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* EDIT: Up-to-date information is available in Yek's Guide to the Fractal Audio Amplifier Models *
Wrecker Express: based on Trainwreck Express
Trainwreck Circuits amps are the most expensive guitar amplifiers, after Dumble. These boutique amps (heads only) with their remarkable wooden enclosures were designed by (the late) Ken Fischer. More about Ken Fischer.
Cliff owns a Trainwreck. AFAIK the exact model is unknown.
The Wrecker Express model is based on the Trainwreck Express, which sounds similar to a Marshall Plexi. Go here for more Trainwreck info and discussion.
Here’s a great article in Premier Guitar: The Last Trainwreck.
The Express has either EL34 or 6V6 tubes. The model is based on EL34s.
Like all Trainwreck amps, the Express is a simple amp. Its controls are: Volume, Treble, Mid, Bass, Presence and Bright switch. Because there’s no Master the Volume control not only sets the volume level but gain as well.
I prefer to use the model with IRs of G12M (greenback) speakers.
Wrecker Express: based on Trainwreck Express
Trainwreck Circuits amps are the most expensive guitar amplifiers, after Dumble. These boutique amps (heads only) with their remarkable wooden enclosures were designed by (the late) Ken Fischer. More about Ken Fischer.
Trainwreck.com:
“What makes Trainwreck amps so good?
To start, they are so responsive. You can set up a Trainwreck so that you can control the amount of distortion in your sound with the volume knob but, depending on how much overdrive you like, you can go from gorgeous clean to gorgeous crunch by merely altering your touch.
The tone of these amps is incredible but if you don’t have tone in your fingers, don’t expect a ‘wreck to make you sound good. Remember, they are totally responsive. If you have a bad sounding guitar or you put bad sounding tubes in the amp, don’t expect it to sound great.
The unprecedented clarity of these amps makes it possible to hear the tonal differences created by your guitar cable, your speaker cable, removing your pick-guard, or whatever. A Trainwreck head will allow you to distinguish the quality of every link in your signal chain. Clarity also means that when the amp is distorting, you can still hear all the nuances of your playing. That Ken made amps with this degree of clarity that still sounded beautiful, even under distortion, was his unique genius. As a result of the incredibly nuanced high-end of a Trainwreck head, the guitar tends to cut through the overall mix of the band.
Trainwreck amps are also built incredibly well, built to last. They very rarely need servicing.”
“What makes Trainwreck amps so good?
To start, they are so responsive. You can set up a Trainwreck so that you can control the amount of distortion in your sound with the volume knob but, depending on how much overdrive you like, you can go from gorgeous clean to gorgeous crunch by merely altering your touch.
The tone of these amps is incredible but if you don’t have tone in your fingers, don’t expect a ‘wreck to make you sound good. Remember, they are totally responsive. If you have a bad sounding guitar or you put bad sounding tubes in the amp, don’t expect it to sound great.
The unprecedented clarity of these amps makes it possible to hear the tonal differences created by your guitar cable, your speaker cable, removing your pick-guard, or whatever. A Trainwreck head will allow you to distinguish the quality of every link in your signal chain. Clarity also means that when the amp is distorting, you can still hear all the nuances of your playing. That Ken made amps with this degree of clarity that still sounded beautiful, even under distortion, was his unique genius. As a result of the incredibly nuanced high-end of a Trainwreck head, the guitar tends to cut through the overall mix of the band.
Trainwreck amps are also built incredibly well, built to last. They very rarely need servicing.”
Cliff owns a Trainwreck. AFAIK the exact model is unknown.
The Wrecker Express model is based on the Trainwreck Express, which sounds similar to a Marshall Plexi. Go here for more Trainwreck info and discussion.
Here’s a great article in Premier Guitar: The Last Trainwreck.
The Express has either EL34 or 6V6 tubes. The model is based on EL34s.
Like all Trainwreck amps, the Express is a simple amp. Its controls are: Volume, Treble, Mid, Bass, Presence and Bright switch. Because there’s no Master the Volume control not only sets the volume level but gain as well.
Cliff:
"The secret to a Trainwreck is the output transformer. The impedance ratio is about twice that of other amps. I.e. typical 50W Marshall has a primary impedance of about 3200 ohms. A Trainwreck is about 6500 ohms. The causes the power tubes to clip much sooner."
"The secret to a Trainwreck is the output transformer. The impedance ratio is about twice that of other amps. I.e. typical 50W Marshall has a primary impedance of about 3200 ohms. A Trainwreck is about 6500 ohms. The causes the power tubes to clip much sooner."
I prefer to use the model with IRs of G12M (greenback) speakers.
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