Metro-Amp JTM-45 Clone
Start-up.
I had been watching a certain young guitar player rise through the ranks here in San Antonio. After watching and playing with him for a number of years, I started thinking that he was gonna need an amp that would propel his career tonally. Well, I let him use my '65 JTM-45 a couple of times, and he was so jazzed about it, I decided to build him one, and see if I could recapture the magic of mine. Here is the build of Will Owen-Gage's JTM-45 clone. Above: Mercury Magnetics Trannies installed. I used a 10-Henry choke and a JMP-50 OT.
Shiny aluminum.
Pots and jacks in. I used premium mil-spec 2-watt pots here. This future road dawg needs to be robust. Wiring colors/sizes match my '65.
I taste Dijon.
Board installed and populated. Note NOS mustard caps and Carbon comp resistors on the inputs. Also used Marshall-style pink wire, just like my '65.
Closeup of board.
Stock Marshall voicing and wiring. I made some voicing and component changes later after the burn-in and a couple of gigs. Per Will's request, those won't be shown here. Old-school Marshall QC paint was applied and wires were cable tied after this shot as well.
Crank her up!
Jamming with my '75 Strat into the 800 shop cab. Nice and meaty. Used JJ KT-66s, and a mix of NOS pre-amp tubes (RCAs and Mullards), rectifier is an IEC Mullard.
Final touches
I had an old repro Marshall logo laying around the shop. I added it per Will's request.
Bring it
Will playing the amp at the San Antonio Blues Society's annual Fiesta event April 27th, 2008. He used my Blockhead 4 x 12 for the event.
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