Power Transformer choice

[AleS]

Those are Carnhill I believe. I don't know the full story, they are very reputable and made Ampmaker's transfomers. This looks different from the Ampmaker version although that might just be looks.

I thought I'd seen frame transformers used as lay-down or drop-through transformers, especially on 18W builds; ie remove one end of the frame, drop through, then replace the frame. Did I hallucinate, Bieworm? Or was it that you wanted to use it as a stand-up, Ale?

My Steve/Valvepower OT was £28 btw. Don't know why TEL quoted you more.

Yes, the website on the label takes you to the Carnhill website. I'd be using them as stand up using the holes in the frame to bolt them to the chassis - basically I'd like to avoid having to route the hole for a drop down PT as I don't have a router, so anything stand up or frame mounted is preferred for me.

Bizarre about the different quote from TEL! I sent Paul an email at the end of last week, if that price is anything to go by I really hope to hear back from him..!

[JMPGuitars]

Carnhill are basically the holy grail for pro audio stuff like classic preamps. I made a couple MP573 preamps with Carnhill iron. I have no idea how they are for a guitar amp, but they're awesome on recording gear. That said, I'd find reviews for the specific use case before deciding.

[Paul-T]

I wonder if those eBay transformers are simply ones that Carnhill unloaded to the retailer they're getting out of guitar amp transformers (pure speculation from me, not inside knowledge). I bought a Carnhill 5W SE from Ampmaker and that company was selling identical ones - although that was at least a year ago and I notice that the ones they are selling now are different, for instance connectors, not captive leads. The 18W OT on there does look different, visually at least, from the Ampmaker one made by Carnhill.

I see my msj above was confusing, just in case I misled you, the 18W OT from Valvepower/Steveuk that I bought was £28, and the PT price I mentioned for £87.60 + carr + vat was from TEL. However, I suspect the price you got from TEL was higher as it's a standup.

I don't know the price of a PT from Valvepower/Steve - sounds like you're in touch with him, but if not PM me as I have a query on wiring i need to send him via fb. I think he spends most of his time now producing Leak hi fi clones (look nice, v pricey) so you tend to have to sneak onto a production run he's doing for some of his bigger clients . The snag might be whether he will produce a standup version. His seems to be the drop-thru/frame style, as attached.