UralTone TV Reverb amplifier kit - Teemu Viinikainen Custom Deluxe Reverb

The UralTone TV reverb is Teemu Viinikainen's interpretation of a perfect single channel Deluxe Reverb.

The TV Reverb circuit is a Deluxe Reverb's second channel without tremolo and it uses a Princeton Reverb chassis / cabinet. It has 22W of output power and all transformers are the same as in the Deluxe Reverb. A choke is also used with the circuit, as in the original. As an additional control, the TV Reverb has a Tweed-potentiometer which blends in the 50's style mid-range emphasized sound. When the tweed is set to zero, it won't affect the tone. The second mod is a middle potentiometer which is an excellent addition to the stock tone stack and works similarly on the Super Reverb. The Dwell potentiometer controls the reverb, and it can be used for fine-tuning the length and nature of the attack. The amplifier has a bias adjustment as the original, with two inputs and two outputs for internal and extra speakers.

Teemu Viinikainen is known as a fabulous jazz guitarist, but what is less known are his skills as a tube amplifier builder. His interests are especially the old Fender amplifiers from the '50s and '60s. Teemu has investigated numerous vintage Fenders and analyzed and learned why any specific unit and model sounds like it sounds, which components make a difference for the tone and which newly made parts are best for the task.

Teemu's way of working is not a stiff engineering model, it's more listening and comparing and digging the best sound from the circuit in use, not making it the "right way" technically by calculating or so on. For example, if some type or brand of capacitor sounds better, it's been selected, despite someone saying they all sound the same if they perform the same way by using meters on a bench. Arguing is futile if the difference is possible to hear.

"In the core of the design was to meet the fine and soft sound and brilliant feel of playing my old '64 Deluxe Reverb. I've noticed if the circuit is the same as the original, all component choices need attention. Mallory capacitors are quality parts and offer an economical option to get close to the original sound. The capacitor upgrade contains a selection of Jupiter capacitors closer to the old Ajax Blue Molded capacitors, which Fender used during the black face era amplifiers. With Jupiter, the tone is slightly more open, especially in the mids and highs. The treble capacitor is ceramic, and the coupling capacitor as on the original. This selection brings a slight roughness and clarity. The voltages on the preamp are slightly lower than in the original, and it softens the feel and sounds slightly, which makes the circuit sound similar to an old worn-in amp that is very used and played on through the years. The transformers are high-quality ones, and especially the output transformer is essential for the quality of the sound. The final version uses a Hammond output transformer which is a copy of the original, and an UralTone mains transformer. The prototype had Classictone transformers, which are excellent copies of old Schumacher/Triad transformers. We ended up using the Hammond due to an equally fine sound and the option to keep the final price of the amplifier to a reasonable level compared to using Classictones. The Tweed-potentiometer idea is borrowed from Gerald Weber's books, bringing an extra tone to the amp. By opening the tweed potentiometer, part of the signal flows through the parallel coupling cap, and the tone of this signal is more of a 50's style Tweed sound with mode mids. This sound can be dialed in as needed, and it favors more distorted sounds due to the emphasized mids. The Dwell potentiometer was initially included due to one unused place for a potentiometer! Later I discovered that it helped to get the new reverb tanks to sound like old Gibbs spring reverbs when the pot is set approx. on seven. Other small changes or additions are included to make the amplifier sound like my original '64 Deluxe Reverb."

All the best, Teemu

Features:
- High-Quality parts: Chassis made in Finland, quality components, Mallory capacitors, carbon comp resistors, Belton sockets, Hammond output transformer...
- Easy to build using the layout picture supplied with the kit.
- Kit contains all the parts for a ready amplifier and for wiring the speaker. The kit does not include a speaker, cabinet, or foot switch.
- Potentiometers: Volume, Treble, Middle, Bass, Tweed, Reverb, Reverb Dwell
- Tubes: 3x 12AX7 / ECC83, 1x ECC81, 2x 6V6GT, 1x 5AR4
- Power 22W
- Operating voltage 220-240Vac (Fuse T3.15A)

In addition to the documents supplied, our info pages have pictures to aid you in your building:
http://www.uraltone.com/blog/

FAQ

Is this kit easy to build?

This is a good candidate for the first DIY tube amp project. It takes about 6-10 hours to build this from scratch. You do not have to know anything about electronic theory.

If I cannot get it to work, what to do?

We will give you as much technical support as you need via email. You can also ask questions here.

What tools do I need to build this amp?

You need good soldering tools, pliers, and some screwdrivers. A multimeter is also very handy, especially if you have to search for errors.

Here is a link to assorted tools you might need.

Does the kit contain all the parts?

Yes, everything you need to build the amp (excluding the speaker and wooden box.)

What will I get if I buy and build this kit?

You´ll get a great-sounding boutique amp that lasts forever for the price of a cheap Chinese-built piece of junk.

Warning: Amp building is a highly addictive hobby.