The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
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176 afleveringen, van nieuw naar oud
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Ep. 122: "A Low Ceiling Situation"
10 oktober 2023 · 1 uur 34 min
** Note to the Amp Purists: There is virtually NO amp talk on this episode. If that's what you're seeking, stay tuned for TAVA episode 123, out tomorrow, where we'll have two hours of deep amp knowledge with special guest Larry Chung. Everyone else: Enjoy a very special TAVA featuring Skip's son, Will!** Lees meer
What's it like to have amp tech Skip Simmons as your dad? We find out on the 122nd episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps featuring special guest Will Simmons!
Will shares tales of growing up alongside a bunch of amps; Skip's parenting style; Will's love for art; and his his current work as an art critic. Also discussed: Drawbridge tales; photographer Laurie Simmons (Wikipedia link); Lena Dunham's Tiny Furniture (Wikipedia link); Wynton Marsalis' "Blood on the Fields" (YouTube link); Brice Martin; Lo Moon (link); "Are You Awake?" by Lauren Mayberry (YouTube link); Wood Belly (link); Dean & Britta; Lady Gaga vs. Lana Del Rey; and so much more.
All-told, it's a very sweet father & son (& podcast cohost) chat. Plus: Jason learns about diet pills!
Amp related topics:
1:19:27 Soursound transformers
1:20:09 Are there any classic Fender amps that Skip hates?
1:21:51 Congratulations, John Vanderslice!
1:22:34 MTI Tubes effects unit, redux
1:26:55 A Peavey Mace 2x12, what are matched tubes?
1:32:31 Recommended: Replica tweed cabinets by Armadillo
As always, keep the amplifier questions and voice memos coming to podcast@fretboardjournal.com and thanks to everyone who listens to our show. If you love it, leave us a five-star review over on Apple Podcasts.
Join our Facebook group, 'A Rustic Kegger in the Woods':
https://www.facebook.com/groups/164889374531738Join the TAVA Patreon Page:
https://www.patreon.com/vintageamps
Our sponsors are Emerald City Guitars, Amplified Parts, and Grez Guitars.
Recorded October 6, 2023.
Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal.
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Ep. 121: "Plaid Bell Bottoms"
21 september 2023 · 1 uur 34 min
It's the 121st episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps, the call-in show where amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on all things tube amp. Lees meer
This week: Special guest Jim Kelley joins us (around the 28-minute mark)!
Want to be a part of the show? Keep the amp questions for Skip coming to podcast@fretboardjournal.com! Voice memos or emails are welcome.
Don't forget we now have a Patreon if you'd like to support the show featuring weekly installments of what's on Skip's bench, random eBay finds, and surprise content: https://www.patreon.com/vintageamps
Some of the topics discussed in this episode:
5:31 What's on Skip's bench: A Bogen mixer from the 1940s
6:35 What to do with a vintage MTI Tubes overdrive preamp stompbox
10:02 What's the deal with Fender Ultra Linear amps?
14:33 Australia's National Vintage Guitar Show (link, October 7-9, 2023); the Amigo Bay Area Guitar Show in January (link; Skip will be there!)
17:26 Repurposing old power transformers
22:16 Jazz guitarist Peter Bernstein; Russell Malone; Adam Levy; RIP Sammy Ash
23:17 A "brown" Deluxe that needed repair from San Quentin State Prison!
25:56 What to do with a 1973 Fender Princeton Reverb ground switch?
28:39 Special guest: Jim Kelley! 4x6V6s, plate voltages, Fortune Amps, Line, using a great reference speaker; Dumble; the Kelley prototype head at Emerald City Guitars; Jim's preferred parts; Vince Gill
1:26:00 Tubes for a Marathon amp clone
1:27:50 Building a point-to-point wired amp inside of a PCB Vox AC15VR chassis
Our sponsors are Emerald City Guitars, Amplified Parts, and Grez Guitars.
Recorded September 20, 2023.
Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal.
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Ep. 120: "One Call"
1 september 2023 · 1 uur 10 min
It's the 120th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps, the call-in show where amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on all things tube amp. Lees meer
This week in a nutshell: Is this the Fender Yale?; lots of Fretboard Summit love; Skip sneaks a mower across the border; magnifiers; tomato gravy; and rumblings of a possible Oregon Truth About Vintage Amps meetup!
Special Note: Our friends at Amplified Parts are having a Labor Day Sale right now. Use the code LABOR10 to save 10% off your order, but act fast. https://www.amplifiedparts.com/
Want to be a part of the show? Keep the amp questions for Skip coming to podcast@fretboardjournal.com! Voice memos or emails are welcome.
Don't forget we now have a Patreon if you'd like to support the show featuring weekly installments of what's on Skip's bench, random eBay finds, and surprise content: https://www.patreon.com/vintageamps
Some of the topics discussed in this episode:
:00 Fretboard Summit recap (thanks, Kevin!); a gift of Del Cabo mangos; Rob Abernathy's robots (https://rodabernethy.com/); our sponsors (Emerald City Guitars, Stringjoy Strings (use the code FRETBOARD to save 10% off your first string order), Amplified Parts, and Grez Guitars.
10:30 Donny Hathaway plays "The Ghetto" (YouTube link); Skip brings a Tweed Deluxe back from the dead (and possibly a Princeton Reverb), lousy amp repair people
16:22 A Fretboard Summit recap; a transitional Gibson Falcon find
21:40 An Ampeg SVT CL that sounds sort of like the opening to the Beastie Boys' "Intergalactic" when you turn it on
24:46 Offshoot amp brands we can spot in the wild
26:43 Magnifiers, redux! Recommended: YOCTOSUN Head Mount Magnifier on Amazon (link, on sale for just 16 bucks right now); LED garage lighting (Costco link)
29:55 How do self-split output stages work? Kalamazoo KEA amps
32:30 Help me make sense of this Bell PM33 Pacemaker schematic
37:53 Speaker-driven line out and reverb, together; a Seattle TAVA meetup?; an Oregon Coast TAVA meetu…
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Ep. 119: "Painting Some Dots"
7 augustus 2023 · 1 uur 18 min
It's the 119th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps, the call-in show where amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on all things tube amp. Lees meer
Want to be a part of the show? Keep the amp questions for Skip coming to podcast@fretboardjournal.com! Voice memos or emails are welcome.
Don't forget we now have a Patreon if you'd like to support the show featuring weekly installments of what's on Skip's bench, random eBay finds, and surprise content.
Some of the topics discussed in this episode:
2:32: This week's sponsors: Emerald City Guitars, Stringjoy Strings (use the code FRETBOARD to save 10% off your first string order), Amplified Parts, and Grez Guitars.
4:27 Special call-in guest: TAVA listener Brian McAllister (vintagetubeamplifiers.com, @vintagetubeamplifiers): Finding TAVA while hospitalized; amps on Brian's bench; tips on making a pre-amp out of a Conn Strobotuner (or a Bogen PH10); Skip is building a tube pre-amp for the Chicago Fretboard Summit!; what's the most improper fuse you've seen in an amp?
29:00 Using magnifiers / magnifying glasses while working on amps
33:19 Installing a fuse in a 1973 Fender Musicmaster Bass amp; preventative maintenance on replacing electrolytic caps that work?; using an audio transformer as a phase inverter instead of a tube; Datsun pickups; what happened to the Ford Aerostar?
46:51 Are all Selenium rectifiers bad?
50:34 Hand-painting the value onto Domino Mica caps
55:43 Best way to test speakers on a Gibson GA8 and RB17T Scout
58:06 Handling unused taps on a power transformer
59:38 An all-tube tremolo circuit: the Tone God's Bullit (link); removing the skin on salmon
1:01:18 How do I reduce the B+ on my Dynaco ST-35 clone project?
1:05:27 An Amaro cocktail for the TAVA set
1:08:46 Recommended viewing: The Pharmacist, All the Beauty and the Bloodshed; Hidden; The Art of the Steal
Recorded August 4, 2023.
Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal.
Sup…
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Ep. 118: "Pirate Ale" (Special Guest: Ben Harper)
20 juli 2023 · 1 uur 44 min
This week, we're joined by the one-and-only Ben Harper, who has a couple of questions for Skip right before his Lyon, France concert. Ben regales us with tales of a rare Weissenborn spotted on a Disneyland ride, Dumbles, and pre-show skateboarding (which Skip is a little worried about). He also spills the beans on his new touring amp of choice… a Two-Rock. Lees meer
Before Ben joins us, we've got our usual assortment of listener-submitted questions on tremolo and speaker impendence, Larry Chung references, and a tamale suggestion.
Want to be a part of the show? Keep the amp questions for Skip coming to podcast@fretboardjournal.com! Voice memos or emails are welcome.
Don't forget we now have a Patreon if you'd like to support the show.
Some of the topics discussed in this episode:
:34 Special thanks to Shure for that MV7 that Skip uses; the Fretboard Summit (August 24-26 in Chicago; www.fretboardsummit.org)
1:51 PSA: Skip is retired through September
2:23 A forthcoming Danelectro documentary, early Nat Daniel-built Epiphone Model M amps
15:32 This week's sponsors: Emerald City Guitars, Stringjoy Strings (use the code FRETBOARD to save 10% off your first string order), Amplified Parts, and Grez Guitars.
19:05 Peter Jensen's Magnavox 12" speakers
20:54 Don Pepino canned tomato sauce (thanks, Rob), Remington Model 5 typewriters
22:27 A 1964 Fender Vibrolux Reverb with a replaced power transformer…but not really; Skip gets a visit from Larry Chung
29:46 The dangers of playing a bass through a small guitar amp; Versatone amps; Los Hernandez tamales in Union Gap, Washington (https://www.loshernandeztamales.com); Bruce Harvie & the Sound Flea's 'Overhead at Darrington' (Bandcamp link)
38:47 A humming Ampeg GS-12 Reverberocket: Was the speaker affecting the reverb spring?
43:26 Changing the tremolo depth on an Ampeg Jet
46:12 Skip's favorite trem circuit; a Massie that modulates the guitar signal; Chris Vincent (https://www.instagram.com/djlavalamp/)
51:03 Tube amp ki…
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Ep. 117: "Tommy, Time for Dinner"
5 juli 2023 · 1 uur 23 min
It's the 117th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps podcast, where legendary amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on guitar amps and their repair! Lees meer
Want to be a part of the show? Keep the amp questions for Skip coming to podcast@fretboardjournal.com! Voice memos or emails are welcome. And don't forget we now have a Patreon.
This week's sponsors: Emerald City Guitars, Stringjoy Strings (use the code FRETBOARD to save off your first string order), Amplified Parts, and Grez Guitars.
This week's topics:
1:18 Jason goes to NYC (and Montana)
4:43 Special thanks: Listener Doug, QSL cards, Micah
9:18 Skip's movie, music and book picks of the week: 'Little Miss Sunshine,' an Arhoolie Records box set (link), "A Hero's Death" by Fontaines D.C., "Cleanin' Out My Closet" by Eminem; 'Fire in Sierra Nevada Forests' by George E. Gruell
16:34 The amps Skip has seen the most often and why
21:51 When to NOT just service it first, should I gut this Stromberg Carlson AU-42? Daniel Romano; Premier Amps
29:45 Can I actually use the AC outlet on the back of my vintage Fender?
32:43 Extending the leads on a Mojotone Tweed Princeton kit, what are turret boards made of?
38:08 Do I need to replace all the resistors on my 1953 Gibson GA-20?
42:52 Coupling cap orientation, redux
44:30 Sourcing a parts kit for vintage amp servicing
51:17 John Vanderslice visits Skip, Gibson resistors again
54:02 Using the vintage speakers found in the walls of my midcentury modern home's intercom system
59:06 Hope for the Fender Musicmaster bass amp, GSS Speaker Repair Services in Los Angeles
1:05:50 Plate voltage versus screen voltage on a power tube; @thevalvinist on Instagram; a Hohner / Sano combo amp for sale; the 2023 Fretboard Summit (link)
1:14:14 Modding the tone control on a Silvertone 1482, using a tip ring sleeve jack to bypass a cap
1:22:40 Fat Tire Amber beer
Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal.
