Welcome To the Hoffman Amplifiers Forum

September 08, 2025, 03:26:09 am
guest image
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
-User Name
-Password



Hoffman Amps Forum image Author Topic: Sluckey Revibe build  (Read 2393 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Diverted

  • Level 3
  • ***
  • Posts: 752
  • I love Tube amps
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Sluckey Revibe build
« on: May 03, 2020, 04:53:21 pm »
Thought I’d post some photos of the Revibe (Sluckey’s version) I started building over the weekend. I’m pretty excited to put it together. Just a few more things coming in the mail.
I’m building it in a Bassman chassis. The only changes I’m making from Sluckey’s layout are (1) putting the power switch on the front panel and (2) I’m using a 1/4” stereo jack for the tremolo and reverb foot switches.
Thanks to Sluckey and Hoffman for providing the schematics and layout!

Offline Diverted

  • Level 3
  • ***
  • Posts: 752
  • I love Tube amps
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: Sluckey Revibe build
« Reply #1 on: May 07, 2020, 02:36:39 pm »
Finally finished the wiring up today. Tremolo sounds great, but the reverb has an issue - it isn’t there, for the most part:

With the vibrato level turned up, I’m getting nothing in reverb with all three reverb controls maxed, but I can hear crashing when I knock the reverb tank. As I turn the vibrato level down, I can start to hear more of that wet reverb signal, while the tremolo fades out. By the time I dial the tremolo level down to 0, I’m getting no volume out of the amp. Looks like a miswire to me, but I haven’t found it yet. I’ve traced out the schematic vs. the layout and all looks good. Obviously something’s up.

Interesting side note about this build: My B+ voltages are maybe 10 percent high and it’s a problem with the Weber transformer I got.
If you look at the data sheet for the transformer on Weber, it shows three primary wires: Black, brown and blue. Sluckey specifies use the blue for 125V input.
Obviously Weber made some changes and didn’t update their data sheet because on my transformer, there are four primaries: Black, brown, blue and gray. I ohm’d them out and they’re indeed all on the primary. So I disregarded the gray and brown and used the blue. However that only gave me about 115VAC and when I started the amp up initially I was getting very low B+. I swapped out to the brown tap, which Weber says is the 120V tap, and consequently my numbers are higher than they should be. Using the gray also gave me very low voltage. I’m sure it doesn’t have anything to do with the reverb issue, no big deal. Most of the rest of the voltages are very close in the amp.

Anyway, here are my voltages, or most of them:
B+ 362
A: 357
B: 329
C: 280

V1A
P: 184
K: 1.4

V1B
P: 217
K: 1.65

V2A
P: 129
K: 2

V2B
P: 133
K: 2.2

V3
P: 348
G: 357
K: 26

V4A
P: 286
K: 2.8

V4B
P: 282
K: 2.8

V5A
P: 237
K: 1.75

V5B
P: 200-220 +/-
K: 1.8

Offline Diverted

  • Level 3
  • ***
  • Posts: 752
  • I love Tube amps
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: Sluckey Revibe build
« Reply #2 on: May 07, 2020, 03:19:50 pm »
Here’s a link to a few photos.

https://imgur.com/a/BS2lPsJ


I just went ahead and retraced it out again, not by the schematic but by the layout. I’m not seeing anything I missed, maybe someone will? Reverb transformer has about 340 ohms across the primary, low ohms (<1) across secondary. I swapped out three or four 12AT7s known good, maybe 6-7 12AX7s, and three different 6V6s. No change.

The only changes to the build from Sluckey’s version are:
1. Used one foot switch (stereo) jack for both tremolo and reverb foot switches. I disconnected the reverb foot switch from the circuit at some point to see if it would have any effect; none.
2. I put the power and lamp on the front panel, not the rear.
3. I am using a 9AB3C1B tank, not a 4AB3C1B. One less spring.
4. I ordered a 12” board from TubeDepot, but they sent me an 11” board. So I took the rectifier off the board and put it on terminal strips instead.

Offline Diverted

  • Level 3
  • ***
  • Posts: 752
  • I love Tube amps
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: Sluckey Revibe build
« Reply #3 on: May 07, 2020, 03:52:57 pm »
Fixed it! Not one, but both reverb cables had no continuity in the signal leads :BangHead:
Wow, this thing sounds incredible. Serious reverb!!!

Offline Diverted

  • Level 3
  • ***
  • Posts: 752
  • I love Tube amps
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: Sluckey Revibe build
« Reply #4 on: May 07, 2020, 05:56:35 pm »
The unit’s playing great. Very quiet, great tremolo and great reverb.

I do have a question for Sluckey: Once I get past 7 or so on the intensity pot, I get a really good thump that’s audible with the tremolo pulsing. Is this just because with the LED, it’s a super strong tremolo effect? Or something else? I don’t think I’ll ever play it over 7 anyway, but it would be nice to know that I could crank it up to 10 without the thump, if possible. I love the LED!
Thanks,

Ted

Offline sluckey

  • Level 5
  • *******
  • Posts: 5075
    • Sluckey Amps
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: Sluckey Revibe build
« Reply #5 on: May 07, 2020, 07:33:40 pm »
There's a 4.7M resistor connected to V5-6. Replace that 4.7M with a 6.2M or 6.8M. Any better?
A schematic, layout, and hi-rez pics are very useful for troubleshooting your amp. Don't wait to be asked. JUST DO IT!

Offline Diverted

  • Level 3
  • ***
  • Posts: 752
  • I love Tube amps
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: Sluckey Revibe build
« Reply #6 on: May 08, 2020, 08:07:55 am »
Hi,

Swapped out for 6.6m, and it didn’t make much difference. Went all the way up to 10M, and that reduced the thumping a bit but also decreased the range of the intensity pot. With 10m, I’m not getting any tremolo effect under say, 5 on the dial, and the thumping starts around 7.

I ended up switching back to the 4.7M. The range is better (from about 3 to 7).

Overall, the intensity range is much greater in the slow position.

Thanks!

 


Choose a link from the
Hoffman Amplifiers parts catalog
Mobile Device
Catalog Link
Yard Sale
Discontinued
Misc. Hardware
What's New Board Building
 Parts
Amp trim
Handles
Lamps
Diodes
Hoffman Turret
 Boards
Channel
Switching
Resistors Fender Eyelet
 Boards
Screws/Nuts
Washers
Jacks/Plugs
Connectors
Misc Eyelet
Boards
Tools
Capacitors Custom Boards
Tubes
Valves
Pots
Knobs
Fuses/Cords Chassis
Tube
Sockets
Switches Wire
Cable


Handy Links
Tube Amp Library
Tube Amp
Schematics library
Design a custom Eyelet or
Turret Board
DIY Layout Creator
File analyzer program
DIY Layout Creator
File library
Transformer Wiring
Diagrams
Hoffmanamps
Facebook page
Hoffman Amplifiers
Discount Program


password