Newbie needs BIG help please

[59model]

I can`t believe how much knowledge is in this forum! I`m floored really. Are there any books or such that could bring me up to par with you folks? I studied electronics back in the 70`s in vocational school, but they never got into tube theory as it was outdated then. I then worked at MIT Lincoln Labs as a prototype tech for the DOE and it was all solid state too. Last 25 years spent as a lineman for ma bell and been brain dead ever since, LOL! Any suggestions how I can learn? I`m retired now and would love to pick this up as a hobby to keep me going days. Any help is appreaciated!
Pete

[keithrick]

You can check out Aiken amplifications website. He has a great tech section. Plus I believe he also has a suggested reading listing.

Have at it!

[gearhead]

+1 for Aikens site.

Just going thru his glossary opened my eyes on a few things; http://www.aikenamps.com/AmpTerms.html

[rfgordon]

I first studied electronics back in the mid 80s when I went to work for the govt, but we didn't study tubes at all. So, between the time lag and the lack of coverage, I, too, had to edumacate myself about those wonderful high voltage rascals.

Books I've found helpful are Gerald Weber's three books on tube amps. After I read thru all three of them a third time I built my first amp--and it works! I think you can get them at his Kendrick Amps site. There's also a nice glossy book out now called The Guitar Amplifier Handbook. It goes through an amp circuit pretty much component by component and explains what they do. Also has guts pics of lots of cool amps by Vox, Marshall, Fender, Mohave, Dr. Z, etc.

Aspen Pitman's book (now in a binder with cdrom of schematics) is good, especially as a good history of significant amps.

I plan to get The Ultimate Tone books, but haven't yet.

[Dai H.]

http://www.phy.davidson.edu/instrumentation/NEETS.htm

module 6 is about tubes

watch out for some of the Gerald Weber info since it is wrong. Not saying you can't learn anything from the books but I would be careful.

besides the excellent Aiken site, these are some good ones:

http://www.geofex.com/

http://www.ax84.com/bbs

a ton of links here:

http://www.firebottle.com/fireforum/fir ... garm&mode=

[MooreCowbelle]

+1 for Aiken
+1 for AX84

Lots of good theory docs on both sites.

http://ax84.rru.com/FAQs/general.html

Especially the P1 theory documents:
http://ax84.com/dp.php?pg=projects&project=p1

[Darkbluemurder]

Dan Torres has a book called "Inside Tube Amplifiers" which is quite good. So is Dave Funk's "Tube Amp Workbook Volume 1". A bit more technical is Kevin O'Connor's "The Ultimate Tone" series (www.londonpower.com).

The Torres and Funk books should be available through Angela and many other suppliers.

[rfgordon]

Yes, tis true that some of Gerald's opinions are a bit off the mark. For example, he waxes eloquent about how rust on a tranny is very bad, but the folks at Mercury Magnetics say rust is good. However, there's much to be learned from brother Weber, particularly about Fender amps.

I suppose there's at least as much art as science to building a great sounding tube amp, so there's bound to be some difference of opinions and some wrong info out there in tube world. It'd be great if there was a one-stop-shop for all the info you needed! Besides, I venture to guess the guys who wrote the original Western Electric circuits would never have imagined what folks like Fischer or Dumble would eventually go on to do with tubes.

The quest for the holy grail of tone is never ending, I suppose. He who stops learning dies a sad death.

[Dai H.]

The point was about matters of fact, not opinion. His books are not charity, he doesn't give them away. The least he could have done (since he is not completely qualified) is to hire a technical editor. Supposedly he is a nice guy and a very good guitar player but the issue is wrong information not his geniality. And again, I am not saying they are completely worthless but saying watch out for the correctness of some of the information.

[keithrick]

Pete,

I was searching on Rectifiers and came upon this thread again. Have you made any progress in your amp quest? I am curious what you have decided to build

Let us know....

[rockstah]

great suggestions ( i have all of geralds books as well as the dvd ) - also dont forget about Kevin O'connors' TUT books found at www.londonpower.com

Mark

[59model]

Pete,

I was searching on Rectifiers and came upon this thread again. Have you made any progress in your amp quest? I am curious what you have decided to build

Let us know....

Hi Keith, thanks for remembering me. I got a Ceriatone Wreck clone and got Moose`s tranny`s for it. I used that Duncans tone chart to get the pre where I wanted it. It`s OK, but not something I`d write home about after playing it for a few weeks. Has all the character of a Wreck, but I might not be a Wreck guy. It`s fun and I have to mess with it a bunch more, but personally I like my Fuchs ODS30 a lot better, non SLX.

[keithrick]

Pete,

I built an ODS clone as well as the Express. I had a Fuch's mod as well. I go back and forth on which one I like better, right now it is the Wreck.

They are totally different beasts thats for sure. Thats why you need both!

[59model]

Keith, I`m with you Bro, tonight with all Mullards in the wreck it kicked ass at 11 o`clock on the volume. I changed the .022`s out to .01`s on the bass and mid control, and removed the presence knob and bright switch. BIG change that sounded nice. Lower mids were fat and no ice pick highs, just the way I wanted it. Still cleans up sweet with the volume pot, and has great sustain clean as well as dirty. Harmonic feedback is more controlable as to which note I want it to go as well. Great rock amp! But for wanking at home with the Smooth Jazz station, LOL, I play the Fuchs a lot. I gotta hear this clone miked up with my band soon, and will report back, as that`s where it really counts.