Suhr SL67 - My Next Amp!

[vanhalen5150]

Lowering the voltage too much wiped out a new set of KT77's I had in 12002. I had them running below 2.5. It took a quite a few hours and then they each slowly redplated began to glow with a purple haze. Once I brought the voltage back up it stopped but they only lasted a week or so after that. I had a video of that in the 12000 section but everything got wiped out. At the time I didn't know what had caused it but that's what I concluded.

Yeah, there is some weird stuff going on in that gut shot. I blew it up but you cant tell whats going on there. Whats that thing to the right between v1 and v2? It looks like a fuse holder or something?

[rgorke]

Lowering the voltage too much wiped out a new set of KT77's I had in 12002. I had them running below 2.5. It took a quite a few hours and then they each slowly redplated began to glow with a purple haze. Once I brought the voltage back up it stopped but they only lasted a week or so after that. I had a video of that in the 12000 section but everything got wiped out. At the time I didn't know what had caused it but that's what I concluded.
?

I have had my amp running below 90 volts for 3 years on the same set of Sylvania 6CA7s and they are still going strong. Maybe a difference between KT77s and 6CA7s?

[vanhalen5150]

Yes but what are your heaters showing? Could be a bad wind on the PT as well.

[vh junkie]

Yeah, there is some weird stuff going on in that gut shot. I blew it up but you cant tell whats going on there. Whats that thing to the right between v1 and v2? It looks like a fuse holder or something?

Oh, I thought you meant the switchable recto amp... you mean the SL68? Looks like he is using terminal strips to mount the vi grid resistors right at the socket. He is also doing this on the power tubes for the 1ohm bias sense resistors so that he can run those grounds over to a common point (rather than using a lug on the socket screw)

[MacGaden]

I don´t hear anything exceptional in the clips of the SL67 (Or SL68..) I´ve recently had both a plexi ´69 50 watt and a ´68 SL in my mancave: The 50 watter sounded more or less like the clips, just less harsh. As does my ´72 Park with the same specs. Same amount of gain, all stock, good tubes. As for the "squishiness" in the low-voltage mode: My firend has a ´69 50 watter he put a rectifier tube in (It had a defective PT, so..) So: It is basically a "Lead-spec JTM50" now. (Marshall never made one, but they should have..) Into a hotplate it gets that sound..
The SL ´68 #12167 was brutal, bright and loud, but turned up to 10 it was instant EVH with my humbucker Strat. In that context the Suhrs don´t sound very special to me, and you could easily get that sound from a build, or from George. (And the Suhr SL68 looks like a Metro 12-series knockoff to me, with the virtual variac, and a LarMar-master developed on this forum..)

[vanhalen5150]

At 3K plus tax's and shipping I say invest your time and $1200.00 with some parts. Questions and answers are free here. If your going to spend the cash regardless, get George to build you this amp.

[Tone Slinger]

+1 on the last two posts. With the SUHR 67 or 68, your hearing a 'production' amp. Thorn, nor Estrada get under the hood (though they seem 'close' to taking that plunge ), so they settle or accept what Suhr's ears have honed in on.

I'd be anxious to hear someone tweak one of those SL67's or Sl68's . Still, for a production amp, I can think of few others that can compete with them.

I just think that when your playing at lower volumes (ugghh,like MOST gigs knowadays) and using a ppimv, that you lose alot of punch and forthrightness by getting too low with the voltages. I am itching like crazy to complete my 50 watt build.

[rgorke]

. As for the "squishiness" in the low-voltage mode: My firend has a ´69 50 watter he put a rectifier tube in (It had a defective PT, so..) So: It is basically a "Lead-spec JTM50" now. (Marshall never made one, but they should have..) Into a hotplate it gets that sound..

This is what I am planning on building. Probably a leadish spec with tube rectifier or a switchable rectifier. Best of bolfth worlds!!

[neikeel]

. As for the "squishiness" in the low-voltage mode: My firend has a ´69 50 watter he put a rectifier tube in (It had a defective PT, so..) So: It is basically a "Lead-spec JTM50" now. (Marshall never made one, but they should have..) Into a hotplate it gets that sound..

This is what I am planning on building. Probably a leadish spec with tube rectifier or a switchable rectifier. Best of bolfth worlds!!

