Filmosound 385 – The Best Guitar Amp You’ve Never Heard Of ????
These amps are really, really cool! Check out my Shorts for more of this amp in action with effects.
Intro track courtesy of @RhettShull & @TylerBryantMusic
Fretboard Journal / Colin Cripps article shown:
Fretboard Journal Electric Guitar Annual Vol. 2: What’s Inside
0:00 – Intro Jam
1:38 – History & Notable Users
3:59 – Specs/Technical Info
7:20 – Knob Turning/Single Coil Sounds
#Filmosound #Guitar #Amp #Youve #Heard
Originally posted by UCbYJ-Wy7vTp9wQtyI7kafYQ at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6nf2AFQ2nc
Sounds amazing
The tone control is an active Baxandall like an Orange, the 12AX7 runs it. It can pretty easily be broken out into separate bass and treble controls, its a dual ganged pot, treble goes up bass goes down, bass goes up treble goes down. Separate you can boost mids.
Some folks put a 6SL7 dual triode where the optical oscilator 6v6 was and insert a tremolo circuit. So much of hhe sound comes from the forest of cracked carbon resistors and ceramic disc caps inside. The EL84 versions have a completely different sound
A gem, if it is professionally converted to guitar amp. Nice dirt in the tone, very good harmonics and one of the most beautiful overdrive tones, I ever have heard. (Maybe apart from a WEM Dominator II).
Does, what most boutique amps promise, but hardly even keep…
Sounds incredible. Love it. Great video.
Bernie mainly converted the ones using EL 84's, partially because that's what was around Hamilton, Ontario, at the time, and partly because Colin Cripps, one of Bernie's customers, was big into JMI Vox's, and EL84's. Having said all that, Bernie later got his hands on, and converted, one of the 6V6 models and liked that one, too, but his "Filmo's" (that's what we used to call them, no one called them Bernie's) were almost all EL 84 models.
Was your tone altered with any pedals? Or was that overdrive purely from the amp??
I did a quick search. I'm seeing prices of 1500 to 2500 Canadian..
If i could find one, I would use a new chassis and do a turret board construction..
Great playing and sounds, and truly intelligent commentary. Have you had a chance to compare the actual amp to the pedals that try to replicate it?
Man! This little amp sounds fantastic!
Good video, Riggs. I appreciate your realistic comments regarding what to do with these little gems. They are indeed a rats next inside! But with some well applied knowledge you can create something with great character and tonal quality. Whoever built your amp did a really nice job. It is bright and articulate, retaining a rich but not over-bearing bottom end. And it breaks up really smoothly.
The models we tend to find in the UK tend to be different to those in the US but with no less great potential for repurposing as guitar amps. The chassis, although small, does allow for a safe and effective build, but it is a little tight! The real value here is in the transformers, particularly that diminutive output transformer.
Nearly all 16mm cine projectors of the period were 110v, so UK users either need to replace the PT or use a stepdown transformer. They come with three 6V6GTs (often American branded Mullards), ECC35 or 6SL7GT for the phase inverter (an 8 pin double triode, comparable in Mu to an ECC81). They key difference with the UK amps if the use of the EF36/EF37A pentode for the preamp, a predecessor to the EF86. I think the EF37A is a brilliant valve and highly suitable for guitar use. But users need to study the load lines and measure/tune the circuit for the right balance of frequencies and output to realise its full potential. One thing I really like about the EF37 is its heritage – it was used in abundance on the Colossus computer at Bletchley Park (Station X) to break the Enigma codes used by the Nazis in WWII.
The original circuit has some interesting features that are well worth exploring but to my mind this is best done by referring to an original schematic rather than using what’s already in there. Anyone new to amp building would benefit greatly from acquiring effective knowledge of valve electronics in advance – even if just to keep yourself safe! There is plenty out there to help. Merlin Blencowe’s website is a superb aid: https://www.valvewizard.co.uk. Also, see the brilliant Uncle Doug on Youtube.
I’ve (re)designed and (re)built a number of Filmosound guitar amps now, using a range of phase inverter stages (cathodyne, paraphase, LTP). I tend to strip them out completely, keeping both transformers, and rebuild with new components on custom turret boards plus point-to-point. I would not recommend that anyone makes use of the 70-80 year old electrolytics with the 380vdc or so of B+ provided by the power transformer via the original cloth bound wires!
My builds are designed to allow a fair amount of clean tone until around 12 noon to 2pm where you start to get some really lovely break-up – pending pickups used, or boost. Switchable negative feedback is also a useful feature allowing variations on the character of the amp. I have a number of these chassis that I’ll build over the next few years with variations. What I intend to do with my next build is install an ECC83, positioned neatly behind the EF37A, as a second channel/cascaded pre-amp stage with the 2nd triode stage as a cathode follower. That should really rock out nicely!
Sounds absolutely divine. I got one that was made, modified by an amp tech in Canada, already in a cab with a 10" speaker with the "Filmosound" logo in front. I don't know the builder, bought it a couple of years ago on reverb from another far away province, I'm in Québec, Canada. I really liked it and I was trying to no play it to often to "save it" only for "special" occasions. I know it's dumb but hey ????. I had a axe fx 3 that I sold not a long time that was great and kind of "forgot" this amp that I was trying to give it a break. I was still going on with digital IR, FRFR Celestion speakers FX12-200 and Seymour Duncan Powerstage ect… Last week I plugged my 385 with 6v6 ????. I'm not going digital again… the sound is sooooo amazing it's very hard to describe, my friend was also flabbergasted. I did manage a couple of years ago another 385 but this one with el84 that is still in the original filmosound box with all 16 mm mécanism. Got a great amp builder here in Québec soooooo. These things are magical. Great video and playing. Cheers!
Great sounds and playing. I have two B&H 179 and one space heater military hoping to get a 385 someday. Cheers.
Sounds killer! Any chance you can capture some NAM models (neural amp modeler) of this amp?
Cool vid on a piece of gear I'd heard a little about, but hadn't seen anything in depth on. Thanks!
Loved that intro jam Riggs. Also love the new settings of your vids. Is this the location you're now teaching at again?