Support us o…
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Ep. 116: "Or Something"
16 juni 2023 · 1 uur 19 min
It's the 116th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps podcast, where legendary amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on guitar amps and their repair! Lees meer
Want to be a part of the show? Keep the amp questions for Skip coming to podcast@fretboardjournal.com! Voice memos or emails are welcome. And don't forget we now have a Patreon.
This week's sponsors: Emerald City Guitars, Stringjoy Strings (use the code FRETBOARD to save off your first string order), Amplified Parts, and Grez Guitars.
This week's topics:
1:02 Making amps out of little intercoms, redux
4:01 Amplified Parts' Potentiometer Adapter Sleeve (link)
8:34 Join our Patreon and hear a lost episode with Steve Melkisethian (Angela Instruments): https://www.patreon.com/vintageamps
9:19 What's on Your Bench: A 1952 low-powered Tweed Twin found on eBay
12:00 Retiring the word "blackface" when talking about amps
16:10 Coupling capacitor orientation, redux
20:28 Jonathan Stout (check out 'Pick It and Play It'); "For the Good Times" by Al Green
26:19 Sellers turning vintage amps on with no speaker load
29:55 The best DIY Fender Princeton kits around; roasted cauliflower with curry powder, Soursound transformers (link)
40:28 Does a lower B+ keep an old amp happier?
43:58 How quickly could you build a Champ? The Fretboard Summit (August 24-26 in Chicago) and JHS's Germanium Chef competition (attend by registering here: www.fretboardsummit.org), wiring a part board before you put it in the amp
46:59 Chris at Deluxe Amplification (deluxeamplification.com)
50:08 A horse-powered IBM Selectric typewriter (Facebook post link)
52:06 Silvertone 1484 amps; in defense of metal film resistors, a forthcoming Ampeg documentary, Ampeg Jets and Rockets, the Jackson Audio 1484 - Twin Twelve pedal (link), a Guild 66-J amp with a Pyle Driver speaker
1:09:20 The Fret Files podcast capacitor test (link); the terminology of pickups
Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretbo…
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Ep. 115: "The Group W Bench"
23 mei 2023 · 1 uur 28 min
It's the 115th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps podcast, where legendary amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on guitar amps and their repair! Lees meer
Want to be a part of the show? Keep the amp questions for Skip coming to podcast@fretboardjournal.com! Voice memos or emails are welcome. And don't forget we now have a Patreon.
Some of the topics discussed this week:
2:07 This week's sponsors: Emerald City Guitars (check out the Jim Kelley prototype), Stringjoy Strings (use the code FRETBOARD to save off your first string order), Amplified Parts, and Grez Guitars. You can also use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase.
6:58 Listener Matt gets the Heathkit Stereo Signal Generator kit
9:27 Skip sees a Bald eagle
11:33 Waking up a 1980 Musicman 112 RD after a long hibernation
14:05 Acceptable DC leakage in capacitors, puppies attacking sprinklers
17:11 Epiphone Pacemaker desirability versus its Gibson Skylark counterpart
20:04 How to blow up an amp, heating tortillas, and Masco ME-27s
32:31 A Weber Proluxe 5E3 amp kit and reducing hum by changing coupling cap orientation; Leighton Amps/Jef Brown's blog post (link)
43:33 Octal 6F5 tubes
38:55 An Operadio Model 1030
45:34 An Orange AD-30 with an EL84s that run hot; Servisol Super 10
51:07 A late '80s Fender Vibroverb with a burning smell and a glowing 6L6
56:47 Thoughts on a Symphonic MA7-1?
1:00:51 Thoughts on modern reverb tanks
1:04:06 A really quiet Frenzel HBX-AC30
1:10:42 What to service on a recently-purchased 1968 Univox U235?
1:17:18 Changing values in the preamp of a SF Champ to reduce bass
1:26:09 Non-stick pans
Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal.
Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise and don't forget to get a subscription to the Fretboard Journal (link). Digital subscriptions start at just $30.
Submit your amp questions, recipes, and life hacks to podcast@fretb…
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Ep. 114: "Mothers, Fathers, Sisters, Brothers"
8 mei 2023 · 1 uur 41 min
It's the 114th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps, where legendary amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on guitar amps and their repair. Lees meer
Want to be a part of the show? Keep the amp questions for Skip coming to podcast@fretboardjournal.com! Voice memos or emails are welcome.
Some of the topics discussed this week:
3:49 Skip gets more gifts (thank you); Studio Slips (link); Dragonfly USB-stereo connection; Connie Converse (Bandcamp link)
9:41 The Truth About Vintage Amps Patreon (link)
9:54 Josh Scott (JHS) plays the El Pato Tone practice amp (Instagram link), which you can buy here on Reverb; the 2023 Fretboard Summit featuring Jeff Parker, Jorma Kaukonen, JHS, Tommy Emmanuel, vintage amps and much more! (register for the Summit today: fretboardsummit.org)
10:59 Electrolytic bypass capacitors in Marshalls?
15:58 Spicy popcorn; best speaker load for a Black panel Fender Dual Showman head
21:05 The return of Leo Quan?
21:53 Standel has a new owner, Owen Duffy
22:49 What to do with a Matchless DC30 that sounds great, but runs really hot
32:33 A Princeton Reverb with weak reverb
35:54 Why you shouldn't use a Variac as an isolation transformer
38:40 GZ34 rectifiers and standby switches
46:24 Grounding issues on a hand-wired Fender Tweed Twin reissue, redux
48:56 What to do with an Aireon Model 1221A juke box amp with 6SK7, 6J5, 2x 6L6, and 5U4G tubes?
51:10 Preferred plate voltages on a 5F2A build; 5F2A vs 5F2 circuits
55:05 How would you measure an output transformer to know its preferred speaker load?
59:54 I built a 5E3 clone but there's no volume until I get to 2 1/2
1:01:11 Why does my 1967 black panel Deluxe Reverb have a tube chart for an AB165 Bassman and why is it so gainy? A narrow panel 1952 Fender Deluxe
1:11:16 Pancakes with goat cheese
1:12:58 Tips on accessing the underside of a '40s Stromberg-Carlson AU-33 PA's terminal board; isolation transformers, redux
1:19:07 https://worldradiohistory.com/.
1:21:04 Repairing the pla…
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Ep. 113: "Too Much of Something Somewhere"
12 april 2023 · 1 uur 24 min
It's the 113th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps, where legendary amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on guitar amps and their repair. Lees meer
Want to be a part of the show? Keep the amp questions for Skip coming to podcast@fretboardjournal.com! Voice memos or emails are welcome.
Some of the topics discussed this week:
4:11 Announcement: The Truth About Vintage Amps at the 2023 Fretboard Summit (www.fretboardsummit.org); Chicago's Kale My Name (link)
14:14 Should you use better or same-quality replacement parts when your amp needs a repair?
18:52 A real rustic kegger; Skip's favorite amp
25:20 Beginner's corner: How many speakers can my amp run? Cast-iron griddle grilled cheese
32:50 B+, redux; benefits of a separate filament transformer; UTC transformers; HAM radio transmissions
38:17 6X5 rectifier tubes
41:48 A HiWatt clone that keeps blowing fuses
47:17 Thank you for the coffee, Kevin!
48:26 Running an acoustic guitar through a tube amp (Bogen Challenger); El Pato's neighbor; cleaning tube sockets
52:54 Mistakes made while swapping tube sockets on a Fender Bassman 50; frozen Arby's french fries
59:53 The tornado and 1967 Fender Deluxe Reverb story, redux
1:05:12 Convincing a store to ship you a Gibson EH-150; Carter Cutlery (link)
1:11:23 Special thanks: Max in Spain; Bill from California
1:13:00 Need your reverb coil rewound? Check out Tom Brantley (@tombrantleyrewinds)
1:15:39 Help me pick out speakers for my tweed Twin; parallel vs. in-series speaker wiring, sleeper vintage 12" speakers, Weber speaker's grades of doping
and much more...
Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal.
This week's episode is sponsored by Stringjoy Strings, Amplified Parts (use the code TAVA10 to save 10% off of their Mod kits) and Grez Guitars. You can also use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase.
Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise and do…
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Ep. 112: "Adjust for Minimum Smoke"
4 april 2023 · 1 uur 30 min
It's the 112th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps, where legendary amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on guitar amps and their repair. Lees meer
Want to be a part of the show? Keep the amp questions for Skip coming to podcast@fretboardjournal.com! Voice memos or emails are welcome.
Some of the topics discussed this week:
7:42 David Lindely on Dumble: Audio interview on our Patreon (link)
8:07 Shoutout to August from Otis Amps
8:46 Rancho Gordo Beans, redux (link), Herdez Salsa Casera, Juantonio's chips
11:42 What's on Skip's workbench: A Stromberg PA head; a 1910 Hammond Multiplex typewriter
16:39 More on David Lindley
19:31 A muted Tweed Bassman with a hiss in V2, testing test equipment; a brownface Deluxe at the flea market
27:15 What's the difference between silverface '60s Fender Pro Reverbs (drip-edge or not); the Cars; is the Pro Reverb the beginning of "logging truck" status
33:53 Amps that use 2A3/6A3 triodes as power tubes
40:01 ChatGPT wrote a poem about TAVA
43:11 Rob Robinette's recommendation to put a 1N4007 diode in series after the Secondary AC High voltage and the plate of the rectifier tube; 'Junior Bonner' with Steve McQueen; Better Call Saul; Hollywood gossip
47:49 Lighting your workbench, a dedicated filter circuit for testing amps?
50:39 Waking up amps that have not been used in a long while; using multimeters for the first time; inconsistencies in the volt readout on a variac
56:12 Does a variac provide the same shock protection as an isolation transformer?, the Silvertone 1485 circuit, the Hillbilly Rueben recipe
1:02:52 Hearing Skip's voice in your head while you're at your day job; a 1940s Navy soundsystem with a dynamotor
1:06:15 Fixing the crack in a 1972 Fender Deluxe Reverb cabinet, troubleshooting amps that have been dropped, index pins
1:13:13 The sound of octal tubes; the Baxandall EQ circuit explained; why did my Ampeg start smoking with an acrid smell when turned on?
1:17:38 A Fender Hotrod Blues Deluxe that …
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Ep. 111: "A Tree, the Roof of a Trailer and a Deluxe Reverb"
16 maart 2023 · 1 uur 3 min
We're back and episode 111 has it all: Deep thoughts, a tornado, fried eggs, and power tubes gone bad. Keep the questions coming to podcast@fretboardjournal.com and enjoy! Lees meer
Some of the topics discussed this week:
1:59 The TAVA Big Index page (link)
3:26 A pro chef hack, Rancho Gordo beans redux (link to the beans)
4:34 A '64 Princeton Reverb clone with a switch that can convert it to a stock Princeton, redux (thanks Emcee Amps of Montreal); the Tweed Vibrolux tone control
7:44 What's on Skip's bench: A Stromberg-Carlson PA head
9:52 What did today's vintage amps sound like new? Pizza with an egg
19:00 A tornado-damaged 1967 Deluxe Reverb with a loose reverb wire
23:38 A 6G3 with a glowing power tube, when good power tubes go bad
28:41 Why does my hand-wired Vox AC4 hum more than my PCB version of the exact same amp?
32:18 Making a '63 Vibroverb reissue quieter; the Crazy Tube Circuit's White Whale reverb pedal (link)
42:13 Baffler: The usefulness of a 6AT6 preamp tube in old radios
46:16 What Skip's reading: Garrett Hongo's 'The Perfect Sound: A Memoir in Stereo' (Amazon link), a 12-volt powered dynamotor
51:57 A psychologist chimes in; B+ voltage
Recorded Feb. 14, 2023.
This week's episode is sponsored by Stringjoy Strings, Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars. You can also use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase.
Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise and don't forget to get a subscription to the Fretboard Journal (link). Digital subscriptions start at just $30.
Want to register for our Fretboard Summit? Here's a link.
Submit your amp questions, recipes, and life hacks to podcast@fretboardjournal.com and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media.
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Ep. 110: "Need a Ride?"
