Ceriatone Noob 51 Build

[Rotorcraft230]

Is that bus bar touching any of the mini toggle switch casings? Hard to tell from the photo. If it is, you might consider redoing it or you'll have ground loops. Teflon (PTFE) wire is nice. I've had best results using Tefzel wire (ETFE). Similar properties, though. I find teflon/tefzel great to work with because it doesn't kink as easy as typical PVC and it resists melting/burning. Also, it's thinner which makes lead dress much easier IMO

Is that bus bar touching any of the mini toggle switch casings? Hard to tell from the photo. If it is, you might consider redoing it or you'll have ground loops. Teflon (PTFE) wire is nice. I've had best results using Tefzel wire (ETFE). Similar properties, though. I find teflon/tefzel great to work with because it doesn't kink as easy as typical PVC and it resists melting/burning. Also, it's thinner which makes lead dress much easier IMO.

Very nice looking build, straight turret board leads and very organized wiring. I like it!!!!!!

 

[redberon2003]

Wiring is pretty much done minus effects loop and ppimv. Gonna start populating the circuit board, then do the final bits on the power tubes/ effects loop. Shouldn’t take too much longer!

 

[Marcomel79]

This was not your first build, its looking too clean!

 

[redberon2003]

This was not your first build, its looking too clean!

Much too kind,

when I make mistakes like I did today I have to tell myself yep - first time. lol.

Did the turret board and going to wait to put the big cap on until the power supply to the effects loop is hooked up. made 3 or 4 connection today before I realized I forgot to clip the leads to length . after desoldering and pulling the components went through the whole board and took care of things. used an inspection mirror as well to triple check i didnt miss anything. just gotta do the loop, power tubes, and finish off a couple board connections and she's done!

 

[Marcomel79]

You forgot to solder the two 68K resistors from the normal channel inputs

 

[redberon2003]

You forgot to solder the two 68K resistors from the normal channel inputs

got them today before I did the effects loop. just gotta finish power tubes now!

 

[redberon2003]

Finished the build. time to start testing!

 

[Dblgun]

Congratulations and good luck with putting power to her for the first time!

 

[Amadeus91]

Finished the build. time to start testing!



View attachment 119329View attachment 119330View attachment 119331

Here's to all going well with the testing!!!
Stellar Build, Sir.

 

[Marcomel79]

We are waiting on the report!

 

[redberon2003]

heaters looked good, pilot light lit up, checked all my grounds for safety. 337 and 339 on the pt secondary.

writing this as I bring my Variac up and form the caps. Spent good money on a japanese gz34 and she’s doing good. No trouble yet. 150w Light bulb has stayed dark at each step.

 

[redberon2003]

welp, got to the point of plugging in and playing and things look pretty good!

I have run into one issue but I hope it'll be pretty straight forward to track down, am asking for help on ideas though.

If the Channel jumper push pull is activated the amp gets a nice audible buzz. if I touch the metal case of the pot with the MM lead it gets quiet, each channel un jumpered cranked to 10 is really quiet minus the normal high gain "hiss". I also get high pitched "whine" above about 5 or 6 on in PPIMV with the jumper activated and both channels cranked.

I have a feeling its something in the input, but some help on where to start would be super.

 

[chocol8]

I would check that the input jacks are all switching properly.

Are the channels actually behaving like they are jumped when you switch it? The noise seems somewhat like an ungrounded and unconnected input tip.

Also, perhaps try jumpering with a short cable and see if the issue is the switching or if it is due to the two channels being jumpered.

 

[redberon2003]

Some u

I would check that the input jacks are all switching properly.

Are the channels actually behaving like they are jumped when you switch it? The noise seems somewhat like an ungrounded and unconnected input tip.

Also, perhaps try jumpering with a short cable and see if the issue is the switching or if it is due to the two channels being jumpered.

Updates on poking and prodding,

Jumpering manually with either a short or long cable made little difference, I checked the ground on the built in jumper and get good continuity to the chassis, 0-0.1 ohm I found that while poking if I touch or get near any of the three wires going to inputs with ( even just hovering a hand above the wires) both hiss and buzz get louder. Bringing a multimeter lead to them acts like a nice antenna and makes it all louder too. Got very little change playing with wires going to the preamp from the turrets - I don’t think the problem is there.

