The Pacific Transformer Podcast

Pacific Transformer

For over 40 years, Pacific Transformer has been a leader in custom magnetics, powering everything from mission-critical aerospace systems to cutting-edge medical devices and high-end audio equipment. The Pacific Transformer Podcast takes you inside the world of electrical engineering, exploring the latest advancements, real-world applications, and the challenges of manufacturing both in the U.S. and abroad.

Episodes

  1. 1 Oct

    Building the Rocket: Don Morris of Electroplex Amplifiers

    Don Morris spent 23 years at Yamaha. In 1993, while still working there, he started building amps in his garage at night. He and his neighbor Trevor Wilkinson set out to build a "Twin Reverb killer": an amp with all the clean headroom of a Twin that could still overdrive without clearing the room. The result was the Electroplex Rocket. It sold well in Japan before it caught on in the US. Then Guitar Player's February 1997 boutique-amp shootout named the Rocket 50 one of its three favorites, and the phones started ringing the day the issue reached mailboxes. Rockets went on to record with the Rolling Stones and tour with Paul McCartney's band. Don built them while keeping his day job at Yamaha. In this episode, Don talks about: - Watching a tech plug Keith Richards' fuzz pedal in backwards at a 1965 Stones show - Why he kept the output stage clean and got the overdrive from the preamp - The PCB vs. point-to-point debate, and why a well-designed board can match a hand-wired amp - Why early high-gain amps sounded harsh, and why solid state took so long to win players over - Speakers: Celestions, custom Eminence 10s, mixing Alnico and ceramic, and the 12+10 cabinet nobody bought - Putting the business on hold to be with his family, and starting it up again in 2009 - Why a 12-watt setting can be almost as loud as 22 watts (his explanation uses people clapping) - Vintage vs. modern components in restorations and clones - How the Blonde Bassman shaped the original Rocket design - What he's building now: the Retro Rocket pedal-platform amps and the Triplex, which runs EL84s alongside KT66s We also talk about Pacific Transformer's NAMM builds, including the side-by-side test where swapping only the transformers in a '65 Deluxe Reverb reissue changes how it sounds. Read the full story on our blog: https://www.pactran.com/blog/electroplex-don-morris-rocket-amps/ Chapters 00:00 Welcome, Don Morris of Electroplex 00:44 1993: starting Electroplex while at Yamaha 04:24 First guitar and amp: a Guild Starfire and a Power Sonic 09:13 Hendrix, Clapton, and the Stones fuzz story 15:28 The Rocket 90: overdrive from the preamp 17:58 Why Japan bought them first 22:08 The Rocket 50 and the Guitar Player shootout 26:05 PCB vs. point-to-point 29:16 Why solid state struggled 32:39 Contract manufacturing and final assembly 36:36 Speakers and mixed-speaker cabinets 41:23 Putting family first 43:47 The Rocket 35 and output transformers 45:49 The move to low-wattage amps 50:39 Wattage vs. volume 52:42 Vintage vs. modern components 56:40 Favorite amps: the JTM45 and Bassman 1:01:40 The NAMM build poll 1:03:41 Electroplex today: Retro Rockets and the Triplex 1:09:07 Swapping transformers in a Deluxe Reverb

  2. 22 Sept

    Tone Into Physics: Building Amps with Derek of Pacific Transformer

    Derek is the audio applications engineer at Pacific Transformer. He's the go-between for amp builders and our engineering team, and he built the 5E3 tweed Deluxe we gave away last year. In this episode he explains how players' words like "bite," "squish," and "feel" become transformer specs. Derek started building amps during COVID, when he couldn't find a local amp tech with a reasonable wait. He has an electrical engineering background, lives in Fullerton, and has restored more vintage Fenders than he can count. Now he designs his own amps, and his rule is to never build something someone else has already built. IN THIS EPISODE: • His first two builds. The "Nino" is part tweed Deluxe and part brown Deluxe. The "Compadre" is a 35-watt amp with two 10" speakers, based on the tweed and brown Supers. He still calls it his best amp. • Why he skips vintage parts. He uses new components so an amp can be serviced for decades. He also thinks about 70% of an amp's sound comes from the speaker. • Mixing speakers. He likes one ceramic and one Alnico speaker in a 2x10 or 2x12 cab. He also talks about his custom Weber speakers. • Output vs. power transformers. How plate voltage, primary impedance, and the output transformer affect headroom, saturation, and how the amp feels to play. • Decoding customer requests. That includes forum posts and ChatGPT transcripts people email in. He says the AI answers are "nearly always wrong." • Replacing a discontinued transformer. Why a basic data sheet isn't enough to copy one, and why starting from a close existing design gets you about 90% of the way. • Dumble vs. Trainwreck. A Dumble is like an RV with every option. Ken Fisher's Trainwreck is like a stripped-down race car. Derek says every other amp builder falls somewhere between the two. • Our NAMM booth test. We compared two new '65 Deluxe Reverb reissues, one with stock transformers and one with Pacific transformers, and explains why the stock one sounded thin. • What made the giveaway 5E3 special. Very careful grounding for a quiet amp, stronger power filtering, a balanced phase inverter, and smaller coupling caps to cut some bass. • Pick the next build. We're doing another giveaway. The candidates are a modded Marshall 18-watt, a brownface Deluxe, an AC15-style EL84 amp, and a blonde Bassman. We're also talking about building a Trainwreck-style house amp for NAMM with the original OEM transformers. CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro: Derek's role at Pacific Transformer01:52 Getting into amps during COVID03:16 The Nino, his first scratch build08:42 Mistakes from the first build09:54 No vintage parts, and why speakers matter most14:01 The Compadre16:30 Turning tone words into transformer specs22:12 Replacing a discontinued transformer27:29 Trainwreck vs. Dumble31:36 The NAMM booth transformer test36:24 The giveaway 5E3 tweed Deluxe45:36 Candidates for the next giveaway59:43 A Trainwreck-style house amp for NAMM Vote for the next giveaway amp, and tell us what you'd change about it.