If you go for stock JTM50 to Black Flag spec with Brian's (789-128) OT, NOS mustards and Pihers you can get a surprising amount of (old school) gain from a shared cathode amp once it is cranked (and the Bass cut with the pot turned off). My original also has a 25uF WIMA 6v on the V1 cathode. Obviously a tenth of the normal 250uF but probably a mistake from the factory (I think the 18w used those as cathode bypass caps too).
Once I have posted this I will have a look for the clips of a similar one (Pleximeister???).

[stef]

WHat is this thread doing here? There is a Metro 1987 (50), as well as 1959 (12xxx). IMO both of these amps sound better and much closer to the real deal. George M has already recorded and posted you tube clips - 12xxx vs real 1968 and there absolutely no difference IMO. I agree with Andy TS Suhr amps lack punch and push (iron, caps, circuit - who cares...)
That PPIMV was developed here, we build and/or tweak our own amps.... many reasons to ignore these products here...

[MacGaden]

. As for the "squishiness" in the low-voltage mode: My firend has a ´69 50 watter he put a rectifier tube in (It had a defective PT, so..) So: It is basically a "Lead-spec JTM50" now. (Marshall never made one, but they should have..) Into a hotplate it gets that sound..

This is what I am planning on building. Probably a leadish spec with tube rectifier or a switchable rectifier. Best of bolfth worlds!!

If you go for stock JTM50 to Black Flag spec with Brian's (789-128) OT, NOS mustards and Pihers you can get a surprising amount of (old school) gain from a shared cathode amp once it is cranked (and the Bass cut with the pot turned off). My original also has a 25uF WIMA 6v on the V1 cathode. Obviously a tenth of the normal 250uF but probably a mistake from the factory (I think the 18w used those as cathode bypass caps too).
Once I have posted this I will have a look for the clips of a similar one (Pleximeister???).

I really want to try a real JTM50. I came as close as it´s possible in Denmark: A friend has a late ´66 JTM45 that has a changed OT for EL34´s. It was done a long time ago, probably in the ´60-ies , and it sounds fantastic, especially with a Les Paul. But I play mostly Strats, and like the extra oomph of lead spec.

[neikeel]

WHat is this thread doing here? There is a Metro 1987 (50), as well as 1959 (12xxx). IMO both of these amps sound better and much closer to the real deal. George M has already recorded and posted you tube clips - 12xxx vs real 1968 and there absolutely no difference IMO. I agree with Andy TS Suhr amps lack punch and push (iron, caps, circuit - who cares...)
That PPIMV was developed here, we build and/or tweak our own amps.... many reasons to ignore these products here...

I would not be to harsh on the thread Stef. I think that we can learn both good and not so good aspects from all sources. The way that you develop these amps can sometimes focus and certain tones at the expense of others, principally because they are simple single channel amps and particularly good ones are the sum of all of their parts. It may be because of Pete's playing and the quality of the guitars and recording etc but they sound quite respectable to me.

[stef]

Pete's playing is great, as well as guitars, recording procedures, hair style... Metro amps and nice used marshall amps just sound better, ballsier

[motrock]

Heads up guys... this was not recorded on a real cab. It was recorded with this:

http://www.ownhammer.com/

Pete commented on it in the comments. It is supposed to be a simulation of a 1978 Blackback. hehe

[rgorke]

WHat is this thread doing here? There is a Metro 1987 (50), as well as 1959 (12xxx). IMO both of these amps sound better and much closer to the real deal. George M has already recorded and posted you tube clips - 12xxx vs real 1968 and there absolutely no difference IMO. I agree with Andy TS Suhr amps lack punch and push (iron, caps, circuit - who cares...)
That PPIMV was developed here, we build and/or tweak our own amps.... many reasons to ignore these products here...

I would not be to harsh on the thread Stef. I think that we can learn both good and not so good aspects from all sources. The way that you develop these amps can sometimes focus and certain tones at the expense of others, principally because they are simple single channel amps and particularly good ones are the sum of all of their parts. It may be because of Pete's playing and the quality of the guitars and recording etc but they sound quite respectable to me.

I think the thread progressed to a "hey that amp sounds great but what would we do differently when building that" rather than "I want to BUY that amp". At least that has been my thinking all along.