Simplified AC10SRT question.

[Allbaldo]

Hello!

I’m a complete newb, and have spent the last few months reading, watching, staring at schematics, etc. I do have decent soldering skills and a working knowledge of parts. Please bear with me!

I’m thinking of building a simplified AC10SRT as a first project. My initial question to determine if this is a good project  to start with is this…

Would removing the reverb and tremolo circuits from this amp affect the basic tone and gain structure of the amp? Given that I don’t really use those effects, I thought I might omit them, saving money, and simplifying the circuit so I can learn my way around before graduating to more complex builds.

There are a couple of different schematics floating around for this amp, and one is said to have several mistakes. The one I’m attaching here is supposed to be mistake free.

Any thoughts or direction would be most welcome!

Stephen

[shooter]

I made my living fixing complex electronic systems, this is the amp I choose as a 1st build, since none of the systems I worked on used "normal" tubes


what kind of test equipment do you have?
have you troubleshot any audio systems?


starting with complex amps tends to "install" many problems to troubleshoot

[Latole]

Shooter give a good advice.

I suggest a Champ 5F1 because you have the layout and schematic .

https://el34world.com/charts/Schematics/files/Fender/Fender_champ_5f1_schem.pdf

[PRR]

> simplified AC10SRT as a first project. My initial question to determine if this is a good project  to start with is this…

I've read some schematics and that AC10RT baffles me. I see what they did but why did they do it that way?? Not wrong, just very strange. How do we remove it? The reverb is tangled-up like your liver, not an easy snip.

Agree that a Champ-type amp is a good first amp project. (A FuzzFace first is good practice.)

[HotBluePlates]

... a simplified AC10SRT ...

Would removing the reverb and tremolo circuits from this amp affect the basic tone and gain structure of the amp? ...

Yes.  A LOT.

The AC10 SRT is what it is because of the reverb circuit.

I've read some schematics and that AC10RT baffles me. I see what they did but why did they do it that way?? Not wrong, just very strange. How do we remove it? The reverb is tangled-up like your liver, not an easy snip.

I would equate the AC10 SRT to the Ampeg Reverberocket R12R.

But then the easy-to-drive EL84 means the preamp slaps the output tubes silly.

[bmccowan]

I also think a champ is a good place to start. But I also recognize that some people swim in Lake Stubborn, like I do. So if craving a simplified Vox, I would suggest looking at Sluckey's AC-15 Lite. It's built on a retired Hammond organ chassis which can be found quite easily, but could also be built from scratch.
http://sluckeyamps.com/hammond/hammond.htm
Best of all, Steve would help.

[Allbaldo]

Thanks for your input, folks! I’ll reconsider this project since it sounds like it’s more complex than makes sense for a first timer. I’ve built mic preamp kits successfully, but that’s a lot different than trying to alter a schematic, or build a tube amp from scratch. Also, if the reverb circuit is part of the gain structure of the amp, it’s more complex than I was hoping to dive on.

[Allbaldo]

I also think a champ is a good place to start. But I also recognize that some people swim in Lake Stubborn, like I do. So if craving a simplified Vox, I would suggest looking at Sluckey's AC-15 Lite. It's built on a retired Hammond organ chassis which can be found quite easily, but could also be built from scratch.
http://sluckeyamps.com/hammond/hammond.htm
Best of all, Steve would help.

This is a good idea too! I have all of the major pieces I need to do Sluckey’s AC15 light in the form of an amp from a late 50’s Hoffman satellite speaker. My plan was to attempt that build second, as I assumed it would be harder than this AC10SRT “lite”.