  3. 22/10/2025

    Powering the Future: Pacific Transformer’s Role in Automotive and EV Innovation

    From the Chevy Volt to Tesla Superchargers — Pacific Transformer has quietly powered some of the biggest moments in automotive innovation. In this episode, host Marty sits down with CEO Justin Richardson to explore how nearly 45 years of transformer and magnetic engineering have helped shape the evolution of mobility. From early hybrid concepts with General Motors to powering Tesla’s groundbreaking Supercharger network, Pacific Transformer’s fingerprints are all over the modern EV landscape. Justin and Marty also discuss:⚡ The engineering challenges behind fast charging and inrush current🏍️ Designing power systems for the Harley-Davidson LiveWire electric motorcycle🚐 Conditioning power for today’s luxury RVs and electric buses🔋 Emerging tech in hydrogen and fuel-cell applications Whether you’re an engineer, EV enthusiast, or just love great origin stories, this episode dives deep into the technology that’s transforming how the world moves. 🔗 Learn more at pactran.com

  4. 12/08/2025

    Inside the Medical Industry: Engineering Transformers for Life-Saving Devices

    From a high-voltage surgical knife that doesn’t cut to transformers in dental chairs, ventilators, and advanced AFib treatments—this episode explores the role custom magnetics play in medical technology. Marty and Justin discuss the unique safety requirements, the rigorous testing process, and the manufacturing techniques that keep mission-critical equipment running reliably in hospitals, clinics, and labs. pactran.com

  5. 15/05/2025

    Engineering Custom Transformers for Aerospace: From Mars Rovers to Spy Satellites

    In this episode, we explore the fascinating world of custom transformer engineering for aerospace and defense applications. Pacific Transformer has been creating mission-critical magnetic components for over four decades, powering everything from Mars rovers to spy satellites and military aircraft. Learn about the extreme challenges these components face - from temperature cycling between -50°C to 150°C to withstanding launch forces up to 10G. Discover how specialized materials like Litz wire and high-grade laminations enable the power density and reliability needed for space applications. Our engineers discuss real-world examples including: Creating DC-to-DC converter components for the Mars RoverFitting 32 transformers into a single rack for L3 CommunicationsDeveloping components for the James Webb Space TelescopeEngineering transformers that fit through submarine hatchesFor custom transformer solutions engineered to your exact specifications, visit https://www.pactran.com/custom-transformers-aerospace-defense-engineering/

  6. 27/02/2025

    The Secret Sound: Custom Transformers Behind Legendary Guitar Amplifiers | Pacific Transformer Podcast

    In this episode of the Pacific Transformer Podcast, Marty and Justin explore the fascinating world of custom transformers in iconic guitar amplifiers. From humble beginnings in 1981 with three 20-something founders and a borrowed station wagon, to becoming the "secret sauce" behind legendary amplifiers like Ken Fisher's Trainwreck (now selling for six figures), Pacific Transformer has shaped the sound of electric guitars for over four decades. Listen as Justin shares exclusive stories from their recent NAMM exhibition, where their A/B test between stock amplifiers and those equipped with Pacific Transformer's custom iron left professional musicians stunned. You'll discover what truly separates premium transformers from mass-produced alternatives, including the materials, manufacturing techniques, and engineering expertise that create that unmistakable tone. This episode offers a rare glimpse behind the curtain at how Pacific Transformer became the trusted partner for boutique manufacturers like Matchless, Two Rock, and Divided by 13, translating abstract concepts like "warmth" and "punch" into precision-engineered components that define an amplifier's voice. Whether you're a musician, amp builder, audio engineer, or simply appreciate the craftsmanship behind great sound, you'll gain new appreciation for these unsung heroes of tone that power everything from Nashville recording studios to Mars rovers.

  • 6 Episodes

About

For over 40 years, Pacific Transformer has been a leader in custom magnetics, powering everything from mission-critical aerospace systems to cutting-edge medical devices and high-end audio equipment. The Pacific Transformer Podcast takes you inside the world of electrical engineering, exploring the latest advancements, real-world applications, and the challenges of manufacturing both in the U.S. and abroad.

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