Tube amp kits
- Thread starter Wana_make_a_guitar
- Start date
Patrick from Davis
Hero Member
- Messages
- 2,197
The best tool/s for probing around in a live amp is chopsticks. If it isn't already clear, a multimeter is required. The cap draining tool is a must as well. Mine is only a 1 watt 20K resistor, attached by sturdy wire to alligator clips and shrink tubed twice to avoid any thought of electrically nipping at me. That has worked well up to this point. But as Mayfly said, check with the multimeter to be sure the caps are drained. That can be an unpleasant surprise. I found making a wooden jig with a 2 x 6's and some 4 x 4's that looked like an upside down table, to hold the corners of the amp chassis while it was upside down, was very useful as well. That allowed me to turn the amp on upside down and check voltages and what have you with out crushing things or having a box full of high voltages semi balanced waiting for something stupid to happen.
If you have extra holes in the chassis, you can put the rubber covers over them. You will come up with an idea that they could satisfy. Trust me, you will come up with several ideas for them along the way.
Patrick
If you have extra holes in the chassis, you can put the rubber covers over them. You will come up with an idea that they could satisfy. Trust me, you will come up with several ideas for them along the way.
Patrick
Wana_make_a_guitar
Hero Member
- Messages
- 2,793
:confused4:
I think I need a book. All this amp tech talk is flying straight over me and making my eyeballs hurt!
Is there a 'making a tube amp for dummies' book?
I think I need a book. All this amp tech talk is flying straight over me and making my eyeballs hurt!
Is there a 'making a tube amp for dummies' book?
mayfly
Epic Member
- Messages
- 8,799
There are a lot of books out there, most of them are not very good.
Here's a set of the better ones (IMHO)
http://www.londonpower.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=3
Kevin still has errors in these books, but for "real" material, they can't be beat.
Here's a set of the better ones (IMHO)
http://www.londonpower.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=3
Kevin still has errors in these books, but for "real" material, they can't be beat.
Patrick from Davis
Hero Member
- Messages
- 2,197
Wana's_makin'_a_guitar said:
Don't worry too much about that, it is very difficult without experience to relate a lot of what is being said to something practical. But, if you are stubborn enough you will figure it out, and why it works the way it does. But, as long as you understand that there are very serious consequences to working on amps/putting together amps, and take safety precautions, then you should be OK. Also, you see how quick others are to help out with this. Ask questions and you are bound to get answers.
Patrick
Wana_make_a_guitar
Hero Member
- Messages
- 2,793
Mayfly- What The Hell? those books are expensive! 
I hope I only need one or two of those books!
I hope I only need one or two of those books!
mayfly
Epic Member
- Messages
- 8,799
Wana's_makin'_a_guitar said:Mayfly- What The Hell? those books are expensive!
Huh? (goes back to the link and looks).... oh yea, they are a bit pricey aren't they. Hmmm....
Well, you could always just get a Ceritone with the confidence that the engineering has been thought through..
mayfly
Epic Member
- Messages
- 8,799
Hey Wanna - how serious are you about learning about this stuff?
I've got some books you might be interested in: The Torries book (light on the engineering, but easy to understand) and a couple of the Weber books ("A Desktop Reference of Hip Vintage Guitar Amps" and "Tube Amp Talk for the Guitarist and Tech").
Yours for the price of shipping - but ONLY if you're gonna build something.
I've got some books you might be interested in: The Torries book (light on the engineering, but easy to understand) and a couple of the Weber books ("A Desktop Reference of Hip Vintage Guitar Amps" and "Tube Amp Talk for the Guitarist and Tech").
Yours for the price of shipping - but ONLY if you're gonna build something.
I think I'm onboard with an amp kit as well, and the ceriatone kits look to be well planned out and whatever, the thing I'm thinking is this, buy a ceriatone kit, build one, then buy the parts elsewhere to build another for cheaper.
It's the american way, no My bad, that's the chinese way.
It's the american way, no My bad, that's the chinese way.
Wana_make_a_guitar
Hero Member
- Messages
- 2,793
I won't know how serious I am about building an amp kit until I sell my MG and have some of that rare substance called money, and I probably won't sell my MG until I get a massive amount of G.A.S.mayfly said:
Patrick from Davis
Hero Member
- Messages
- 2,197
Alfang said:
It is really difficult to get the whole thing too much cheaper than the kit. I am not saying that you can't, but when you factor in shipping and the number of odds and ends you need, you don't save that much. However, if you are interested in making something that is based on a design, but has your own special idea's incorporated, then you will have to get everything on your own. I am currently trying to accumulate everything needed to make my the amp that I think I would want the most, but it is very slow going. I think I have solved the chassis problem, but it really is not too cheap to get a custom job. Oh well...
Patrick
It's really too bad there aren't more electrical supply stores around, or the shipping wouldn't be a problem. I am very lucky to have one right by my house (though it is kind of annoying that I didn't discover it until recently). I needed some extra nuts for adjusting the height on my pots, and they had them there. It's pretty cool.
mayfly
Epic Member
- Messages
- 8,799
Blue313 said:
I haven't built any, but I have played through the resulting product. Many of the components are lower quality - for example the power and standby switches rattled audibly when you were playing. Not so great in a combo amp. BTW I did confirm that the switches used were the ones included in the kit.
I suppose it would be possible to upgrade the various components, but then it would start to increase in cost quite a bit.
