Vactrol orientation - Deluxe Reverb build.

[Petedub]

Hello again,

I am assembling a turret board for a Deluxe Reverb this is the first time I have tried using a turret board, I have only used tag strip in previous builds.

I have checked all my values and used a bit of solder to keep things in place.

Could anyone please confirm I have my vactrol the right way round.  With the short leg going down and left as in the photo.

Any other comments before I solder this up would be welcome.  I left the copper jumper to remind me that I am missing a resistor, which I'm waiting for.  I have 3 of the yellow poly type caps of the right value for the missing trem components, they are well over voltage requirements but should do the job.

[sluckey]

That vactrol is not meant for that circuit. You need this part...

     https://www.tubesandmore.com/products/switch-vibrato-ldr-fender-amps

[Petedub]

Oh no! I thought it was ok, the roach is a vtl5c1 opticoupler, sold for use in trem circuits.  I used one in a fender style trem last year and it worked ok. I thought it was the same component just non branded and without the jacket. Where did I go wrong?

[sluckey]

Oh no! I thought it was ok, the roach is a vtl5c1 opticoupler, sold for use in trem circuits.  I used one in a fender style trem last year and it worked ok. I thought it was the same component just non branded and without the jacket. Where did I go wrong?

I've never seen the VTL5C1 advertised for use in a trem circuit. AFAIK, the only trem circuit that uses a VTL5C1 is my Trem-O-Nator circuit. The VTL5C1 is usually used in channel switching circuits.

Maybe a VTL5c1 will work in that circuit but I've never seen anyone use it. The link I posted shows the part that was used in all the old AB763 Fender amps. Even my reissue Twin Reverb uses that part.

I guess since you have used one just last year you should still know how to use it. 

[Petedub]

Many thanks for the detailed answer, I did have some help building the previous trem circuit.  I think the position is correct but wanted some confirmation. (right way round but wrong component )

The trem I used in the previous build was the trem o nator, how funny. It worked well and sounded great! This is where I got the part number from and I assumed it was the same part in a fender.   Assumption is the mother of all mess ups!!

Ok so I need a uk source for this part as there's nothing on ebay.

[sluckey]

https://www.tubeampdoctor.com/en/vibrato-ldr-for-fender-vibrate/tremolo

[sluckey]

The trem I used in the previous build was the trem o nator, how funny. It worked well and sounded great!

Do you have a schematic and some pics of that build? I'm always interested to see how others have adapted the TON to their circuits.

[Petedub]

You are welcome to look inside (try not to laugh), this was once a faulty Marshall Haze 40, I have built 3 amps on this chassis, for practice and to experiment a bit.  I realize these pictures are a bit of a horror show but it does work. It sounds pretty good too appart from the hum.

There's no diagram, the power section is similar to on the Haze 40.

LTP Phase splitter similar to Fender/Marshall

The preamp based on a fender AB763.

The trem section was added afterwards by my friend Wayne who sort of looked at the diagram and added the bits to the existing circuit.  Wayne is a experienced electronics engineer with a passion for valve radios.

The previous preamp was a marshall style which also sounded good. The Fender style is my preference.

I have always found it difficult in these home brew builds to balance the output of the preamp to match the output stage correctly.

My conclusions from my experiments have been  - Don't try to reinvent the wheel.