The PP-18 guitar amp kit is a cut-down version of the 18W/Dominator circuit, so it has the original's basic Volume and Tone controls. For guitarists who want more control over gain and tone, there's a solution: the 'SuperLite TMB' - a circuit from the www.18watt.com forum. This SL-18 is my version of that circuit.
It's no coincidence that one of the most common requests I get is from customers is for the 18W output stage teamed up with the SE-5a's preamp. It's a natural step to combine them, and the result is the SL-18 which provides:
* more preamp gain
* Treble, Middle and Bass controls
* Master volume for balancing preamp/power amp overdrive
Same quality, more gain The SL-18 has the same build and tone quality as the PP-18 for one big reason: it uses the exact same set of components. The '09 redesign of the PP-18 turret board was done with the SL-18 in mind, and any PP-18 can be modified to the SL-18 circuit for very low cost. In the PP-18, the two stages of the first preamp valve work in either single or parallel mode (depending on the input socket you use). For the SL-18 circuit, some circuit changes and a few extra components allow the same two preamp stages to work in series (sometimes called cascaded).
This adds more compression to the 18W's preamp and with extra gain in the preamp, there's more signal for the tone controls to work with. Overall there's more gain and sustain on tap, and the only price to pay is a slight reduction in the dynamics of the 18W circuit. It's not a high-gain amp, but if the PP-18 is a late '60s style of amp, the SL-18 is closer to the mid-'70s style of overdrive.
Easy to build As with all Amp Maker kits, the SL-18 is a simple build - for the main reason that it is supplied as a PP-18 + modification kit. So you start by building the standard PP-18. Once that's done and tested, you use the extra components to modify the PP-18 to an SL-18. To see just how easy it is, you can read through the PP-18's online construction manual. The SL-18 ships with full instructions on carrying out the conversion (a 2-3 hour process).
Pricing and versions The SL-18 is available in two versions: full and conversion (depending on whether you've already got a PP-18):
Full SL-18 kit includes transformers, valves, all electronic components, wire for connections, hardware for assembly, pre-punched AC02 chassis as well as front and rear gold 'plexi' control panels to suit the SL-18 controls
PP-18 to SL-18 conversion is for customers with a PP-18 amp that has a white-coloured (PTFE) board - it's all ready to convert to an SL-18 circuit, and this version of the kit includes the components, extra wire and a new gold 'plexi' control panels to suit the SL-18 controls
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The SL-18 is a higher gain version of the 18Wer with full Treble, Middle and Bass tone controls
| | | | | | | | | SL-18 specifications | + All-valve signal path
+ 18W output
+ Push-pull cathode-biased design
+ 2 ECC83 and 2 EL84 valves
+ Hand-wired turret board
+ Gain and Master controls
+ Treble, Middle and Bass controls
+ 8 and 16 ohm speaker outputs
+ 240V mains (115-120V optional)
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| | | | | | | | | SL-18 sound clips (MP3 format) |
...clips to come...
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