2 Channel Twreck?

[fenderbender4]

I know a channel switching amp goes against all kinds of Trainwreck principles but I really like the EL84 Vox AC30 sound and was wondering if any amp builders have kind of used this in a more channel-switching format. Looking for something that has a good amount of clean headroom but then has a dirty channel that's akin to a Trainwreck Liverpool/express. I like AC30 cleans, but find sometimes the "cleans" end up having too much hair on them for my taste at louder volume levels. Preferably an effects loop too. Does anything like that exist? Or are the design philosophies involved just too disparate?

From what I've read the Matchless DC30 seems a little like this, but looking more for that "wreck" vibe. I know fuchs does something similar, but have not bonded with the models I've tried.

 

[pbitautas]

Not a two channel amp, but perhaps a Dr.Z Z Wreck. Designed with Ken Fischer... Brad Paisley plays them and he always has that Vox chime. I think the amp has a 3db boost which gives it a bit more hair. Run it with some pedals and it might close to what you're looking for. Good luck.

 

[cap217]

Dana Hall makes a 2 channel wreck. Its expensive but it does what you want.

 

[flcmcya]

I have a 1 channel Danawreck and it rips!

 

[woof*]

Whole point of the wreck is clean to mean with just your volume control.
2 channel kinda misses the point.

 

[Hulakatt]

Whole point of the wreck is clean to mean with just your volume control.
2 channel kinda misses the point.

+1. Oh, and most of the "mean" is power amp distortion anyway, not preamp so switchable on that is out for the most part.

 

[oxtone]

I plugged into a Z Wreck yesterday, and, man, what an amp! Sounds great, but, it's a LOUD amp.

 

[drbob1]

I'd object that it's not "most" of the distortion in a Wreck style amp being power tubes, just that every component: preamp tubes, power tubes, OT all saturate at more or less the same point. This allows it to completely change timbre/amount of distortion without changing volume. Unfortunately, it also means that the OT and power tubes have to be saturated for its magic, which makes it a DAMN loud amp no matter what the tube configuration is! A second channel wouldn't work, because you're already saturating the preamp and power amp, what more could you do? Same reason drive pedals aren't really useful with the TW except maybe as a boost.

What you want is the AC30/DC30 power section (cathode biased, no negative feedback, low class AB power amp, BIG filter caps) for the thump and a switchable preamp. The AC30 and DC30 do take pedals well, so you could do it that way. Or you could look into something by Badcat or Matchless with channel switching and EL84s.

 

[pbitautas]

I would also check out a Komet Constellation. It's a one channel amp that has two pre-amp sections controlled by a foot pedal. First pre-amp section is clean- clean with hair...2nd pre-amp is balls to the wall rock n roll with a Marshally sound. I own one and it's a magical amp. Has musical overtones and will bloom and feedback even on clean tones. My favorite amp I have ever played...loud, bit awesome. By the way, Komet amps are mostly based on Trainwreck designs. Check out the sound samples on the Komet website.

 

[plexi67]

Whole point of the wreck is clean to mean with just your volume control.
2 channel kinda misses the point.

Well not really, you'd have to check out the amp first.Its more like 2 amps in one box. The amp Is 2 channels,but it switches out the whole preamp section,and also switches parts of the circuit in the PI. Its like having a Liverpool,and Rocket in one amp. The one channel sort of the Rocket, and the Other is the Liverpool. But it uses a Solid state recto. Here is one of his amps being used, you can see in the pic on the video. Left side the RED head.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJhBsA8tT9Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjpudJ9Bpng