8 februari 2023 · 1 uur 17 min
An episode that almost went off the rails (a missing special guest, talk of tragic balloon heroes, street tacos) but somehow gets back to amp basics. Lees meer
Some of the topics discussed this week:
3:56 Skip's decision to quit being a drawbridge operator, Skip visits Eminence
8:58 Austin Ribbon Mics, the Hot Holder Pro (link); book recommendation: 'How to Read Schematic Diagrams' by Donald Herrington
11:36 The Man in the Flying Lawn Chair, by George Plimpton (New Yorker link)
12:22 Roqsolid amp covers (link); Vengeance
13:52 New to our Patreon: Listener Nick reads the Jack Darr (link)
15:30 The use of ferrite beads, redux; inductors versus capacitors
18:20 A love for logging trucks; the Gretsch Fury, a not-quite-stereo-amplifier
24:00 The amp-related plotline on the fourth episode of Poker Face on Peacock
25:10 Polarized electrolytic caps; using a dual-shaft concentric pot on a '65 Gibson Scout GA-17RVT to avoid drilling a new hole; musician Seth Walker
30:21 Installing a switch to bypass the whole reverb circuit on a clone 1965 Princeton Reverb clone
34:12 Ampeg VT-40 60 cycle hum, even in standby 39:40 Skip's steak street tacos; Tortillaland tortillas; Rancho Gordo beans (link)
46:19 SOLVED: James' 1967 Twin Reverb with diminished volume, could this mistake be a desired mod?
53:38 Whacking a transformer with a hammer
55:40 Could you build an extension cab with a field coil speaker that has its own power supply so you can use it with any amp?
1:01:31 Seeking a budget hi-fi rig for classic country; Mezzetta garlic-stuffed olives; cream cheese-filled eggrolls, Granzella's Restaurant in California
1:08:08 Dutch kale in heavy cream; using a thermal camera to diagnose faulty amp parts, puppies as relationship testers; thermometer guns
This week's episode is sponsored by Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars. You can also use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase.
Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise and …
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Ep. 109: "The First Podcast Puddle"
1 februari 2023 · 1 uur 26 min
Episode 109: A long build-up to the amp troubleshooting, but plenty to discuss, including a new puppy, the realities of vintage guitar shows, grandmothers getting run over by reindeer, and ferrite beads. Some of the topics discussed this week: Lees meer
:34 Meet Junior
5:59 Skip's report from the 2023 Bay Area Amigos Guitar Show; Dr. Elmo buys a Grez (Wikipedia link); the dangers of parking at a produce stand
23:26 This week's sponsors: Grez Guitars; Amplified Parts (Hammond products are currently on sale!); Iztotope (use Fret10 as your discount code); and our Patreon patrons.
24:38 Listener Nate sends Skip an autographed copy of the Jack Darr book
26:01 Why do we twist lead wires?, a 5U4 rectifier in a 1965 Deluxe Reverb, 'Heartworn Highways'
35:02 Fixing a broken, grounded plug
37:49 Seamless Joe from Italy, "Nature Boy" (Wikipedia link)
44:39 A Super Reverb with dying tremolo
48:20 5G cell tower interference and ferrite beads
52:14 Getting the sticker back on a vintage Fender footswitch
53:51 Improving the tone stack on a Harmony 420
59:42 Transformers for a 5C1 Champ build; to choke or not to choke
1:06:53 An EL84 Filmosound with a buzzing transformer
1:09:08 Junior has an accident
1:09:45 Why doesn't my Knight 93-320 PA head have a fuse?
1:11:32 Actual logging truck tales on 'Odd Lots' (Apple Podcasts link)
1:12:06 A Teisco/Checkmate/Northland Baffin III
1:15:35 Why is there an angry crackle on my Magnasync Moviola 1800 whenever I touch my guitar?
1:18:29 Toots & the Maytals cover "Country Roads Take Me Home" (YouTube link)
1:20:06 Why is my Bassman's plate voltage so high with this GZ34 tube?
1:22:33 Dolly Sinatra's pasta sauce (Edit: Duquesne is a town in PA, not a PA...stupid autocorrect!)
Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise and don't forget to get a subscription to the Fretboard Journal (link). Digital subscriptions start at just $30.
There's a giant index page with nearly all the former topics we've discuss…
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Ep. 108: "Put a Pot Under It"
12 januari 2023 · 1 uur 34 min
Episode 108: It's like a best-of episode, but totally new! Pre-amps, typewriters, too many kitchen hacks, transformer talk, Jason reads the tubes wrong, and we even get a little artsy! Lees meer
Some of the topics discussed this week:
2:53 Does Skip want to see your amps right now? See Skip at the January 14-15, 2023 Amigo Bay Area Guitar Show
4:59 A Tweed Pro with a variable inverse feedback control knob
5:45 Lee Jeffriess in the Fretboard Journal's 51st issue (link); check out Jeffriess and John Munnerlyn performing "Blues for Earl"
11:22 The December 31 TAVA Seattle meetup (thanks for organizing, @liquidnyo); YouTube's jgflyback shows off his tube-powered clock (shaky Instagram Live footage)
13:50 This week's sponsors: Grez Guitars has a new long-scale bass!; Amplified Parts (Hammond products are currently on sale!); Iztotope (use Fret10!); AND Stringjoy Strings. Plus...Josh Scott (JHS) is coming to TAVA, the TAVA El Pato-Tone Practice amp (Reverb link), and our Patreon page
20:56 The resonance of a fully loaded turret board; mounting components in a head vs. combo; goop
28:25 Microphonics in a tube amp (the good kind); David Lindley (support him via t-shirt sales here)
30:04 Why were so many power transformers changed in the '70s and '80s?; Spokane, Washington; Jason's favorite noodle place in Spokane, Washington (link); a very-modified Gibson Les Paul Junior with a cooling fan
36:03 Typewriter keyboards; '80s Scottish cop show, 'Taggart'
39:58 Should I change the transformer on my Bruce Zinky Fender Prosonic head? the effect of an output transformer on tone
45:46 What's the deal with the Fender Bantam bass amp?; the oven instead of the range; ham and bacon end pieces
50:39 Reincarnating a dead Peavey Deuce II; putting a Vox-style preamp circuit on an amp with 6L6s; cheese quesadilla hacks
54:06 Fixing the uneven distortion on my Dad's Gibson GA-9
56:53 Why isn't my 1967 Fender Twin Reverb as loud as my other Twin Reverb?
1:00:05 Arts & Humanities corner:…
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Ep. 107: "Nip It In the Bud"
22 december 2022 · 59 min
Episode 107: The genius of Garnet founder "Gar Gillies," Fender reverb controls, fixing Magnatones, and more. Lees meer
**Want to meet Skip? He'll be at the January 14-15, 2023 Amigo Bay Area Guitar Show with stuff to sell (and also picking up amps that need to be serviced).**
Some of the topics discussed this week:
3:00 Deluxe Amplification's El Pato Tone Amp (Reverb link)
7:19 El Pato, cottage cheese with salsa, Sacramento's music instrument lending library "MusicLandria" (link)
11:09 Silverface Champs: Change just the tone stock or also increase the value of the plate resistors, the Garnet book (link)
17:23 Speaker load revisited
21:25 A 12AU7 instead of a 12AT7 in a Princeton Reverb; gochujang Korean pepper paste, kimchi
26:45 Fender reverb unit controls, explained; hybrid Vox 7-series amps; the Aclam Dr. Robert pedal (link); impedance redux; the life of a vacuum tube
34:45 What's oozing out of Magnatone M-9's wires?
42:29 Why does my Pepco (Garnet! Canada!) amp use two 6AV6 tubes and only half a 12AX7, instead of a whole 12AX7 and a 6AV6?
46:18 Vintage bass amps for actual bass players?
56:01 16 or 18-gauge zip cord for speaker wire? heat shrink for splicing
This week's episode is sponsored by Calton Cases, Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars. You can also use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase.
Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise and don't forget to get a subscription to the Fretboard Journal (link). Digital subscriptions start at just $30.
There's a giant index page for nearly all the former topics we've discussed in our first 100 episodes found here.
Submit your amp questions, recipes and life hacks to the podcast via podcast@fretboardjournal.com and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media.
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Ep. 106: "That's When You Know You're Doomed"
6 december 2022 · 1 uur 26 min
Episode 106: No special guests, but plenty of amp questions answered and some recipes! Lees meer
Some of the topics discussed:
1:01 It's good to be anxious
3:59 Our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/vintageamps
4:18 Any interest in a Seattle amp swap meet / hang on December 31? Message me at podcast@fretboardjournal.com.
4:49 Deluxe's TAVA-tribute El Pato-Tone 9-volt practice amp: Now available in the green El Pato can! (Reverb link)
7:51 Music recommendation: Thee Sinseers (NPR Tiny Desk concert link); The "5" Royales (YouTube link)
9:23 How is amp output affected by adding speakers?
12:39 Impedance vs resistance, revisited; phaser analysis; chicken curry
17:27 The Soursound transformers episode (link); when does the speaker deep dive happen?; amps with hybrid circuits; harpist Emily Hopkins (YouTube link), 8417 tubes
27:38 Netflix's new documentary, 'Travelin' Band: Creedence Clearwater Revival at the Royal Albert Hall'
30:45 Harp player Paul Oscher; Jontavious Willis' interview with Oscher on the Diddie Wah Diddie podcast (link)
33:34 Tips on extending wiring; a Western Electric Slice
37:06 Safe long-term storage of vintage amps; a Falcon discovered in the trunk of a car
40:23 What's the simplest tube reverb circuit? the Boss FRV-1 '63 Fender Reverb pedal, vintage Premier 90 Reverb tanks
45:38 'The How & Why of Guitar Tube Amps' by Gar Gillies (order: http://www.garnetamps.com/order_b.htm)
50:57 Now you have a third salad dressing
51:31 Is the speaker switch I made safe to use? Grits with smoked gouda
1:00:07 Buying a second-hand Mesa Boogie amp
1:04:02 What's the CSA Thermal Protector on a Fender Musicmaster Bass amp?
1:06:52 An Australian Philips PA conversion that won't stop popping and crackling; cathode resistors and plate load resistors
1:09:17 Three Marshall Super Lead heads, one that has ghosting; filter capacitance
1:18:35 Soup with kale and white beans
1:21:01 Yank magazine; a fancy tube tester (and a Heathkit signal generator) still a…
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Ep. 105: "You Started a Chainsaw" (Special guest: jdflyback)
22 november 2022 · 36 min
** We are doing another run of Truth About Vintage Amps t-shirts. Pre-order your shirt now by clicking here: https://silkshopstores.com/tavamerch/shop/home ** Lees meer
Just in time for the holidays: A bonus Truth About Vintage Amps episode!
This week, no listener-submitted questions. Instead, we introduce you to Joshua Dejaen, a.k.a. jdflyback on YouTube.
This young, Pacific Northwest-based electrical engineer has taken YouTube by storm with a viral video where he not only built a tube amp from scratch, he even built the tubes!
Watch Joshua's video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UEfqAWb3fE&t=439s
During our chat, we hear how Joshua got his start building vacuum tubes at home, learn about some of the grassroots tube builders / electrical engineers who have inspired him along the way, and hear about Joshua's build process. We also learn about the perils of microwave oven transformers and so much more.
Joshua has included a schematic for the spot welder he used in his tube-making video. See the show notes on fretboardjournal.com or check our Instagram/Patreon pages.
Other references mentioned by Joshua:
'Saga of the Vacuum Tube,' by Gerald F.J. Tyne (Amplified Parts order link)
https://simplifier.neocities.org
https://www.youtube.com/@glasslinger/
'Materials Technology for Electron Tubes' by Walter H. Kohl (Tubebooks.org link)
This week's episode is sponsored by Calton Cases, Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars. You can also use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase.
Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise and don't forget to get a subscription to the Fretboard Journal (link). Digital subscriptions start at just $30.
In early December, we'll celebrate the third anniversary of TAVA with Ep. 106. Submit your amp questions, recipes and life hacks to the show via podcast@fretboardjournal.com, and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media.
