Amp modding questions: impedance, new chassis

[burningyen]

Hi, I'm considering having my TopHat Club Deluxe, a 2x6v6 combo, converted into a head. I want to able to use it with cabs that have impedances other than 8 ohms. I have a 16-ohm Bruno 2x12 I would love to pair it with. Would it be difficult to have additional 4- and 16-ohm outputs installed? Would it require a new output tranny?

Another concern is that the chassis is currently top-mounted rather than front-mounted. I'm guessing that this would mean that if I wanted a front-mounted head I would have to have an entirely new chassis built and have the components re-arranged in the new chassis. How difficult is that? How much would the sound change? I remember some of the builders here emphasizing that even small changes in wire positions can affect an amp's tone, but I wonder how much. Also, do you think I could have all of this done for less than $300?

[VaughnC]

Originally posted by burningyen
Hi, I'm considering having my TopHat Club Deluxe, a 2x6v6 combo, converted into a head. I want to able to use it with cabs that have impedances other than 8 ohms. I have a 16-ohm Bruno 2x12 I would love to pair it with. Would it be difficult to have additional 4- and 16-ohm outputs installed? Would it require a new output tranny?

Yes, you would need a new transformer unless the existing transformer happened to have some unused/unconnected taps.



Another concern is that the chassis is currently top-mounted rather than front-mounted. I'm guessing that this would mean that if I wanted a front-mounted head I would have to have an entirely new chassis built and have the components re-arranged in the new chassis. How difficult is that? How much would the sound change? I remember some of the builders here emphasizing that even small changes in wire positions can affect an amp's tone, but I wonder how much. Also, do you think I could have all of this done for less than $300?

Rearranging the chassis for front mounting wouldn't be cost effective because it would essentially need totally rebuilt. And, once the parts are rearranged, strange things can happen if the parts aren't laid out properly, such as: induced hum, parasitic oscillations, tone change, etc..

[burningyen]

Ack. OK, I guess I will try to sell it again, then. Thanks, that was very helpful.:)

[Mark Kane]

Ben, as to mounting the chassis, a Marshall bluesbreaker has the chassis mounted to the back panel and is aligned so that you plug into the top. You could mount the same chassis into a Marshall head box with no modifications and then plug into the front.
As to the impedence question, call TopHat and ask them if they have alternate taps that are not used on the output trannie. there is a pretty good chance that they do.