Whats on your amp workbench?

Amp tinkerers and people who aren't afraid of 700 volts or so in here....

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Slowy
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Re: Whats on your amp workbench?

Post by Slowy »

MikeC wrote: Tue May 10, 2022 6:35 am Any idea what it's worth slowy?
I'd have guessed $10-12K but super sleuth Jb has been definitive.

I need to confess I've never met one. Back in the '90s when I subscribed to Guitar player magazine, they did a review in the Underground 30 which has left me unrequitedly tumescent ever since. They described an AC30 with more definition, dynamics and versatility than the original, and revealed a magazine staff in raptures. It was a contemporary of Trainwreck; in fact IIRC, the Trainwreck was slightly cheaper.

This was the really early days of botique amp builders. There was Trainwreck, Bruno, Diaz and this guy Randall Smith who was transforming Fender Princetons into weapons of mass destruction.

This one though, is very special. For his Anniversary run, Mr. Bruno pulled out all the stops. Each amp has components selected specifically for the build. Their valves come from several manufacturers, but all are unused vintage glass and matched for the amp.

These are spectacular sounding works of art and the amp equivalent of late 50's Gibson solidbodies.

And you've got one on your workbench!

I'm still tumescent! 8)

Cowtipper's a big, clean beast I seem to remember; like a Steel String Singer?
Beyond a critical point within a finite space, freedom diminishes as numbers increase. This is as true of humans as it is of gas molecules in a sealed flask. The human question is not how many can possibly survive within the system, but what kind of existence is possible for those who so survive.

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Re: Whats on your amp workbench?

Post by Slowy »

MikeC wrote: Tue May 10, 2022 6:30 pm All fixed and beautiful. Moneyshot!
Bruno.jpg
Same owner? I like him already :D

I think the Cowtipper came in 3-4 power sizes. That looks like the baby?
Beyond a critical point within a finite space, freedom diminishes as numbers increase. This is as true of humans as it is of gas molecules in a sealed flask. The human question is not how many can possibly survive within the system, but what kind of existence is possible for those who so survive.

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Re: Whats on your amp workbench?

Post by MikeC »

Yes, this Cow Tipper is like a single channel DR (2x 6V6 grid biased, vibrato & reverb) - it tested 19Wrms clean.
There's no schematics available for the Bruno amps - it's apparently all in Tony Bruno's head. He is unwell and only supports his amps that are still in the hands of the original owner! These two are :)
I loved the sound of the Underground 30.
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Re: Whats on your amp workbench?

Post by Jay »

MikeC wrote: Tue May 10, 2022 6:46 pm Yes, this Cow Tipper is like a single channel DR (2x 6V6 grid biased, vibrato & reverb) - it tested 19Wrms clean.
There's no schematics available for the Bruno amps - it's apparently all in Tony Bruno's head. He is unwell and only supports his amps that are still in the hands of the original owner! These two are :)
I loved the sound of the Underground 30.
Well, you better draw up the circuit diagram prett pronto then so Marshmallow and you can build us a few
When faced with quality, I recognise it every time.

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Re: Whats on your amp workbench?

Post by MikeC »

Jay wrote: Tue May 10, 2022 6:54 pm
MikeC wrote: Tue May 10, 2022 6:46 pm Yes, this Cow Tipper is like a single channel DR (2x 6V6 grid biased, vibrato & reverb) - it tested 19Wrms clean.
There's no schematics available for the Bruno amps - it's apparently all in Tony Bruno's head. He is unwell and only supports his amps that are still in the hands of the original owner! These two are :)
I loved the sound of the Underground 30.
Well, you better draw up the circuit diagram prett pronto then so Marshmallow and you can build us a few
Lol I wish. Not that easy :oops:
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Re: Whats on your amp workbench?

Post by Jay »

Don't know when this sold and how long it can be seen on Reverb, but this price is a bit lower. Not sure how similar the two amps are. Also some good pics there.

https://reverb.com/item/17925814-bruno- ... rb-circuit

edit - another link
https://reverb.com/item/46767395-bruno- ... rb-circuit
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Re: Whats on your amp workbench?