The Truth About Vintage Amps is hosted by amp tec…
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Ep. 104: "I Bought a Headache"
14 november 2022 · 1 uur 19 min
Episode 104: No special guests, but plenty of amp questions answered, plus lots of schematic talk, A/B/Y boxes, a recipe or two, and a parenting tip! Lees meer
Some of the topics discussed:
1:03 A 1954 Fender extension cabinet (tweed, but spray painted black); Fender Amps: The First 50 Years (Amazon link); asbestos in amps
7:04 Why are the PA amps I'm restoring so noisy? Masco MA-25; Stromberg-Carlson AU42
12:49 Resistance versus impedance; the functions of a choke in an amp
18:37 What happened to the quick & easy recipes? Canned soup hacks; replacing a broken terminal strip
23:13 Putting a three-prong plug on an old Variac; movie recommendation: Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World (link)
27:08 A one-tube reverb circuit (link); Kodak projectors; a voltage doubler
30:15 Getting your kids interested in electronics; paper airplanes; candle powered boats (Amazon link)
Amplified Parts pedal kits (link)35:21 Working on early Carvin tube amplifiers
39:09 Jack's Darr's Fender schematics
40:48 A 6G3 clone with a tube rattle; tube rings; goats
46:59 A Vega Commander Fidelity Amp Model No. 51; 1273 tubes
52:57 A "pop" whenever you turn your pedal on
57:15 Why don't more players use an A/B/Y and play multiple amps at once?
1:00:02 The bass control on a Gibson EH-185 schematic, amps that don't use the Baxandall tone control
1:03:03 What is the amp that came with my lap steel, what's with the 80 tube, how do I find a schematic for it, and what do I do with it?
1:09:20 Metal tubes versus glass tubes
1:11:50 The history of Rogers hi-fi's; beer bread pizza
1:14:58 Recommended: The Computer Clinic of Chico, California
This week's episode is sponsored by Calton Cases, Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars. You can also use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase.
Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise and don't forget to get a subscription to the Fretboard Journal (link). Digital subscriptions start at just $30.
Sub…
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Ep. 103: "If You Want Something, You Have to Do Something"
27 oktober 2022 · 1 uur 46 min
The 103rd Truth About Vintage Amps Podcast. Special guest Mason Stoops (Jackson Browne, Marcus Mumford) walks us through his crazy Marcus Mumford live rig! Plus: Dutch potatoes, shorting jacks, vintage road cases, and more. Lees meer
**Get a glimpse of what Mason is talking about by watching this video: https://youtu.be/TH-bixpr-EQ and then listen to his explanation on our show (starts at 1:03:28).**
:47 What's on Skip's bench: a Mesa Boogie Mark I
2:21 Kevin in Ohio has joined the Rustic Kegger in the Woods (Facebook link), nasty old pine trees
7:53 Eric Daw's Solid Sound book (order link); Daniel Petrzelka's replacement pilot light washers for SF Fenders (contact him via Instagram)
18:42 Easiest way to date a Fender amp; Portland, Oregon's Cast Iron Revival (Instagram link)
22:55 Music recommendation: Sonny Burgess
27:22 A Blonde Fender Bandmaster with failing volume; Nic Grabien
31:09 Gain vs volume, redux; Hotchpotch / hutspot potatoes with kale
38:14 Alternatives to a Fender Champ 12
42:39 Shorting jacks to reduce hum in amps? Mexican gumbo soup
50:32 A 1968 Fender Bassman head with two chokes and a non-original power transformer
54:25 A 1959 Gibson GA-9 with an erratic distortion once the volume is turned up
57:00 Taming the boost on 1979 Fender Princeton Reverb with the pull-boost; original Fender-branded tubes
1:01:34 Alternatives to a Music Man RD-50?
1:03:28 Special guest: Mason Stoops! Stoops' live rig touring with Marcus Mumford, Austen Hooks-modified Filmosounds + "Space Heater" amps, Kalamazoo Model 2s, a Peavey Studio Chorus, LED lights, playing with Jackson Browne, and so much more.
Watch our video here to see what Mason is talking about (and his guitar and pedal setup): https://youtu.be/TH-bixpr-EQ (Thanks, Duncan!)
This week's episode is sponsored by Calton Cases, Jupiter Condenser Co., Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars. You can also use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase.
Support us on Patreon.com for added cont…
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Ep. 102: "I Relapsed"
11 oktober 2022 · 2 uur 26 min
Special guest Bryan Sours (Soursound transformers) joins us for an epic talk all about transformers! Lees meer
Note: This is the longest episode of TAVA to date, and one of the most information-rich. I didn't attempt to make complete show notes for all the topics Bryan covered as it would be impossibly long. For our listeners who like to get into the weeds, this episode is for you. Dive in.
**Also, for a limited time, Bryan Sours is offering TAVA listeners a special discount: Use the code SKIPSENTME when you check out at https://soursound.com. **
This week's episode is sponsored by Calton Cases, Jupiter Condenser Co., Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars. You can also use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase.
Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise and don't forget to get a subscription to Jason's magazine, the Fretboard Journal (link).
Some of the topics discussed this week:
:00 Skip has COVID
4:49 Temple Grandin in the Wall Street Journal (link)
7:18 The top boost circuit in a Vox AC30 from a Gibson GA-70? (link)
8:40 What's the deal with all these PA head and Filmosound conversions?
13:39 Special guest: Bryan Sours of Soursound: Making transformers, working with Benson amplifiers, rewinding transformers, custom transformers, and a lot more. There's a steak recipe toward the end, too.
Submit your amp questions, recipes and life hacks to the podcast via podcast@fretboardjournal.com and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media.
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Ep. 101: "One Piece at a Time"
27 september 2022 · 1 uur 37 min
Episode 101 of TAVA: Gain, flux, gochujang and more! Lees meer
This week's episode is sponsored by Calton Cases, Jupiter Condenser Co., Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars. You can also use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase.
Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise and don't forget to get a subscription to Jason's magazine, the Fretboard Journal (link).
Some of the topics discussed this week:
12:00 Building a 5F1, Little Charlie's Spanish Rice and the impact of TAVA
14:13 Listener Mitch's landline USB phone!; weirdest thing found in amps; frozen kale crumbles; Angela caps; gochujang spice
21:00 Do EL84s sound different after being on for a half hour?
23:27 What's the difference between volume and gain?
25:47 The Trainwreck Type-3 master volume, redux
27:34 Tad's Bell & Howell amp; maple syrup from New Hampshire
28:24 Clean flux or leave it on?
29:55 An Australian barn find: A 1960 Moody 17/12 amp; fixing silkscreening on a control panel; a 9-pin triode pentode (6BL8); Dynaco ST-70 amps; adding avocado to vegemite toast
35:56 A barn find Filmosound; what to do when starting up a long-dormant amp, checking capacitors for ECR
47:22 Electrolytic bypass caps on preamp tubes
51:50 Frozen fruit instead of ice cubes in cocktails
52:33 A silverface Fender amp with a conductive part board; moisture in a part board?
58:57 Does anyone like amps with combination fixed and cathode bias?
1:01:56 Buying a 1960s Gretsch 6152 as your first vintage amp
1:05:54 What's the difference between all the input jacks on a 6G2 Princeton vs a 5F11 Vibrolux
1:07:04 Book recommendation: Please Kill Me: The Uncensored History of Punk (Amazon link); music recommendation: 'Balsams' by Chuck Johnson (Bandcamp link); the trem circuit in a Victoria Victorilux
1:13:05 Yank, the Army Weekly magazine
1:15:11 Bill Orcutt's Music for Four Guitars (Bandcamp, FJ Podcast appearance)
1:16:12 Rust on transformers and how it affects performance…
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The Truth About Vintage Amps, Ep. 100
14 september 2022 · 2 uur 20 min
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Ep. 99: "EQ and You"
24 augustus 2022 · 1 uur 24 min
Episode 99 of our podcast and Skip has one more surprise in store... yet another giveaway prize for our 100th episode! Lees meer
This week's episode is sponsored by Calton Cases, Jupiter Condenser Co., Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars. You can also use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase.
Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise. One of our patrons will win a Hello Sailor Fuzz Face this month!
Some of the topics discussed this week:
:23 The Fretboard Summit Chicago: Come see Jason, Larry Chung, Grez Guitars, and more August 25-27 at Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music (link)
7:02 One more prize for our 100th episode giveaway: A 1971 Skip-modded SF Champ
10:30 Skip is headed to a guitar show... in January (link)
12:55 A 1928 National Squareneck Tricone Style 1 for sale; a Recording King amp
17:56 One thing we've learned about vintage amps over the course of this podcast, a 1960 Fender Super in factory white (Instagram link)
23:55 Choosing the ultimate pickup-testing amp
28:13 Isaiah Mitchell; bias or no bias
32:54 A twin Reverb with a dying sound on the vibrato channel
38:50 Goat judging, redux (Instagram link)
44:39 Reverb without transformers, ie the Ampeg GU-12
46:34 A Traynor YGM-3 with an overly metallic reverb
48:38 Is an amp a signal pusher or a signal sucker?
51:03 Music Man amps, keeping a 12AX7 from failing, 6CA7 tubes, Johnny Winter's burning Music Man (YouTube link)
53:43 Could Gibson successfully reissue a Crestline-era style amp? schematicheaven.net
58:54 How important is an original output transformer?
1:01:18 The high-pitched ringing of a V2 (12AX7) on a 5F4 clone
1:03:23 A 1968 Fender Bronco vs. a '75 Vibro Champ1:05:55 The Gibson GA-50, thoughts and maintenance; another way to ground your amp (non-three prong plug)
1:11:00 Giving yourself more spacing in an amp build to accommodate bigger hands
1:13:26 B+/power transformer questions on a 1977 Vibrolux Reverb
1:18:30 Peavey …
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Ep. 98: "Reserve Champion"
11 augustus 2022 · 1 uur 37 min
With Skip's internet down, we recorded our 98th episode the old-fashioned way. Once you get past the distorted land line telephone, you'll hear about how you can win some truly amazing gear on our 100th episode (including a new Grez Mendocino Junior guitar!), plus what inspires Skip, screen resistors on power tubes, center taps on resistors, and one heck of a goat story. Lees meer
This week's episode is sponsored by Calton Cases, Jupiter Condenser Co., Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars. You can also use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase.
Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise. One of our patrons will win a Hello Sailor Fuzz Face this month!
Some of the topics discussed this week:
:54 The Fretboard Journal 50 (link) ...and issue 1; NAMM Shows
6:15 Our 100th episode giveaways: Win a Grez Guitars Mendocino Junior; a Madsen Electronics GE Fuzz; or a First Coast Amplification Masco - 5F2A Princeton conversion... plus, Josephine Baker was a spy
11:57 What exactly does a Variac do on a dormant amp?
15:43 A super microphonic Deluxe Reverb
17:33 Screen resistors on power tubes: 1-watt resistors vs 3-watt resistors
22:10 Center taps on power transformers: Grounded, tapped-off, or artificial?
26:29 Replacing the rotary off-on switches on Gibsons; Carling rotary switches (link)
29:45 What inspires Skip
35:23 Skip and the Reserve Champion goat
47:09 How important is the orientation of film capacitors?
53:20 A 1974 Fender Pro Reverb with a hissing problem that goes away with the vibrato; rosemary seasoned foil-wrapped corn on the cob
59:08 Voltage on the chassis of a two-pronged Harmony H-195
1:03:50 Replica cabinets from Lightning Music in Marengo, Ohio; Electro-Harmonix Hum-Debugger pedals, Bruce Forman, James "Blood" Ulmer, the Westerlies
1:07:48 The Fretboard Summit at Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music, August 25-27, 2022 (www.fretboardsummit.org)
1:09:18 Ananyo Bhattacharya's 'The Man From the Future…
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Ep. 97: "Do I Want the Red or the Gold?"
17 juli 2022 · 1 uur 54 min
Are we really running out of vacuum tubes? This week, special guest Thomas Cravener of Amplified Parts joins us to talk about the 2022 new tube shortage, plus a lot more. Lees meer
Reserve a new TAVA t-shirt here.
This week's episode is sponsored by Calton Cases, Jupiter Condenser Co., Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars. You can also use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase.
Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise. One of our patrons will win a Hello Sailor Fuzz Face this month!
