P1800

You don’t have to follow the Marshall style: for Ian’s PP-18 amp build, he decided to use the same style as his studio’s Mesa Boogie setup; a hardwood cabinet with wicker grille. Not content with that, Ian also used the PP-18 Basic Kit to convert an old Peavey combo into a true valve amp.

OK, I’ll admit that the idea of red tolex made me wonder, but there’s no doubting the drop-dead gorgeous result of Breo’s choice. “I love the finish! It is kind of a retro-cool mix of colors, like a 50’s Cadillac.” The white piping along the back of the control panel is a great touch.

A number of 18W amp builders have wanted the amp’s natural overdrive tone at lower room levels. By far the smartest approach is reducing the power supply voltage inside the amp, and Daniel’s PP-18 has just such a modification. Called VVR (or VCB) a MOSFET-based circuit developed by some amp gurus at www.hallamplification.com, it adds

Lars used the PP-18 as the basis for his ultra-compact 2-channel combo. There’s enough juice available from the PP-18’s power transformer to power an extra preamp valve and Lars added his own circuit with Treble, Middle, Bass and Master controls. This channel works alongside the PP-18’s normal input.

Peter did a fantastic job of documenting his build with photographs, from opening the box to the finished mini-stack. I’ll upload the ZIP file of his photo-album as soon as possible. For the gallery, here’s a taster, with the first photo showing some of the chassis planning. This is a vital step for those customers

The PP-18 amp that Kare bought was a Christmas present for his son. The cabinet he made to house it has a mixture of design cues: thinner ply like ’70s WEM amps, salt-and-pepper cloth a la Marshall and protective hardware of the type you see on a lot of independent amp maker builds. “My son

  Here’s another vote for the beauty of a natural wood finish: a simple pine box (“sanded hard – I have pain in every muscle in my body!”). The finishing touch is cool – a “PP-18” logo made up from metal lettering from a car accessories shop. Very kindly, Raf has also uploaded some videos

For JE’s 1×12 18W combo, he opted to adapt the layout so that the valves hung downwards – i.e. at right angles to what would be the chassis’ back panel. This means fitting them into a tighter space than they would otherwise take up, but JE found no problems. A side benefit is that there’s

“I don’t know if you remember but some time ago, last summer, I said I’d send you some photos of your amps I’ve made and that I was putting a web site together. Finally the web site is published and I have put a few links to your site. If you have time please take

There’s one sure-fire way to avoid getting scuffs and tears on a newly made cabinet – start with a cabinet that’s already distressed. That was the approach that Peter took with his PP-18 amp build. It has some nice details, too, such as the three circular vent holes in the front and back panel cut

“Here are some pictures of the new amp and the case. I decided to install it in a flight case that can be closed up. It opens from the front and rear. Ok now I am not a newby any more I want to build another amp got any ideas from your collection? I hope

  I’m in awe of Tomeu’s build. I pride myself on neat layouts, but Tomeu’s PP-18 goes beyond anything I’ve done and just about anything that you’ll see from top-dollar boutique amp makers. The care and attention to detail are terrific. I like Hiwatt’s ultra-tidy style of layout and lead dress, but this is something

“Amp is finished and installed in cabinet from Chris Uff. Just wanted to let you know that I am really pleased with the result. The range of tones from super clean to nicely dirty, and the range of volumes – from something that doesn’’t annoy my wife to LOUD – make the amp very versatile.

Diego’s another first-time amp builder who also made the cabinets for his amp project – both head cabinet and the matching speaker cabinet. If you’re in Mallorca, check out Diego’s band, The Red Suns. I’ll get there one day, Diego!

Chris had previously built an SE-5a and ordered a PP-18 amp kit. Where the SE-5a combo cab he made was conventional, the PP-18 combo cabinet is anything but. It’s 100% retro styling in beautiful blonde wood looks like a fancy piece of furniture. For those guys whose other halves complain about having guitar amps in

Proof that a logo can really help to finish off an amp, here’s Adam’s PP-18 in head format. The gold contrasts superbly with the purple levant. If you want to add a logo to your amp, look for a local trophy engraving shop or a silk-screen print shop. Either should be able to turn your

For his PP-18 build, Giampaolo opted for the ‘classic’ 18W combo cabinet, covered in beautiful natural white tolex. He also swapped the kit’s black chickenhead knobs for cream-coloured versions to match. Like a lot of customers, he’s also looking for a personalised logo: “I’m thinking of putting a logo plate like ‘GiAmp’ – playing with

Not all amps work first time – Roberto’s cage-covered PP-18 needed some troubleshooting, due to hum. “I rewired the valve heater ‘chain’, the grounding and some of the output transformer wires and the hum just disappeared. I wanted to use it as a platform to tweak to my liking, but this thing sounds so good

“I’’d just like to say thanks so much for providing us with a great kit to make an amp that sounds fantastic. I managed to build the amp itself in a couple of weekends thanks to the very clear online build guide. Testing the high voltages was a bit scary but I got through it

“I did my final testing this afternoon. It all looked good and plugged the amp in to play soon after. I’m really pleased with the results, the amp sounds superb. I’ve currently got it plugged in to a Marshall 4×12 but will be making a more portable 2×12 when time allows. “I love the cleaner