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Post by StrangeC on Apr 10, 2006 21:25:34 GMT -7
Came across a Kendrick 118 which is similar to the Mini Z in several ways- 8" speaker, one knob, 5w, but it also comes in a cool tweed box and takes a plethoria of tubes for a varietty of sounds. Anyone try one or have any opinions? It seems to be a well-built unit as the Z. Comments?
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Post by prowler on Apr 22, 2006 16:52:08 GMT -7
The Kendrick 118 is a kit. Somewhat similar to the Mini in terms of the wattage and the one volume knob. As for it being well built. Thats up to the person who solders/assembles it. It sounds well enough to my ears but I think I'll stay with the Mini-Z.
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Post by billyguitar on Apr 28, 2006 12:05:40 GMT -7
I've read over the years about how great old Champs are. I've got a '53 with a 6" speaker, a '59 with an 8", a blackface champ and a early '70s Bronco. None of those twirl my turban at all. I've got some other little amps like a Kay, Gibson GA5, Silvertone and frankly those sound just as good and actually better than the Fenders. The Kendrick is pretty much a tweed Champ so unless he's done some design changes I would think the Mini Z would sound better. The biggest problem for me with the Mini Z is almost no clean power. Perhaps a different preamp tube could tame the gain so I'd like one more. I think the Mini Z looks great so I may have to have one someday.
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Post by prowler on Apr 28, 2006 12:37:44 GMT -7
billy.. you can indeed tame the gain to a degree by using a 12ay7 preamp tube. You may want to act fast though. The Mini has been discontinued.
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Post by billyguitar on Apr 28, 2006 13:24:10 GMT -7
Gotta pay for my 'Ray that's on order first!
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Post by StrangeC on Apr 30, 2006 19:18:57 GMT -7
Just curious- In general, How does Kendrick compare to Victoria? Both seem to be quality products- and both seem to emmulate old Fender circuts- so just how different can they be? Does Kendrick 'beef it up' while Victoria is more true to the original? Thoughts?
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Post by myles on May 1, 2006 17:32:01 GMT -7
Rick,
Feel free to cut and paste what I emailed to you on this question as it may give a lot of folks a bit of insight.
Myles
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Post by StrangeC on May 1, 2006 18:55:32 GMT -7
The Kendrick I'm referring to is a 118 built actually by Kendrick in 2001- before it was available as a kit.
Info from Myles regarding a question comparing comparing the quality of Kendrick and Victoria:
"This is pretty easy to answer but unfortunately you brought up a subject that gets me easily on a rant ... 6V6 based amps. Basically ... all four of the folks you mention [Kendrick, Pierson, Valvetrain, Victoria] build killer amps. It boils down to personal taste and preference. Many folks think a 6V6 is sort of a lower power 6L6 in character. It is NOT. A 6L6 and EL-34 are very different in plate impedance. I HATE amps that profess you can use both and have a switch (to do nothing more than switch the bias). The output transformer is wrong for at least one of them at best and a bad compromise for each of them usually. The 6V6 and EL84 however, do share the same output transformer. An EL84 has chime .... and so does a 6V6. Now if you are not looking to stick hard core to a older circuit, the the Kendrick is the way to go. Frankly .... Kendrick knows more about the implementation of the 6V6 tube than anybody on the planet to put it bluntly. I have seen amps made by him in earlier days that had over 500 volts on the plates ... a full 150 volts over 6V6 maximum ... and these amps sounded stellar. So ... if you want a 6V6 amp and Kendrick has any offering at all I would STRONGLY consider his offering. Single ended class A amps need the biggest chunk of iron in the output transformer possible. A great single ended class A amp should almost have an output transformer BIGGER than it's power transformer. I know of one single ended class A 6V6 amp where the OT is as large as one from a 50 watt Marshall."
So Myles, what's the 6V6 amp where the OT is as large as one from a 50w Marshall?
On a related note, I know Rivera uses different transformers on their Knucklehead Reverbs depending on whether a customer orders EL34 or 6L6s.
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