ilovefuzz.com

I'm tempted just to build a tube amp of my own design. Not sure if that's a huge moneypit that I want to chase, though.

Hours later after , more thoughts on building my own amp.

Sticking with my original list of requirements:

• 2 channels: great cleans, gritty blues/rock overdrive.
• EQ for each channel
• gain and master volume knobs
• 15 watts
• Emulated speaker cab line out
• built-in tube reverb or spring reverb, depending on what I can get.

Thinking 12AX7 preamp tubes, and a 6V6 power tube. Mercury transformers.

Head enclosure the size of the Egnater / Tiny Terror, but I want to make it look neat.

I can skip the effects loop and maybe even the reverb. I doubt a build like this would be less than $700, though, and would take me months to build.

mathias wrote:Hours later after , more thoughts on building my own amp.

Sticking with my original list of requirements:

• 2 channels: great cleans, gritty blues/rock overdrive.
• EQ for each channel
• gain and master volume knobs
• 15 watts
• Emulated speaker cab line out
• built-in tube reverb or spring reverb, depending on what I can get.

Thinking 12AX7 preamp tubes, and a 6V6 power tube. Mercury transformers.

Head enclosure the size of the Egnater / Tiny Terror, but I want to make it look neat.

I can skip the effects loop and maybe even the reverb. I doubt a build like this would be less than $700, though, and would take me months to build.

sounds difficult, but that's just because i'm clueless when it comes to this stuff. regardless, i think it's a really cool idea and not many people can say they built/designed their own amp

I'm a software developer by day, but I've always been into electronics and robotics (and by extension, computers.)

For the first time in my life, I have a workshop where I can build just about anything I can think of. It's called the Milwaukee Makerspace, and it's kind of a social club for tinkerers and builders.

Here's some pics of the machine shop and then our electronics library and electronics lab:
"The bay":

The Machine Shop:

(mill, drill presses, lathes, table saws, chopsaws, welders, plasma cutters, laser cutter, 3D printers.. everything you need.)
"The library" of electronic components:


There's an electronics lab (oscilloscopes, soldering stations, etching stations, etc) but apparently it isn't photogenic enough to show up on Flickr.

It's also where I've been holding a monthly noise/experimental music jam session + lab for building instruments, pedals, etc. Eventually, I'll teach a class on how to build a silicon fuzz face there, for free + cost of the kits. And probably a class on building Atari Punk Consoles.

That all said, most of the guys there (and the technology there) is definitely from the microprocessor era: There's very few analog audio components on those electronic library shelves (I've chcked) and certainly nothing that runs on vacuum tubes. Most of the members are a lot more experienced with microprocessors than vacuum tubes or even transistors / analog circuits.

Holy crap, that place is awesome. How'd you find it?

I helped start it?

HNGGGG

You Milwaukee Makerspace guys are awesome. This has me interested in hackerspaces. I don't see any too near me, though.

http://hackerspaces.org/wiki/List_of_Hacker_Spaces

Very cool workspace you got there! It seems like you have the equipment to build your own amp, although it sounds like you still need a short-term solution for playing in your apartment. I strongly suggest looking at the Line 6 UX1 or something similar. It'll give you a lot of different sounds at the right volume level for the right price.

Not really a fan of modeling amps/tools. I've got a Macbook Pro with the newer Garageband if I want models.

I'm really a fan of bluesy overdriven tube sound. Solid state just doesn't excite me

mathias wrote:I'm tempted just to build a tube amp of my own design. Not sure if that's a huge moneypit that I want to chase, though.

You could do an amp building workshop.....would give you some guidance and structure in building the thing.......but would cost more as that guidance and structure is not cheap.

I notice you are in Milwaukee....here is a workshop coming up in May in Chicago.

http://www.specimenproducts.com/guitar_ ... ekend.html

That would be really cool. I suppose I could build a Fender Tweed amp or Marshall 18 watt and use a Weber attenuator with line out for the time being.

I'd certainly learn a lot! I know how to solder fairly well, but I don't know that much about tube amps. They warn that it isn't a design class, though, so I don't know if they go over the theory (how the preamp works, what the rectifier is doing, what the circuit is doing, what component choices would do to the sound, etc.)

mathias wrote:That would be really cool. I suppose I could build a Fender Tweed amp or Marshall 18 watt and use a Weber attenuator with line out for the time being.

I'd certainly learn a lot! I know how to solder fairly well, but I don't know that much about tube amps. They warn that it isn't a design class, though, so I don't know if they go over the theory (how the preamp works, what the circuit is doing, what component choices would do to the sound, etc.)

Many books out there:

Example:

http://books.google.com/books?printsec= ... &q&f=false

Could be useful to read up and then ask lots of questions while you are building the amp. You would probably also have some degree of e-mail follow up to ask some questions.

This thread over at the dreaded gearpage could have some resources.

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showth ... p?t=661374