What's the best and worst part?

[surfsup]

Best part is the sense of accomplishment. That will probably change as I build more and more amps...but right now its nice seeing a project progress from stage to stage. Some of the workmanship here is very inspiring!

The worst part...for me it is two things:

Drilling in the wintertime and getting those stinkin #4s in there. #4s and my fingers don't get along...

[Lonely Raven]

Best part for me is being able to try out amps (although clones) that I wouldn't otherwise be able to try out.

The worst part is the old timers in the forums with attitude towards us paint-by-numbers beginners who do the best we can with what knowledge we have, without mentors, and without formal education on the subject....

[telentubes]

I particularly like populating circuit boards. I'm not wild about heater wiring. I love the first strum on a new amp. It's sometimes disappointing when they don't work first time, and the whole thing has to be traced again to find the problem. Not too fond of that, but the "pluses" FAR outweigh the "minuses", hence the addiction.

[M Fowler]

Firing up an amp for the first time!

No matter how many amps I build that is the best part.

As far as TAG is concerned seeing the new build pictures and listening to you whiners Just a joke guys

Mark

[Lonely Raven]

Yeah, amp porn gets a big +1 for me. I love seeing the innovative things people do in layouts. I see some true artistry out there, and I love it!

[surfsup]

Yea, heaters blow, but after redoing them about 12 times on my last amp (with no change in hum) I am kinda used to 'em now. I'm a pro at heaters!

Def. love firing it up for the first time too.

Wiring is almost "therapeutic" for me. I get in the groove and just start wiring. An hour goes by and its like I blinked...

Turrets are great. as I work with them, wiring them is easy(ier) than eyelets but eyelets are easier to solder for sure. I think I might go back to eyelets but they don't have the porn-factor (PF).

Here's some nice PF, homey does nice work:

https://tubeamparchive.com/viewtopic.php?t=4837
https://tubeamparchive.com/viewtopic.php?t=14316

[mumford]

Best part for me is the potential--during the build, the thought of what it will sound like, etc. The excitement.

Worst part is troubleshooting. Never enjoyed it.

I'll have to agree on the curmudgeons, though. I don't consider myself a paint by numbers guy anymore, but I'm also nowhere near where a lot of these guys are. I applaud their knowledge, but it's a strange hobby where people get ridiculed for not knowing everything from day 1. (I'm not just talking safety here.)

[Gibsonman63]

Best part - Field testing
Bad Part - Failing the field test
Worst Part - Running back home to get a working amp to finish the session

[vibratoking]

I agree on the comment about trying out amps that you might not otherwise have an opportunity to play. I also like the feeling of playing only amps that I have built.

I have to admit that I don't understand the comments regarding the old-guys or however it was written. Of the thousands of posts on here, a tiny fraction of them have been written with comments that are without merit. Electronics is a detailed subject by nature and should be treated so. I would like to thank the guys that pay attention to detail and provide detailed information via post for all to read and understand. I would venture to say that without it, the paint-by-numbers guys wouldn't be succeeding.

[Structo]

The best part is hearing your creation for the first time.

I think the funnest part is building it, putting it all together and learning things as you go along.

The art of taking a bunch of components that don't really do anything by themselves and soldering them all together into something that recreates great music is muy grande.

The worst part is having a problem that you can't track down.

The tweaking part can be frustrating as well. Especially when you don't know what you are doing.

For me, playing a guitar that I built through an amp that I built, it just don't get much better than that.

[Big Jim]

The best parts...having a collection of the most sought after tones at my choosing...also firing up an amp and having it work well. The worst part....not having the knowlege I want, or need sometimes...that hopefully will pass with time. Also, shipping costs...I never seem to be able to get everything I need in one order.

[surfsup]

shipping. Good one! I need a non-momentary stomp switch for a pedal box I built and mammoth wants $12.95 to ship a $2.99 item. Hilarious...too bad mouser doesn't sell these things, at least I can put it on my next order.

[JamesHealey]

Best part when it works.
Worst part when it shocks you

[Lonely Raven]

Also, shipping costs...I never seem to be able to get everything I need in one order.

That made me LOL. Probably because it's so true, though we deal with it as it's just a necessity of the hobby.

[Lonely Raven]

I have to admit that I don't understand the comments regarding the old-guys or however it was written. Of the thousands of posts on here, a tiny fraction of them have been written with comments that are without merit. Electronics is a detailed subject by nature and should be treated so. I would like to thank the guys that pay attention to detail and provide detailed information via post for all to read and understand. I would venture to say that without it, the paint-by-numbers guys wouldn't be succeeding.

Sorry if that seemed bitchy...I was getting it at both ends this weekend. One forum because I'm really just a "paint-by-numbers" guy (though I've been lucky that everything I've build has fired up the first time), and on another forum I was asking for help diagnosing a fuel problem with my motorcycle, got zero help from the old guys, then ridiculed by them for fumbling through a diagnosis. It's just not fun.