Post by Slowy »

Jay wrote: Tue May 10, 2022 7:29 pm Don't know when this sold and how long it can be seen on Reverb, but this price is a bit lower. Not sure how similar the two amps are. Also some good pics there.

https://reverb.com/item/17925814-bruno- ... rb-circuit

edit - another link
https://reverb.com/item/46767395-bruno- ... rb-circuit
Those are both production rather than Anniversary amps; no Tremolo and less selected components. The combo cab is an upgrade though.
Beyond a critical point within a finite space, freedom diminishes as numbers increase. This is as true of humans as it is of gas molecules in a sealed flask. The human question is not how many can possibly survive within the system, but what kind of existence is possible for those who so survive.

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Re: Whats on your amp workbench?

Post by Slowy »

MikeC wrote: Tue May 10, 2022 6:46 pm Yes, this Cow Tipper is like a single channel DR (2x 6V6 grid biased, vibrato & reverb) - it tested 19Wrms clean.
There's no schematics available for the Bruno amps - it's apparently all in Tony Bruno's head. He is unwell and only supports his amps that are still in the hands of the original owner! These two are :)
I loved the sound of the Underground 30.
Mike, please tell me these get used rather than gloated over.
Beyond a critical point within a finite space, freedom diminishes as numbers increase. This is as true of humans as it is of gas molecules in a sealed flask. The human question is not how many can possibly survive within the system, but what kind of existence is possible for those who so survive.

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Re: Whats on your amp workbench?

Post by MikeC »

Yep, the owner (Roger) has a sound-insulated room that he plays through them in. He's got some more tasty stuff too, not sure quite what!
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Re: Whats on your amp workbench?

Post by Slowy »

MikeC wrote: Tue May 10, 2022 7:49 pm Yep, the owner (Roger) has a sound-insulated room that he plays through them in. He's got some more tasty stuff too, not sure quite what!
Excellent! :D
You might just need an insulated room to wake them up.
Beyond a critical point within a finite space, freedom diminishes as numbers increase. This is as true of humans as it is of gas molecules in a sealed flask. The human question is not how many can possibly survive within the system, but what kind of existence is possible for those who so survive.

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Re: Whats on your amp workbench?

Post by murky »

Frankenstein 5C3 out of an old radio chassis. With a lot of help from a very patient and knowledgable family friend!

One volume, 6SC7 in the pre & PI, both channels paralleled, no tone, no NFB. It sings and is extremely quiet!

Next step is isolated input and cut some bass. Then maybe change the preamp tube to a 6SL7 and put the triodes in series.
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Re: Whats on your amp workbench?

Post by Jay »

murky wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 3:41 pm Frankenstein 5C3 out of an old radio chassis. With a lot of help from a very patient and knowledgable family friend!

One volume, 6SC7 in the pre & PI, both channels paralleled, no tone, no NFB. It sings and is extremely quiet!

Next step is isolated input and cut some bass. Then maybe change the preamp tube to a 6SL7 and put the triodes in series.
Nice, looks like you even wound your own resistor value
When faced with quality, I recognise it every time.

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Re: Whats on your amp workbench?

Post by murky »

Jay wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 4:48 pm
murky wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 3:41 pm Frankenstein 5C3 out of an old radio chassis. With a lot of help from a very patient and knowledgable family friend!

One volume, 6SC7 in the pre & PI, both channels paralleled, no tone, no NFB. It sings and is extremely quiet!

Next step is isolated input and cut some bass. Then maybe change the preamp tube to a 6SL7 and put the triodes in series.
Nice, looks like you even wound your own resistor value
Ha ha. Nah. Not connected. Left it in there because it looks Weird as shit….should probably measure it, might be usable….

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Re: Whats on your amp workbench?

Post by RectifiedAmps »

This is a new one for me. Customer dropped off a ‘Norseman’ 10W amp - made right here in Wellington back in who-knows-when. Anyone come across one before?
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Re: Whats on your amp workbench?

Post by RectifiedAmps »

More details…
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