Since the Tremolo TMB is getting some serious attention...

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Bieworm
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Since the Tremolo TMB is getting some serious attention...

Post by Bieworm »

Hey guys

Since the Tremolo TMB is getting a well deserved attention.. I couldn't help not posting my progress. This is the 6th or 7th time I'm building one..
This time I am building one in a BF Bassman type chassis, jsut for the fun and the looks. I'm also adding reverb and will be experimenting with the 12DW7 tube.
Before people start wondering: I'm using 6N2P preamp tubes instead of 12AX7, since I've been using them lately with great results. You will notice some weird heater wiring on the sockets and ask yourselves: hey, why isn't pin 9 being used for the heaters. Well, that's the reason :lol:

The faceplate is a dummy, just for the positioning of the holes.
Heater wiring will be done tonight

Here's where I'm at now:

chassis prepped (made the holes for everything and installed most of the hardware parts)
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Re: Since the Tremolo TMB is getting some serious attention...

Post by Bieworm »

Prepped the turretboard. Did some underboard wiring. Wired the input. Made the FWB rectifier...
Then it was soccer.. world cup. Belgium against Canada.. we won!!!😀😀😀
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Re: Since the Tremolo TMB is getting some serious attention...

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Re: Since the Tremolo TMB is getting some serious attention...

Post by Bieworm »

Wired the power tube sockets.. and V1 and 2 sockets.
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Re: Since the Tremolo TMB is getting some serious attention...

Post by Bieworm »

This build is almost ready. It works but I have to do some rewiring on the reverb. I made a mistake there.
Oh yeah.. the fx loop is on the to do list too. My voltages are pretty good, but the bias is too low for me. It's 75% and I like it more around 85 to 90%.
Funny thing happened when starting up.. the volume was reeeeeaaally low. Turned out i forgot the .01uf coupling caps from PI to power tubes. 😀😀😀😀
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Re: Since the Tremolo TMB is getting some serious attention...

Post by chaliapin »

Looking very tidy, very helpful for me im scrutinizing the pictures very closely through my cracked and grimy phone screen...
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Re: Since the Tremolo TMB is getting some serious attention...

Post by Bieworm »

Finished it. FX loop done. Wiring adjusted. Tone for days, guys...
With the daytime wall voltages the bias sits comfortably at 80%, which is really nice!

https://youtu.be/tDhCJ74H_yM

Enjoy!
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Re: Since the Tremolo TMB is getting some serious attention...

Post by chaliapin »

That rips AND roars. I need to find more than one hour per day in the evening when I'm tired and get mine finished! Sorry for the possibly stupid question but the tmb channel is higher gain right?
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Re: Since the Tremolo TMB is getting some serious attention...

Post by Bieworm »

chaliapin wrote:
Wed 11/30/22 10:53 am
That rips AND roars. I need to find more than one hour per day in the evening when I'm tired and get mine finished! Sorry for the possibly stupid question but the tmb channel is higher gain right?
It's a single channel amp. The Tremolo TMB is a totally different amp than the regular 18 watt TMB. The TremTMB is a medium gain amp, very touch sensitive with a VERY good preamp overdrive compared to other amps.
There is always some OD, even low on the gain knob.. but when you roll back your guitar volume it cleans up very nice.. keeping that glassy shimmering high end in the sound. Listen to it again.. pay attention to the high end shimmer.. it's magic!
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Re: Since the Tremolo TMB is getting some serious attention...

Post by Bieworm »

I printed out 10 copies of blank test charts. This is page 2. Page 1 is also 1 check. So I took the voltages only 2 times. Don't panic, I have built this amp 6x already.. I know it by heart ❤

Voltages:
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Re: Since the Tremolo TMB is getting some serious attention...

Post by chaliapin »

So the tone from the tremolo tmb is not the same as the standard 18w circuit even without the trem on?
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Re: Since the Tremolo TMB is getting some serious attention...

Post by Bieworm »

chaliapin wrote:
Tue 12/06/22 5:38 pm
So the tone from the tremolo tmb is not the same as the standard 18w circuit even without the trem on?
No , they're very different amps.
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Re: Since the Tremolo TMB is getting some serious attention...

