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Oskar
Joined: Jul 29, 2004
Posts: 1751
Location: Norway
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 Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 4:54 am Post subject:
Build yer own Guitar Amp? Pros and cons, please! |
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An avid reader of guitar porn, I've noticed there's been an increase in self build amp kits out there, especially Torres Amps and Ceriatone. There are surely others too. SO, anyone have experience assembling one of these? Pros? Cons? Dos? Don'ts?
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Lin Yutang (1895-1976) |
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Inventor
Stream Operator
Joined: Oct 13, 2007
Posts: 6221
Location: near Austin, Tx, USA
Audio files: 267
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| Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 11:04 am Post subject:
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I say make your own tubes, like in that "extreme DIY" thread that went around a few months ago. but don't just make any tubes, make giant three-foot diameter tubes that heat up your house and blast your speakers to smithereens!
Haha, am I crazy? Oh yeah, I'm a certified loon. I forgot.
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Oskar
Joined: Jul 29, 2004
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Location: Norway
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andrewF
Joined: Dec 29, 2006
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Oskar
Joined: Jul 29, 2004
Posts: 1751
Location: Norway
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| Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 3:02 am Post subject:
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Thanks, Andrew! I was thinking mostly about kits where the parts have been selected and tested for you, so you only need to worry about making a nice cabinet and suchlike.
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andrewF
Joined: Dec 29, 2006
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Location: australia
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| Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 4:06 am Post subject:
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Good idea - the cabinet and such can be the hardest job!
just a suggestion, but have a look at this one -
bass amp
i scored the carcass of an old radio at a junk sale, bit of sanding and some oil, it came up ok. The speaker cloth is an old shirt from my rag pile 
Its actually just a tube pre-amp and a SS power amp, but am planning to build this cct into it -
economical tube amp
the beauty of this amp is the transformer is just $12 from Altronics and 6CM5 tubes are not so pouplar = cheap.
Have already built a stereo version and it works very well.
anyway, hope it all turns out loud and sweet. |
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Oskar
Joined: Jul 29, 2004
Posts: 1751
Location: Norway
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| Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 4:39 am Post subject:
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Andrew, that's KEWL!
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seraph
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Joined: Jun 21, 2003
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Location: Firenze, Italy
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| Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 4:47 am Post subject:
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| andrewF wrote: | | trannies are the biggest expense |
please, elaborate  
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| Quote: | | Don't die with your music still in you - Wayne Dyer |
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Oskar
Joined: Jul 29, 2004
Posts: 1751
Location: Norway
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| Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 5:19 am Post subject:
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| seraph wrote: | | andrewF wrote: | | trannies are the biggest expense |
please, elaborate |
Isuppose he's not talking about Eddie Izzard, us plank spankers call transistorised guitar amplifiers "trannies!" 
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andrewF
Joined: Dec 29, 2006
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| Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 5:31 am Post subject:
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ah
sorry, i shouldn't lapse into slang so easily, might give people the wrong idea.
when talking about tube amps
trannies=transformers
when talking about synths
trannies=transistors
otherwise... 
try again-
output transformers are often the most expensive component on a tube amp. |
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seraph
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| Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 7:11 am Post subject:
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| andrewF wrote: |
try again-
output transformers are often the most expensive component on a tube amp. |
now it sounds better
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| Quote: | | Don't die with your music still in you - Wayne Dyer |
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DrJustice
Joined: Sep 13, 2004
Posts: 2112
Location: Morokulien
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| Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 7:22 am Post subject:
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More tube amp kits here.
DJ
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seraph
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Posts: 12398
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| Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 7:25 am Post subject:
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...I had always wondered about a signature file of someone here saying something like "it took me a long time before finding a tranny I liked".
Was it a transformer or a transistor he was talking about 
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| Quote: | | Don't die with your music still in you - Wayne Dyer |
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BobTheDog
Joined: Feb 28, 2005
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DrJustice
Joined: Sep 13, 2004
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| Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 11:32 am Post subject:
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That's plainly indecent Andy 
I want one now... Too bad it costs as much as a classical sports car.
As for who's the softies - well, certainly not those who build their own amps
DJ
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DrJustice
Joined: Sep 13, 2004
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| Posted: Mon May 11, 2009 11:48 am Post subject:
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Right, back the OT so as to encourage Oskar to just get on with it. I haven't assembled a guitar amp kit, but I've burnt my fingers enough times on soldering irons (heck, I've even had an iron through my hand...) to have opinions on electronics kits
It'll be fun! You'll be very, very proud! You'll dig that amp more than any other! It may be a bit cheaper than a similar ready built one.
It may not work in the end...
Nah, just kidding, of course it'll work. You're a smart guy, and building an amp will be peanuts.
Do use proper tools, i.e. a good soldering station. If you're not somewhat experienced in soldering, get a mate who is to show you the ropes.
Don't build a solid state amp - it's gotta be tubes! Of course, you wouldn't consider anything else, eh?
DJ
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Boogdish
Joined: Sep 21, 2009
Posts: 122
Location: Bloomington, IN
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| Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 9:10 pm Post subject:
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I work for a company that sells amp kits. My advice to you is to not lose the little tiny screws and then call back next week complaining about how you didn't receive any  .
Seriously though, tube amps are a joy to build and work on. Working with high voltages WILL make you feel like a tough guy. Go build a kit. |
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DrJustice
Joined: Sep 13, 2004
Posts: 2112
Location: Morokulien
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| Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 2:04 pm Post subject:
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Just adding a link to one more amp kit supplier: Amp Maker
DJ
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