Must have tools.

[rdjones]

Assuming you're asking about the stuff beyond the basic required hand tools, soldering/desoldering items and wire clipper/strippers.

Good (meaning Fluke) DMM. 87V
Dual trace scope with stable triggering. Tek 2215
Variable isolation transformer, with current metering. Sencore PR57
Dummy load. 2x Dale NH250 8ohm, 250W

These I consider the basics, it's also nice to have a signal generator and tube tester.
Test signals can be brought in from an mp3 player or computer sound card output.
Tubes can be subbed or tested in circuit, which is why I put a proper tube tester as an option, but in reality I'm looking for a tester myself.

Any Fluke in the 70 or 80 series should be OK just watch the maximum voltage ratings on the 70 series.
As far as Tektronix scopes go the 400 and 500 series are starting to look a bit old now, I like the 2200 series, TAS and newer.
Tenma and B&K have equivalent units to the PR57 with current meters and a lot of better Variacs have an ammeter.
It's hard to beat the big heatsinkable Dale non-inductive load resistors but you could string up pretty much anything to make an 8 ohm load.

rd

[amplifiednation]

Mark.. I have to make one of those to confuse stage techs.. I shall put it on a pedal board!

Haha good one! That made me laugh. That outer foil tester is awesome I made one before my last build, it is significantly quieter getting the foil in the right spot.

There is a pretty funny video demoing that contraption. The guy has a sweet accent and his daughter is crying in the background

[M Fowler]

That was Gabi's video where I get my Ceriatone Dumble cabinets from (Gabkits), built by Anthony at StageCraft-AKA as Reason Amplifiers-AKA RME Rhyme Musical Enclosures when I am not buying from you Taylor.

Mark

[amplifiednation]

That was Gabi's video where I get my Ceriatone Dumble cabinets from (Gabkits), built by Anthony at StageCraft-AKA as Reason Amplifiers-AKA RME Rhyme Musical Enclosures when I am not buying from you Taylor.

Mark

What...you're getting cabinets somewhere else!??! I'm j/k

[selloutrr]

GFCI

chopstick

Dummy load

You can't go wrong with a reliable tube tester. most of the failure in a tube amp is tube related.

A capacitor tester would be another helpful tool

HV power supplies

Variac

Isolation transformer

hand tools

[tubelectron]

Here's a link to an audio probe description. I've read, that when built with properly rated components, people have used these with great success in amp debugging.

http://www.diystompboxes.com/pedals/debug.html

Ah, yes ! I see - OK : it is a probe intended to use a guitar amp as a kind of signal-tracer. A handy accessory, indeed.

Well... It will work, for sure, but for safety and consistency, I use a "real" signal tracer (compact foolproof DIY designed tube model, very low residual noise), with its matching Audio and RF probes :

[img:354:411]http://img15.hostingpics.net/pics/67638 ... tracer.gif[/img]

A+!