Post by JMPGuitars »

Bieworm wrote:
Tue 12/06/22 10:39 pm
chaliapin wrote:
Tue 12/06/22 5:38 pm
So the tone from the tremolo tmb is not the same as the standard 18w circuit even without the trem on?
No , they're very different amps.
They different, but not VERY different. It's the same power amp. The main difference is an extra gain stage in the preamp, giving it more punch. But if you turn the gain low, and crank the volume, you'll still sound pretty close to a classic 18W...with slightly bigger ⚽⚽
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Re: Since the Tremolo TMB is getting some serious attention...

Post by Bieworm »

JMPGuitars wrote:
Wed 12/07/22 4:15 pm
Bieworm wrote:
Tue 12/06/22 10:39 pm
chaliapin wrote:
Tue 12/06/22 5:38 pm
So the tone from the tremolo tmb is not the same as the standard 18w circuit even without the trem on?
No , they're very different amps.
They different, but not VERY different. It's the same power amp. The main difference is an extra gain stage in the preamp, giving it more punch. But if you turn the gain low, and crank the volume, you'll still sound pretty close to a classic 18W...with slightly bigger ⚽⚽
Don't forget TMB vs single tone control. Big difference too
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Re: Since the Tremolo TMB is getting some serious attention...

Post by JMPGuitars »

Bieworm wrote:
Wed 12/07/22 5:19 pm
Don't forget TMB vs single tone control. Big difference too
Sure, but if you compare it to the 18W Classic TMB, then the only real difference is the extra gain stage.
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Re: Since the Tremolo TMB is getting some serious attention...

Post by Bieworm »

JMPGuitars wrote:
Wed 12/07/22 5:58 pm
Bieworm wrote:
Wed 12/07/22 5:19 pm
Don't forget TMB vs single tone control. Big difference too
Sure, but if you compare it to the 18W Classic TMB, then the only real difference is the extra gain stage.
True, but I was answering about the difference between a TremTMB and a standard 18W without the tremolo on.. I assumed he referred to the 1974x.
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Re: Since the Tremolo TMB is getting some serious attention...

Post by JMPGuitars »

Bieworm wrote:
Thu 12/08/22 3:59 am
JMPGuitars wrote:
Wed 12/07/22 5:58 pm
Bieworm wrote:
Wed 12/07/22 5:19 pm
Don't forget TMB vs single tone control. Big difference too
Sure, but if you compare it to the 18W Classic TMB, then the only real difference is the extra gain stage.
True, but I was answering about the difference between a TremTMB and a standard 18W without the tremolo on.. I assumed he referred to the 1974x.
1974. 1974X is the reissue. Similarities and differences either way. The heart of it is all the same though in the power section.
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Re: Since the Tremolo TMB is getting some serious attention...

Post by chaliapin »

I was referring to the lite 11b I think which is the only one ive built and heard but all useful information thankyou.
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Re: Since the Tremolo TMB is getting some serious attention...

Post by Bieworm »

Some news on the recent Tremolo TMB Reverb build:

I was comparing the great prototype with this one in detail. Why did the prototype sound so much better? Well I was able to make them both sound exactly the same today.
The magic formula… a 150R sag resistor instead of the 100R.. but the most important ingredient is the gain pot. The schematic calls gor a 250k pot, but when I built the prototype I didn’t have one in stock. I used a 500k pot there instead. That is the key!!! But you can’t have a real clean setting anymore.. I don’t mind! It is friggin awesome

Edit: oh, and a 330p treble cap
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Re: Since the Tremolo TMB is getting some serious attention...

Post by JMPGuitars »

Bieworm wrote:
Fri 01/06/23 9:49 am
Some news on the recent Tremolo TMB Reverb build:

I was comparing the great prototype with this one in detail. Why did the prototype sound so much better? Well I was able to make them both sound exactly the same today.
The magic formula… a 150R sag resistor instead of the 100R.. but the most important ingredient is the gain pot. The schematic calls gor a 250k pot, but when I built the prototype I didn’t have one in stock. I used a 500k pot there instead. That is the key!!! But you can’t have a real clean setting anymore.. I don’t mind! It is friggin awesome

Edit: oh, and a 330p treble cap
I added your mod to the official download thread: viewtopic.php?p=254230#p254230

😉😉
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