Thanks for the encouragements, folks!
First off, got 4 pictures in the Gallery
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?action=gallery;area=browse;album=424That out of the way, first, absolutely, there are many thanks to be handed around. Like the metaphor of 'getting to the Promised Land' used countless times before, I must first kiss solid ground and thank all of the Fates that helped get me here, successfully.
First Jim, for creating the kit, making it available, and especially for putting the pcb for this Clarinet as an attendance prize at RMAF. Had I not won this Clarinet to start on, I was ready to come back from RMAF and buy a Foreplay to build as my first kit, and the tube amplifier I vied needing months ago when wanting to get decent sound out of my Altecs.
And thinking on it, I would have chased the 'Foreplay Upgrade Path' to completion, chasing the same kind of sound I seem to be hearing right now from the Clarinet.
Working backwards, I'm thankful for Doc B and Ron Welbourne having the soldering seminar at the show, which gave me the confidence to believe in my fine soldering ability, even though I torch-soldered tens of thousands of copper fittings. And of course, the gift of the Welbourne solder used on our volume box we were given that day, was enough to build the Clarinet and then some.
My wife, of course, deserves praise for *sending* me to Denver for my birthday to enjoy that show and take that soldering seminar so I would shut up and just make something and get my hands dirty.
Thanks again to Jim and to Wayne who let me *hear* how good the Clarinet could sound, and how pretty they could look.
And lastly, EVERYONE who has posted their problems and successes on this forum!!!! In the month or so I procrastinated starting the Clarinet due to serious self-doubt, I read and re-read every post in this forum at least 3 times. It didn't matter if it was about the subject, there was always the off chance something pertinent would be picked up. True!
How about that tip on the Unibit if you didn't want to buy punches for the holes? Gotta remember to buy those stainless screws for the transformer! How about suggestions on mods that were so far over my head I shouldn't even read about them to confuse myself. (Happened more than once!) Even pictures of other kits helped, as I scrambled to find out if the Auricaps I used were to be installed one way or the other.
Many, many helps came from posts y'all made and puzzles questioned and answers.
The audio community we have come to enjoy here is truly a superb asset.
Okay, on to the subject at hand....
As I alluded to earlier, this is the first 'real' kit (beyond the simple volume control box from RMAF) I have done since the old 'Revell' model days of my youth.
Hence, some might understand my misgivings for a month before deciding to start building, when I would run across Jim's warnings about 'experienced' builders pursuing the kit.
Eventually I had to figure, "I can solder". "I can 'kinda' follow a schematic.' "I graduated college, I can think.' (maybe)
I set out to build this with the suggested upgrades in the manual of Auricaps, black anodized fancy box, and gold plated RCA jacks.
In thinking back, as a 'first build', I might have kept it 'stock' to avoid further confusion. Not unhappy for the upgrade at this point though.
I'll cut to the chase, and not put you folks to sleep.
Every component was an education.
"Okay, Student, today's lesson is 'capacitors.'"
I have to admit my woodworking habit to 'measure twice, cut once' helped a lot, as I thought my way thru every step for a day before heating up the iron.
Even machining the case was a 'kit' in itself, trying not to screw my pretty black aluminum box up. ( I actually remember getting that nasty old toluene Testor Cement on the windshield of a Ferrari model as I finished it, then flinging it across the room.) Damn, its nice to be 'grown up' and do things right the first time.
And after all the little dramas and headaches I provoked myself into along the way, it did work right the first time.
Well, almost.
Having the light come on green right off the top, and then glare red at me was only the LED backwards, but a GLARING mistake to that model maker stashed in the back of my head.
I guess I needed the excuse to chase the 'balance' issue to take it apart and fix that. All done!
And so now, it makes music!
I know the chase of this hobby is to listen, but there can be so many adventures along the way, that just make the listening sweeter in the end.
I guess there is something like how the fish you catch taste better.
I had a whole lot of fun taking this thing on, getting aggravated at points of ignorance, and the miniature triumphs as that was overcome.
And once again, it couldn't have happened without a well designed kit, and the community that gave me the confidence to overcome doubt.
That is not to say that I won' screw up royally NEXT time!
....that Cornet is looking like my next 'patient'....
Well, I've probably missed a bunch of stuff I wanted to say, but I think the important thing to say here is:
"MUSIC'S ON! LET'S GRAB A BEER AND LISTEN!"
Best Regards,
DeadFish
P.S. Yeah, yeah, if you looked at the pictures, I know. I gotta get some black screws for the top of that thing, real soon!