Some of the topics discussed this week:
:27 A cool guy's Traynor and tube stuff from the Forest Service in Chester, California
1:47 A '60s Heathkit IG-5237 still sealed in the box (stereo FM signal generator)
4:07 The Fretboard Journal's 50th issue, the Fretboard Summit in Chicago, the legacy of Dumble
10:08 This week's sponsors: Amplified Parts, Calton Cases, and Jupiter Condenser Co.
11:12 This month's Patreon giveaway: A Fuzz Face from Hello Sailor! Effects
13:17 Fire season in Northern California
14:53 An Ampeg B-12XY with an internal 5-watt amp for speaker-driven reverb, Guild Thunderbird amps
18:26 Reserve your new TAVA t-shirt (link)
19:26 Tube naming, revisited
20:41 Last episode's smoking Earthsound Research G-2000... fixed?; more fuse talk
23:34 Skip explains his WD-40 stance; Red Green
27:53 Kevin from Ohio, eBay score Patreon perks, EIA codes
32:49 Special guest: Thomas Cravener, V.P. Sales and Marketing at Amplified Parts: Russian/Chinese tube supply; Amplified Parts is still buying/selling NOS tubes; Psvane tubes; building Mallory Capacitors (YouTube link)
56:59 Gibson GA-8; do I need a matched set of 6V6s in a parallel single-ended amp?
1:02:34 Using alcohol in cooking; kale as shoe repair
1:05:57 Building a Masco Audiosphere A-8 off the schematic (6V6 or 6L6)
1:10:15 Jupiter caps at Amplified Parts; the low acceptable DC voltage on leaky coupling caps
1:12:57 A Flot-A-Tone with a howling problem
1:15:36 A M…
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Ep. 96 "The Problem Is the Problem"
21 juni 2022 · 2 uur 2 min
It's the summer solstice and seemingly everyone is in the kitchen, dishing out amp problems and recipes. Lees meer
This week's episode is sponsored by Calton Cases, Jupiter Condenser Co., Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars. You can also use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase.
Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise.
Some of the topics discussed this week:
:00 Defensible space, making electricity
5:40 What's on Skip's bench: Old Supros; a late '20s Lyon & Healy amp sporting the Matchless/Vox treble cut tone control
9:59 Silverface jewel light washers (coming soon); pre-order TAVA t-shirts and help support the show (link)
11:12 A Harmony amp with a buzzy volume control; another Harmony with overreacting tone knobs; kale "vodka," bias resistors
19:42 New KT66 tubes for a 1966 Marshall JTM45 100-watt clone; restaurant-quality french fries; 807 tubes
28:46 Pastorelli pizza sauce; tinkering with a '90s Marshall-made Vox AC-15's static; plastic PCB mounts
37:19 Fixing a vintage Gibson Les Paul amp by cleaning the tube sockets, what's the deal with Fender PA100 heads?; a Sano amp and McIntosh tuner up for grabs
46:45 Soldering fume dangers and keeping your workspace clean
49:50 A Larry Chung sighting; an Epiphone Zephyr (a GA-40 with a 15" speaker) and an Epiphone Century (a Gibson GA-20T)
50:58 Recommended movie: the original Pinnochio, Aladdin, and Little Miss Sunshine; recommended music: Eli "Paperboy" Reed; seeing Merle Haggard at the Sacramento Western Swing Society
56:46 The naming of tubes; how to find usable tubes at a garage sale; undercooked ramen with peanut butter and chilies; dog harnesses for your amp in transit; tube substitution books ('The Receiving Tube Substitution Guide Book' by Middleton, pdf link)
1:02:47 Is my Peavey Encore 65 vintage? Working around its finicky solid-state distortion
1:09:53 Filet mignon with bacon and vodka
1:13:08 A 1972 Traynor YGM-2 that turns everything to fuzz af…
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Ep. 95: "What's the Implication?"
4 juni 2022 · 1 uur 30 min
It's the 95th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps! Despite some technical / Zoom difficulties, Skip and Jason talk about replacement transformers, smoking Earthsound amps, bias, and more. Lees meer
This week's episode is sponsored by Calton Cases, Jupiter Condenser Co., Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars. You can also use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase.
Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise.
Some of the topics discussed this week:
1:32 Econoco, the giant tube rebuilding place in Woodland, California (link, h/t www.reelaudio.net)
3:16 Cordless yard tools
4:31 What's on Skip's bench: A Charlie Christian-style amp head for Todd Clinesmith; John Munnerlyn's Magnatone-inspired guitars, the power transformer from a blonde Tremolux head; blue molded caps
9:56 The Truth About Vintage Amps Patreon page (link); congrats to Patreon supporter Josh F. on winning a Body and Soul fuzz pedal (Body and Soul on Instagram)
14:18 Nate the syrup guy's 1965 Vibro Champ, redux; inverse feedback; reversing the primary leads on the power transformer
20:31 Beginner's Corner: Cathode bias vs. fixed bias vs. grid bias
25:07 Find this guy: Ham operator Armond Noble, the Kon-Tiki, World Radio News
27:00 A 1964 Fender Super Reverb with a strange volume taper
30:57 A tuxedo Princeton going to the Los Angeles Guitar Show
31:45 Mid-'60s Ampeg B-18N with a weird noise and a single glowing power tube that fixes itself with the standby switch
37:32 A loose rectifier tube in a 1968 Fender Deluxe Reverb
41:32 Fumes from soldering
43:35 Fixing the polarity at a local dive bar
50:38 The goat murder trial is over
53:25 Sourcing the washer behind the jewel light on a Silverface Champ
58:04 Schematics for a Webster TP12-1 PA, making a Blackstar cleaner by swapping the pre-amp tube
1:03:44 A smoking 1973 Earthsound amp
1:11:20 A Harmony H400 combo up for grabs; the Fender Bantam Bass schematic
1:15:09 Replacement output transforme…
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Ep. 94: Tex Amps
27 mei 2022 · 47 min
This week, we welcome special guest Tony Teixeira from Tex Amps onto the show! Lees meer
http://texamps.com
We frequently get questions about Filmosound conversions. During this episode, Tony talks to us about his process when using Filmosounds, the magic of Bernie-built amps, his own circuit designs and a lot more.
This week's episode is sponsored by Calton Cases, Jupiter Condenser Co., Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars. You can also use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase.
Keep the questions for Skip coming to podcast@fretboardjournal.com for our 95th episode, which we're taping next week.
Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise.
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Ep. 93: "Permissive Parents"
9 mei 2022 · 1 uur 18 min
It's the 93rd episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps! Strain relief, stubborn Champs (and Randalls!), blanched kale with sunflower seeds, and plenty more. Lees meer
This week's episode is sponsored by Calton Cases, Jupiter Condenser Co., Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars. You can also use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase.
Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise. This month, we'll be giving a TAVA-themed fuzz pedal to one lucky patron!
Some of the topics discussed this week:
:50 Amplified Parts now carries PSVANE tubes; tube brands
6:51 Nate's maple syrup
7:50 Garrett Hongo's 'The Perfect Sound'
10:19 A Silverface Champ, Little Charlie's Spanish rice, Trustee from the Tool Room, the novels of Charles Portis, the Kalamazoo KEA's unique push-pull circuit
17:06 Making the two channels of a reissue Fender Vibroverb in-phase; learning soldering as a blind person (link: https://lighthouse-sf.org/tag/soldering/)
24:56 Putting a few select vintage parts in a new Princeton 5F2A clone
31:35 @nocoastsaint's tractor tire-as-speaker-cabinet experiment (Instagram link)
32:52 The Fretboard Journal, TAVA, Doug Sewall's amplifiers (Wampus Cat), getting rid of intermittent noise by moving an amp, cheap surge protectors, Taj Mahal & Ry Cooder's 'Get On Board'
43:01 A 1965 Fender Vibro Champ that's with a squeal on its vibrato, Capacitor Wizards, bypass cap orientation
48:11 A new transformer for a Victor projector amplifier and matching speaker
50:25 Overheating parts during soldering, using a heat sink?
53:38 The MTS modular tube preamp system
55:53 Strain relief bushing tips, Pro's Kit, blanched kale with toasted sunflower seeds, madsenamps.com giveaway (coming soon)
1:01:51 A stiff 5E8A clone with two game changing mods
1:06:13 A reissue tweed Champ that sputters for 30 seconds every time its turned on
1:08:12 A Randall Century 3000 solid state amp that decides to change its own volume
1:11:00 What to source for a cheap but de… -
Ep. 92: "I'll Be There Briefly"
19 april 2022 · 1 uur 37 min
It's the 92nd episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps! Harvesting capacitors, recommended reading, Fred Astaire and more. Lees meer
This week's episode is sponsored by Calton Cases, Jupiter Condenser Co., Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars. You can also use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase.
Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise. This month, we'll be giving away a handmade pedal to one lucky patron!
Some of the topics discussed this week:
2:19 The great tube shortage on the front page of the Wall Street Journal, Western Electric 300Bs, a million dollar vacuum tube
11:39 Good goo for repairing rotten cabinets
13:59 A Precision Electronics PA amplifier with no model number; the rising prices of vintage PA heads
21:37 Recommended reading: Garrett Hongo's 'The Perfect Sound' (Amazon link)
22:43 Mic pre-amps at Tiny Telephone, RP2s, the Tiny Telephone podcast, Keep the Dream Alive (link)
29:42 Drawing layouts and schematics with DIY-fever.com's app (link); National Geographic's 'The Rescue'
32:29 A 1950 Fender Deluxe signed "Lilly" (Instagram link)
34:40 A bunch of tweed amps at Skip's; a 1953 Fender wide panel Tweed Deluxe score at an estate sale
38:54 Good-All branded caps vs blue molded caps
40:01 Harvesting old coupling caps: Which brands are worth saving?
43:27 Building an Angela SSE amp with a few mods: The cathode bias on the second half of the 12AX7, experimenting with a Variac to lower B+, Zener diodes to a center tap, repurposing an old jukebox amp, recommended book: 'A Fortune Life,' by A. B. Facey (Amazon link), vegetarian congee
50:46 Recommended music: Fred Astaire's The Astaire Story; Fred Astaire and Barney Kessell
52:44 Lesser known vintage amp brands with surprisingly good tone
56:32 Bahamas plays "All the Time" on a Skip-modified Fender Champ at the Fretboard Journal (YouTube link)
56:59 Buying a new boutique amplifier to get a modern reliable tweed sound
1:01:19 Strain relief for t…
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Ep. 91: "I'm Still Frying Garlic"
29 maart 2022 · 2 uur 7 min
It's the 91st episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps! We talk about the great tube shortage of 2022, blue molded caps, boutique amps, parenting tips, kale chips and more. Lees meer
This week's episode is sponsored by Calton Cases, Jupiter Condenser Co., Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars. You can also use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase.
Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise. This month, we're giving away an amp kit to one lucky patron!
Some of the topics discussed this week:
1:48 O.W. Appleton and the APP guitar (link)
7:09 Should we be freaking out about the 2022 vacuum tube shortage? Western Electric getting into guitar tubes (survey link)
19:50 An Australian PA amp with EF86s; when did solid state rectification begin?; For The Term of His Natural Life, by Marcus Clarke; congee
26:22 Hab Spicy Sweet Soy Sauce (link)
26:46 Blue molded caps in a Tweed Deluxe clone
31:00 Changing the voltage dropping resistors in a Silverface Champ where the B+ is super high
34:27 Extending the leads of pots and a jack so that you can fit an amp inside a vintage radio cabinet
37:18 The remote controls on old Bogen PA heads
45:39 Pedal steel amplifiers, redux; Fender Tweed Pro; beer bread
48:59 A pause for others who know what they're doing: Earl Yarrow, Terry Dobbs, Jeff Bakos; a shout out to the USPS
53:44 Working with a transformer that doesn't have a filament center cap; RIP El Charritos
Building a 5F2A vs. a AA764
1:03:16 Thanks to Kevin in Ohio; the TAVA Patreon Page (link)
1:03:57 Why are boutique amps so expensive, revisited; point-to-point wiring versus turret board; CW Stoneking's Gon' Boogaloo
1:12:16 Baked kale chips; Irish colcannon; skillet Brussels sprouts; carrots in garlic oil
1:17:30 What's the deal with the 1955 Les Paul Jr. amplifier; making room for filter caps
1:20:17 Taming a Fender Champ; more parenting tips; Song Exploder ("Closing Time" episode link)
1:30:46 More book recommendations…
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Ep. 90: "Seeing Foxes In the Daytime"
10 maart 2022 · 1 uur 55 min
It's the 90th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps! John Smith serves us a chorizo lasagna dish; we hear the demented sounds your tubes are making on their own; the answer to last week's baffler and much more. Lees meer
This week's episode is sponsored by Jupiter Condenser Co., Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars. You can also use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase and, if you head over to BED|STÜ shoes and use the discount code FRETXBS, you'll save 20% off your BED|STÜ order and help support the FJ.
Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise. This month, we're giving away an amp kit to one lucky patron!
Some of the topics discussed this week:
4:57 What's in a blue molded cap?
6:17 Our Patreon page and a Patreon-only giveaway
8:14 The Ep. 89 Fender Chris Stapleton amp baffler answered
13:03 Burning Spear, Marysville postcards, and electric trains
13:55 Beginner's corner: Basic servicing on a Traynor YBA-1 and a 1968 Fender Deluxe Reverb; Alex Shultz's 'Think About It'
18:27 A Peavey Classic 30 with a sibilant buzz
23:11 Why are vacuum tubes called valves; eggs with smoked paprika
26:35 Grez guitars; a 1978 Deluxe Reverb with a microphonic channel 1
33:07 Rewinding transformers: worth it?
37:33 A Fender Musicmaster bass in Daphne blue up for grabs; a memorial for Little Charlie
39:47 A blackface Fender Vibrochamp with a bad hum; artificial center taps and various other mods; Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five (YouTube link); Weller 8200 for chassis ground connections?; Weller 550
48:42 The sound coming out of your tubes; Universal Audio OX; Steven Spielberg's Duel
54:05 Thanks, AmpsAmps
55:13 Two Craigslist finds: Cutting the cord on a free Hammond M-111 and a what to do with an empty 2000 Fender Twin Reverb shell
1:00:51 Steel players and their quest for more headroom; overdriven steel artifacts; tips and tricks for getting more headroom from an amp
1:06:39 John Smith finds tube amp happiness with Ben…
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Ep. 89: "Champions Adjust"
24 februari 2022 · 1 uur 29 min
Special guest Max Hart joins Skip and Jason to talk about working with Melissa Etheridge (and Katy Perry), using vintage tube amps on the road, his pedal board and more. Plus, all the usual listener submitted questions, recipes and more. Lees meer
This week's episode is sponsored by Jupiter Condenser Co., Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars. You can also use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase and, if you head over to BED|STÜ shoes and use the discount code FRETXBS, you'll save 20% off your BED|STÜ order and help support the FJ.
Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise.
Some of the topics discussed this week:
2:30 Putting the old Astron Minimite capacitors back inside a Vibrolux... in Thailand
6:22 Special guest Max Hart: Melissa Etheridge, touring through COVID-times, Hammond B-3 variations, Max's pedal board, Leslie 147s vs. 122s, touring with a vintage Fender Deluxe Reverb, in-ear monitors, Eric Gardner, living in Woodland, CA, his guitars of choice, Klon clones, Boss RV-6 reverb pedal, click tracks, Gruene Hall
45:00 Too flippant about chokes: Skip revisits last week's chokes question.
46:28 Baffer: A Chris Stapleton model Princeton with a tube rectifier that won't work
50:40 Skip's #1 Retropolitan amp for sale (sold, Instagram link)
53:51 Testing the pulled / bad caps on a serviced Fender 1962 6G4A
55:57 Quick and easy crispy corndogs; bacon bourbon; did Tool's Adam Jones really freeze his amplifiers?
59:41 A Bogen Challenger 35A making demonic sounds with no speaker hooked up
1:05:13 A heartwarming tale: Milling old Sacramento trees
1:08:28 Portobello mushrooms and a blown-up Orange OR15
1:14:40 The rectifier tube in a '50s Magnatone 213, fixing a rotten cabinet
1:16:43 A modified tone stack on a Weber Deluxe Reverb kit
1:23:02 Old business: Preferred Gibson Falcon reverb tank (4FB3D1B)
1:25:04 Farmers Brewing; Secret Trail Brewing Co.
1:25:20 Skip gets a package for Russell Simmons
1:26:57 A Sil…
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Ep. 88: "Wake Up"
8 februari 2022 · 1 uur 42 min
Chokes, scalloped potatoes, Monoprice amps, phase inverters, and more! It's the 88th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps. Lees meer
This week's episode is sponsored by Jupiter Condenser Co., Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars. You can also use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase and, if you head over to BED|STÜ shoes and use the discount code FRETXBS, you'll save 20% off your BED|STÜ order and help support the FJ.
Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise.
Some of the topics discussed this week:
2:31 Before you start charging people to fix amps...
5:57 RIP listener Bill Eldred; happy birthday, Clayton
7:04 John Vanderslice's new podcast, 'Keep the Dream Alive'
9:09 Skip's music recommendation: Brave Combo
10:24 economycandy.com for all your vintage candy needs
12:02 Live taping of the TAVA's 100th episode at the 2022 Fretboard Summit? (Chicago, August 25-27)
13:22 Skip sounds like Jerry Garcia, redux; Jerry Garcia Funny Story (YouTube link); what to do with a busted Monoprice Stage Right 15-watt, 12" combo?
20:35 How did Fender circuits get named? El Pato red enchilada sauce (in the big can)
24:36 Tweed Deluxe vs. Ampeg M-12, redux; replacement reverb tank for a Gibson Falcons (4FB3D1B)
27:02 Chokes: What are they, why and more? henrys; scalloped potatoes
34:34 A Cromwell lap steel and matching amp; pre-servicing an amp to clean out pests, etc. before you send it to a tech; more scalloped potatoes; Aleene's Tacky Glue
39:34 Recovering old cloth-covered wire; Otis Amps on the Sonic Artifacts Podcast
43:18 Boutique builders: Vintage 47 amps (link); Swart amps; Dr. Z; BC amps (link)
46:53 Kalamazoo Reverb 12 revisited; 5E3 vs. 6G3 (Deluxe) schematics
50:01 Phase inverters in the 6G3, 5E3 and Ampeg M-12 amps
51:02 A typewriter baffler from listener Bob K.
54:25 Phase issues with different sized speakers?; using a 9v battery to test the phase of a speaker; Nashville Amp Works
58:49 The Beginner's Corn…
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Ep. 87: "Waxy... and Leaking"
24 januari 2022 · 1 uur 40 min
It's the 87th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps! Plenty of amp tips for newbies, some deep Ampeg talk, music recommendations, amp tips for steel guitar players, and more. This week's episode is sponsored by Jupiter Condenser Co., Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars. Lees meer
Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise.
Some of the topics discussed this week:
:54: RIP Alexander Howard Dumble
1:58 The TAVA Big Index Page (link) / Tableau Index Page (link)
2:21 Jason attempts to finish his Champ kit project
4:05 A Massie-built Electro amp on eBay (link)
8:05 Beginner's Corner: Speaker cables versus guitar cables
9:41 The capacitors in our brain
11:19 A replacement optocoupler for Gibson GA-20 RVT?, tremolo circuits
16:02 A tip for pros: Max-Pro.com
18:18 Frank Sinatra's 'Songs for Swingin' Lovers;' cleaning and retensioning tube sockets, redux
27:10 Music recommendations: https://www.wwoz.org; typewriters; The Deputy (YouTube link)
32:37 The dual fixed and cathode bias circuit on a Fender AC568 Bassman
37:27 Mother of toilet seat amps; Skip's preferred wiring, tube sockets and more
50:00 Fixing a vintage tube with a broken guide key, aftermarket tube bases
54:42 Fender Deluxes: 5E3 vs 6G3, roasted brussels sprouts
59:16 Skip's speaker picks; Skip's reference cab
1:04:31 How to make a lot of mead; the Prudence Penny Cookbook
1:07:09 Ampeg Gemini I reverb tank
1:10:32 The tone control circuit of an Ampeg M-12 Versus Tweed Deluxe; Kenny Burrell's 'Bluesin' Around'
1:17:00 What's up with my early '60s Ampro combo amp?
1:22:09 Amps for steel players, revisited
1:30:22 Interviewing a tech before you let them work on your amp, a lazy guy's lo-mein
1:38:05 Anyone need an original NOS car radio potentiometer?
The Truth About Vintage Amps is hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons. Co-hosted and produced by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde.
Email or send us a voice memo to: podcast@fretboardjournal.com or leave us a voicemail or tex…
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Ep. 86: "You Run Hot"
11 januari 2022 · 1 uur 54 min
It's the 86th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps featuring special guest, Joe Halliday of Hello Sailor Effects (@hellosailoreffectsofficial)! Lees meer
This week's episode is sponsored by Jupiter Condenser Co., Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars.
Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise.
Some of the topics discussed this week:
4:37 The business of cheese, the Prudence Penny Regional Cookbook, mead
10:34 Custom can capacitors from Hayseedhamfest.com
12:00 Skip re-builds a hacked 1961 Fender reverb unit; half-wave rectifier circuit vs. bridge rectifier circuit
16:38 Special guest: Joe Halliday from Hello Sailor Effects (Instagram link) Building amps and pedals while at sea with the British Navy, a love for old parts, octal pre-amp tubes, dummy loads (mini Wall of Sound), Free, Gibson Melody Makers, PA heads, Watkins Scout, etc.
40:48 Replacing a 6EU7 on a Gibson Falcon, DangerUXB
46:49 A Gibson GA-80T Vari-Tone with the push button tone selectors
50:46 Beginner's Corner: Guitar-amp feedback
52:01 A Silverface Vibro Champ with a bypassed can capacitor, Ooni pizza ovens
59:55 Restoring a 1958 Fender Bassman estate find
1:10:46 Garland Jeffreys' "Wild in the Streets" (YouTube link), a Vespa car (shell)
1:13:56 The caps in a vintage guitar
1:19:17 Vibro Champ hum since a speaker upgrade, and a 80uF 450V cap from pin 8 of the 5Y3 to ground
1:24:40 The Benson 300H, Howard Roberts, and the Fender GA-50
1:27:04 Are all AB763 Fender amps made equal?
1:30:15 Starting a '70s Carlsboro 50 Top Head that has been dormant for decades
1:35:47 Vox AC-4 vs AC-15; DIY Fender Bassman kits
1:43:54 $325 into a 1965-1966 GA-15RVT Explorer
1:49:16 Skip says "thanks" to Joe, a vintage porcelain grilled cheese sandwich maker
The Truth About Vintage Amps is hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons. Co-hosted and produced by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde.
Email or send us a voice memo to: podcast@fretboardjournal.com or leave us a voicemail or text…
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Ep. 85: "Remington Starfire"
20 december 2021 · 1 uur 44 min
It's the 85th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps featuring special guest, Calvin McCormick (Hiwatt, @ampfreek)! Lees meer
This week's episode is sponsored by Jupiter Condenser Co., Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars.
Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise.
Download the 2021 TAVA Cookbook here.
Some of the topics discussed this week:
1:59 El Pato hot sauce in a bottle
3:13 Nothing but cans: Skip's recent meal
9:58 Update on the amp that lost the majority of its volume during shipping (ep. 84)
11:24 You think this gig is easy, part 7: A Fender Reverb unit with nearly every part replaced
17:42 The tone of the Fender Twins in the Beatles' 'Get Back' documentary
23:41 Special guest: Calvin McCormick (McCormick Analog / Hiwatt / @ampfreek): Meeting Hy Bloom, founder of Soundmaster; Hiwatt today; a new Hiwatt fuzz pedal announcement, Grand Funk Railroad, Garnet Herzog, MTI tube stompboxes and lots more.
