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VJ upgrades, louder blues, second 12AX7?


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I stumbled across this VJ "upgrade" ....

 

http://www.valvejr.com/

 

That 15W upgrade is pretty hot but $600

 

Looks like they slap another head in the cabinet though, not retooling the board at all. Sucks. I love the 3 band EQ in there though. seriously though that's too much $$$ for "we stuck another amp in your cabinet"

 

This raises a question though. I like the blues tone from my VJ, just a little above clean and I've got a nice ring in the tone. If I add another EL84 will I have more clean and blues volume, or do I need to add another 12AX7? You can add a new 12AX7 but the instructions I've seen for it are hard to follow...

 

http://members.optusnet.com.au/eyes.only/vj_mods_3/vj.htm

 

Also it seems to me from that particular explanation (the diagram's too complex for me to follow...) that I could easily bypass the second 12AX7...switch?

 

I figure more volume + hot plate == loud clean, blues, and heavy distortion. Right now clean is too quiet and big iron is too loud. An attenuator fixes the second problem.

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you can add a power tube to the vj without spending that much..

and you can change to 6V6 or other, too.

socket, some wire, tube.. couple of components.

I'll get a 6V6 added to mine pretty soon.. I think that will be about ten watts when I'm done.

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on the link (http://members.optusnet.com.au/eyes.only/vj_mods_3/vj.htm) that has to be the worst soldering job I've ever seen; that's also a rev1 combo board and instructions there, so mostly applies if you have a rev1 combo amp.

 

thoughts on Valvejr.com site: Dave West put that site together a few years ago; he has been doing amp's for a long time. if you notice it says "in an Epiphone Cabinet and Chassis." So he has gutted it and put his own stuff in.

 

Wiring in 1 extra 6v6 can be done cheaply as Twang pointed out but if you wish to change the amp to dual 6v6's in what would have to be a push-pull arrangement to accommodate the 15w, is not just a simple wire in a extra tube socket.

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yeah . another el84 or 6V6 isn't so very much to spend or time/effort to do.

But beyond that it can get pretty hairy, I'm sure.

 

Thing is, how much louder or toneful would a push pull be compared to a vj with just another power tube?

and how much more work and expense?

 

For me, I like the idea of pushing the vj toward tone, more than power. I'm hoping the 6V6 will give me a clean volume that is more in keeping with the five watt overdrive I've already got..

a little glassy tone for clean, at a higher volume, otherwise the same amp. it's loud enough driven for me, anytime.

 

I think if I wanted 15 watts or higher, I'd do a scratch build, or buy a kit elsewhere.

600.00? probably you'd be able to do that for quite a bit less...

TWANG

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Yeah, sometimes this internet stuff just makes it difficult to see the cobwebs. Kinda like the dust bunnies that should've buried the Mercury Mod long ago. That's still snaring the occasional buyer unaware, too. ;)

 

Gil...

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