Princeton / Champ type amp build

llatsni

My last amp - a Matchless Lightning clone - turned out great, but it was very 'by the book'... so this time I wanted to get my head deeper into the inner workings and come up with my own take on a classic... the single 6V6 Fender circuit.

The baseline was the 5E3 schematic, but I've deviated quite a bit:

- solid state rectifier

- VVR (scaling whole amp)

- beefed up power supply

- adjustable negative feedback

- presence control

- adjustable 6V6 bias (possibly even run a 6L6)

- different tone stack ("moonlight")

Chassis and board are pretty much done and dry assembled. Soldering will happen tonight hopefully. Then the hard work of making the cab will commence this weekend. It will be a fairly basic combo style - in green tolex. A 12" speaker will just about fit and I plan on also making a 10" baffle for options.

BigMonka

Tidy work there bud! Have you got any pictures and details of your matchless clone?

llatsni

There's a pic of the finished Lightning on the thread here:
http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/24227/matchless-lightning-clone

It's pretty much exactly the "official" Matchless schematic. I'm running it into a Celestion Alnico Blue. Sounds super.

The blow by blow is on diyaudio:

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/instruments-amps/269905-matchless-lightning-inspired-build.html

Sassafras

Nice work.

What's the little transformer above the turret board for?

llatsni

It's a (very) small choke, so small I thought I might as well mount it internally. The one on my Lightning is nearly the size of the output transformer in comparison!

I fired up the power transformer last night and the indicator bulb lit up - which was nice. Then I proceeded to get about 80% of the way through the soldering. Hopefully finish it tonight and fire it up!