1:03:23 Laurens Hammond, inventor of the Hammond organ
1:08:02 Fender 5F2 vs 5F2A fuse specification
1:11:37 The input pre-amp on tube PAs, 12AX7 versus 12AT7
1:14:58 What makes a good steel amp; Steelin' Home by Noel Boggs (YouTube link)
1:22:12 Reforming NOS capacitor cans: Trash or Treasure?
1:24:39 Fitting a reverb tank with space constraints, cooked salsa
1:27:53 Skip needs an Ampeg Gemini II trem module (TM-1), running an old rotary phone into a computer
1:29:45 Skip's new name
1:30:38 Adding a cut control to a single-ended Vox style amp; cheese dip; Pat Martino's 'Live at Keystone Korner'
1:39:47 Replacing the V1 on a two 12AX7, two 6V6 amp to a 12AU7
Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons. Co-hosted and produced by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde.
Email or send us a voice memo to: podcast@fretboardjournal.com or leave us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848. And don't forget to share the show with friends.
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Ep. 84: "What's Past the Weeds?"
7 december 2021 · 1 uur 41 min
It's the 84th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps! Lees meer
This week's episode is sponsored by Jupiter Condenser Co., Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars.
Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise.
Some of the topics discussed this week:
1:52: Full transcription of Ep. 83 on our Patreon (yay or nay?)
4:14 Skip's recommended gifts: Jack Darr, Joy of Cooking, the Gibson amp book, the Ampeg amp book, Fender Amps: The First 50 Years; El Pato
6:57 A new baffler: 1964 Super Reverb with a three-prong cord
10:10 A pristine 1956 Fender Pro that needs TLC
14:42 An Audio Guild Bonham 120 with low vibrato intensity
20:34 Taming a Fender Twin Reverb reissue by pulling the 12AX7 on the normal channel
27:27 ID'ing the oil for a Tel-Ray oil-can echo unit / Ucon LB-65
29:55 How to find replacement 1" diameter Mallory can capacitors for a 1950s Valco with 1" diameter Mallory can capacitors, re-using old funky wire, the Fender 5E5 Pro input, adapt-a-cap.com
40:36 A 1965-ish Princeton Reverb that makes wave crashing sounds
42:31 PSA on three-prong power cords: SVT or SJT jackets
45:46 Finding time in your busy life to work on amps
50:57 Changing the circuit on a late 1940s Harmony Model 200; Mr. In-Between; Pig
57:51 Fender Concert IIs: Any good?
1:01:07 Resistors influence on tone?
1:06:10 Ledaig single malt scotch, Jameson's Black Barrel whiskey, and other stuff sent to Skip; Body and Soul Pedals by listener Yann (bodyandsoulinstruments@gmail.com, available at Real Guitars in SF)
1:12:02 A recently shipped tube amp that lost its volume
1:16:53 The unique field coil wiring on a Hammond M-3 organ
1:24:19 Some Leslie 147 amp discoveries
1:33:47 The answer to this week's baffler
1:35:08 A Tweed Bassman clone with a loud squeal
Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons. Co-hosted and produced by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde.
Email or send us a voice memo to: podcast@fretboardjournal.com or leave us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848. And d…
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Ep. 83: "No, But I Will"
22 november 2021 · 1 uur 25 min
It's the 83rd episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps: More capacitor talk than you can shake a SnufferStick at, push-pull circuits, Ethiopian cooking tips and more! Lees meer
This week's episode is sponsored by Jupiter Condenser Co., Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars.
Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise.
Some of the topics discussed this week:
1:56 The TAVA Cookbook (coming soon, email us if you want it)
5:15 Skip's real voice or a young Jerry?
7:56 Interactive controls on amps, Neil Young's Whizzer, an Epiphone Blues Custom 30, roasted pickled onions
14:06 Old filter caps in PA conversions; Pelican Bay Brewing
17:59 1957 Tweed Deluxe with all original caps; a chassis-only Tweed Deluxe on eBay; Ampeg M12
20:15 Skip's philosophy on replacing caps in a customer's amp
22:30 Illinois capacitors; a Marshall JTM45 that pops when you turn it off
27:40 Even more capacitor talk: Orange Drop capacitors, Illinois MWR capacitors, Jupiter capacitors, Blue Drop caps
35:03 A Rickenbaker M-8E with modified output transformer wiring; Ethiopian ful beans
41:54 TAVA Big Index Page (link)
43:04 Wiring a new home for a vintage PA
48:44 Recommended book: 'Grateful Dead Gear' (Amazon link)
50:44 Washable Crayola on the Mona Lisa; an owner's manual for a 100-watt Multivox P88?
53:42 How to get better at diagnosing amp problems?
55:21 First 5E3 Clone upgrades, even more capacitor talk (disc capacitors), CTS metal-shaft pots
1:01:11 Overview of a push-pull circuit, single-open ended; mountain pie makers
1:05:25 Cast Iron Revival (Portland, Oregon; Instagram link)
1:09:13 Gibson GA-17RVT Scout oscillations
1:14:06 What to put inside a Gibson GA-15RVT?
1:17:50 Polarities revisited and rice water soup
Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons. Co-hosted and produced by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde.
Email or send us a voice memo to: podcast@fretboardjournal.com or leave us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848. And don't forget to share the show …
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Ep. 82: "The Velvet Touch"
5 november 2021 · 1 uur 8 min
Tune in for a new chapter of TAVA, where Skip and Jason Zoom through your tube amp and cooking questions with our highest fidelity yet (thanks to our friends at Shure for sending us that MV7...and to Mrs. Simmons for figuring it out). Lees meer
This week's episode is sponsored by Jupiter Condenser Co., Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars.
Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise.
Special podcast offers: Use the discount code TAVA10 to get 10% off all orders at amplifiedparts.com through November 13, 2021.
Be a part of the first-ever, last-ever TAVA Cookbook: Email us your favorite recipe ever and we'll add it to our forthcoming, free PDF eBook, just in time for the holidays.
Some of the topics discussed this week:
:31 Skip puts the trem in the PA head
1:50 RIP Pat Martino
4:08 Green El Pato enchilada sauce
6:19 Swapping the 6C4 for a 6J6 on a Bogen CHB-50
10:05 A Magnatone vibrato pedal
12:58 A Princeton Reverb clone with a single-note rattle
16:00 Glossary according to Skip: Bypass cap; Baxandall, bright cap
23:17 A late '50s Epiphone Century aka Gibson GA-20T in disguise (see our Instagram)
26:23 More on amp hum
28:21 A '56 Fender Champ or a '60?
31:07 Shoutout Bob at Brookwood Leather (link)
32:14 New boutique amps worth seeking; McClostone; Hamstead
37:23 Typewriters, again
38:24 Giveaway: A La Tosca accordion
39:36 Jason's plan to keep the typewriters typing (free business idea); They Might Be Giants 'Book' (redux, link)
42:48 Finding a clean tone American amp in Norway; silverface Twins
45:49 Why does the primary impedance run high on 6L6 tubes on PA heads; repairing vintage transformers
50:45 Why amps in the '80s and '90s got power transformer replacements; Gibson GA-1RT (YouTube link)
55:10 Looking for a Danelectro Virtuoso schematic; what to do with an butchered amp with no available schematic; Sierra Nevada Old Chico beer
59:36 Guitarist Bobby Eli; the sound of Philadelphia; Vinnie Bell; 'A House on Fire' (Amazon…
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Ep. 81: "Eat Ice Cream"
22 oktober 2021 · 2 uur 3 min
Producer and musician John Vanderslice returns to the Truth About Vintage Amps Podcast with Skip Simmons. Lees meer
This week's episode is sponsored by Jupiter Condenser Co., Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars.
Special podcast offers: Use the discount code TAVA to get free domestic shipping through October 31, 2021 on any speaker at jupiter-speakers.com.
Use the discount code TAVA10 to get 10% off all orders at amplifiedparts.com through November 13, 2021.
Some of the topics discussed this week:
8:40 Special guest: Musician/producer John Vanderslice returns! dEATh bUg, CRYSTALS; running Tiny Telephone studio during COVID, getting double-vaxxed, staying motivated, tape vs. digital recordings, Forssell converters, the four-track pre-amp used by Mk.Gee on Dijon's new song (YouTube link), Ritchie Blackmore uses an AKAI tape deck, Gibson Falcons, Peter Jensen's Magnovox speakers, Schoeps CMC and MK4 microphones, Neve 31102, Shure 565, Bogen RP2 mic-pre, Stromberg-Carlson AV38, Yamaha NS-10s as mics, Frank Sinatra, Vanderslice's Spotify Playlists (link)1:06:43 Recommended Reading: They Might Be Giants' BOOK (order link), "I Broke My Own Rule" (YouTube link); Warren Ellis' 'Nina Simone's Gum' (Amazon link)
1:11:38 How to interview prospective amp techs
1:19:32 Making a copy of a Magnatone 210 with a jack socket on either side of the vibrato circuit; Kewpie Japanese mayonnaise
1:21:56 The Fender Champ 12's speaker-driven reverb (revisited), peppers in a cast iron pan
1:27:42 Bridging a Fender tube amp
1:30:46 Optimizing a Stromberg-Carlson AU-42 for guitar; 'Look Me in the Eye' by (Amazon link), old olive orchards
1:38:49 Fixing goop'd amps (Joe Bonamassa's Instagram link)
1:42:24 Eric Daw (Fret Files Podcast, luthier, Gibson handle MacGyver)
1:43:56 Blown Marshall output transformer (JCM800 2303)
1:46:09 Outboard reverb and trem units: Weber's ReVibe and TorVibe
1:47:47 Jumpered Marshall amps and La Costena & El Pato Frijoles (email us for the recipe)
1:52:08 Steve D…
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Ep. 80: "Dairy Goats in a Minivan"
8 oktober 2021 · 1 uur 36 min
It's the 80th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps Podcast: reverb, goats, pickles from Australia and special call-in guest Sam Mollica! Lees meer
Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons.
This week's episode is sponsored by Jupiter Condenser Co., Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars.
Some of the topics discussed this week:
1:32: Skip says thanks, Woodinville Straight Bourbon Whiskey
2:44 John Bachigaluppi of Tape Op magazine
4:37 TAVA t-shirts! Pre-order yours here.
5:33 Jupiter Condenser Co. discount: Use the discount code TAVA to get free domestic shipping on Jupiter speakers at https://jupiter-speakers.com!
7:03 Our listeners are amazing: Shawn's 3mg Filmosound resistor, Oystein gets a PA amp, Robert Knetzger's pencil resistor (YouTube link)
8:51 Hum on a modded 1979 Fender Musicmaster Bass amp
12:38 Getting more headroom out of a Silverface Fender Twin
18:02 A goat mule in a minivan
23:54 A speaker-driven reverb on a single, Champ-style amp
28:31 Pickled zucchini
32:32 A 1978 Fender Champ that runs too hot (Australian / import version); new tubes, DC voltages
40:36 An Australian amp tech chimes in
44:55 Dumble's Tweedle Dee circuit (5E3 variations); GZ34 rectifier tubes
50:56 Call-in guest: Sam Mollica (https://www.mollicaamplifiers.com); the 12AX7 in Fender standalone 6G15 reverb units; the dry signal in an Ampeg Reverberocket
1:04:10 Output jacks on Gibson Falcons versus modern methods; speaker-driven line out revisited
1:10:09 A '67 Fender Pro Reverb with a cracked screen grid resistor
1:13:40 Converting a Conn Strobotuner into an effectless Princeton; pentode pre-amp tubes (5879 tubes)
1:19:11 How to replace the speaker and move the output transformer on a Kay Model 503A; cleaning typewriters
1:27:48 A Silvertone Twin Twelve 1484 with a steady hum
1:31:54 Standalone reverb/trem unit projects; Gibson 1RVT
Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde.
Email or send us a voice memo to: podcast@fretboardjournal.com or leave us a voicemail or text a…
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Ep. 79: "New Departure"
24 september 2021 · 2 uur 6 min
It's the 79th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps Podcast: Red plating tubes, amp rattles, Louisiana hayrides, bad advice, coaster brakes, and Blues Juniors! Lees meer
This week's episode is sponsored by Jupiter Condenser Co., Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars.
