Jtm45 Split Panel Replica

[coldengray]

This is one I did for my buddy Joe:

- NOS Piher resistors
- NOS McMurdo sockets
- NOS fuse holder
- NOS mustards
- NOS RS/Lemco caps
- RIFA caps where applicable
- Custom metal front & back panel
- Merren iron
- Replica Radiospares Vynair cloth
- Smooth tolex
- Black V knobs
- Pink wire for extra tone
- Coffin logo

 

[bill bokey]

Outstanding build !!!!

 

[neikeel]

Yes very clean and neat, almost too neat to be a Marshall

 

[coldengray]

Yes very clean and neat, almost too near to be a Marshall

Someone else told me the same thing! I like everything to be neat as can be.

 

[stickyfinger]

Very nice build!
How did you get the merrin power to look so old?? Or did it come that way?

 

[coldengray]

Came that way from Merren. I actually had a problem with that PT: he put the lugs for the pilot light in a very inconvenient spot relative to where the light is. Made for a very tight turn. Here is the exterior of the OT and PT during testing:

 

[v846]

Very nicely done, I noticed you have spacers or nuts between the PT & chassis, is due to the clearance issue you mentioned?

 

[coldengray]

Those are part of the PT.

 

[stickyfinger]

Is there at reason to leave them? The classic tone say do not remove the transformer bolts but on my merren I removed mine. Wonder why Classic tone dosnt want you removing the bolts? Its not going to fall apart.

 

[coldengray]

I'm sure there is a technical reason that I'm not aware of, but there is also the possibility it is vintage correct. If Merren included them I'm not going to remove them, he has forgotten more than I know about vintage Marshalls.

 

[stickyfinger]

Well all power transfomers have nuts on the bolts to keep the bell cover on. The classic tones were on there pretty good. They could have came off easy I'm sure but didn't bother. Imo leaving the nuts on there look weird and the weight of the transformer is now in a very small spot on the chassis.

 

[coldengray]

Well it's spread out over 4 points and I think the interior bracket helps too. I don't think it will ever be an issue.

 

[stickyfinger]

Is that Modulus paxoline?

 

[coldengray]

No it's a Ray D board. It's pretty good compared to Modulus and the others out there. He had a few of this color so I grabbed them. I have a single NOS RS board with NOS split top RS turrets I was saving for a special replica...might have to sell it.

 

[stickyfinger]

Modulus stuff is pretty good. His size is a bit off of what he listes.. maybe my mm inch calculator is off. So you got to cut it down even further. Pretty crazy this stuff is basically paper. That of RS stuff id be warry of.

 

[coldengray]

The RS stuff is great. Plenty of vintage amps lasted 60 years with it!

 

[stickyfinger]

Maybe. In Marshalls it sat in a fairly sealed aluminum chassis. Who knows where the unused stuff sat for the past 60 years. Id probably let the RS board sit in my car on a hot summer day before I used it!

 

[Gunner64]

Very nice work. I've built a few and to keep things as neat as you have takes alot of time and patience. Outstanding, in and out.

 

[neikeel]

I am a self confessed originality geek so I remove the nuts on the basis they are just there to hold it together in transit. I clamp it up tight to the chassis and use the ring PT bracket.
Interesting that you went for the Drake -103 clone OT (8k primary used late '65 onwards) for a split front (63/early '64 amp) rather than the Merren RS clone (typically using 6.6k prmary option, it's supposed to sound pretty good, but he did have problems getting the correct lams. ). I used a Marstran RS type on my early amp clone. I have not had chance to AB it with my original RS equipped amp but then you have to allow for cc resistors, grey moulded RS caps and new pots on the Marstran amp and mustards, Hystabs and original RS pots on the RS amp.

 

[coldengray]

Yep, you are right Neil and I knew that - this should have been an RS OT but my buddy wanted a Merren Drake OT and this specific look - split panel. I pointed out that it was not vintage accurate but he wanted it this way. Plus Merren is no longer making his RS OT. I do not like the Heyboer RS OT at all.

I did another split panel using an original vintage RS OT. Sounded amazing.