Hoffman Amplifiers Tube Amplifier Forum

Amp Stuff => Tube Amp Building - Tweaks - Repairs => Topic started by: Hondo944 on December 01, 2020, 11:38:25 pm

Title: Thunderbolt inspired design help
Post by: Hondo944 on December 01, 2020, 11:38:25 pm

Hi all,

I'll try this again, hopefully less dumb!

I'm looking to get help designing an amp inspired by the Thunderbolt Plus, but geared a little more for playing bass.

I'm sure you're all aware, the modern Plus is 35W A tube rect, 45W A/B tube rect, 65W A/B silicon rect.

I'd like to up that to 50/65/85 - 70/90/130 range. I'm sure new transformers would be needed. And maybe/probably different tubes. That's OK. (If it has to lose silicon rect, that's OK). And I'm sure that changes the caps and resistors. Also OK.

Other goals...
Line out
Full utilization of the 2nd pre-amp tube
Single input jack with pot-controlled gain
Tone control split into separate treble and bass (and possibly mid)

Possibly Overdrive

There have been a number of suggested mods on here. I'm open to any/all of them... Except that I'm not adding tremolo or reverb.

I'm not good at electronics. I would happily commission someone to do at least the schematics. Thanks

Title: Re: Thunderbolt inspired design help
Post by: Hondo944 on December 02, 2020, 01:27:47 am

I guess "Full utilization of the 2nd pre-amp tube" really should just say... Use the 2nd triode on V1?

Tubeswell made interesting comments here on parallel triodes... https://el34world.com/Forum/index.php?topic=21316.msg226490#msg226490

Others made good suggestions as well, in that thread, and also here https://el34world.com/Forum/index.php?topic=14540.msg138118#msg138118

Can I add a third 12AX7 for the two extra triodes and use a couple of these ideas as well?