How to build your own.......cheap!!

[oldguy]

I got a kick out of this, especially Pt.II..........hope you will also. Man, have I wasted a lot of cash buying amplifiers, I wish I'd seen this sooner! It also proves (once again) the player makes a difference, and simple circuits often sound really good.

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[tunghaichuan]

I got a kick out of this, especially Pt.II..........hope you will also. Man, have I wasted a lot of cash buying amplifiers, I wish I'd seen this sooner! It also proves (once again) the player makes a difference, and simple circuits often sound really good.


Thanks for posting those videos. Very cool. :AOK:

The dirty little secret is that it is not hard to build a small, good sounding amplifier. Just about anybody can do it who is sufficiently motivated.

I've been building my own for over ten years now and I have become a world-class scrounger, which is the key to finding inexpensive parts. I've built several amps that have less than $50 in parts in them. Parts have gotten more expensive in the last 5 years or so, though. I haven't found a good deal on parts in a while.

The 5F2-A tweed Princeton is my favorite circuit of all time. It is basically just a tweed Champ with a tone control. I've probably built at least a dozen variations of that circuit using various transformers and tubes. They all have sounded great.

Basically the most expensive parts of the amp are the cabinet (unless you build it yourself), the transformers, the chassis and the tubes. There isn't much else except for a few passives: resistors, caps, and other various hardware.

I have had to invest in a significant amount of tools, though: soldering station, DMM, chassis punches, metal working tools, drills, etc. but it is possible to get started on the cheap and use lots of shortcuts.

But the standard disclaimer applies: building vacuum tube (valve) amps is dangerous. There are high voltages involved and it is possible to electrocute yourself. You have to know what the dangers are and follow safety precautions. One way to get started is to build a couple of pedals.

Sorry this is so long winded, but I thought I'd share some of my observations after a decade of amp building.

tung

[bigG]

Very cool, oldguy and tung! :bravo:

Now how abt going from the sublime to the ridiculous? Watch this, a 1 x 12 speaker cab for $1.00...Here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEvaFQ2j1n8&feature=channel_page

This New Yawk cat has tons of vids and gear. He's entertaining in a strange sorta way! :)

[duhvoodooman]

...One way to get started is to build a couple of pedals.
And you can't light yourself up too badly with 9V! ;)

I really gotta pick your brain on making myself once of those tweed Princeton clones some time, Tung! Do you have a bill of materials for that project, by any chance?

[tunghaichuan]

And you can't light yourself up too badly with 9V! ;)

I really gotta pick your brain on making myself once of those tweed Princeton clones some time, Tung! Do you have a bill of materials for that project, by any chance?

I do have a bill of materials. I used to get lots of requests both from North America and UK/Europe, so I have one for 120v and 240v. Anybody who wants it, PM me and I'll email it to you.

tung

[tunghaichuan]

Pretty cool, I wouldn't have thought of that. :AOK:

I've got several of those speaker boxes, and even a Carvin speaker like the one in the video. I'll have to try that. :rotflmao:

tung



Very cool, oldguy and tung! :bravo:

Now how abt going from the sublime to the ridiculous? Watch this, a 1 x 12 speaker cab for $1.00...Here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEvaFQ2j1n8&feature=channel_page

This New Yawk cat has tons of vids and gear. He's entertaining in a strange sorta way! :)