Blackface preamp voltages

[jordan86]

Similar to my other poll. Thinking of building a 6L6 blackvibe. Single channel blackface, no trem, no Reverb. Venturing into uncharted waters. What I DONT want is a sterile, shrill, clean tone.

I like the idea of slightly higher preamp voltages but slightly lower power amp voltages. My only experience is my Princeton build. I did the stokes mod for higher preamp voltage on the PI and I really like it.

I feel like a lower preamp voltage and high power amp plate voltage is a recipe for sterile, but that’s more a hunch. Would welcome some more experienced feedback.

[tubeswell]

A blackface amp sounds best when its clean. 1 vote for high

[Latole]

What do call a low voltage in preamp ?

Sterile amp ; I'll work on PI resistors ; tube plate resistors
And not perfectly matched output tubes 6 to 10 ma between them are better.
And a mix of different preamp tubes brand

[SILVERGUN]

Check out sluckeys Tweed Deluxe Reverb page and read through til the end where he winds up with 6L6s in there.
https://sluckeyamps.com/tdr/tdr.htm
If you aren't familiar with his site yet, you should be. It is one of my biggest reference tools and I have spent much time there. You can be sure that the info is complete, extremely well documented, and 99.99999999% accurate.

You should really consider keeping the reverb in the circuit. This is the amp that got me hooked on The Fender Reverb Sound and FEEL. The reverb circuit adds depth to the feel of the notes. I forget what Ed Chambley said about it, but it was something to the effect of " the reverb is not just reverb, it changes the feel of the amp".
I personally believe this to be true and would not spend the time to do an entire Blackface circuit and leave out THE BEST PART.

I'm not a guy that can play clean all the time but this amp made me want to play and I wish I never sold it.

I would not try to shove it in a tweed chassis, that's just plain crazy, but a nice Princeton chassis is perfect.
As for voltages, mine came in lower than sluckeys (because I used different transormers), and I'm sure that contributed to the overall soft feel. I did not go as far as converting it to 6L6. For me it was perfect with the 6V6 because I'm not good enough for you to want to hear every nuance of my playing.

[Latole]

+100 for Sluckey and for reverb

[dude]

I been thinking about putting a 763AB in one of my AO-43 chassis’s for a while now, this tread revived my interest again. Only experience, beside playing a Blackface Deluxe reverb many moons ago, was Sluckey’s Deluxe Lite which l highly enjoy. But missing that reverb as mentioned here. So, that Hammond chassis is pretty narrow but seems doable for a single channel, 763AB with reverb, l’d make a single 12 cab.
Would it be best to use a cap can or cans  or the doghouse? Seems l could get the doghouse opposite the PT, since l put a 6v6 Plexi in that chassis, looks like enough room for single caps there? Any thoughts?

[Latole]

I been thinking about putting a 763AB in one of my AO-43 chassis’s for a while now, this tread revived my interest again. Only experience, beside playing a Blackface Deluxe reverb many moons ago, was Sluckey’s Deluxe Lite which l highly enjoy. But missing that reverb as mentioned here. So, that Hammond chassis is pretty narrow but seems doable for a single channel, 763AB with reverb, l’d make a single 12 cab.
Would it be best to use a cap can or cans  or the doghouse? Seems l could get the doghouse opposite the PT, since l put a 6v6 Plexi in that chassis, looks like enough room for single caps there? Any thoughts?

Caps can are more just more expensive than fews single caps.

[sluckey]

Toxophilite has a lot of experience with AO-43 and AB763. Check out some of his threads.

[dude]

Toxophilite has a lot of experience with AO-43 and AB763. Check out some of his threads.

Thanks, I forgot his user name, you gave it to me before.

I been thinking about putting a 763AB in one of my AO-43 chassis’s for a while now, this tread revived my interest again. Only experience, beside playing a Blackface Deluxe reverb many moons ago, was Sluckey’s Deluxe Lite which l highly enjoy. But missing that reverb as mentioned here. So, that Hammond chassis is pretty narrow but seems doable for a single channel, 763AB with reverb, l’d make a single 12 cab.
Would it be best to use a cap can or cans  or the doghouse? Seems l could get the doghouse opposite the PT, since l put a 6v6 Plexi in that chassis, looks like enough room for single caps there? Any thoughts?

Caps can are more just more expensive than fews single caps.

Yeah, single 22uf's are now pretty small, I think the first filter would be around 40uf with an 5AR4. I'm sure Sluckey has his Single Deluxe Reverb schematic posted in that link SG posted.


Thanks, all

[ac427v]

I think it's all about how it is used.
Big room and loud audience needs 6L6 and high voltage.
Small room and quiet listeners needs 6V6 and Princeton Reverb circuit with low (160v) preamp plate voltages.
Mama Bear likes 6V6 with a long-tailed pi and 170v on the preamp plates. Hmmm. That kinda sounds like a Deluxe Reverb!