Don't want too much or the amp will sound dull. So find a happy medium.
4 Build the amp circuit. Plate resistors can go upto 220K. I would recommend 220k max on the first and last stages. Probably 100k's on the rest approximately.

Soldano SLO's are the original Mesa Rectos , Mesa ripped it off from Soldano and made some minor changes. So take a look at those schematic also for ideas.
Of course this is just a basic idea for builiding an amp I been drinking merlot for a few hours now so I'm not upto typing out a detailed idea

Then again,
How about a Mesa Studio pre+BBE+2:90 power amp? That is pretty close. Plus you get more usable sounds out of it.

 

[Jaymz]

Or you could always take your chances and nick one!

 

[Keregioz]

Hey malaka what are you playing through right now? You sure you need a recto? Have you tried the less expensive stuff?

Nice use of the word "malaka" ...

Anyway... no i'm not sure i need a recto. Basically that's because i don't know if i will be able to use it at it's full potential in my bedroom. But i'm sick of using modelers so maybe i could work something out.

 

[egan.]

Anyway... no i'm not sure i need a recto. Basically that's because i don't know if i will be able to use it at it's full potential in my bedroom. But i'm sick of using modelers so maybe i could work something out.

Yeah dude if you are in a bedroom situation there are quite a few steps in between modeler and dual rec. 5150 combo comes to mind....that would still be plenty loud enough to play w/ a band too. I'm sure there are other good combos out there as well.

It's just hard for me to imagine building or having someone hand build a one-off amp b/c the one made on the giant assembly line is too expensive. It just seems completely counter-intuitive to me.

 

[Genius Gone Insane]

Nice use of the word "malaka" ...

Anyway... no i'm not sure i need a recto. Basically that's because i don't know if i will be able to use it at it's full potential in my bedroom. But i'm sick of using modelers so maybe i could work something out.

Katalaveno ligo ellinika ke mi lao ligo. Tha fao muni tora. Adio sas!

 

[Keregioz]

Yeah dude if you are in a bedroom situation there are quite a few steps in between modeler and dual rec. 5150 combo comes to mind....that would still be plenty loud enough to play w/ a band too. I'm sure there are other good combos out there as well.

It's just hard for me to imagine building or having someone hand build a one-off amp b/c the one made on the giant assembly line is too expensive. It just seems completely counter-intuitive to me.

Yeah, i agree a 5150 is definitely my next choice. But i hoped that the dual recto replica would be cheaper than the 5150 too.
Anyway, from the comments in this thread it seems that maybe building a replica amp wasn't a very good idea. I'm still going to ask the guy who is supposed to build it his opinion and the price range though, you never know.

 

[Genius Gone Insane]

The other thing is too, to get the recto sound, you're gonna have to crank the volume high, and that won't really work with neighbors.

 

[Wolfeman]

No reason to bump this thread to post spam.

FYI I would stay away from that company. They took the hard work that others did for free(and wanted to remain free) and try to profit off of it.

 

[Ola Englund]

No reason to bump this thread to post spam.

FYI I would stay away from that company. They took the hard work that others did for free(and wanted to remain free) and try to profit off of it.

word!

 

[crillemannen]

I would look up Bugera Trirec. Will be selling for 1000€ and release second quarter this year. If it is as good as the rest of the bugera line im buying one for my studio for sure!!!