amp building

[Ringwraith]

I'd recommend reading a book like Dan Torres Inside Tube Amps or something similar.
Then get your parts or kit.
Even buying a kit with instructions, you'll need to know how to test voltages, current etc.
This is where safety is of the utmost importance.

Cheers
Sean

[aaronkessman]

i built my first amp with not much knowledge (in the long run) and some help from www.18watt.com. it was in a chassis i made, with parts i bought on my own, no kit. hard, but worth it.

I would strongly recommend reading up on as much as you can for 3 full months. for safety, piece of mind, and just so you know whats happening in these amps.

then i would buy a kit from weber (webervst.com) which has everything included (speakers, chassis, cab) and all great quality. i think the tweed deluxe is around 500 bucks there. fantastic amp, one of the best ever.

after 3 months of research, you wont need step by step instruction.

if you can make a pedal, you can make an amp.

[Paul Marossy]

I learned all I could about tube amps for a couple of years before I felt that I could attempt building a tube amp from scratch. I am really cautious when it comes to this sort of thing.  :wink:

Anyhow, I enjoy overcoming all of the challenges presented by a project like a DIY tube amp. And the end result is worth it - amps with an excellent tone!

[sean k]

Good on ya mate,tubes are well cool,thats what I started out on and learned to love all the construction involved...theres so much room to play with and octal sockets are a dream after opamp pins.Theres some great stuff at AX84 and Ampage is great as well.There was a bunch of things going down a while back using 12AU7's as output tubes.I can't remember what they where called but it was a push pull out put with one tube having its grid grounded so it was kind similar to...thats it I think " self split",kinda like a LTP phase inverter.And guys were using RS 100V line transformers as the OT's...go for it.
http://home.cfl.rr.com/dbhammond/Firefly_sch_R2.gif
from this page
http://home.cfl.rr.com/dbhammond/ff.htm

[JT]

WARNING!!!!!!!!!!!! You will be come addicted. Be prepared to spend lots of money ! YOu can't just build one. I have been fortunate enough to sell a few of my homebrews without loss to support my addiction  :twisted:

[PB Wilson]

I've been toying around with the idea of building an Allen Class Act II chassis (5FCA Chassis Kit in the Parts section) this summer and build up the head and cab in my basement shop. I've heard good things about his kits and this one looks reasonable in price and difficulty.

Here are some links:

http://www.allenamps.com/parts.html
http://forums.birdsandmoons.com/forum/showthread.php?t=772
http://www.tknives.com/classact/index.html

Anybody build one of his kits? I envision the chassis in a walnut head with a matching 2X10 cab with woven cane grill like the Boogies.

[JT]

PB. David's kits are the most thought and laid out kits you can buy IMHO. They practically build themselves and sound amazing. Mostly BF fender takeoffs with much improvement to the origianl circuit and now he is starting to go into the Brown face territory. Everything is top shelf .have no reservations.

[Paul Marossy]

I first heard about Allen Amps from this page (I think): http://tknives.com/classact/

Notice the picture of the instructions, very detailed. There was another page of someone's Allen Amps project, but I can't find it now...  

[PB Wilson]

This one?

http://forums.birdsandmoons.com/forum/showthread.php?t=189

[sean k]

I found this after a few years trying to sort out tube amps and it tells you everything you need to know to understand how the proprietary tube amp works(link at bottom).And as for the last posts link where the guy is sanding the resistor ends and cleaning in alcohol for a good solder joint,thats kinda anal,unless you're doing really high impedance stuff or high gain and even then its kinda silly.Tube amp building is really very agricultural and requires more brawn than brains.Thats not to say it doesn't require skill and knowledge just that the skills and knowledge required to actually put all the bolts together is about machine skills as these babies were and still are modern antiques.And thats where all the fun is as well...designing layouts on big A2 sheets of paper,bending up aluminium or steel sheet to form chassis and drilling loads of holes to fit the valve sockets and transformers,pots,etc then getting down to the work of fitting all those caps and resistors into the smallish spaces required.Its hands on work.
Also because its addictive and costly to buy new parts its an idea to think about starting out by scavenging old parts from radios and stereograms.I enjoy,the most,the amps I've built from tubes and transformers ripped out of these old junkers and just designing something using the knowledge garnered from these articles and downloaded characteristic sheets.

http://www.audioxpress.com/resource/audioclass/

And best of all you'll end up knowing that most of the amps out there that call themselves class A aren't at all.Oh,and try and do something without a negative feedback chain,much better sounding.

[Paul Marossy]

This one?

Nope, that's not it, but it's a good one as well.  

[onboard]

I was talking with an uncle of mine who was a tube tech back in the hey-day.
He watched transistors come on the scene - he refers to solid state as "solid mistake" :wink:

Anyway - I mentioned something like "Sure, if I can build a transistor emulation of a tube amp in a foot pedal, surely I can work on tube gear!"

There was a silent pause on the other end of the phone. That statement must've sent him reeling for a second... what he must've been thinking...

So, he comes to and simply says "Whole 'nother ballgame".

"Why, because of the higher voltages?" I ask.

"No," he said, "Everything."

He wouldn't elaboarate. All I can take from that is to mean you have to approach high voltage tube gear with a particular frame of mind.

[AL]

Have you considered hitting a pawn shop and picking up a cheap old tube amp? It's a great way to learn without having to do a ton of legwork first. Plus it get's you inside of one and will help you get familiar with basic layouts.

I've done some basic maintenance on a few amps that people sold off because they thought they were on their last leg. I am amazed at the difference a cap job makes.

AL