LA-2A & GSSL's Completed!!!

Thanks to Gyraf, CJ, Fum, Roger Foote, Greg, SSL Tech & to everyone who helped.

Very nice work there. I like the knobs on the GSSL.

Is that front panel etched or is lasertran (or none of the above)?

Steve

Inspiring!

:thumb: :sam: :guinness:

Well, I beat up FUM a couple times on the phone & he turned me on to the Lazer printer on wax paper trick... it took a lot of tries to get it to work. Finding the right paper was a treat :wink: . Spray some Super 77 on the face & let it dry a few, then CARFULLY place the upside down/reversed image on & RUB... let dry & coat with clear something. Mine coating cracked a little... you just can't see it but it's good enough for me.

My friend gave me a box of 100 of those knobs. I had to drill the dot myself. Anodized aluminum I think.

The meter on the LA-2A is my favorite. It's an API.

Kevin

Very nice looking stuff you got there :thumb:

Hi khstudio...

i really like your stuff!..I was wondering ..where did you get those meters for the GSSL?..especially the dark one I really like....
I like the knobs too on the LA-2..are they difficult to find?..

many thanks--

[quote author="DQ"]Hi khstudio...

i really like your stuff!..I was wondering ..where did you get those meters for the GSSL?..especially the dark one I really like....
I like the knobs too on the LA-2..are they difficult to find?..

many thanks--[/quote]

Meters I had laying around.
The output switch was a scrap part also.
The knobs I got last year from Mouser... I think, check their catalog on line.

Thanks..

you know what brand the meter is?

[quote author="khstudio"]Finding the right paper was a treat... let dry & coat with clear something. Mine coating cracked a little... [/quote]
Cool trick! So, what is the right paper? Also, do you mean that the clear coat cracked?

Nice job, btw! :thumb:

Nice work there kh !!! :thumb:

I know in another thread you were asking about typical use for the LA-2A, and I remember you mentioning you setup the GSSLs with a meter scale from 0-20dB. The GSSL is a very aggressive compressor IMO, and I rarely use it to compress more than a few dB. As a result, I think I set my meter scale from 0-10dB. What are your thoughts on the compresso? Are you squishing with the GSSL at 10dB or anything like that?

Actually, I find it rather unusable for heavy compression. But in certain application, and on a drum buss with just a tickle of compression... :green: :grin:

Just curious to know what you think about this guy?

Nice looking DIY khstudio!

Can you share how much does the DIY LA-2A cost?

Thanks guys... Greg, I've got a lot of opinions about the SSL, their use & setup - but I'm completely drained from reading the 1 bottle pre thread trying to learn. I'll be back later tonite.

O, the paper will take some describing too. I'm diy-ing guys. Goodnight... or day.


Kevin

Good work! :thumb:

The super77 and waxpaper thing sounds very interesting. I haven't done the frontpanel labeling for my LA2 yet. :? Is there a reason why you used black instead of red teletronix labeling? No colour laser printer handy or so maybe? Or isn't is possible to use colours with the wax/super77 methode?

Thanks,
Frank.

[quote author="nrgrecording"]Good work! :thumb:

The super77 and waxpaper thing sounds very interesting. I haven't done the frontpanel labeling for my LA2 yet. :? Is there a reason why you used black instead of red teletronix labeling? No colour laser printer handy or so maybe? Or isn't is possible to use colours with the wax/super77 methode?

Thanks,
Frank.[/quote]

Yes, BLACK lazer printer is all I've got.

The paper to use is tricky. OK here goes... Avery "Clear full sheet labels" #8665, comes in 25 sheet package. You guys will think I'm nuts but I went to Staples (office supply) & opened every package of lables to check the wax paper & NONE of them matched this stuff.

Here's the story, I bought a lazer printer & some lable stock, hooked it up & tried printing... I went thru TONES of paper trying different types & printing methods = Light, Dark, 600dpi, 2400dpi & the shit wouldn't stick. So here I am, super pissed off & ready to pack up the printer & send it back & I went thru my lables & found these BUT, since they were large lables, the backing was split it 3 sections to make it easy to peel & stick. I was like *^%#$$#^_&^$$#$%* :guinness: :guinness: :guinness: :sam: :guinness: :guinness: :guinness: :guinness: :guinness: :guinness: :sam: :evil:


So I said, F-it & just shoved the large center strip thru & to my surprise, it finally stuck & was sharp & neat WOOOHOOOOO.:idea: Now I had to figure out how to keep the sheets whole :roll: So I first tried to peel a sticker off 1 & stick to the back of another... what a mess. What I ended up doing was taking the whole lable, turn it upside down & use CLEAR tape across the seems, then cut the hang over clean at the edge, then CARFULLY peel the lable off the front & POOF... a FULL sheet :green:

If ANYONE has or finds paper that works this good PLEASE let me/us know.

