Ardmore builders…impressions?

Question:

I’ve been gone for awhile from this group…and am now accessing via google. My days using OE are over…..not sure if this is really a Anyway, I haven’t heard anything from any of the first batch of Ardmore builders. What are your impressions? Here are mine in short form… Low volume clean is very nice expecially using my holy grail reverb pedal. The volume goes up quickly from the 9:00 position…wish it was a bit more gradual but this happens with a lot of amps. The tone control or "voicing" control leaves me wishing I had a TMB tone stack instead, which I know is more complicated. It was a breeze to build and now I’m even more hooked….gotta find a way to justify building another amp…maybe a Marshall 18 watter clone???? ERic

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve been gone for awhile from this group…and am now accessing via google. My days using OE are over…..not sure if this is really a Anyway, I haven’t heard anything from any of the first batch of Ardmore builders. What are your impressions? Here are mine in short form… Low volume clean is very nice expecially using my holy grail reverb pedal. The volume goes up quickly from the 9:00 position…wish it was a bit more gradual but this happens with a lot of amps. The tone control or "voicing" control leaves me wishing I had a TMB tone stack instead, which I know is more complicated. It was a breeze to build and now I’m even more hooked….gotta find a way to justify building another amp…maybe a Marshall 18 watter clone???? ERic

Eric, There is the V/M tonestack mod for the Gilmore Jr. I wonder if it would work for the Ardmore? It supposedly does that scooped mid thing. Regards, Phil

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve been gone for awhile from this group…and am now accessing via google. My days using OE are over…..not sure if this is really a Anyway, I haven’t heard anything from any of the first batch of Ardmore builders. What are your impressions? Here are mine in short form… Low volume clean is very nice expecially using my holy grail reverb pedal. The volume goes up quickly from the 9:00 position…wish it was a bit more gradual but this happens with a lot of amps. The tone control or "voicing" control leaves me wishing I had a TMB tone stack instead, which I know is more complicated. It was a breeze to build and now I’m even more hooked….gotta find a way to justify building another amp…maybe a Marshall 18 watter clone???? ERic

The Ardmore is certainly a different sounding amp than the Gilmore Jr. isn’t it! The tone stack in one of the major differences between the two. I talking with Gary Gerhart about it, he explained what he was trying to do was make a different kind of tone control that didn’t so much take away treble or bass, but shift the emphasis around a central point. When you rotate the tone control on the Ardmore it is as if you had the tone curve pinned in the middle and were rotating the curve around a common point, rather that actually reshaping it that much. At first I didn’t like it much either, because I was used to the standard, Fender-style ones and it doesn’t behave that way at all. After I played with it for a while though I found that I could coax sounds and qualities out of it that I couldn’t get otherwise. Used in conjunction with the tone control on the guitar it gives a surprising amount of flexibilty and uniqueness. It is possible to modify the circuit and put in the same stack that the Gilmore Jr. uses, but I’d encourage you to play with it as it is some more before you change it. As for the 18 watter….Go For It!! Walt Campbell Campbell Sound http://www.campbellsound.com/ P.S. FWIW I built the third (counting Gary and Rich) Ardmore and have spent a lot of time on the construction details and in talking with Gary and Rich, so I’m not just guessing about the above. <G

Response:

I’ve been gone for awhile from this group…and am now accessing via google. My days using OE are over…..not sure if this is really a

It’s easy to understand why you are done with OE. Try Mozilla Thunderbird. I’ve heard good reports.

