Remember you can also run 6V6 power tubes for whole different power level and sound.  I have been switching out pre-amp tubes trying different sounds and gains.  I like the JJ and Groove tubes the best for low end or cheaper tubes without going broke on NOS.  If you ask around you will be surprized where you can score old tubes.

Glen K. youtube video is good as well as his CDs and he has built his own TW clones and knows his way around these amps.  I like what Nik is doing to keep these old amps available for all at very reasonable prices but shipping sucks, what can we do?

My Express came with JJ from Nik in Gabkit Red cab.  I loaded a mix of ecc83, 5751, 12ax7, and JJel84 in the liverpool I built in the drawer cab from Woodcraft.com.

Mark

Sorry I haven't been posting much because I have been at another forum site and building my own amps.

Here is my latest Liverpool clone and some friends.

I bought my first Trainwreck from Nik an Express and I built my Liverpool from parts and it was not a difficult build but does require good soldering and lead dress.

Head cabs can be sourced, home build or check out the custum built cherry wood drawers from WoodCraft.com that many of us use to build your own head cab from if your are not good with saws.

Everything you need can come from Nik (parts) or buy completely built or build your own.

Here is a picture of new express in a Gabkit cab.

Mark

Ordered my TW express complete amp, sans cab from Nik August 31, 2008 it was assembled and shipped September 22, 2008 and received September 24, 2008. It arrived without any damage, packed quite well. It arrived with JJ tubes, T-shirt, and power cord. I placed all the tubes and set the amp in my temporary drawer head then fired it up with the Dr Z 212 blues cabinet. Wow it is one loud mutha and has such a great bite to it. My Gibson the Paul model kicked some serious butt. Not a clean level to this amp all grind with harmonics. I then hooked it to my Peavey 4x12 and let her fly again. When I came up from my jam room my wife said well how do you like it, sure was loud. All I could say was good! Thats what I wanted a loud lead amp.

Well worth the money, hope I can build my liverpool as well as Nik built this amp. I am not using any of Niks parts for my liverpool build so sourcing has been a nightmare.

Mark

I forgot to as Nik what tubes are coming with my express and I don't see it out on the web site so I assumed they were specially made for ceriatone.  I have a few different one laying around and I also have a box waiting for me full of tubes from a local radio repair place that find them for me.  The box scored some great tubes.  I used to get them from hospital salvage as med tech equipment and engineering departments in old hospitals also ran tube equipment.

So instead bugging Nik does some one out there know what tubes I will be getting on a stock TW express.

Mark

Derek

I would put two of each in one cab and try it that way.  If you run it in stereo mode you can A/B the sound difference or wire it so each stereo side has one of each and that is what I would do.  I think the VIN 30 would be fantastic for the express.  But I haven't got my amp from Nik yet so I can only tell you what my Fender super reverb and Dr Z Stangray sound through two different 4X12.  Only you will know when you hear the magic tone.  If you can afford it I would get two Vin 30 and compare betwen all three types.  If you run the cab in a non stereo setup you could have all three types running in it for a fantastic overall sound coverage.  Some speakers bring out the highs, some the mids and others are darking sounding.

Have some fun with a screw gun some weekend and put them in your home made cab (right you built your own cab).

Mark

My express is still being build by Nik but I ordered the Gabkit head cab with red tolex with creme valance to match my Dr Z Stangray.  I also followed the order a "drawer kit" from WoodKraft.com made out of plantation grown cherry wood and that arrive today.  The wood is very nice but not as nice as some I have seen on other forums.  I dry fitted it today and put my Allyn Meyers chassis in it and everything will work great for my liverpool build.  If you haven't heard about this $59.00 drawer kit idea it is at Ampgarage.  The guy that came up with that was sure thinking and I thank him.

Mark

How can I get ahold of a suppler for those trainwreck logo for my own personal use not for resale or profit?

I can't see having a great TW clone without the logo.  If I build an 18 Marshall style amp I plan on putting that logo on the my 18w amp.  Why not as long as it is for me.

Mark

Do you guys have other amps to compare your new overtone with?  Lets me know how you like the amp because I am building up a collection and also planning to build a few others but the overtone is a lot more complicated to build.

I have got to take some pictures and you guys too.

Mark

Nik

I went ahead a got a cab ordered from Gabkit for the Express you are building for me.  I chose the red tolex, white piping and rough creme valence so that your amp will match my Dr. Z stangray as I plan to use a dual setup for giging with both amps running into my sterero 4x12 bottom instead of the Dr Z 212 with blues.  Can't wait for the build so I can mount that thing. 

I am also building a liverpool using cherry wood cab and one of Allynmey chassis but I plan to keep that amp at home with me and not on the Road.  I got a long ways to go with that build sourcing all the right parts.  We need to get this forum going with more post people.  Lets here what your running or plan to get from either Nik or other places.

In the old days I used the SVT as my main guitar amp for the loud venues, it was killer but back then the pre-amp tubes were hard to find and later we learned how to modify that to use other tubes in the Tube Amp book.  So this would be a good project for Nik.

Mark

I would like an VOX AC-4 type combo amp for studio or play.
For high gain Mesa Boogie dual rectifier.

Mark

I am new to this forum so I am bringing this message up again as I have an expression being built now by Ceriatone and have Allyn's chassis to build my Liverpool and of course I would also want the Rocket after that so I vote for Nik to build the Rocket.

Mark