BJFE / BearFoot fx Guitar Effects Community

DocRock wrote:Hi,

I haven't been on here it a very long time, but wanted to let anyone concerned know that I am still alive, well, and playing my guitar.

Also wondering if Alex could chime in with an update on this project?

I hope all is well with everyone.

Doc

Hey Doc, nice to see ya around

I would like to hear more news on this as well if there is any ?

VacuumVoodoo wrote:Good news: got a request/order for a 30W 112 combo based om this amp. The tricky part will be to build it in a 2U 19" rack width and leave 1U space for external delay/reverb/echo gizmo. Top panel or front panel? Don't know yet.

Thinking removable speaker baffle allowing a choice of 210 or 112 configuration could be an interesting feature.
Toroids for both Output and Power transformers. Power tubes will be 2x7591S
I'm forecasting completion of this to mid February.

Did this ever materialize Alex ??

It's in the works....I'm hurrying slowly on this one.
I'm finding it's like a stew, the longer it simmers the better it tastes, still needs a tiny bit of fine tuning the spicing:



Alright, seriously: things take longer than anticipated. Custom wound toroid transformers took longer to get but now they're here:



Soundwise, compared to an EI core OT, the amp with this toroid OT has more clarity and crystal chime in treble and upper mids but isn't clinically sterile. It still has its own thing going. I initially had some worries it might not like distortion/overdrive but it passed with flying colors. My beta testers say it forces one to play with more precision and motivates to improve your technique because mistakes don't get masked as with an EI OT.

HAHAHAH ! you got me!
I stared at the first pic for too long and got lost in it .....before i scrolled down to the real one !!!!!

you could build that thing in to a stove with the speakers for burners or something ; ]


One of my favorite amps I beleive had toroidal trannies and KT88 power tubes and was very much like you described ....

The combination of this amp with some low powered Alnico Blue type speakers turned out to be a perfect combination as the clarity of the amp caused the speakers to compress very naturally and gave one of the sweetest cleanly compressed tones I have heard .... speaker matchup will be even more critical with this baby Im thinking ..... mmmmmm yummy stew you have there . ; ]

Cool!!!

Just to show it's not vaporware or a figment of your imagination: The Prototype.
I think I have it were I want it, with all knobs at 12 o'clock it will go from angelically crystal clean to hellish roar (if you like this sort of noise) under guitar volume control and pick technique. Control range of gain & drive knobs is tweakable to tailor the response to you individual preferences.

Also, I don't want to get into a dispute with Ozzys and Sharons legal advisors so I'm ditching the name "Schizoid".
From now on the name is "ZAGRAY!". The exclamation mark is important. The name is a polish word in imperative form meaning "Play!". It's also a nod to Stefan Kudelskis "Nagra" tape recorders as ""Nagra" means "shall record". For it to have something to record somebody must "Play!".

ZAGRAY! prototype on the test bench:

Knobs and toggles galore:


I'm working on a 2U 19" rack enclosure/chassis for this thing. If all works out I'll have it with me at the NJ AmpSHow in June.