Mark Durham Memorial 18watt Raffle

[sgtoverdrive]

s2 i would be happy to see if metro amps is interested in this cause ,and what can be done.t

[markh]

So, I'm confused (and probably not the only one) -- we've had lots of volunteers -- who's going to build what?

Graydon, 18watt is your baby, we're gonna have to throw the bomb in your court (how that for mixing metaphors?) and ask you to make some executive decisions...

I suggest you select one or two (or three?) builders and task them with soliciting/gathering the parts needed. I'll put in one vote for S2, as he knew Mark better than many of us.

--mark h

[dartanion]

I think to make the most cash in the easiest way would be to have one very large raffle and market it extensively. I'm sure we could do the ebay thing, use our internal connections in the business world, craigslist the raffle, myspace the raffle, you name it. We already have many thousands of dollars worth of goods offered up, so drawing a number of names for the number of prizes, electronically at random, should be trivial. We just need to sell as many tickets as possible.

[dartanion]

Mark,

How about you build one? I'm sure you are a much better builder than I and you actually knew Mark. How about the Original 18watt 212 combo.

S2- Vajra 18watt head

Brown-note - how about a LiteIIb

Me - I'll make the head cab for the JTM45 & can build something else depending on what all parts are donated. Maybe a matching speaker cab for the JTM45, and cab for the parts build (if there is enough parts to do this).

Bender,

Is it possible to put up a registry page that has the BOM for each proposed build, at minimum the Vajra & Original. This would allow a member using their user account to submit a transaction to donate certain parts for a build and then those would be listed as donated. Then also have bin(s) to collect the other donations, tubes, chassis, transformers, amps, guitars, etc.

Any famous forum members willing to donate some autographed memorabilia?

[NitroLiq]

Kit package is definitely a good idea for one of the secondary or tertiary prizes.

[billv]

Dartanion, let me look into that.

[Graydon]

Hi Guys,

Scott is correct. We can bring together a lot of cash and goods to give to the Durhams. I'll tell you that right now (Aug 1), we have over $1000 in cash donations alone which is great.

As has been pointed out, we also have many thousands worth of amps donated to raffle off.

The last time we had a raffle for a kit and cabinet, we raised about $1000 to support the 18watt site. Shortly after that we had the Tsunami, and since that $1000 was more than Gabi needed at the time for website maintenance, we donated I think $500 to some missionaries in Indonesia. We sent a few hundred to the Red Cross when Katrina hit, so I may have gotten my timing mixed up in the above story but my point is that I am pleased to see that our members are concerned for their fellow man and willing to give when the time comes.

Well, the time has really come now and one of our leaders needs us alot now.

Mark was one of the first guys that became involved with this group. The 18W Yahoo group started on April 17, 2001 and Mark joined on Apr 18. He started immediately by submitting photos and schematics. Mark did much of the work along with Richie, Ron Ott, James Grove, Lee MacMillan, Liam and a few others to figure out the correct schematic for the 18W amp. Mark also bought original Radiospares transformers and reverse-engineered those. Without Mark, this project probably would not have gotten off the ground. We'd all be at the Ampage or the Weber BBS still, playing with our tweed Fender clones.

I don't know if we would generate more cash from multiple raffles or if one big one would be better. We have over 3500 members in this 18W community so theoretically, if we all donated a few dollars, it would be easy to generate $10k.

I would propose that we sell "tickets" for $10 each and recommend that each person buys ten tickets each. When all tickets are sold, I will come up with a method to pick the winner (I'll disqualify myself - I have "enough" amps already) and that person will receive the prize.

Then we can run separate raffles for the second and third prizes or we can pick from the same group of tickets for the second and third prizes. Let me know how you guys want to run this.

But, above all, keep in mind that technically, you are going to be _DONATING_ to 18watt.com with no promise of anything in return and then we will have a random drawing to give away some "door prizes". There will be no arguing over how it is done and no complaining that you didn't win something. That would be entirely against the spirit of what we are trying to do here.

Shipping may become the responsibility of the winner but we may be able to come up with some cash donations to cover shipping costs. That was the case when we raffled off the kit last year although our winner was Canadian and unfortunately he had to pay some duty and taxes IIRC.

