Transformers for SLO clones? (Hammond Preferably)

  • Thread starter Thread starter BlueParfait
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BlueParfait
BlueParfait
Well-known member
I've been very seriously thinking of having an EE friend piece up an SLO clone for me. Him and his old man made me my first tube amp when we were both in college and the build was quite good.

I did the calcs and as far as the chassis, electronics and such and it would actually be cheaper to get a kit from Ceriatone or Rosamp (but not C3 lol) and have him wire it up, than it would be to have him do the build start to finish.

I'll probably go with Ceriatone.

I can get good quality tubes, so that's not an issue...

But the transformers are a conundrum. Right now I have three options

  1. Use the ones that Nik is selling, suck up extra import and shipping costs
  2. Have said EE friend commission a tranny set for me.
  3. Buy Hammonds from a local dealer
Nik's prices haven't been finalised, but I have a feeling that option 2 is still going to be the most expensive option. I've asked his opinion on what he'd use for the SLO clone, and he said he would commission a design based on Mercury's 100W Fender offerings. I asked for a quote and... let's say it's just a bit less than C3's Onetic set quote, pre-shipping.

While I trust his sense in tone and his standards for operational reliablity... well I've heard first, second and third hand stories of peoples' amps failing, burning down in an accident etc and their Hammond trannies were still working just fine. That's a big plus in my book even if it might never happen to me, and their prices are very alluring.

So I checked with the local Hammond dealer and they have quite a number of tube amp transformers still in stock, mainly the Marshall ones. They can also order ones not in stock for me with no extra cost (although single units will be more expensive, obviously).

So the conclusion to this entire spiel is that I'd like to ask y'all if you have any recommendations for the OT, PT and choke for SLO clones. Hammond, preferably.

Thanks
 
I remember people liking onetics for that. Don’t know much though.
 
I would say that would be hard to know if you don't have a schematic or like a layout from Nik because he likes to do things that really aren't like the original design and be more of a clone, and this will help you pick the correct votlage taps and current rating for each tap that is going to be used. For the OT are you looking for something as close as possible and what power tube are you planning on using? This is why it's easy to use like a kit from c3 or another place is there transformers are designed for that kit. The 5150II is pretty darn close to an SLO and looks like you have that base covered.
 
jasonP said:
I would say that would be hard to know if you don't have a schematic or like a layout from Nik because he likes to do things that really aren't like the original design and be more of a clone, and this will help you pick the correct votlage taps and current rating for each tap that is going to be used. For the OT are you looking for something as close as possible and what power tube are you planning on using? This is why it's easy to use like a kit from c3 or another place is there transformers are designed for that kit. The 5150II is pretty darn close to an SLO and looks like you have that base covered.
Click to expand...

Yeah that's true. Well I plan to use 6L6GC and you have a point in waiting for the layout to be out first.

On the topic of the 5150II, I actually am going to sell it because several of my close friends also have it, so if I miss it, I'll just borrow theirs for a few days. I also use the Friedman a lot more because of its touch sensitivity scores many points for me, and it can get heavy with pedals. And also because I'm starting to feel paranoid about plugging into a 120W amp that doesn't have a ground lug. (Mine is the Japanese market version with ungrounded plugs).
 
BlueParfait said:
Yeah that's true. Well I plan to use 6L6GC and you have a point in waiting for the layout to be out first.

On the topic of the 5150II, I actually am going to sell it because several of my close friends also have it, so if I miss it, I'll just borrow theirs for a few days. I also use the Friedman a lot more because of its touch sensitivity scores many points for me, and it can get heavy with pedals. And also because I'm starting to feel paranoid about plugging into a 120W amp that doesn't have a ground lug. (Mine is the Japanese market version with ungrounded plugs).
Click to expand...

The other thing to consider is your resale value of the amp after completed if you don't like it and the thing to remember it is just a clone. I would talk to Dave Friedman about getting that amp properly grounded.
 
jasonP said:
The other thing to consider is your resale value of the amp after completed if you don't like it and the thing to remember it is just a clone. I would talk to Dave Friedman about getting that amp properly grounded.
Click to expand...
Oh it's the Peavey that's not grounded

The Friedman is perfectly fine in that department. I did think about getting the 5150 grounded with an IEC socket, but I could also sell it and get something else that's also already grounded.

And yes, you are right. Resale is going to be pretty bad.
 
Personally if I were building a clone SLO I’d run a Mercury magnetics upgraded OT for a 5150 and a 2203 PT from Marstran (heyboer).
 
CrystalSky said:
I remember people liking onetics for that. Don’t know much though.
Click to expand...
Been a while, but I built mine in '07 using Onetics PT/OT. To this day, after probably 20+ builds, it's still my favorite. This was the only SLO clone, so surely some of that is my taste for that circuit, but if I were doing it again I'd go Onetics for sure. Good luck.
 
Ive used Hammonds for a few SLOs, both Fender and Marshall OT models from memory and they all sound great but never directly compared them.

Have a look at this guys vid for some A/B tests
 
WarHed said:
Ive used Hammonds for a few SLOs, both Fender and Marshall OT models from memory and they all sound great but never directly compared them.

Have a look at this guys vid for some A/B tests
Click to expand...

Yeah, the Fender sounded great on that one. Really nice
 
Welp
Moot point. Sold the 6505+, realized the Ceriatone trannies are still cheaper even with shipping, any brand name trannies i get I'll also have to pay taxes on separately, so might go with the stock ones.
 
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