My bandit is acting weird. Noticed over the last few weeks volume fluctuations, and at practice with a band it seems a wee bit anaemic - no punch. It also started hissing with the volume on zero - i gave it a whack and  the hissing subsided...but it still doesn't sound 100%. Transformer hum seems quite loud too.  Any idea on what might be going on?

Anybody know what the H&K Attax series are like for sound and quality?  On the outlook for something else to add to my SS stable (for gigging).    Don't see them out in Australia much, but they seem to get a good rap.   I just sold a Tech 21 Trademark 60 because I couldn't bond with it..very nicely made amp, but there was always something lacking - like it was missing presence or something. Speaker change didn't help, and spent ages messing with the eq options.  Always fall back on the old red stripe Bandit.

Also looking at a Laney LV300, but they don't seem to get a lot of love.

Been trying to find a replacement for my old redstripe Peavey Bandit..have decided to avoid valve amps as had nothing but disappointment recently .  Problem is most of the ss stuff is entry level rubbish (and not impressed with the newer bandits).

Anybody got suggestions on a SS combo that is reasonable quality and ok for gigging?  I'm really looking for something with a nice sparkly clean channel.   Actually impressed by some of the Randall stuff, and wondering what the rg80 reissue is like (the RG8040)

Does anyone know where I can find a schematic of a Jansen Merlin Mosfet head? - I had one back in the late 80s/early 90s and it was a great basic amp for guitar (and bass).  Jansen was a New Zealand company I believe.

Hi

Righto, time to build an amp...have got basic soldering skills, multimeter and not particularly stupid.   

Have read through these forums and have some questions...

1) What so great about these LM chipamps for a poweramp?  Is it just cause they're easy to build or are they actually really good for guitar? 

2) What's the Elliot Sound Products guitar amp like - any opinions?

3) The 'Silicon Chip Magazine' Guitar Preamp and LM3876 poweramp kits - are they ok? (I can get them easliy at Jaycar and Altronics)

4) How hard is it to make a preamp that can emulate the smooth overdrive of my 1985 Boss OD-1 pedal?

That's a start...any advice, opinions (preferably informed!) appreciated.   

Hi all

I have a kustom 65w Quad Combo which I'd like to pull the electrickery out of and turn it into a head.  Mainly because the combo is so large and friggin heavy for a 'small' amp, and also I want to run it through a small closed back cabinet.

Question is how do I turn the amp chassis into a head? - I've pulled the MDF back cover off and had a look at the innards which a friend of mine tells me look like a standard rack mount sized chassis. (I guess they probably use something standard for all their combos and heads).  Just a bunch of screws holding it in there.

Any suggestions on what is the best thing to enclose it in - without fancy woodworking skills? 

Cheers
JB