Billy Blades Update

[Mailman1971]

Are you saying someone was injured using a Billy Blades amplifier?

While it cant be proven.....
some one was shot and killed in a drive by and a credible witness said there was a Blades amplifier driving the car.
So I guess you can just do the math here.

 

[FourT6and2]

You know, the guys comes off as crazy. And the shots of his "work" that are floating around make it seem like he doesn't even know which end of a soldering iron to grab. But those sound really good.

Here's a Matchless Chieftain... Doesn't have to be pretty to sound great obviously. This is true PTP, so there's only so much you can do to make it look tidy. I'm a stickler for uniformity... Just my nature I guess? Some of the old PTP Fender amps are downright scary looking inside!

Billy's work isn't just untidy, though. There's a difference.

Are you saying someone was injured using a Billy Blades amplifier?

No. That's not what I'm saying. But anybody who knows how to use a soldering iron can look at the photos of his work and see for themselves that there are some major issues with it.

However... they do sound pretty damn good. I'd be tempted to buy one and just rewire the whole thing myself, including getting rid of the cup holder and gold knobs and shit.

 

[messenger]

[

Yep, Bill is a handy guy, not sure what at but it ain't his ampwork or tattoos, thats his personal skill level above.

That video is way over processed and i assure you is the amp does sound even slightly like the video Blades has nothing to do with it.

Get out. Is that really a tat he did?

Who knows what the story is with this. Maybe the guys kid drew it and BB did the tattoo.

 

[charveldan]

Yes he had a TAT shop the same place his amps were built which was his house i guess.

 

[TrueTone500]

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[rlord1974]

No disrespect, but you're talking out of your ass.

Yes, you're right. There is absolutely nothing disrespectful about what you just wrote.

 

[bbaug14]

Alright, alright, guys. Is Billy's soldering work great? NO! (not terrible BTW, but questionable around the transformer) Is his circuit design original? NO!!! But I'll be the first to say I've had work done by 'reputable' builders that the same could be said about (actually had to rework an amp mod for noise issues). Would I buy an amp from this ass hat? NO!!!! Do I think the clip of his amp above sounded awesome? HELL YES IT DID!!!!!!!!

Like FourT6and2 said. I'd almost want to buy one of his amps to rework it, put it in a new headshell, and rock it up and down. Based on the clips, it sounds like he took the Aldrich mod and put a couple of the standard Jose tweaks in it. Oh, and BTW anyone who has a problem with Blades' using schematics and circuits from other builders probably would have to sell off half the shit they own to not compromise their integrity.

 

[TrueTone500]

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[RG955TT]

Yeah.....uh ...not really..do a search on Billy Blades on RT and see another post from a year or so ago, see what other builders were very specific about certain things not done well or unsafe. It wasn't just the solder work which is pretty sloppy. Not being one my self I can't say for sure but those gut shots sure look a mess to me. I've never owned an amp that looked like that...ever

 

[311splawndude]

^ Dude, it is right here in this thread.

I'm not an EE but I'll take these guys word for it all day every day.

It's not the mess of wires that is the issue. It is the dangerous choices in layout and poor soldering. The old amps you mention may not have looked great, but they were not laid out in a dangerous way. If you don't mind setting your house on fire, or electrocuting yourself some day, hey, go ahead and grab one...

Steve

The amp is not so much as a rats nest build as it is a amateur child's build. Yes point to point amps and older fender amps can be quite rat nest like, but what sets this amp apart???

Terrible soldering, cold solder joints, these will cause problems down the road. Billy says in earlier posts he "triple solders". But the pics looks like he means that he heats solder around the solder joints in layers. Terrible.

The resistors soldered to the leads should be heat shrinked not only for safety , but also to help reduce the stain stress on the solder joint itself.

You can see plenty of burned insulation on the wiring from the soldering iron = Amateur hour here. Not just one or two but all over the place.

Notice the rosin flux that has dripped down on the contacts of the speaker selector switch. This will cause issues as well down the road.

Solder splats on the wiring insulation, this will come of and possibly get loose on the amp possible shorting a connection.

As for resistor size, I see various different sizes. I see carbon film, metal film and oxides. So I don't see a big issue there. 2 watt metal films can be the same or even smaller than 1 watt carbon film resistors.