So, what do you think? I am very interested in the opinions of those of you that may have some professional experience in this field or related fields. (maybe I should split this off to a new thread...)

[doctornorbert]

Since sarge has the tubes covered I'll hang onto my EF86 and save my nickels to buy some raffle tickets. Since it is ultimately cash we are trying to raise.

[dartanion]

Graydon,

Sounds great. I agree with you on the way this should be run. No quibbling once the drawings have happened.

For the raffle, I think it should be one big raffle, otherwise it would get to be way too involved with multiple raffles. I'm sure we can get enough tickets sold to draw as many names as there are prizes from one raffle.

I have already donated some cash and will also buy a bunch of tickets, get my friends and band mates to buy a bunch of tickets, and will do whatever is necessary to help make this happen.

[SoZo]

I have donated cash to his family, but I will happily donate caps or help in any other way I can.... Moderators, Please email me at mail@sozoamplification.com.

[tw001_tw]

I think what a lot of people here are wating for is an address to ship parts too.
Wouldn't a physical inventory help organization?
(or did I miss the address some where?)
just a thought.
--tw

[dartanion]

I think what a lot of people here are wating for is an address to ship parts too.
Wouldn't a physical inventory help organization?
(or did I miss the address some where?)
just a thought.
--tw

We are working out these details at this moment. It appears as though we'll have enough donated parts to build 3 18watters, so we are deciding who will be the builders. Once this is determined, we will notify the donaters of where to send parts. This eliminates sending everything to one location, then having to ship the parts again to the builders.

Hope this makes sense to everyone. We should have this all figured out soon.

Kind regards,
Darin

[PaulRuby]

I have an 18W chassis on the bench I bought eons ago. The face plates were destroyed in shipping. I can finish off this chassis and donate it to the cause if desired. I do not have a cab...

Since the face plates need replaced, maybe a custom set of plates made specifically for the cause would be good? Or should they just be standard? Either way, I need to get faceplates to finish the build.

[dartanion]

Thanks again Paul!!!

The JTM45 head cab is also very much appreciated.

[SouthbayAmpworks]

Just noticed this thread. Let me know if I can help in any way, $$$ or speakers, something....thanks.
Jim Seavall
Southbay Ampworks

[dartanion]

Just noticed this thread. Let me know if I can help in any way, $$$ or speakers, something....thanks.
Jim Seavall
Southbay Ampworks

Since Paul so graciously donated a head cab for the JTM45, I will be building a 212 cab to match it. Do you have 2 12"ers that would mate well with at JTM45?

Thanks again for you generous offer.

[SouthbayAmpworks]

Just noticed this thread. Let me know if I can help in any way, $$$ or speakers, something....thanks.
Jim Seavall
Southbay Ampworks

Since Paul so graciously donated a head cab for the JTM45, I will be building a 212 cab to match it. Do you have 2 12"ers that would mate well with at JTM45?

Thanks again for you generous offer.

I have speakers all over the place, actually, but everyone's idea of what is the best tone is subjective. How about when the raffle/giveaway or whatever is dialed in, we let the winner say what he wants and I'll ship them out? That way the winner gets what they want. Wouldn't that make the most sense?

[dartanion]

I hear where you're coming from, but I think it would be logistically challenging. It would be easiest to have the cab complete with speakers installed so we can advertise the details on the raffle. It is also helpful for me to have the speakers on hand for fitting. I wouldn't want to build a cab that the speakers didn't fit in.

Thanks again for the offer, and feel free to choose what you think would be a good combo for this amp.

[SouthbayAmpworks]

dartanion, shoot me an email, OK? My idea was to say "Select a pair of Scumbacks" for the winner...lots of folks like H magnet models, some like M's, some prefer 75hz, some 55, some like the large dustcap models.

If the amp is a true JTM 45, then it would put out 30-45 watts and any speaker would work. But if it's a later solid state rectifier type, it would put out more wattage and a 2x12 might need higher power handling speakers to handle the head.

If the people involved in this can shoot me an email so I can get it dialed in, that would solve alot of this. I'm leaving on vacation tomorrow, so it's best to reach me at:
sales@southbayampworks.com