Starting My Own Amp Company

[Wolfeman]

So I had a vision last night..... I came to the realization that with child support payments to make when I get back from Iraq, my plans for the future have to change a bit.... Won't be able to afford a studio anytime soon, so I may have to supplement my income other ways. I'm going to start building amps.

And they will rock.

Won't be profitable at first, but after the first few I should start making a couple bucks off of them. I have a few ideas already based on what I always want to see standard on amps, but I would like some input on features that you guys would like to see. So far I've got- Switchable from EL34/6L6, half power switch(50/100w), ability to bias tubes in pairs, tube fault LEDs, tuner out....

Any thing you guys can think of?

I already have 3 amps lined up.... I wll end up building all 3 of them when I get home as prototypes, make some sound clips, etc... Then I will build them to order. Won't be PCB unless they get popular, tube sockets mounted to chassis, all will have serial loops....
Amp 1- Single channel, voiced similar to a rockerverb... Might change that idea....
Amp 2- 2 channels, Fender style clean on channel one, channel 2 will be JCM800ish with a voicing/boost switch to get it into metal territory. Think Herbert channel 2 or the new Kerry King Sig amp....
Amp 3- Fender style clean, same crunch channel as above, and a lead channel almost identical to the one in my homebrew SLO....

They will all have a master volume, depth control, and presence control... Relay switching, might move to MIDI if I could ever figure it out. Every channel will have a bunch of switches to do different things(mess around with the EQ)....

 

[egan.]

Let m know if you want some beta testers.

 

[Wolfeman]

Let m know if you want some beta testers.

That was part of my master plan

I trust a lot of people on these forums, and would love to have them field tested when I get them done. You guys will be the first to know.

 

[Wolfeman]

Also, I know there are a lot of 'ugly' amps out there... Any input on colors, materials, etc would be much appreciated!!

 

[egan.]

All of the design ideas are interesting to me. Part of me really likes the single channel to keep cost down--especially since we just pump our cleans from pedal--> fx return.

I think the most important thing looks-wise is to keep things simple and classy. I like the way kranks sound but the logo and lime green made me laugh the first time I saw a picture. Same thing with the XXX-- I love the amp but I don't think the world needed a trailer park version of a dual rec (looks-wise).

 

[Unavailable]

All of the design ideas are interesting to me. Part of me really likes the single channel to keep cost down--especially since we just pump our cleans from pedal--> fx return.

I think the most important thing looks-wise is to keep things simple and classy. I like the way kranks sound but the logo and lime green made me laugh the first time I saw a picture. Same thing with the XXX-- I love the amp but I don't think the world needed a trailer park version of a dual rec (looks-wise).

+1 for simplicity. (In appearance)

 

[Metaltastic]

Oh man Eric, this is a fucking awesome idea, and will let me vicariously live my custom amp designing dreams! I agree with Egan that the Green on the Krankenstein looks lame-tarded, but I like the look of the Rev - I think the "holey" grille (if you will) looks sweet, and I like the logo. Aesthetics-wise, I guess the only thing that comes to mind is I prefer the Taurus vinyl that Mesa amps/cabs have, rather than the Tolex of, well, every other amp out there. OOOOh, or, you could do that pickup truck bedliner-material type thing that Vader cabs does (read about it here), that'd be sweet.

As for options, one thing I would HIGHLY request would be a series FX loop (which you seem to already have), and that it be able to be engaged/disengaged by a footswitch (a la Peavey tube heads). That way, one could have a delay pedal chilling in the loop and toggle it on and off from the amp's master footswitch, rather than having to bring the pedal to the front of the stage. Also, two master volumes that could also be toggled between on the footswitch is essential. And I remember some guy on here got a custom amp (Garland, I think) with a built in Tube Screamer in it, which was all kinds of awesome, so throw that in as well! (and it'd rule if it could be set up to always be on when the distortion channel is on, and switched off automatically when going to clean). Oooooh, the possibilities are endless, I'll be revisiting this thread a few times...

And as for tone, I really much prefer a good crunch in my tone, with not necessarily that much saturation (relatively speaking) - meaning, I'm realizing that the Peavey tone isn't really something I'm too fond of (though I'm a bit heated right now after deciding to bail on my JSX).

 

[Metaltastic]

Oh, and PLEASE no two gain controls on one channel (a la VHT) or any other annoyingly confusing crap - I want the damn thing to sound good right off the bat!

 

[Sloan]

dude, hook up with the chinese bros that do the blackheart and valve jr shit and put in a custom design. bulk order and overprice.
you will be fucking skankrich perhaps.

