SolidstateFenderBlackfacePreamp

AllFETversionofthecelebratedvalveguitarpreamp
CanbeeasilymodifiedtoMarshallToneControlsspecs
Circuitdiagram:

Parts:
P1,P2__________220KLinearPotentiometers(or250K)
P3______________10KLinearPotentiometer
P4_______________1MLog.Potentiometer

R1_______________1M1/4WResistor
R2,R3___________68K1/4WResistors
R4,R5,R6,R7,R8_100K1/4WResistors

C1,C7___________47F25VElectrolyticCapacitors
C2_____________220pF63VCeramicorPolystyreneCapacitor(or250pF)
C3_____________100nF63VPolyesterCapacitor
C4______________47nF63VPolyesterCapacitor
C5_____________100F3550VElectrolyticCapacitor
C6_____________120pF63VCeramicorPolystyreneCapacitor
C8______________47nF63VPolyesterCapacitor

Q1,Q2,Q3,Q4__2N3819GeneralpurposeNChannelFETs

J1,J2_________6.3mmMonoJacksockets

SW1____________SPSTToggleorSlideSwitch

AdChoices GuitarGear Preamp BassmanFender

Comments:

Valveamplifiersandrelatedpreamplifiersincludingvarioustypesoftonecontrolswerealwaysthepreferred
equipmentofmostguitaristssincetherockandpopmusicearlydays.
ThistrendisstillaliveandFenderorMarshallvalveequipmentismuchappreciatedandhighlyindemandin
spiteofthecostanddifficultiesinfindingsuitablereplacementsforagedordamagedparts.
ThebasicideaofthisprojectwastobuildanexactreplicaoftheFenderBlackfacepreamp,usingthesame
valuesforthepassiveToneControlspartsandpresentingthesameinputandoutputimpedanceandtotalac
gain.Themaindifferencewasthesubstitutionoftheoriginaltwintriode12AX7valvebytwosimpleFET
Cascodegainblocks,eachblockhavingthesametypicalacgainclaimedinthe12AX7datasheets,i.e.>80.
Inthisway,acheapunitcanbebuiltandeasilyembeddedintoanexistingtransistoramplifierorusedasa
separate,batterypowered,portablepreamp.

Thecircuitshouldbepoweredatadcvoltagecomprisedinthe2430Vrange,easilyavailableintoan
existingaudioequipmentorobtainedfromhighervoltagerailsbymeansofsuitableR/Ccells.

Topoweraportableversion,thebestsolutionistousetwo9V"transistor"batterieswiredinseries,inorder
toobtaina18Vsupply:theresultswillbeworththeincreasedexpense.
Totalcurrentdrawingatallsupplyvoltages(1830V)isonly8.5mA.

SomeperformersprefertouseMarshalltypeToneControls,presentingfrequencycurvesdiffering(though
notgreatly)fromFenderones.

Fortunately,thiscanbeeasilyobtainedbyonlychangingsomepartvaluesandthecenterleadconnectionof
the"Mid"controlpot,asshowninthecircuitdiagrambelow(leftside).

Duetotheratherhighoutputimpedanceofthecircuit,therecouldbesevereoutputsignalattenuationifthe
inputimpedanceofthefollowingamplifierislessthanabout150KOhm.Therefore,toavoidthis
shortcoming(mostlywhentransistorpoweramplifiersaredriven)asuitableSourcefollowercircuitshould
beaddedtotheoutput,andthisisshowninthecircuitdiagrambelow(rightside).

C8intheoriginalcircuitwillbeomittedandtheGateofQ5mustbewireddirectlytothejunctionwhereC8
waspreviouslyconnected.

Circuitmodifications:

MarshallToneControlsParts:
P2_______________1MLinearPotentiometer
P3______________22KLinearPotentiometer(or25K)

R6______________33K1/4WResistor

C2_____________470pF63VCeramicorPolystyreneCapacitor(or500pF)
C3,C4___________22nF63VPolyesterCapacitors

OutputbufferParts:
R9______________10K1/4WResistor
R10____________100K1/4WResistor

C9_______________4763VElectrolyticCapacitor

Q5___________2N3819GeneralpurposeNChannelFET

Notes:

AveryinterestingdiscussionaboutFenderandMarshallToneControls,showingdifferences,
frequencyresponsegraphicsandmuchmorecanbefoundatGuitarAmplifierBasics
Pleasenotethatallimpedancesinvolvedinthiscircuitareveryhigh(valvelike,typically1M)
comparedtocommontransistorcircuitry:therefore,toavoidnoiseandhumpickup,allconnections
mustbekeptveryshortandifinputandoutputjacksandthepotsarenotdirectlymountedonaprinted
circuitboard,allwiringtothesepartsmustbedonecarefullybymeansofscreenedcable.
 Intheirmorerecentamplifiertypes,like'59BassmanandBluesDeVille/Deluxe,Fenderdesigners
haveslightlymodifiedtheToneControlspartsvalues,thusobtainingasortofcompromisebetween
theiroldermodelsandMarshallToneControls.Thechangeswereasfollows:C2andP1(Treble
Control)wereleftunchangedC3wasstilla100nFcapacitorbutP2value(BassControl)wasraisedto
1M(log.)liketheMarshallpreamp.C4andP3(MidControl)werechangedto22nFand22K(or25K)
respectively:i.e.thesamevaluesandconnectionsoftheMarshallpreampmodificationasshowninthe
aboveschematics(leftside).

Technicaldata

InputSensitivity@1KHz:
6mVRMS(ToneControlssettocenterposition,Volumecontrolsettomax.)

Maximumundistortedoutputwith6mVRMSinput:
3VRMS@18Vsupply
4VRMS@24Vsupply
5VRMS@30Vsupply

Frequencyresponse:SeecurvesatGuitarAmplifierBasics

Totalharmonicdistortion@1KHz:<0.3%at1VRMSoutput

Totalcurrentdrawingatallsupplyvoltages(18to30V):8.5mA