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My $30 hand-built amp


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My point was, there are a lot of people that are too lazy or don't have the skills to make their own. This is a marketable piece of gear in my eyes, although I would certainly have more fun making one myself.

I just got a Vox DA5 to use as a bedroom practice amp and its working great so I'm not going to take the time to build my own, but I probably would have before I bought it.

Can't wait to hear how it does with other pedals driving it.

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Originally posted by Wilbo26

My point was, there are a lot of people that are too lazy or don't have the skills to make their own.

 

 

Negative, then positive. I have no experience with circuit assembly (well, I've soldered and desoldered components a few times and changed pickups, but...). I'd just appreciate a well done job by someone who knows what they're doing and can whip it out in an hour.

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my point is for $24.99 you can get a smokey amp which is the same basic circuit.


Originally posted by Wilbo26

My point was, there are a lot of people that are too lazy or don't have the skills to make their own. This is a marketable piece of gear in my eyes, although I would certainly have more fun making one myself.


I just got a Vox DA5 to use as a bedroom practice amp and its working great so I'm not going to take the time to build my own, but I probably would have before I bought it.


Can't wait to hear how it does with other pedals driving it.

 

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that took more than an hour I'm sure. It is an excellent job though and the clip sounds killer. He'd have to charge $100 for that thing to be worth his time I'm sure. the case is $8 those knobs must be 5-6 bucks a piece, the board was probably 10 so he must have has the pots and all the rest of that stuff already or the price would probably be a bit more.

Originally posted by jimihalen

I'd just appreciate a well done job by someone who knows what they're doing and can whip it out in an hour.

 

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Originally posted by RoboPimp

my point is for $24.99 you can get a smokey amp which is the same basic circuit.



 

 

Ah, gotcha! I saw one of those the other, day, pretty damn sweet! Didn't look as cool as this little project, but if it sounds the same, badass.

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Originally posted by dan-o-guitar



Pure solid-state opamp goodness, no tubes. Here's a gut shot:


guts.jpg

Sounds pretty nice, not a lot of clean headroom on the 9v battery, but if you plug in a 12v wall wart it gives more clean room before it starts to overdrive. Completely maxxed out on both controls yields a nice crunchy overdrive.


I'm going to try driving it with a few pedals tonight. More on the project at
http://beavisaudio.com/Projects/ruby/



Did a little coke during the building, huh? :D

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Clips sounds great!

When you first posted this two weeks ago, it made me kick my ass in gear and build my own. First project ever, and it worked first time. :thu::D It's now housed in an Altoids tin. :cool:

There is a touch of 'hair' in the sound of mine though. Kind of a fuzz, but just whispery in the background.

Which leads to a question: I built mine with those itty-bitty round carbon caps. It looks like you guys have the 'chiclet' style caps that I see in the Radio Shack assortment packs? I'm wondering if that might affect the sound... like a whispery background fuzz...

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Originally posted by zinzin

i am just gonna add a nice on/off switch which always look ace!


but with volume and gain control off course. i have attached the layout for it if anyone is interested.

 

 

 

forumite Birt made me a box just as you describe, I have bought an old cab for it and have velcroed the little amp into the back of the cab ...

 

and dan-o guitar, that box of yours looks stinkin sweet

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Originally posted by bieke




forumite Birt made me a box just as you describe, I have bought an old cab for it and have velcroed the little amp into the back of the cab ...


yes, i remember you posted a pic of it once. why spend to much money for cheap sounding practice amps when you can build a rather good sounding one on your own?;)

the ruby circuit is so simple, can't believe how good it sounds (judging by the soundclips here) - i am very curious to hear and play it for myself. and from what i read it should react very good to effect pedals as well. very very good.

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Originally posted by shepherdspy

Awesome project.


General Guitar Gadget boards are awesome and make things a lot easier and more professional.


I always planned to make one of these but since I have a Microcube now my passion for the project has waned.

 

 

Thats exactly where I am. I got the Vox DA5 and just don't have the need for a small pedal sized amp.

 

How do these project sound with pedals? While the MC and DA5 aren't ever going to sound like a good tube amp, they both react very well with pedals for SS amps.

 

I'll still probably end up building one though. I have an old Squier champ and a Fender Champion 110 that are useless, but could be useable for stuffing something like this and maybe a few other DIY effects into. Hopefully I'll have the time to mess with them down the road.

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Originally posted by dsquared

Clips sounds great!


When you first posted this two weeks ago, it made me kick my ass in gear and build my own. First project ever, and it worked first time.
:thu::D
It's now housed in an Altoids tin.
:cool:

There is a touch of 'hair' in the sound of mine though. Kind of a fuzz, but just whispery in the background.


Which leads to a question: I built mine with those itty-bitty round carbon caps. It looks like you guys have the 'chiclet' style caps that I see in the Radio Shack assortment packs? I'm wondering if that might affect the sound... like a whispery background fuzz...



That's too cool. You are now a pedal hacker. Glad to hear it fired up the first time--that's a good (if rare) thing.

I used film caps (got them from Mouser or Smallbear) where indicated. Sounds like you used the ceramic disk ones from Radio Shack. Caps will affect the sound, but not as much as the guitar and cab.

Finally, there is apparently a layout for a double Ruby, I'm trying to track that down.

Congrats.

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Originally posted by dan-o-guitar


Finally, there is apparently a layout for a double Ruby, I'm trying to track that down.


Congrats.

 

a double ruby? in what sense? you mean the "little gem"?

 

another question: since there is no tone control, how could you influence the sound? different IC? are the "bassman" or "hiwatt" mods the way to go or could someone come up with a three knob version: gain, volume, tone?

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