TW Express build.

[joesatch]

I have procured the transformers (Heboyer). I am reading alot online and looking at this doc. There is a consensus as a starting point you have to get the chassis right and it seems the chassis originally used isnt available anymore. Modulus sells one in the UK but i would prefer to buy in the US. The BUD Chassis according to BUD is still being made however nobody sells it AC-425.  Anyone have experience with this chassis? It looks to be the same thickness as the original .05"

https://www.tubesandmore.com/products/chassis-box-hammond-aluminum-16-x-8-x-2

[ok_state_blues]

https://www.amplifiedparts.com/products/chassis-box-hammond-aluminum-16-x-8-x-3

Would a Hammond help?

[joesatch]

that one is 3" high , the original is 2" high

[ok_state_blues]

https://www.amplifiedparts.com/products/chassis-box-hammond-aluminum-16-x-8-x-2

[ok_state_blues]

Or for $2 more, you can choose between grey or black

[joesatch]

ok folks. i may have mislead on my question. A TW build is essentially a corksniffers paradise. Every little detail is scrutinized under a microscope when building one of these. The hammond chassis has the right dimensions but how faithful to the original can it be?

[SILVERGUN]

ok folks. i may have mislead on my question. A TW build is essentially a corksniffers paradise. Every little detail is scrutinized under a microscope when building one of these. The hammond chassis has the right dimensions but how faithful to the original can it be?

At some point you have to ask yourself:
"why does it matter?"


Are you trying to build an EXACT replica?
I wouldn't hesitate to throw up both middle fingers to the sci-fi community and smack one of these in a Stout chassis.
At the end of the day, it is just a geetar amplifier. Originals were built with care, strong components and solid construction techniques back when a 50W head was a neccessity. If you can tell the difference in TONE between aluminum and steel chassis then you're in the wrong business. You should be selling farmland on the South Pole.

[PRR]

It's all in the fingers?

[SILVERGUN]

It's all in the fingers?

Lets not get crazy now...

[joesatch]

Ok the Chassis needs to be aluminum and 17"x 8"x 2" . If anyone comes across one of these please let me know. Thanks

[Glenn]

You can get one built at Seaside chassis with those dimensions, he’s in Nova Scotia
https://seasidechassisdesign.com/

I built 2 express’s and they are very loud even at 2 on the dial. I used to put a 1x12 speaker cabinet in a closet. I find for home use the cops are coming if you want to open it up where it really sounds good.
They don’t take pedals very well either. These are the reasons I got rid of mine. I tried it with a MV 2 different ways. Didn’t sound that great.
Yeah like the fellows here says it is just an amp, but if you build one like the pictures you see on TAG or the internet, you can get it to be pretty stable. I’ve done lots of reading on these things and the consensus is they were built very close to being unstable.
The iron and chassis from one of my express’s I used to build a Rocket reverb with KT66’s.
I’m not trying to dissuade you just my 2 cents
Good luck with your build

[joesatch]

You can get one built at Seaside chassis with those dimensions, he’s in Nova Scotia
https://seasidechassisdesign.com/

I built 2 express’s and they are very loud even at 2 on the dial. I used to put a 1x12 speaker cabinet in a closet. I find for home use the cops are coming if you want to open it up where it really sounds good.
They don’t take pedals very well either. These are the reasons I got rid of mine. I tried it with a MV 2 different ways. Didn’t sound that great.
Yeah like the fellows here says it is just an amp, but if you build one like the pictures you see on TAG or the internet, you can get it to be pretty stable. I’ve done lots of reading on these things and the consensus is they were built very close to being unstable.
The iron and chassis from one of my express’s I used to build a Rocket reverb with KT66’s.
I’m not trying to dissuade you just my 2 cents
Good luck with your build

How they sound in a reactive load?.  Maybe i'll build a JTM45 with the iron, pretty close and has the 5v tap for the rectifier

[Glenn]

I think the JTM is more versatile, just my opinion but the express is like a one trick pony. I forgot I waslooking in the basement this evening and I forgot I built a 6y6gt express as well. I looks rather nice and it turned out ok but because I forgot About it shows how much I play it.
I do have a 4xel84 Liverpool with a type 3 MV. I play it a lot, it’s nasty but also cleans up very nice but I can at least put a reverb pedal on it.
Build the JTM.

[dwinstonwood]

A while ago I started down the TW Express road. Then I noticed a pretty close resemblance between the Express and the Bass channel of the AA864 Bassman. At the time, I also wanted to build a Bassman. So, with a lot of help from sluckey and others here on the forum, I ended up with something I called the Musing 40 amp with 6L6's.

I recently build a second cathode biased version with 6V6's (Musing 15). I've also thought about building another one with EL34's using some of the more critical Express component values.

They fit great in the Hoffman Stout chassis. Anyway, take a look at the bass channel in the AA864 schematic:

https://el34world.com/charts/Schematics/files/Fender/Fender_bassman_aa864_schematic.pdf

[acheld]

I'm not big fan of the Hammond aluminum boxes for powerful amps --  eg with big iron -- as they are constructed with only 16ga (.051", or 1.3mm) aluminum.   This is just fine for smaller amps, but for larger amps the top will flex and bend with large PT and OT's.

As mentioned above, the seaside chassis guy uses 12ga (or 14ga) aluminum.  The 12ga boxes are as rigid as they come.  The good news is that "custom" sizes are not much more expensive.   Although he is in rural Nova Scotia, I normally receive a chassis about a week after I order it here in MD. 

As for TW amps, I know less than Sergeant Schultz.   That said, each genre of amps seems to have its own set of qualities -- and it can take some time to learn what works (or doesn't) for you.  It's a lot of fun to explore the amp and figure out why and how it works the way it does. 

[tubeswell]

Weber has a 6M50 ally chassis on their bargain centre site punched out for 9 noval sockets https://www.tedweber.com/6m50ch/

[joesatch]

Project shelved. When the correct chassis presents itself, i will proceed.

[DummyLoad]

chassis material does NOT matter.

http://www.triodeelectronics.com/twchassis.html

--Pete

[joesatch]

Chassis has to be aluminum 17" X 8" X 2" .  Deviating from that and there's no point in building it. A TW is a one trick pony and if i have any thoughts on selling it in the future it's gotta be faithful to the original. If i was gonna change things up i might as well build a bassman

[acheld]

Chassis has to be aluminum 17" X 8" X 2" .

What gauge?

[joesatch]

original was .05"

[uki]

Aluminum is very easy to work with!

[nandrewjackson]

I heard they only ever sounded right when plugged in a building using Lennox or Rheem air conditioning, so factor that in too.


😁🎸🎛️🌳✝️🎸🎸🎛️

[sluckey]

Aluminum is very easy to work with!

Especially that flimsy thin stuff.   

[tubeswell]

Looking at the Weber site a bit more closely - the 'Java' was Ted Weber's take on the TW Express.



6M45 chassis (0.090" ally) would work with custom faceplates https://www.tedweber.com/6m45ch/


YMMV