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Akai Guitar Amp Project

sloober

sloober

Super Member
Well it is nearly complete build wise. I now have to recap and get tolex to cover the cabinet. I ended up utilizing the play/record button so that it has different gain options. Using the "play" mode it uses the magnetic head input and has control of tone with the tone control. Gain is very good and it plays friggin loud. Distorts very nicely. Flipping into the "record" mode it uses the mic or phono-radio inputs. Tone control does nothing.
I had to add a pot to the meter because the VU was pegged nearly all the time when playing. Speaker is a Motorola "Golden Voice" 10 inch I got from a console. Works very nicely.
Now I just need to order the tolex and get that done. I'm going with navy blue with a natural color grill. Also may do the door for the RTR so the whole thing can be closed up and carted. John
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I did an almost identical thing but decided the RIAA compensation in the phono section wasn't appropriate for guitar. So I used the AUX input and added an IC to give me enough gain. Now I have a 'flat' amplifier and it sounds great.Amps.jpg

I converted the headphone jack into the input for the guitar. It's around 25 Watts.
 
That is triple bad triple ass. :ntwrthy:

All amps should have VU meters. What did that start out as?
Tube compliment?
 
Started out as an Akai RTR. Used the wood case as the cabinet. Has an EF86, 12AX7 and a 6BQ5 Single ended. Sounds fantastic!
 
Nice work. Show us some in-progress pics of the tolex application. I'd like to recover a case someday and it's always nice to see how other folks do it.
 
I will do some pics of the tolex. I am thinking metal corners on it, and chicken head knobs are a cool idea. The vol and tone knobs are marked so they will likely stay. This is gonna be cool. John
 
Progress

So I have ordered the tolex and all the caps. I have the amp mounted using rubber grommets so it is vibration resistant. Had to use my stash of old RC car parts to make a bell-crank to make the mode switch accessible. Works great.
Painted the screens a metallic blue that looks wonderful. Since there was an empty tube socket hole in the chassis I added a big red panel light with a 6.3v bulb. Makes a nice red glow for more effect. Also added the 3 inch handles I got from Lowes hdw. Just it case it tips over it wont smash the dial or knobs.
John
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Looks great. Was it hard to get the old covering off the cab? Steam, heat.......peel?

I've got a few of those and have been daydreaming about making a combo.

RWood
 
I just ripped it off. Was a PITA! Woke up today and wondered why my thumbs hurt so much. On some side it wanted to remove the wood, so be careful. Try to fold it back flat and peel. Then a good sanding. Could have left it. but it would have looked dull. John
 
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