Formyx Amplifiers
Custom made tube guitar amps
Formyx F10 Isolation Cabinet
A smaller re-incarnation of the F12, the F10 isolation cabinet had 2 XLR lines and a speaker line, but without the confort of placing the speaker at different angles. There was the possibility of moving the mics around a bit but that was all.
This cab was also used at a live concert with success, however.
Formyx F12 Isolation cabinet
Some years ago I started experimenting with isolation boxes. The first one I made was made of cheap wood and stone fiber. Inside it was a 12″ cab with a Jensen 100W speaker. Having an SM57 inside I could record at full power, yet the bass frequencies coming out from that box were audible, although not that much. Having the box at the balcony I could only listen a hum from it while listening to what the mic inside it was ‘hearing’ through my monitors.
That iso-box saw live action when I played live with my band, ‘Anelixis’, back in 2005. I had used a powered monitor as a stage speaker and a Marshall 50W… I can’t remember the model, though…
Since that iso-box had inherent design problems (sound isolation problems and static waves) I built a second one, this time using plywood, gypsum blocks, stone fiber and an auralex-type foil. This is the result:
Its weight was approximately 80kg. Its’ drawback was still the static waves… Yet with careful mic or speaker placement you could easily counter their effect. (You see, when you build stuff like that, you have to have the opposite walls not parallel to each other). I learnt that the hard way, but it was fun!
This box had 2 XLR lines built-in and a speaker cable line.
Here is another pic with a sketchy 10″ speaker inside. The space was enough for various mic placements :
4 x 12″ Detuned guitar cabinet
This is a 4×12″ detuned cabinet I built back in 2008 for Christoforos Gorantwnakis. On top is the Formyx 5W Blues Head.
The speakers are Celestions, 2 x G12 Vintage 30 @ 60W and 2 x G12K @ 100 Watts. Pay attention to the HUGE port on the lower side of the cab.
That beast’s sound was terrifying!!!!
And here it is from the side.
Unfortunately there was no recording device at home available….
The amp that started it all…
The first amp I made, a 5W Single-Ended guitar amplifier.
2 Gain stages, 1x 12AX7, 1x 12AT7 for the FX loop, 1x 6V6 or 1xEL84 at the power stage.
Steel chassis enclosed in a magnetic confinement cage at the inside of the wooden outfit.
Here it is with her dedicated cabinet, a ‘detuned design’ 1×10 cab a la London Power, in the same wooden finish. The speaker is a Celestion G10 Vintage at 60W.
The picture was taken at Music Station musical instrument store in Patras, during the time I was working there as a salesman at the Soundcard/Music Literature Dept, sometimes lending a hand at the Instrument Repairs Dept.
Some imperfections and “injuries” are visible on the wood due to live concert usage! 
A great amp for playing the Blues/Hard rock at home or at small venues. You may need to mic it to a monitor for listening to it through the drums!!!
Project: Serenity – part 4
Now, before the final stage comes the Test phase. This means that the amp has to be powered up and tested before it’s been assembled, so that all components are accesible just in case something has to be changed. Here is how it looks in this case:
Ugly, huh? And dangerous, too!
Anyway, here is what it looks like when it’s almost done:
Next we will be powering up the amp and playing some riffs just to see how it rocks. I will be making some cool audio files as well, so stay tuned!
…to be continued…
Project: Serenity – part 3
I have finished with the amp’s electronics and took some time to upload some pictures from the process.
Here is the circuit board. I use eyelets since the amplifiers I do are actually prototypes and an eyelet board allows for easy changes and customization.
And here are the boards tied together, right before soldering the components:
Here is the amp with it’s guts out, waiting for the eyelet board transfusion… (MEDIIIIC!!!)
Project: Serenity – part 2
After some long needed holidays the project is back on track. Today I finished mounting the various hardware like transformers, pots, switches etc. Here are some shots:
