Anybody build their own amps?

[scott_s]

My dad and I built this amp when I was in high school:



It's an all-tube design with an 8" alnico speaker. Probably 10-15 watts, but we've never measured it. Dad did all of the design and most of the labor, since I didn't know much about electronics at the time. He made the circuit as simple as possible (no tone control!), but I've since tweaked it with adjustible negative feedback and a switchable bright cap. It's interesting to me how an amp with a flat response -- good for hi-fi -- tends to sound dark and middy to us guitarists.

I'm almost done putting together a Fender Bandmaster clone from a Weber kit, and I can't wait to power it on.

How about you folks? Anybody roll their own instead of paying the $$$ for vintage or boo-teek amps?

- Scott

[blueflamerick]

I'm currently building my own effect pedals and I plan on putting an amp kit together this summer.

[scott_s]

Coolness! What kind of amp? What effects pedals have you built so far?

[chuck_king]

I built a 5E3 tweed Deluxe from a Mojo kit last year, and it was a great experience. I have a Ceriatone Vibro-Champ kit on the workbench right now.

Having built an amp like that, it's really tough to pay a lot for a new mass-produced PCB amp. I have a lot more respect for the differences between PCB and hand-wired amps---for me the big thing the latter have in their favor is almost unlimited repairability/mod-ability. As a practical matter it might not come into play often, but when I'm considering paying X hundred dollars for an amp, that "what if?" is always there in the back of my mind. And, while I have a lot of respect for "boutique" builders, I have a hard time spending some of the prices they charge because I know I could build a reasonable working amp myself for a fraction of the cost---I readily acknowledge it might not be as pretty as one built by somebody who does it for a living and many of them add their engineering expertise to what they do, but building an amp off a classic circuit, especially one for which kits are available, I think I can do.

I had the advantage of taking an amp-building class, though.

[sharkboy]

I've done some ax84.com "classic" amps and fixed a few amps. I haven't been entirely enthralled with my early efforts- my handiwork is going to take much of the credit for that (I started soldering in much the way a bear might, I think I've now worked my way all the way up to chimpanzee), but doing PCB design for a living I haven't been happy with other people's component layouts and even much of the commercial amps industrial designs. I must confess to being a bit pentode preamp-obsessed, since getting a DC30 clone.

I've recently designed a new amp and I'm slowly laying out the parts placement right now. Some of the fun part of it is finding an artistic presentation.

I think most people i know who have the ampbuilding bug are planning about 3 or 4 different amps ahead of building. I'm no exception. My current amp uses a 6sj7 pentode into a 6sn7 cf and gain stages into a 6w6gt (or a 6V6) single ended power amp. This is largely to prove the concept of this preamp. I'm going to make a version of this in all currently produced 9-pin tubes, a different preamp and also going to do an all top-cap version of it before doing my really monsterous things: top cap multiple preamp amp and then a stereo version of that amp, but possibly with different output tubes on each side.

I'm also doing some industrial design with the goals of keeping tubes cool and looking a bit different, while using differently purposed "found items"- like cake pans and waste paper baskets. Eventually, I'll get over to doing more cabinetry with wood.

This is a hobby that occupies a lot of brain time, but have trouble getting big chunks of hands-on time to finish things.

[scott_s]

Update: my 5E7 is done!







Wiring is a little sloppy, but there is almost no hum, so I'm fine with it.



I love it -- is has a very beautiful, round, clean tone, even with the Weber-supplied Chinese tubes. The tone controls have kind of a funky interaction, but that's a part of the charm for sure.

- Scott

[charlyg]

I am currently building a 5e3 Deluxe Tweed head. I have a blem chassis from Weber (40 bucks!) and I have a wired turret board coming on Monday. I will be taking pix and starting a thread on the progress, as it will be a slow build.

I am also the proud owner of a Blackheart Lttle Giant combo that I may upgrade to a turret board also.

[soundmasterg]

I've been working on my own designs for quite awhile and have a few project amps in progress of my own. I plan to build a design to sell, but haven't gotten there yet. I've been too busy with other things and with amp repairs lately. I helped Conrad Sundholm, (the co-founder of Sunn in the mid 60's) design and troubleshoot his Blues Jammer amp which you can see and hear at his site. I helped a bit with some basic design concepts and some initial trouleshooting with version 1 of it. What he sells is version 2 and it is a fantastic sounding amp. I also recorded most of the sound samples for it in a live setting at the local blues jam that Conrad and I go to sometimes. Check it out. http://www.conradamplification.com

Greg

[sir_andrew_of_left_coast]

I tried... with poor results.

[sharkboy]

Hilarious!

It looks like the beginnings of a Nicolai Tesla and Iggy Pop supergroup.

[jingle_jangle]

HAR!!!

Scott, your amp is a gorgeous piece of craftsmanship, kit or not!

[Scotty_Guitar]

SWEET looking amp! Bet you're a proud papa!

Does cabinet building count? This is my "out door" bass rig when needed...

[scott_s]

Thanks guys! (And I love the Van de Graaff pic. )

Remember that the cab was already built and "tweeded" when it arrived, but I'm proud of the final product just the same. I took the amp up to "2" when I was jamming with a couple friends (no drum kit). Sounded pretty good with my 330, but the real test will be when we finally get a gig and I can open 'er up!

- Scott