I'm gonna try to get FUM in here to add his 2 cents, HE is the one who helped me do ths. Thanks FUM. :thumb:

Kevin - KHStudio

[quote author="DQ"]Thanks..

you know what brand the meter is?[/quote]

I'm sorry I don't know

[quote author="Greg"]Nice work there kh !!! :thumb:

I know in another thread you were asking about typical use for the LA-2A, and I remember you mentioning you setup the GSSLs with a meter scale from 0-20dB. The GSSL is a very aggressive compressor IMO, and I rarely use it to compress more than a few dB. As a result, I think I set my meter scale from 0-10dB. What are your thoughts on the compresso? Are you squishing with the GSSL at 10dB or anything like that?

Actually, I find it rather unusable for heavy compression. But in certain application, and on a drum buss with just a tickle of compression... :green: :grin:

Just curious to know what you think about this guy?[/quote]


This is exactly how I find my GSSL as well. However, with just 2.5 to 3 db GR, Im finding it very good as a mix comp for rock type stuff as well. Tried that Greg?

[quote author="Greg"]Nice work there kh !!! :thumb:

I know in another thread you were asking about typical use for the LA-2A, and I remember you mentioning you setup the GSSLs with a meter scale from 0-20dB. The GSSL is a very aggressive compressor IMO, and I rarely use it to compress more than a few dB. As a result, I think I set my meter scale from 0-10dB. What are your thoughts on the compresso? Are you squishing with the GSSL at 10dB or anything like that?

Actually, I find it rather unusable for heavy compression. But in certain application, and on a drum buss with just a tickle of compression... :green: :grin:

Just curious to know what you think about this guy?[/quote]

I think after using them more you have a point. I don't really go above -10 so I MAY chang mine later.

The KEY to these things is parallel bussing. Myself, I solo the drum buss & make it happen... finding a nice balance with or without cymbals or toms & sometimes even add the BASS in. I like the 2151's best for this. About 5 - 10 db of comp, 4:1 (after the mods to ratio) fastest attack & usually fastes release - I know it's dirty but I like it. I do adjust the release if it's too much. THEN I blend that buss into the raw tracks & those things RIP. The "air this adds to the kit is KILLER. The bigest part of the trick is to send your snare/tome reverb/EFX to the compression buss :wink:

My pics don't show Greg's sidechain board but it's in them. I was VERY scared to change these from stock because I really liked them as they were & still think it's different but having it is GREAT & probably worth the little change. What bothered me most was the summing resistor changing from 47k to 20k, I was /am concerned how this "could" affect the RAW AUDIO PATH. The Alan Smart C1 uses the same summers & I think theres something to it but aftere talking to a tech friend he said he's seen summing networks a lot lower in value. My large console for istance uses 22k's so I said WTF & went ahead with it.

Once again this place & you guys are really cool.

If any of you guys are guitar players or have working studio's & havn't built any guitar amps you should. Befor all this I built a 1 watt, Marshall 18 watt, 65 Deluxe reverb (must have), Princeton reverb (best vibrato I've ever heard), Twin Reverb (custum head), 50 watt Plexi ( switchable all over the place to go from 68 to 69 model to almost a JTM45)
But the BEST amp ever is my 59 TWEED DELUXE. for how simple it was to build it is unstopable & very recordable & versitile.

One of these days I'm gonna make a DIY page on my website with more info & pics


Kevin - KHStudio

Props for the Super 77 method go to SSLTech! He's the one that turned me onto it, and every project I make completely at home I use this method on (yes, I do on occasion send stuff out to be enngraved).


1 can super77 spray glue

1 can clear laquer

Waxy backing paper from mailing or CD labels.


The gist is that you print out your graphics in reverse onto the waxy paper.

Spray a light coat of 77 on the panel, and wait for it to get tacky, and then place your graphics on the panel, using a pencil to rub on just the toner part.

Once you've got it all the way you want (yes, you can wipe clean and start over using thinner), put a couple coats of clear laquer on it, and you're done.

Just to add, different lazer printers might not like certain types of wax paper... maybe mine was a rare case.

Nice work Kevin. I'd like to hear more about your guitar amp projects. I've been thinking about moving to tube amp projects but wanted to start with solid state. Something about high voltages has been scaring me off. :shock: