Beginner Amp builder looking for some direction....

[soloist4hire]

Hey everyone, first let me start off by saying thank you for taking the time to read this. Second, thanks for being apart of a forum helping others understand amp building. It really is much appreciated. Ok, so now for my question....lol. I have quite a bit of electronics background. I solder well, can read schematics, blah blah. I am wanting to get into building amps, but where I get lost is that I dont understand how to take my knowledge of electronics and apply it to sound. Right now Im working on a PTP Carvin Legacy Head, going strictly off the schematic, and I have a good friend that is a master amp builder. I'm trying to figure out where online I can go and learn all the basics of tube amps, and building them. Almost like a idiots guide to building tube amps. lol. I would appreciate any direction anyone can give me. Thanks again everyone !!!

Justin

[benoit]

In no particular order, here are some links to a bunch of info.

http://www.aikenamps.com/TechInfo_2.htm

http://www.pmillett.com/tecnical_books_online.htm

http://tubenexus.com/2008/04/08/three-e ... s/#more-39

http://www.montagar.com/~patj/gindex.htm

http://www.premierguitar.com/Magazine/I ... ester.aspx

http://www.mif.pg.gda.pl/homepages/tom/ ... s.htm#Tube

http://tone-lizard.com/

http://www.tpub.com/content/neets/14178

[Andy Le Blanc]

there is too much info.... check out

www.tech-systems-labs.com/books.htm

www.pmillett.com/tecnical_books_online.htm

and the tech section......

www.aikenamps.com

the technology is really old and there is so much of it.....
get a couple of old amps at yard sales or flea market or dumpster
and play with it a while....... scrounge up an old street sign for the aluminium
and cut and bend your own chassis..... recycle the bits from the old to put
yours together..... its the doing of it that really teaches you.... if you dont
like that approach and have the cash get a simple kit and do the same
dont be intimidated it easier than many let on..... once youve done it

[soloist4hire]

Hey thanks for the quick replay guys...I really appreciate it. Now I am going to go do some serious reading...lol. If you guys find anymore links, let me know...Thanks again!

[benoit]

Hey thanks for the quick replay guys...I really appreciate it. Now I am going to go do some serious reading...lol. If you guys find anymore links, let me know...Thanks again!

What I forgot to mention is that it's worth it to go back and read as much of this forum as you can stomach. There's a ton of great info buried here. A lot of it is Trainwreck or Dumble Specific but there is plenty that can be applied to anything.

You might want to try something a little simpler and better documented (i.e. that more people have built) for starters. If it's gotta be the Legacy though, more power to you. Make sure you read all you can about safety/cap discharge too if you're not used to working with high voltage AC though this may not be news given your background.

[soloist4hire]

Yeah I know the legacy is a tough starting point, but I got groovetubin giving me a hand with the project, and he has built the best sounding amp I have ever heard in my life. So hopefully, the project will turn out good, I just want to learn as much as I possibly can!

[Tubetwang]

get Tino Zottola's books on building guitar tube amps.

For 25$ (each book), Tino will walk you through 5 builds.

The man is a neighbour and a nice guy to boot...

Just follow the easy explanations and peek at his layouts...

That... and reading all you can eat...

[doctord02]

I'd also add the ax84.com projects and forums to that list. It's a great introduction to tube amp building from the ground up and has lots of supportive and knowleagable people there, some that hang out here too.