Wampeg 18 - new frankenstein build
Moderators: pompeiisneaks, Colossal
Wampeg 18 - new frankenstein build
Finished my latest build and thought I'd share. This project began with the desire to house a vintage 1950s 15" 35-watt Utah gold AlNiCo speaker. I played this speaker in an old Sano Excelsior cabinet, and thought it sounded exceptionally full and well balanced, and great when pushed hard.
I found an unloaded Ampeg B115 combo on eBay that fit the bill. The Utah fit without trouble, and I installed eight Tee nuts and used stainless bolts to attach the speaker firmly, but without warping its frame.
The final piece of the puzzle was a Weber 6M18 chassis, which I bought from a TAG member. Aside from a little lead dress cleanup, and adding an additional power cathode resistor to bring the amp to spec, it sounded good without modification.
In order to install the chassis into the cabinet, I had to cut half an inch off one side of the chassis, cut openings for the transformers, and drill clearance for the tubes. Finally, I completed the back of the chassis with some clear acrylic.
I've dubbed it the Wampeg 18. Enjoy!
[img682]http://www.monkeymatic.com/pub/ebay/Wampeg_18watt-1.jpg[/img]
[img682]http://www.monkeymatic.com/pub/ebay/Wampeg_18watt-2.jpg[/img]
[img682]http://www.monkeymatic.com/pub/ebay/Wampeg_18watt-3.jpg[/img]
[img682]http://www.monkeymatic.com/pub/ebay/Wampeg_18watt-4.jpg[/img]
[img765]http://www.monkeymatic.com/pub/ebay/Wampeg_18watt-5.jpg[/img]
[img765]http://www.monkeymatic.com/pub/ebay/Wampeg_18watt-6.jpg[/img]
I found an unloaded Ampeg B115 combo on eBay that fit the bill. The Utah fit without trouble, and I installed eight Tee nuts and used stainless bolts to attach the speaker firmly, but without warping its frame.
The final piece of the puzzle was a Weber 6M18 chassis, which I bought from a TAG member. Aside from a little lead dress cleanup, and adding an additional power cathode resistor to bring the amp to spec, it sounded good without modification.
In order to install the chassis into the cabinet, I had to cut half an inch off one side of the chassis, cut openings for the transformers, and drill clearance for the tubes. Finally, I completed the back of the chassis with some clear acrylic.
I've dubbed it the Wampeg 18. Enjoy!
[img682]http://www.monkeymatic.com/pub/ebay/Wampeg_18watt-1.jpg[/img]
[img682]http://www.monkeymatic.com/pub/ebay/Wampeg_18watt-2.jpg[/img]
[img682]http://www.monkeymatic.com/pub/ebay/Wampeg_18watt-3.jpg[/img]
[img682]http://www.monkeymatic.com/pub/ebay/Wampeg_18watt-4.jpg[/img]
[img765]http://www.monkeymatic.com/pub/ebay/Wampeg_18watt-5.jpg[/img]
[img765]http://www.monkeymatic.com/pub/ebay/Wampeg_18watt-6.jpg[/img]
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Re: Wampeg 18 - new frankenstein build
Really nice xtian, congrats
And nice use of materials
Darin
And nice use of materials
Darin
Re: Wampeg 18 - new frankenstein build
Really cool build. Well Done !
Bet she sounds good.
Bet she sounds good.
Why Aye Man
Re: Wampeg 18 - new frankenstein build
cool way to improvise
Re: Wampeg 18 - new frankenstein build
Impressive re-purposing job. Really. Nice.
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Re: Wampeg 18 - new frankenstein build
Way cool, is that the B15n circuit?
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Re: Wampeg 18 - new frankenstein build
I love it. Something is hiding in there..
Cool!
Cool!
Signatures have a 255 character limit that I could abuse, but I am not Cecil B. DeMille.
Re: Wampeg 18 - new frankenstein build
The creativity makes it unique!
Interesting that you put damping material behind the speaker.
Used a lot in hi-fi audio - not so much in guitar amps.
Any noticeable difference in sound?
Interesting that you put damping material behind the speaker.
Used a lot in hi-fi audio - not so much in guitar amps.
Any noticeable difference in sound?
Why Aye Man
Re: Wampeg 18 - new frankenstein build
Thanks, all'y'all.
@marcoloco961: No, I bought the cab empty--no speaker or amp. The circuit is Weber's 6M18.
@Bob S: The cab came with that cotton wool installed, so I left it. It's really well balanced, not too bassy, so I didn't bother removing it.
@marcoloco961: No, I bought the cab empty--no speaker or amp. The circuit is Weber's 6M18.
@Bob S: The cab came with that cotton wool installed, so I left it. It's really well balanced, not too bassy, so I didn't bother removing it.
Re: Wampeg 18 - new frankenstein build
Cool use of resources! Soundbytes?
He who dies with the most tubes... wins
Re: Wampeg 18 - new frankenstein build
Great job on the amp!
Re: Wampeg 18 - new frankenstein build
Sound clip attached. Put an SM57 up, off center, as usual, but this speaker has too much bass--had to move the mic dead center on the dust cap, and I'd still roll off the bass EQ if I was meaning to mix this into rock music. Would be awesome for jazz, though.
No EQ, no compression, no effects.
Agile AL-3000 into Wampeg 18, with SM57 on-center, into MOTU 828mk3, exported as 256kbps MP3.
Oh, and a mixed bunch of cheap ass tubes for good measure. Cheap, mean and sloppy.
No EQ, no compression, no effects.
Agile AL-3000 into Wampeg 18, with SM57 on-center, into MOTU 828mk3, exported as 256kbps MP3.
Oh, and a mixed bunch of cheap ass tubes for good measure. Cheap, mean and sloppy.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Re: Wampeg 18 - new frankenstein build
The tone in first part of that clip was very Steely Dan sounding (as in Larry Carlton's sound in Kid Charlemagne)!
He who dies with the most tubes... wins
Re: Wampeg 18 - new frankenstein build
I like it! I've been wanting to do something like that for a while. Great job of cooking up a toneful amp by using your imagination. Sounds great. Good playing too.