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After checking out the physical stuff it was time to plug in.

All tubes light up, no cherries.

Plug it into a speaker, plug in a guitar--Nuttin'!!

Go back and check--I got good pops by physically disturbing each stage, so I'm convinced the amp is working, but there's something wrong with my input jack wiring. Took it completely apart and rewired it with the schematic (not the layout) in hand. Still nothing.

Maybe I burned a resistor?? Replaced the 68Ks and the 1M with some 1/2 watters I had laying around. Still nothing.

Obsessed with the input I start poking around with a ohmmeter set to beep on continuity. When I hit the hot side of the GeorgeL I'm using to go to grids, and the shield--dead short!! I can't physically see anything, maybe I melted some insulation, maybe there's one invisible strand, but there it is.

I jumped the grids to the 68Ks with a plain piece of wire--BINGO. It was noisy but loud and clear. All the controls work as expected, including my CUT control.

Today I will wire in a new shielded input, and check the OT alignment empirically (OK, so I just turn it and see, but I haven't had a chance to use the word empirically since High School).

PS--although I'm sure there'll be some fine tuning I highly recommend the CUT on this amp. With the Master up, and the Volume below 1/2, this is one bright amp. The CUT becomes less effective as the Master goes down, nicely balancing that treble cap on the Volume.

I put a 250KA pot right next to the Master and just hooked up to it--3 to 3 with a jumper, 2 to 2 with a cap. Neato!!

More on my adventures later.

P

Shielded input cable in, let's try it out.

WOW. This amp has an incredible variety of tones, but they all have a clarity and chime. Even the distortion sounds clear (sounds impossible, but I can't describe it any other way.

Sounds better with my Les Paul than any other amp I've tried--there's a complexity that sometimes isn't there with 'buckers.

Low gain input give great twang and cut, stays clean to almost 1/2. High gain is just nuts, giving, well, no clean at all, but in a good way.

With a G&L it has a crisp, icy feel to it. Very complex and percussive.

Now I just have to wait for my neighbors to get up so's I can give it a bit of a crank.

P.

Paul,

Sounds like you've discovered the real Lightning there by the way you describe it. Especially the 'even the distortion sounds clear' part.

And right on, anything past half way, and then away you go. Crisp, clear, chimey!

Congrats on your build.

_________________
Stephen
Web: www.trinityamps.com. Facebook: facebook.com/trinityamps. Twitter: @trinityamps

Must be a good feeling. Congrats. I can't wait to start mine.
Do you still recommened the CUT? I'll probably put one in for the option.

What speaker(s) are you trying it with?

Also, what rectifier did you use?

Yes, the Cut is a very nice addition to this amp. It is more subtle and controllable than a tone control and allows you to just take the edge off of certain settings and/or guitars without dulling or changing the character. It's especially nice when using distortion to cut harshness, but also useful in counteracting the treble bypass cap at very low volumes.

I disconnected it to see if it was any kind of tone or gain suck, but couldn't hear any difference with it in or out of the circuit, so there's no down side. If you don't use it, no harm.

As far as speakers, I already have an Alnico Silver 10 and an Alnico Blue Pup (BBQ 10"). The Blue Pup is a very aggressive and fairly bright speaker, the Silver 10 is smoother and darker. When I had them in my backup Peavey I found they worked together really well. I'll let you know after my Trinity cabinet comes in.

Right now I have an RCA 5AR4 in the rectifier slot--I've had this tube for years, in other amps I noticed it tightened up the tone compared to modern GZ34s. The rest of the tubes are JJs, they're inexpensive and tend to perform really well. I have an ECC803 in V1, an ECC83S in V2, a balanced ECC83S in the PI, and JJ EL84s in the power section.

Of course I'll experiment with my box'o'tubes, but that will wait until the amp is in the cabinet with the actual speakers.

This is a very simple project--1 channel, no reverb or trem, very straightforward design. Ceri@tone and Trinity both have a very clean, easy layout.

Best of luck Kevin--I really enjoyed myself, and expect to have a very nice, loud and portable amp to boot.

P.

Thanks for the info Paul.

I'm building the head version. I like having different heads and cabs to mix and match for different events and recording projects.

I was reading some of the threads on the effects that the different rectifiers make in this amp. I've got a nice Mullard GZ34 waiting for this amp.

I'll certainly post my results when I'm done.

Paul,

How do you like the JJ ECC803? I've been thinking of ordering a few. How does it compare to the regular JJ ECC83?

_________________
Richard Johnson
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Playing an insturment doesn't make you a musician, listening does

I got two of them.

I tried them in V1 and V2 of my Dr Z, and it lost some sparkle, but got fatter, smoother top end. I then put the original (EH) back in V2 and left the ECC803 in V1 and was very impressed, the amp sounded thicker and smoother.

I originally put a ECC83S in V1 of the Lightning and it sounded clear and bell-like. Then I changed to the ECC803 and it lost none of the clarity, but tightened up the bass and smoothed out the high treble.

I can't vouch for it in every amp, but both amps I tried it in gave good results.

P.

Thanks Paul, looks like I need to order a couple to try out.

_________________
Richard Johnson
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Playing an insturment doesn't make you a musician, listening does

Congrats Paul.

I have a schematic for a Lightning, but was wondering what is the B+ on your output tubes? It is not marked on my Schematic. I'm building a HC-30 and I want to set it up with separate paired cathodes like a Lightning so I can pull two tubes and have the 15 watts with the front end of a DC-30.

BTW I'd halve the impedance as well as pull two tubes to avoid a mismatch. I'm using a Matchless PS Tranny and choke, but the output is a AC30 clone.

Paul, really looking forward to seeing and hearing the final product. I have never put a cut in there, but I really feel the need to start a new Forum here DC-15. A 2 ch, Lighting, EF-86, cut control yadda, yadda.

_________________
Stephen
Web: www.trinityamps.com. Facebook: facebook.com/trinityamps. Twitter: @trinityamps