Response:

Walt….good advice….a bit more woodsheding is in order. Also forgot to mention another cool thing about the Ardmore…no need for matched EL84’s. Gary actually encouraged me to try totally different makes…so in the spirit of this I put in a JJ and a Ei – played it for awhile then shut down and switched places with the tubes…..pretty cool! The JJ seemed to tame some of the upper high mids. Question…does your power tranny get quite warm/ hot after pushing it hard for a couple hours? Mine does. I can hold my hand on it….but I’m guessing 125-130 F or so. BTW I used the amp at band practice….yep loud enough to keep pace with a drummer when plugged into my Ampeg V4 cab….I know. no one believes me….maybe someday I’ll make a down and dirty video to prove oh yah…and a little frame of reference too….it took about a year of tweaking to get my bassman to where I am totally happy with it…..maybe I’m developing an obsessive compulsive disorder…I think the last peice of the puzzle for the bassman was the JJ 6V6’s through a open back 8 ohm 1×12" cab running a weber silver bell (and here’s the clincher) with a beam blocker…..OCD anyone???? Rock On! ERic

Response:

I’ve been gone for awhile from this group…and am now accessing via google. My days using OE are over…..not sure if this is really a It’s easy to understand why you are done with OE. Try Mozilla Thunderbird. I’ve heard good reports.

I’ve been using it (T-bird) for quite some time… it works well. gtski

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve been gone for awhile from this group…and am now accessing via google. My days using OE are over…..not sure if this is really a It’s easy to understand why you are done with OE. Try Mozilla Thunderbird. I’ve heard good reports. I’ve been using it (T-bird) for quite some time… it works well. gtski

I imagine the screw top helps ;~} <couldn’t resist

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve been gone for awhile from this group…and am now accessing via google. My days using OE are over…..not sure if this is really a Anyway, I haven’t heard anything from any of the first batch of Ardmore builders. What are your impressions? Here are mine in short form… Low volume clean is very nice expecially using my holy grail reverb pedal. The volume goes up quickly from the 9:00 position…wish it was a bit more gradual but this happens with a lot of amps. The tone control or "voicing" control leaves me wishing I had a TMB tone stack instead, which I know is more complicated. It was a breeze to build and now I’m even more hooked….gotta find a way to justify building another amp…maybe a Marshall 18 watter clone????

I was supposed to try out the Ardmore amp but Gary never called me back for a definite time to meet. Oh well, I guess since I’m not Ace Frehley I’m not worthy. winnard

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve been gone for awhile from this group…and am now accessing via google. My days using OE are over…..not sure if this is really a Anyway, I haven’t heard anything from any of the first batch of Ardmore builders. What are your impressions? Here are mine in short form… Low volume clean is very nice expecially using my holy grail reverb pedal. The volume goes up quickly from the 9:00 position…wish it was a bit more gradual but this happens with a lot of amps. The tone control or "voicing" control leaves me wishing I had a TMB tone stack instead, which I know is more complicated. It was a breeze to build and now I’m even more hooked….gotta find a way to justify building another amp…maybe a Marshall 18 watter clone???? I was supposed to try out the Ardmore amp but Gary never called me back for a definite time to meet. Oh well, I guess since I’m not Ace Frehley I’m not worthy. winnard

Even though you’ve probably never been on VH1’s "Behind the Music", your worthy. If your ever in Kingman, AZ give me a call…you can play mine. ERic

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve been gone for awhile from this group…and am now accessing via google. My days using OE are over…..not sure if this is really a Anyway, I haven’t heard anything from any of the first batch of Ardmore builders. What are your impressions? Here are mine in short form… Low volume clean is very nice expecially using my holy grail reverb pedal. The volume goes up quickly from the 9:00 position…wish it was a bit more gradual but this happens with a lot of amps. The tone control or "voicing" control leaves me wishing I had a TMB tone stack instead, which I know is more complicated. It was a breeze to build and now I’m even more hooked….gotta find a way to justify building another amp…maybe a Marshall 18 watter clone???? I was supposed to try out the Ardmore amp but Gary never called me back for a definite time to meet. Oh well, I guess since I’m not Ace Frehley I’m not worthy. winnard

Hello Winnard, I don’t think it’s a matter of you not being Ace Frehley. Gary has been working some strange shifts due to end-of-year activities where he works. I’d try contacting him again. In the mean-time, I’ll let him know that I saw your post and that you are still interested in an Ardmore ‘test-drive’. If you are ever in N. VA (near DC) you can try out variations of the Gilmore Jr and the Ardmore at my location. I also have a very nice Gerhart Amplification Sunset Amp that you can try ;^) Best regards, Rich www.guytronix.com