 

[Metaltastic]

ANNNNNDDDDDD, I want a low-power but high-tone model, like the Tiny Terror and Rev. Jr.! Ok, NOW I'm done (for awhile )

 

[JBroll]

EQ before and after the preamp. Make my TS obsolete!

Jeff

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

Personally I would like to see the fallowing (although this might be impossible ):

808 right inside the chassy (like the Garland) make it foot switchable as well as switchable right on the amp, true bypass of course. Switchable led and diode cliping would be tits as another switchable feature.

JBroll's idea as well (nice man!).

3 chanell: clean=volume, bass, tone. Ch 2 voiced like the green ch on a 5150 Gain bass, mid, treb, vol, bright and gain boost switchable (not nessesarily foot). Ch 3 Dunno just make it good, same controls as the 2nd ch.

Fuck reverb imo.

That's all I have, but that's kind of alot of shit to pack into an amp.

Footswitch: ch switch X3, 808 switch, loop switch.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

Exterior:

With black piping.

Like this amp only with the colors I just put down (in head form):

http://www.valvetechamps.com/images/signature.jpg

 

[Roondaggio]

this is something I've always wanted for an amp (especially live), but I've NEVER found it, and I've asked a few amp tech's and they are dumbfounded when I ask about it...

you know how you can get a fat, chorus-type sound if you take a guitar track, delay it by 20-30 milliseconds, and then combine it with the original (usually with them panned far apart)...I was wondering if you could somehow do that with the cabinet outputs on an amp...

so lets say you can plug 2 16 ohm cabs into a head... have one of those outputs have the option of having it be delayed 20-30 milliseconds...I know a few big bands with one guitar player use this to fatten up their live sound, and I think if this was built into an amp, it would be fucking awesome, and I've NEVER seen it done before.

 

[Machinated]

I think it would be cool to have a TS circuit inside, that is only on selected channels, so you can change from clean, to TS distorted tones.

 

[Radd]

I think you should name your amp company "AFH", "Amps From Heaven". Haha. or "Hell".

 

[Metaltastic]

this is something I've always wanted for an amp (especially live), but I've NEVER found it, and I've asked a few amp tech's and they are dumbfounded when I ask about it...

you know how you can get a fat, chorus-type sound if you take a guitar track, delay it by 20-30 milliseconds, and then combine it with the original (usually with them panned far apart)...I was wondering if you could somehow do that with the cabinet outputs on an amp...

so lets say you can plug 2 16 ohm cabs into a head... have one of those outputs have the option of having it be delayed 20-30 milliseconds...I know a few big bands with one guitar player use this to fatten up their live sound, and I think if this was built into an amp, it would be fucking awesome, and I've NEVER seen it done before.

Eh, I'd only want this if it was cheap, and seeing as how I think you'd have to have the amp be stereo-capable to make it work, and given the price difference between, say, the Diezel VH4 and VH4S, I'm gonna have to say this is probably pretty disposable. Also, I know this is all preference of course, but as I mentioned above with simplicity, I'd rather not have an EQ before and after the preamp, and just stick to the built in TS - I hate having so many options, and always wondering if my stuff could sound better if I tweaked more, and I end up making it sound worse by obsessing! "Paralysis through analysis," as my Dad would say.

 

[Wolfeman]

Wow I didn't think this thread would get so many replies.... Thanks for all the responses. I'll try to tackle them all....

I think the most important thing looks-wise is to keep things simple and classy.

I totally agree. I love the look of, lets say, the Ecstasy with the tweed covering on the front.. Very simple yet still a beast of an amp. Only problem is I am a fan of 'seeing' the tubes, so just thorowing up a peice of wood and covering it won't cut it for me.... And every other amp out there has that almost identical see through grating... Don't wan't to go there... So I came up with a great idea, but it looks pretty similar to the VHT's, so i may have to play around with it a bit. VHT's only show through at the top, I would do top and bottom see through....

Aesthetics-wise, I guess the only thing that comes to mind is I prefer the Taurus vinyl that Mesa amps/cabs have, rather than the Tolex of, well, every other amp out there. OOOOh, or, you could do that pickup truck bedliner-material type thing that Vader cabs does (read about it here), that'd be sweet.

Funny you mention the Rhino liner stuff, because I was going to make that an option. For a giging musician, there is no better way to go. And the less amps to tolex, the better(PITA). But in general when it comes to tolex, I was going to offer whatever the buyer can think of. That's the beauty of a custom amp.

As for options, one thing I would HIGHLY request would be a series FX loop (which you seem to already have), and that it be able to be engaged/disengaged by a footswitch (a la Peavey tube heads). That way, one could have a delay pedal chilling in the loop and toggle it on and off from the amp's master footswitch, rather than having to bring the pedal to the front of the stage. Also, two master volumes that could also be toggled between on the footswitch is essential.

