Advice on thinning the herd

[Phil_S]

I suspect most of us are addicted to building amps. I've been dabbling in this for about a dozen years and now I'm into my mid 60's. I don't use or need all the amps I've built. I don't play out. In fact, I don't really play much guitar these days. I lost count when I got to maybe 10 or 12 amps. I'm going to guess I've got 15 of them, including two 1960's Gibson amps, one from a kit, and the rest are home brew. Most are low power, 1W to 20W.

The home brew amps are in various stages of completion. All of them are meant to be heads, could be bottom mounted in a combo cab, but have no tube retaining clips for upside down use. They are all fully function and finished as amps. Some of them are simply screwed down to a plank. Others have an incomplete head shell -- no front or back, unfinished wood. Most lack a face plate. Some are built into recycled chassis where I've had to close various holes, etc., so they are not such pretty builds, but that is only cosmetic. Many/most are built with recycled transformers that are appropriate to the circuit or at least close to what's expected. With few exceptions, these have great tone.

I have contemplated thinning the herd a number of times. There are clearly a few of these amps that just aren't "me," but they are still good amps. For example, I've got two 5E3 variants and I didn't like either one -- go figure. There are others that I'm pretty sure I can't part with. I have a feeling, though, if I can send just one to a better home, I will feel better about the next one, as so on.

There are clearly two barriers here. One is a simple mental block that I can't part with my "creations" even if they aren't particularly elegant. The other is practical. I have concerns about the liability that might attach to a home brew electrical appliance that, when mishandled, could be dangerous. Frankly, I don't want to be eating cat tuna when I'm 80 because I sent an amp to someone who later got hurt or worse. AFAIK, all the disclaimers in the world don't keep people from successfully suing.

All that having been said, here is a partial list of what I might be willing to part with:

TW Express, Excellent Sylvania 6AQ5 tubes, headshell, no front/back/faceplates -- nice amp, not my taste, has hiss that can probably be cured with 1W or 2W plate load resistors. Tubes included.

5E3 built on an old tape recorder chassis, screwed down to a plank. No tubes.

5E3 built into an old Arkay amp chassis, in a head shell, plexiglass front so you can see the amp. Tolex is peeling. Includes tubes.

Vibrochamp, killer tremolo on a panel switch that needs conversion to a footswitch jack.

Champ variant, unfinished open head shell, no face plate, 2x 6SL7, 6V6, 6X5.

Tremolux 5G9, square hi-fi type chassis, screwed to a board.

Gilmore Jr, kit build, my first. You can see what it is, here: http://www.gerhartamps.com/gilmorejr/bu ... ilders.htm modified for ECC99 power tube.

Failed build, SE 6L6, screwed to a board. Amp works, but just blah.

Probable keepers include:
18W TMB
JTM45
5B6
5F2A, PP Telefunken EL95's. 6SL7 and 6AQ7 preamps.

Sheesh. What am I going to do with that SE plexi-verb I've got in the mill?

Now that I've bared my soul, what might you do and if you were going to move out a few amps, how would you go about doing that?

[xtian]

I think your best best for unloading the ugly ducklings is a musicians' swap meet. The one near me is barely useful--hope you're in a larger urban area...

Craigslist? Flea market?

I agree that selling online is a PITA, costs a lot, shipping is a pain, and you're open to returns and possibly liability. I have five or six left that I'm trying to sell. The process has really dissuaded me from new builds.

As an alternative, I've loaned out two of my better machines to active artists that I know will get attention on stage, one in San Francisco, one Chico local. Kind of "endorsement" deals.

That said, I am also a 'holic. Just bought an empty Hot Rod Deluxe cabinet for a Fire Monkey Deluxe build, and I have that 100w ODS iron just SITTING there...

[sluckey]

I'm gonna let my heirs deal with it!

[Phil_S]

I'm gonna let my heirs deal with it!

Yeah, I suppose I don't really care that they are going to put them in a dumpster. At that point, I'm willing to give up control. It's only while I'm still waking around!

[johnnyreece]

I've finally reached a point where there isn't much gear (or much else) I wouldn't part with. If someone offered me a reasonable amount for almost anything, I'd take them up. I have a Les Paul that I love, but other than that? Have at it. Unfortunately, there aren't a whole lot of folks around here in half-finished projects!