Response:

P.S. FWIW I built the third (counting Gary and Rich) Ardmore and have spent a lot of time on construction details and in talking with Gary and Rich, so I’m not just guessing about the above. <G

I hope they gave you some pointers. -DC

Response:

P.S. FWIW I built the third (counting Gary and Rich) Ardmore and have spent a lot of time on construction details and in talking with Gary and Rich, so I’m not just guessing about the above. <G I hope they gave you some pointers. -DC

Hello Dave, I can’t find the thread where Walt replied, can you help me? Best regards, Rich www.guytronix.com

Response:

P.S. FWIW I built the third (counting Gary and Rich) Ardmore and have spent a lot of time on construction details and in talking with Gary and Rich, so I’m not just guessing about the above. <G I hope they gave you some pointers. -DC

and a happy thanksgiving to you too… Walt Campbell Campbell Sound http://www.campbellsound.com/

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – P.S. FWIW I built the third (counting Gary and Rich) Ardmore and have spent a lot of time on construction details and in talking with Gary and Rich, so I’m not just guessing about the above. <G I hope they gave you some pointers. -DC and a happy thanksgiving to you too… Walt Campbell Campbell Sound http://www.campbellsound.com/

Hello Walt, Happy Thanksgiving to You and Your Family. Just for the record, Walt was the Author of the Ardmore Manual. He didn’t need any pointers. ;^) Best regards, Rich www.guytronix.com

Response:

Just for the record, Walt was the Author of the Ardmore Manual.

Would you mind sending me a copy? No big deal, but curious… He didn’t need any pointers. ;^)

Perhaps he already got them. http://tinyurl.com/c2wl2 I *do* sincerely hope that you, Walt and all other Americans on the group had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day. -Dave Curtis Electrician Musician Technician

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Just for the record, Walt was the Author of the Ardmore Manual. Would you mind sending me a copy? No big deal, but curious… He didn’t need any pointers. ;^) Perhaps he already got them. http://tinyurl.com/c2wl2 I *do* sincerely hope that you, Walt and all other Americans on the group had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day. -Dave Curtis Electrician Musician Technician

Dave, I have an electronic master copy that I print out fresh with each kit purchase. It is colorful and very accurate to include ‘Easy-Build’ diagrams. In order to preserve the detailed information, I do not provide electronic copies. I am always at the ready to assist builders when they have questions or concerns (please see the Customer Feedback/Comments area on my web site). If a question/concern comes up that I cannot answer, Gary Gerhart provides guidance to me as he is the Design Engineer of these unique include your phone number. I’d be happy to call and discuss the Ardmore and Gilmore Jr Amp Kits with you. Thanks for your inquiry. Best regards, Rich

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Just for the record, Walt was the Author of the Ardmore Manual. Would you mind sending me a copy? No big deal, but curious… He didn’t need any pointers. ;^) Perhaps he already got them. http://tinyurl.com/c2wl2 I *do* sincerely hope that you, Walt and all other Americans on the group had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day. -Dave Curtis Electrician Musician Technician Dave, I have an electronic master copy that I print out fresh with each kit purchase. It is colorful and very accurate to include ‘Easy-Build’ diagrams. In order to preserve the detailed information, I do not provide electronic copies.

But you *could*… No big deal, but curious… I am always at the ready to assist builders when they have questions or concerns (please see the Customer Feedback/Comments area on my web site).

That’s great. If a question/concern comes up that I cannot answer, Gary Gerhart provides guidance to me as he is the Design Engineer of these unique Kits that are not clones.

Gee, Rich. I was born in the morning, but it wasn’t this morning. (I’ve been on the group for about 6 years) Tell Gary I said HI! include your phone number. I’d be happy to call and discuss the Ardmore and Gilmore Jr Amp Kits with you. Thanks for your inquiry.

Thanks, but I have way too many projects as it is. I’d read John’s manual for the Gilmore Jr. after he wrote it and just wanted to give Walt’s a read. Best regards, Rich