The issue I think that exists here is that Mr Blades about the last year went on rants on just about every amp forum that exists, ranting about his amp building prowess, knowing all the Cameron secrets. He was going to build high end amps to be sold at Sam Ash and Guitar Center. He was going to take over the amp bailing industry. He was banned from most of the forums including this one.

That build of his looks like someones first attempt to build a tube amp, not something you would be selling to customers.

Honestly, the poor soldering is the least of it's problems. The exposed high voltage wires free to short to chassis (ground) and spark are an incredible safety hazard. It's not a question of it will spark and catch fire, but when.

Like I said. I'll take Steve's, Baron55's and Matt's word. I wouldn't buy one.

But to fully understand what you are buying you need to know the back story too, which can mostly be found on marshallforum and the metroamp forum. DirtySteve did apparently reverse it and rebuild it with his own time and money. Kind of surprised it is the same amp

His business practices are suspect too:

I searched the Maryland database for his business name and he never applied for a business license. The address he is operating from is not a registered business location. However the Tattoo shop does have a license:

(L12153078) FLAMING DRAGON TATTOOS Personal Property INACTIVE

That would mean he has no license to file the purchase on his tax forms.

It also means he is in trouble should someone decide to turn him in for operating a business without a tax ID. Tax evasion is nothing to mess with. It also means anyone with an email address can report that business ID to the BBB for selling dangerous goods to consumers.

If one of those ever get on the used market someone could get killed.

Seriously someone needs to report his ass. Those things are deathtraps. Not amplifiers. Regardless of which party made an agreement.

Component values blacked out to ensure no one can copy his one-of-a-kind design.

http://forum.metroamp.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=38228

It was inspired by all the greedy secretive motherfukkers out there making their living off the work of Jose Arrendondo.

 

[FourT6and2]

Not disrespect, but you're talking out of your ass. I've seen solder work in vintage Fender and Traynor amplifiers that looked equally as bad, and are still running fine 40+ years after the fact. Please list the major issues...

Counterpoints to your objection have already been brought up in this very thread. It's not about the bad layout/lead dress (but those are questionable as well). There are some other issues with the build. I'm not going to list them out for you. Just go back and read what's already been written. The person who bought one of Billy's amp even opened it up and reported about some dangerous issues.

So if I'm talking out my ass, you must be way up deep in your own colon.

 

[TrueTone500]

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[311splawndude]

^ dude, that has already been done.


in this thread

go read back through it

smart people are referring to pics of a build that was horrendous. Yes, it may have been a proto but was sold to a guy with US Currency (to DirtySteve) and the proof is right there.

go to the bottom of page 5

 

[FourT6and2]

Not disrespect, but you're talking out of your ass. I've seen solder work in vintage Fender and Traynor amplifiers that looked equally as bad, and are still running fine 40+ years after the fact. Please list the major issues...

Counterpoints to your objection have already been brought up in this very thread. It's not about the bad layout/lead dress (but those are questionable as well). There are some other issues with the build. I'm not going to list them out for you. Just go back and read what's already been written. The person who bought one of Billy's amp even opened it up and reported about some dangerous issues.

I have no objections... You do. I agree that it's a sloppy build, and definitely nowhere near the caliber of work I put into an amp; but that doesn't mean it is unsafe. Are these issues verified, or are they a matter of opinion? Billy Blades is certainly not as cosmopolitan as most, but that does not mean he is incompetent. If there are verified production issues concerning Blades Amplification products, for the sake of user safety, I urge you to post them here.

Don't start an argument and then tell me the burden of proof is on me. That's not how this works. If you think this guy's work is so good, fine. Go buy an amp and be happy. But like I already said—and like others have already said—the answers you seek have already been posted in this very thread as well as others.

 

[TrueTone500]

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[shredi knight]

Billy Blades is certainly not as cosmopolitan as most....

Translation - He's hick as fuck.

 

[Anonymous]

nothing to see here.

 

[TrueTone500]

Edited by TrueTone500

 

[Anonymous]

here faggot, let me shit in your mouth like you tried to do on my thread about andy wood with scott stapp.

fucking douchery around here is monumental.

dont bother posting back to me either bitch, i've blocked you.

fucking internet herpe is all you are.

good luck with the billy blades man love...maybe you can watch over his sleep apnea machine while he's gagging mid dream....or help him puff on an asthma inhaler. fucking retard.

What can I say... I loath Scott Stapp.

fair enough.

 

[metalmaniac93]

I do not understand the man love or fascination with Billy Blades?