[NickC]

I'll be 61 soon (yes, my glass is half-full of optimism). My wife started, a year or two ago, getting on my case about eliminating my hoard. I've explained ad nauseum that "he who dies with the most toys, wins" ...... but she is not convinced. I get the guilt trip "You'll be leaving a nightmare for me and your children to deal with!" And naturally I don't understand that. Had my Dad left me a hoard of fine amps and instruments, it would hardly have been a "nightmare".

Oh well, it seems I've reached an impasse whilst riding on the horns of someones else dilemma. I suppose I should build another amp, and/or guitar, whilst I mull over the situation?

[xtian]

"He who dies with the most toys..." RIGHT! Except he who is buried accidentally by a mountain of toys.

[NickC]

"He who dies with the most toys..." RIGHT! Except he who is buried accidentally by a mountain of toys.

Accidentally? Only a poor craftsman blames his ............ toys!

[Bob S]

In the same boat as Phil & Nick here.
And the ampaholic addiction hasn't diminished.
Oh well.

[Phil_S]

"You'll be leaving a nightmare for me and your children to deal with!"

This sounds strangely familiar

[tony hunt]

Oh no, you made me look at my wall of iron. 1000 circuit possibilities to keep an old codger out the the pub during retirement.

Maybe we can start a self help group? Strategies and tactics for letting it go or continuation of the hoarding.

Like reminding She who must be obeyed that Mr. Edison needed 10,000 builds to perfect the light bulb. I have personally used that one and I must say that it certainly cleared the air. I even learnt a few new words.

[sliberty]

Phil - I feel your pain. First off, when my cousin passed, I had the job of selling off his gear to benefit his wife. It took me 3 years to move all of his guitars and amps via CL (I wasn't willing to ship anything). It was a huge pain in the ass, and that was regular commercially made gear. Now I am thinning my own herd a bit, and nothing is moving. Especially my home made stuff:Rocket combo in a red Peavey Classic 50 cabinet, 3 parts guitars, it's really painful.

My suggestion is eBay. You can sell some items on eBay as project amps, and others as player grade. But the odds are you will have to make them quite cheap. The average Joe doesn't know you or your skills, and won't want to shell out real money for what he views as an unknown. Sorry to say, but the dumpster will be much easier and less discouraging. But I suspect you can sell some of them this way.

[Phil_S]

Steve,

I put your comments in the category I call "holding up the mirror." I just didn't want to hear this particular truth, but I knew it was out there. The good news is that most of what I've done is low budget, and has been done primarily for self-entertainment purposes. I am doubtful it will bother me to take 50¢ on the $1 on eBay. It is more the hassle factor. Thanks for sharing your experience.

Oh well!

Phil

[sliberty]

I'll ad one more thing. A friend of mine typically builds cosmetic (as well as electronic) clones. He never has trouble selling his gear. He doesn't lie at all, always open about the fact that it is a replica. But people like things that look like what they claim to be. Like you, I have built with donor parts many times. A bunch of mine were in 40's/50's metal box PA's. They were hard to sell. When I sold my fine wood cabinet Rocket clone, and my very authentic looking JTM45, I got good money for them. I think we are all the same in this regard. If we are buying something from someone else, we want to be proud of what it looks like (as well as what it sounds like).

I've had to reconcile this in my own head - I had fun, and I learned some things (I hope), and I got to use a variety of gear that I wouldn't otherwise have had. I am a few years behind you (59) but felt it was time to start moving things. Believe it or not, I've even had trouble selling my Ric 12 string, and it is priced really well. But everyone wants a ridiculous bargain these days. Can't really blame them. I just hope that by the time I retire and move to FL (still a few years away), I will have finally moved the gear I don't want to take with me. My FL condo is quite small, and I can't bring it all down there.

I hope you find good homes for your stuff. I am sure that once any given piece sells, the new owner will be thrilled to have it. He just needs to realize that himself

[Reeltarded]

Sell locally. Take the best offers. The market for retail and vintage and used is not fun to play in lately nor will it ever be much fun for most sellers in my lifetime.