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Bottlehead Stereomour on the way...

I would consider a natural Minwax stain on the alder wood case followed by a coat of Feed-N-Wax. I see so many examples using dark streaky stains that leave much to be desired.

I built matching wood cases for my plate amps using a high grade pine which looks like alder. I put Bottlehead badges on them to match the Paramours and Foreplay III.

I know it's a ways off for you but my favorite 2a3 tube in the Paramours so far has been the Shuguang 2a3c. I've tried expensive RCAs, the Valve Arts that came with the kit and IMO the inexpensive Shuguang ( as 2a3's go ) sounds the best of the three. The Psvane which is said to be an even better Shuguang product is getting high praise and is affordably priced from Chinese ebay sellers.

The Mullard made NOS CV4024 is my favorite 12AT7.
 
The goofy looking Sofia meshplates (which as I understand it are basically 300Bs with 2.5 V filaments) are loafing along as 2A3s and sound really good to me - very potent and authoritative. Kind of Baroque-looking, though, with their huge-mongous globes :-P

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Ok, so I think I would like to paint the PT end bell but also I'd like to paint the casings on the two chokes that sit next to it. What is the best way to go about that? I've seen where others have done it but do they remove the casing somehow, then sand and paint or leave it all together and mask the guts?
 
marantzfan said:
Ok, so I think I would like to paint the PT end bell but also I'd like to paint the casings on the two chokes that sit next to it. What is the best way to go about that? I've seen where others have done it but do they remove the casing somehow, then sand and paint or leave it all together and mask the guts?
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I'm not sure which chokes it uses, but I have had a good result just masking off the coils and spraying the rest.

The alder base is very soft wood and will likely turn out bad with a stain if you don't use a conditioner on the wood first. I used some cherry minwax poly on one of mine without conditioning and it turned out OK but still not completely even color.

When you glue up the base, be sure to clamp or tape it together with the top-side down on a flat surface. This will ensure that the top surfaces are all flush when you turn it over. The height of all the pieces may not be exactly the same.

Also, it is a good idea to sand the rabbet where the top plate fits in. Clean out any glue from the corners with a chisel. You will want to apply any finish in there as well. When you put the top-plate in the base there will still be a small gap showing around the edge. An uneven surface or glue residue will cause the color in your finish to look uneven in that gap. Also try to keep any finish from building up in the corners, as it will look darker.

mike_p said:
:thmbsp: How'd you apply the hammertone finish? Got any pics?
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These were the first top-plates I finished. I had already built the Foreplay without treating the metal at all and it was getting scratched and discolored from use.

I just sanded and then used steel wool on the metal. Clean it with a solvent to remove any oils and sanding dust. The key with the hammertone is applying enough to get a good texture while keeping it even over the whole piece. A heavier application gives more texture. I sprayed them while they were flat so I wouldn't have to worry about any runs.

The copper color doesn't really go well with the cherry base. I think I should have used a clear finish on the base for these. I now use a rustoleum mettalic finish (dark bronze) instead of the hammertone. It has a very fine, almost sandlike texture that I think looks more professional than the hammertone.

It is also a good idea to file the finish away from the switch and IEC cutouts before putting them in. I use a small flat needle file. The switch and outlet can be a very tight fit and the finish may chip or separate from the metal.

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Very good advice on the chassis! I was too lazy to do it! IMO the alderwood bases are great candidates for a nice exotic veneer which is what I did... I got it cheeeeep from a local cabinet maker. They are so small that remnants are enough and you can get some nice wood like my tiger stripe ebony. The top plates would have ROCKED if I had plated or anodized or even veneered them first. I did chrome the end caps on the iron and polished the choke bracket though.

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Excellent! You will find the instructions top-notch and very easy to follow.
Bottlehead makes wonderful products and has great customer service. No need to worry.

I had been hoping to do a Stereomour this winter, but stumbled on a subwoofer project instead. Maybe next year.......?

Enjoy and keep us posted. I will be watching.

Regards,
Dave
 
I'm looking forward to the build. I wanted to build a pair of Paramours the first time I saw Wardsweb's build!

:lurk:
 
Dmannnnn said:
It's hard not to just jump in and start assembling it, but it is a good idea to take the time to put a nice finish on the aluminum plate. They look nice as they are, but they scratch and scuff very easily. It is a bitch to disassemble them for painting if you decide to do it later on, as I did with my Foreplay. I painted my paramount's with hammertone, but just used some clear lacquer on the Foreplay.
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Wise advise. Definitely get a good coat on that plate. I would add that you should clean it and the end bell thouroughly with a good degreaser first. The was a bit of machine oil on mine.

Also, I suggest reading the instructions through to the end before you start and then follow carefully, step by step. But, I'm sure you will.

Regards,
Dave
 
Nice job with the ebony veneer.

After experimenting with different finishes I still prefer the plain metal chassis. On the Foreplay I made a sort of faux jeweled finish using steel wool by hand. It was sprayed with clear lacquer and looks very cool. It isn't as strong as some of the better spraypaints and I did chip the edge while making some mods, but short of anodizing, it is my favorite look.
 
MWalt said:
I can't wait to hear your opinion on this, Anthony. Hurry up and build that puppy!
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I got through all the circuit board stuffing and populated the top plate but I can't go any further as I'm waiting to paint to dry on chokes and transformer end bell. :smoke:
 
MannyE said:
Yes. I had lamented Bottleheads decision to raise prices to the point where it's not really an entry level product anymore. I imagine the new kits come with what you and I would have considered upgrades like the CCC kits etc. but I was very dissappointed I would not be able to build another pair of Paramours. The new stuff is out of my price rAnge.

Nevertheless I still think they have a great product. Maybe for Christmas they will do a re-issue of the "classics". Hey, like Ferrari, they can make them available only to previous customers. Lol.
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About four years ago I built the S.E.X. amp for a headphone amp. I paid $300 for it. A month later they raised the price $100. Now, with improvements that includes better iron the kit runs $539. Still a good deal for a great sounding SET amp.

Installing the Bottlehead upgrades and replacing the Iron with MagneQuest's best iron can quickly turn the S.E.X. into a $1000 + amp. I bet it would sound good though.
 
35 posts and still not a single picture? WTF! :D

Actually, I have been working on this a little here, a little there and have made some good progress. I hope to have this done this week and which time I will post some finished pictures.

In the meatime I will say that this kit is an absolutle pleasure to assemble and the instructions are outstanding! Maybe with a little luck I can have it all buttoned up tonight; I'm already on page 60 in the assembly manual!
 
Here's what it looks like right out of the box

Spread out on the desk . . . :yes:

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Well, I'm two resistors short. I placed an email with bottlehead and they are being sent out to me now. Other than that, everything else is assembled. :thmbsp:

Now we wait.... :smoke:
 
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