Serial loops, the kind that we are all used to, will be on them all, and switchable of course, just like the Peavys. The problem with a delay in a serial loop is that when you cut the loop, it cuts off the delay trails, which is why most guys that like delays, verbs, etc in the loop always go for parallel loops. Whene you start adding things like that, the price starts to go up, and you can see why amps with multiple loops start costing upwards of $3000. Multiple master volumes can be done, I love that concept on my Herbert, but once agin the cost of adding lots of small things makes that price rise even more. And making all those things switchable from a footswitch starts complicating things. Can it be done? Yes. Very manigable with MIDI, but otherwise you would have a footswitch mith 6,7,8 buttons, and that wouldn't fly. Also you start running into power issues. Everything in the amp sucks power from the transformer. Relays use that power. The more relays you have, the more power you need, the more you draw from the transformer, which means more expensive transformer. I could always add a seperate transformer for the switching duties, but cost is still rising here, and so is the weight.

 

[Wolfeman]

And I remember some guy on here got a custom amp (Garland, I think) with a built in Tube Screamer in it, which was all kinds of awesome, so throw that in as well! (and it'd rule if it could be set up to always be on when the distortion channel is on, and switched off automatically when going to clean).

808 right inside the chassy (like the Garland) make it foot switchable as well as switchable right on the amp, true bypass of course. Switchable led and diode cliping would be tits as another switchable feature.

I think it would be cool to have a TS circuit inside, that is only on selected channels, so you can change from clean, to TS distorted tones.

The tube screamer inside can be done no problem. It's just a tube screamer circuit after the input sucking power from the amp trans instead of a battery or wall wart. I could definatly see this as an option, for additional cost. I think the reason most amp companies do not do this is because every one pretty much owns a tube screamer, or could just go buy one at anytime. And then you get back to the power issue(stealing critical mA from the trans). And then making it switchable on all the different channels get back to the issues from my last post.... I'll have to look into it a bit more. Looks liek I'm going to have to learn how to program MIDI chips after all And that would require PCB..... Ughhhhh..... Let's just say I'll build the amps and then look into all that after I get the prototypes complete.

And as for tone, I really much prefer a good crunch in my tone, with not necessarily that much saturation (relatively speaking) - meaning, I'm realizing that the Peavey tone isn't really something I'm too fond of

I'm all for the crunch too man. Just 2 weeks with the Diezel and I changed my mind about EL34's.... The nice thing about that Peavey/SLO style channel is that it works great for lead work(IMO) and the Marshall style crunch just doesn't work for leads(once again, totally my own opinion).

3 chanell: clean=volume, bass, tone. Ch 2 voiced like the green ch on a 5150 Gain bass, mid, treb, vol, bright and gain boost switchable (not nessesarily foot). Ch 3 Dunno just make it good, same controls as the 2nd ch.

That is almost exactally how I was going to do it. Clean channel would be a Baxendall(spelling?) tone circuit, no mid control(trust me, with a baxendall you don't need it!). Controls on the other 2 channels would be exactly how you said.

Oh, and PLEASE no two gain controls on one channel (a la VHT) or any other annoyingly confusing crap - I want the damn thing to sound good right off the bat!

Nah I won't make it that confusing. Might be alot of switches to change the way the tone controls work, but it will be straight forward.

EQ before and after the preamp. Make my TS obsolete!

Do you mean like the way the Mesa Mark series is? The actual tone controls on them are before the gain stages, and the graphic eq is right after them, right before the power amp. When it comes to tone controls/eq, anything can be done really.

Fuck reverb imo.

It never crossed my mind, trust me.

 

[Wolfeman]

you know how you can get a fat, chorus-type sound if you take a guitar track, delay it by 20-30 milliseconds, and then combine it with the original (usually with them panned far apart)...I was wondering if you could somehow do that with the cabinet outputs on an amp...

so lets say you can plug 2 16 ohm cabs into a head... have one of those outputs have the option of having it be delayed 20-30 milliseconds...I know a few big bands with one guitar player use this to fatten up their live sound, and I think if this was built into an amp, it would be fucking awesome, and I've NEVER seen it done before.

Metaltastic pretty much hit it on the head. It can be done, just look at the VH4s. But now you have a ton of money needed to get that stuff done. I haven't seen a VH4S schem, but I think its essentialy 2 power amps with 2 output transformers, just like a rackmount stereo power amp. And you would still need a delay in the loop. At that point you might as well just build a nice rack unit with a stereo power amp. I mean, any amp builder can do that, but would you really want to pay that much?