It occurred to me that I may just be picking up a lot of room noise, multiple lights, internet modem, computer, etc are sharing the room with me. Moving wires made it worse but it’s most quiet when I’m not near them. Gonna try sticking it in the headcab next after I’m done with work tonight. It’s odd that the thing is dead quiet when un jumpered. It’s only when connecting channels does it go loud with the 60hz.

 

[chocol8]

When the two inputs are jumpered, you are making a bit of a loop so that may be picking up noise.

I still think it sounds like you have a grounding issue when jumped. Does it sound and behave similarly to when you have a guitar cable plugged into the amp but nothing on the other end? That will usually pick up noise and react to the proximity of your hand as well.

 

[redberon2003]

When the two inputs are jumpered, you are making a bit of a loop so that may be picking up noise.

I still think it sounds like you have a grounding issue when jumped. Does it sound and behave similarly to when you have a guitar cable plugged into the amp but nothing on the other end? That will usually pick up noise and react to the proximity of your hand as well.

Yep, does behave similarly to having an open air guitar cable . I’ll go through and check all the jack groundings

 

[chocol8]

Make sure that when jumped, all four tips are either connected to ground or one or more of the other tips that has a guitar signal on it.

I think Nik"s layout disconnects a ground from the top two inputs when you engage the switch (bottom two if the chassis is on the bench upside down!) and then has all 4 tips connected together. I could be wrong on that so look at his layout drawing carefully. If one of the tips is not grounded and also not connected to the others, due to a wiring mistake, bad solder joint, or bad jack switch, I think that would cause the symptoms you are describing.

All in, if that's the biggest issue you have after building an amp as complicated as the All Access, give yourself a solid pat on the back and pour yourself a glass of scotch or bourbon because you did a fine job!

 

[paul-e-mann]

welp, got to the point of plugging in and playing and things look pretty good!

I have run into one issue but I hope it'll be pretty straight forward to track down, am asking for help on ideas though.

If the Channel jumper push pull is activated the amp gets a nice audible buzz. if I touch the metal case of the pot with the MM lead it gets quiet, each channel un jumpered cranked to 10 is really quiet minus the normal high gain "hiss". I also get high pitched "whine" above about 5 or 6 on in PPIMV with the jumper activated and both channels cranked.

I have a feeling its something in the input, but some help on where to start would be super.

Check all the grounds are solid, pots, inputs, the board...

 

[redberon2003]

wanted to give an update.

inspected the jacks closely and didn't see anything wrong in either the soldering or wiring, moving some of the input wires I was able to get a slight improvement but nothing too crazy. all the switches looked like they make good contact too. what got rid of most of it was me turning it on and plugging a guitar cable in and out of every jack 4 or 5 times - not sure what it was but the loud hum turned into an almost inaudible hum and it hasn't come back. I'll keep my fingers crossed it stays gone. soon as I fixed that I found i was getting some scratchy wind like noises and isolated it to a chinese tube i threw in V2 for testing.......................

she looks all good, gave her the final tube compliment

V1 - MC1
V2 - I61
V3 - Sylvania

power - Mullard XF2. (these aren't a very well matched pair, about 12ma apart. deciding if I want to leave them there or pull them and throw shuguang nesstone EL34s in)

the thing sounds great - can go anywhere from thick and growly to bright and punchy. I'm a very happy camper today.

 

[paul-e-mann]

wanted to give an update.

inspected the jacks closely and didn't see anything wrong in either the soldering or wiring, moving some of the input wires I was able to get a slight improvement but nothing too crazy. all the switches looked like they make good contact too. what got rid of most of it was me turning it on and plugging a guitar cable in and out of every jack 4 or 5 times - not sure what it was but the loud hum turned into an almost inaudible hum and it hasn't come back. I'll keep my fingers crossed it stays gone. soon as I fixed that I found i was getting some scratchy wind like noises and isolated it to a chinese tube i threw in V2 for testing.......................

she looks all good, gave her the final tube compliment

V1 - MC1
V2 - I61
V3 - Sylvania

power - Mullard XF2. (these aren't a very well matched pair, about 12ma apart. deciding if I want to leave them there or pull them and throw shuguang nesstone EL34s in)

the thing sounds great - can go anywhere from thick and growly to bright and punchy. I'm a very happy camper today.

Nice congrats! I had an equal amount of trouble over the summer with my 5E3 build mostly it wouldnt work lol, but I figured it all out and gained some valuable troubleshooting experience which I am grateful for.