This post is about amp building, and guitars testing.
When I was in university, I was, you might guess it, already found of music, electric guitar, gear, and so on. I wanted to buy a tube amp, as I was playing guitar, however, at that time, amps were quite expensive. The only model I can remember is the Peavey Classic series, but it was still too expensive, and too powerful for my need. So I look on internet, and found the G5 project, that proposed amp theory, instructions and an affordable kit. That was it, I bought the kit, and...miserably failed, burning the power transformer at the first start up. I set the kit aside for a while, then moved once, then moved abroad, then moved back; in the end, I could not find the kit anymore.
The idea of getting a tube amp came back when I started making electric guitars; My old transistor amp wasn't working anymore, and my only testing device was a Line 6 Pod, still great by the way. But I wanted to be able to test my builds on a real amp, with a real speaker. And I must admit, my first failure was still sticking in my throat.
I re-investigated all possible solutions for kits, and found an amp/kit that fulfilled my needs:
- A good clean tone for guitar testing
- A simple kit and a simple amp; you can see on my Verso models that I love simplicity.
I identified a few kits, and went for the Tube Amp Doctor. That was a delicate choice, as many competitors provide interesting kits, sometimes for less bucks. All the parts seemed of a very good quality, the chassis is beautiful, all components labeled, and so on. Instructions were missing, but I got inspiration from many sources on internet, and instructions of other kits.
For the occasion, I bought a third-hand soldering stand, a new tip for my soldering iron, the move was good, especially for the third-hand soldering stand, a must-have, whatever the model is. It simplifies the preparation of sub-circuits so much!
The kit was half-completed before my move to China, then finished in China. I went very slowly, but checked at each step that I hadn't make a mistake. I also took time to build a current limiter circuit based on a light bulb, just in case. But everything went well at first start up, I couldn't believe it!
As for the case, I built a head from plywood, covered with tweed, the result is quite satisfying, although I know it is not perfect. Here's a photo of the top of the head:
Simple, sounds splendid with my Verso Blues, especially with a Eminence Legend 1258. I really enjoyed the trip, and the result is here! It even motivates me to build another amp, maybe a Blackface, or, why not, a 18 watter...
Now, if I take a step back, if you ask me if it is a good idea to build amp kits, I am struggling:
- If you're a musician, and look for a "reference sound", I think it is better to buy an amp on the shelf. It won't cost so much more compared to a good quality kit. (unless you already have the knowledge, tools, and part of the components)
- If you're a musician and look for a precise sound, then maybe it's worth it, thanks to the high degree of customization. It depends if you have knowledge and experience in electronics, if you already have tools,....
- If you're a musician and want to make your amp for fun, I can say: Go and have fun, during the build, and many years after!
In conclusion, I think that making an amp is mainly worth for people who enjoy building things by themselves, more than for people looking for "the" sound, as I think there are other ways to achieve a good sound.
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