Some of the topics discussed this week:
:59 Reverb tank bag surprises
2:09 Recommended NYC repair techs? the case of the missing Telefunken GZ34
3:52 Dickey Betts' Bassman head
6:39 Schroeder's Shoe Repair in Sacramento
8:31 Skip's old band, New Departure
14:38 The Truth About Vintage Amps Patreon page; Discord coming soon!
19:07 The TAVA Big Index Page
19:14 Amp horror stories for our Halloween episode?
22:13 What to do with a busted Blues Junior? Dumble's Tweedle Dee amp at Emerald City Guitars
27:22 How does Fender's 6G15 wet signal work?
30:24 What to do with a 1983-ish Fender Concert 2x10 and a '81 Pro Reverb?
38:04 A Fender Twin Reverb with one red-plating 6L6
42:27 Masco MA-25N tremolo idea: A Danelectro/Silvertone 6AU6 circuit?
44:49 '50s Fenders with underpowered power transformers; clipping the C3 cap in a Blues Junior, soldering guns, and single-amp speaker driven reverb
1:01:11 A Hickok tube tester up for grabs, still; a TEAC A7010 reel-to-reel
1:02:56 Negative feedback on a 1968 Fender Princeton
1:07:57 An Ampeg Gemini II roadtrip; troubleshooting a rattle
1:16:03 The soundman's pencil hack; Make magazine; Rust magazine
1:20:10 Don't listen to Neil Young; the interactive volume control on a Tweed Deluxe
1:23:00 Re-creating the Louisiana Hayride in Norway: What kind of PA should I get? (YouTube link)
1:29:36 Skip's Bob Will's PA
1:32:29 Tommy Tomlinson's mystery amp, a Rickenbacker M-15; Ray Massie; Baxandall circuits; Magnatone Triplex
1:37:37 Insulating input and output jacks on builds (and when not to insulate)
1:41:43 A Stage Right tube amp blowing a fuse; replacing diodes
1:45:37 Putting a Tweed Vibrolux circuit in a non-reverb Silverface Princeton
1:48:00 Getting Earl Y…
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Ep. 78: "Business Conducted on the Internet"
9 september 2021 · 1 uur 40 min
It's the 78th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps Podcast: Speaker installation tips, more pizza hacks (thanks Pillsbury), special Patreon guest Mike Watson (the 6L6s) and more. Lees meer
This week's episode is sponsored by Jupiter Condenser Co., Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars.
Some of the topics discussed this week:
:41: Lots of cool amps at Skip's: The 44th Fender Tweed Tremolux, a Twin Reverb with a 7355 tube chart
2:46 Putting a tremolo circuit in a Masco MA-25N PA head
6:16 A pre-amp for a pro harp player with high-and-low impedance in-and-out
6:57 Shure sends Skip an MV7 USB podcast microphone (link); this week's sponsors: Amplified Parts, Grez Guitars, Jupiter Condenser Co.
10:25 Get an old typewriter
11:43 The TAVA Patreon Page (link)
12:57 Special Patreon guest: Mike Watson of the 6V6s (Ep. 60, Chris Siegmund, Signal Corps. Amplifiers, Western Electric 100F, Garnets, Marsland speakers, putting two Filmosounds in a Gibson GA-79 cabinet, speaker-driven reverb, Fender VibroChamps, mojo, Swampdonkey amplifiers, a Stromberg Carlson AU-33 with reverb and tremolo, Albert Johnson of Johnson Amplifiers).
[Editor's note: It looks like Chris Siegmund passed away last year.]
37:42 Fretboard Journal refrigerator magnets (not happening); TAVA t-shirts (happening!)
40:48 Favorite good goo for getting wax off early '70s Fender eyelet boards
42:02 Replacing caps on an Ampeg Rocket R-12/J-12
46:34 #mywifehatespodcasts
48:17 A 1993 Fender Blues DeVille that needs a new input jack
51:30 British rock connections, the Stones and Muddy Waters, Selmer Futurama amps (link)
59:17 The Bardwell & McAlister PA gets a new home
1:00:14 DIY: A Gibson Vari Tone circuit in an El Pato can (Make magazine)
1:00:57 Tips for amps flooded in Hurricane Ida
1:03:57 Lab series amps / Dan Pearce
1:04:29 Speaker installation tips
1:12:04 A 1978 Fender Champ with red plating tube and a solid state rectifier for the 5y3
1:22:38 Pillsbury Pizza dough, Nic Grabien
1:27:07 A solution for the loud Traynor Y… -
Ep. 77: "Helen Reddy"
29 augustus 2021 · 1 uur 22 min
It's the 77th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps Podcast, where amp tech Skip Simmons makes pizza on english muffins, crushes the dreams of young blues aficionados and fields your questions on all things tube amp. Lees meer
This week's episode is sponsored by Jupiter Condenser Co., Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars.
Some of the topics discussed this week:
:23 Skip has no electricity
3:52 Jason does a video shoot with David Grisman
4:17 The "Amigo SoCal" vintage guitar show (August 28-29, 2021); a Massey amp with reverb and tremolo
6:06 Alamo Paragon Special
8:01 Skip's tips: Vintage guitar show wheeling & dealing
10:23 Grez Guitars
12:10 Amplified Parts, ProCo guitar cords
12:57 Jupiter Caps: Bumblebees, Red Astrons, Cosmos caps
20:45 The TAVA Patreon page
25:17 The TAVA Index on Tableau!, Goldentone Amp book
28:51 Cleaning the crusty corrosion on a Fender silverface faceplate
31:34 Making a lower-power Vox clone?
35:21 Grid bias vs cathode bias on a pre-amp tube
38:50 Why does Skip have an oscilloscope and why doesn't he raise his prices?
41:14 Can you use a field coil speaker to drive speaker-driven reverb; voicecoils on a field coil speaker
45:07 Will the bigger vintage Fender amps ever go up in value?
49:32 Pinpointing note-triggered noise / rumble in an amp cabinet
52:55 A Lab Series L3 goes to a good home; Robert Moog; English muffin pizzas
55:12 What's up with the Fender Tremolux Model 6G9 with EL84 power tubes? Aspen Pittman's 'The Tube Amp' book (Amazon link)
58:15 A 1955 Montgomery Ward-branded amp with a wire from the speaker frame to the chassis
1:01:14 A one-way speaker mismatch on solid state amps?
1:02:54 Water kefir (recipe here)
1:04:30 Replacing the multi-cap can on a Fender Bassman 20
1:06:54 Using a pressure cooker for dried beans or potatoes
1:08:40 Poking a hole instead of solder wick
1:09:01 Vintage pencil sharpeners; Nelson Riddle
1:11:32 Any grads from the Red Wing Electronic Music Technology class?
1:12:32 The magic…
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Ep. 76: "Eliminate the Impossible"
14 augustus 2021 · 1 uur 36 min
It's the 76th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps Podcast. After a long buildup, Skip is back and fielding all of your guitar amplifier questions. Lees meer
This week's episode is sponsored by Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars.
Some of the topics discussed this week:
3:45 What's on Skip's workbench: A 1955 Tweed Tremolux with a Tartak transformer
7:12 An obituary for Tweed amps and a challenge (and a TAVA meetup idea)
13:23 Free or cheap stuff in Loma Rica: Couch Potato stuff (taken!); a Lab Series L3 amp; a Hickcok 532 tube tester; "English"
21:10 Bob Armstrong, Mickey Rat (visit his site/store here)
24:30 'Murder Among the Mormons'; 'Sour Grapes'
26:18 A 24:1 scale Blunderwood typewriter project (YouTube link); Sweep the Floor podcast (link)
27:54 Two different pre-amps running in parallel to a single power section; what to do with a car tube radio with loctal tubes and a vibrator
35:14 A Masco MA-17 with a $129 buy-it-now price
39:53 Polarity checking plugs for the working musician
41:32 Getting a brighter clean tone on a Bell & Howell Filmosound 202 conversion; brussel sprouts
50:34 The TAVA Big Index page
51:09 'Morse' and 'Endeavour'
52:43 Peter Guaralnick's 'Lost Highway' and 'Feel Like Going Home'; Matthew Crawford's 'Why We Drive'; Lonnie Johnson; Big Mama Thornton; the other Lonnie Johnson
56:41 Replacing a transformer on a Silverface Vibro Champ that keeps losing its volume
58:55 Falling in love with a logging truck (a 1970 Traynor YBA-1 with a 2x15 cab and an 8x10 cab); attenuators
1:07:18 The Mason Model 6's big transformer; the forthcoming TAVA 100th episode commemorative amp collaboration with Gibson
1:16:36 A rusty EH-150 in Norway, revisited: a Rola speaker swap, choke vs. resistors, 6F5 vs 6F5G tubes, etc.
1:23:59 Chipotle + Hernandez, Mrs. Renfro's green salsa; hotwiring your tractor; a cheap TEAC reel-to-reel; moving goats
1:28:34 A Bardwell & McAlister PA amp that glows in the dark
1:30:19 Converting a 1957 RCA Model SHF67 phonog…
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Ep. 75: "We're Staying Positive"
30 juli 2021 · 1 uur 6 min
It's the 75th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps Podcast and Skip is feeling upbeat and quoting from the classics. As always, he's also fielding all of your guitar amplifier questions. Lees meer
This week's episode is sponsored by Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars.
Some of the topics discussed this week:
1:00: Weird California geopolitics
4:10 Recent Northern California barn finds: ES-335, a transitional Marshall, a 1955 Fender Tremolux with the original instruction page, an Epiphone Emperor Regent; Paul Chandler
14:36 A pre-war Vega amp gets fixed (almost); the humbucking coil on a field coil speaker
19:33 Reading from the 1955 Tremolux instruction page
22:45 Seeking information on Aztec Recording Studio
24:44 Venice, California's Harry Perry
25:28 A Hammond amp and test equipment preservationist speaks out
31:32 Troubleshooting a noisy hybrid Standel amp
38:19 More typewriter talk, forger Mark Hofmann
42:51 What's the deal with a 1966 Pro Reverb with a 1971 power transformer and various other oddities?
50:46 A Weller 8200 soldering gun that keeps shutting off, identifying good vintage 8200s
55:45 A 1977 Silverface Champ with a shocking three-prong plug
Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde.
Email or send us a voice memo to: podcast@fretboardjournal.com or leave us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848. And don't forget to share the show with friends.
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Ep. 74: "Another Finger on Your Hand"
20 juli 2021 · 1 uur 15 min
Welcome to the 74th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps Podcast, the bi-weekly show where amp tech Skip Simmons answers all of your pressing guitar amplifier questions. No topic is too basic... or seemingly too complex! Lees meer
This week's episode is sponsored by Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars.
Some of the topics discussed this week:
5:53 Old typewriters, again ('The Typewriter Revolution,' thanks Doug F!); a Canon amplifier from Australia; Monkey Shoulder Scotch Whisky
9:35 Bitcoin mining, explained
12:44 Recommended reading: 'The Birth of Loud' and testing amps with full volume
15:40 Recommended reading: 'The Unidentified' by Colin Dickey; Bitcoin as casino chips; a DIY trem?
20:56 Bitcoin mining, again; powering a tube amp with a battery/generator; a 15" speaker cabinet for a Masco MA-17
29:39 Sierra Nevada's Summer Break beer
30:35 Using a Fender's second input for speaker-driven reverb
33:36 Best uses for a Masco EMM-6 pre-amp mixer
37:03 B+ on listener Geoff's tamed Fender Twin
41:20 Can you source amp hum just from hearing it?
45:35 Building a Princeton clone with not-quite-exact capacitors; cleaning pots
56:56 Skip is angry; 'Sessions with Sinatra'
1:06:13 Fixing the reverb on a Gibson Falcon; Bobby Charles; the California Honeydrops; Eddie Hinton
1:13:46 John Fogerty replies
Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde.
Email or send us a voice memo to: podcast@fretboardjournal.com or leave us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848. And don't forget to share the show with friends.
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Ep. 73: "Also, Not My Suit Size"
1 juli 2021 · 1 uur 42 min
Welcome to the 73rd episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps Podcast, the bi-weekly show where amp tech Skip Simmons answers all of your pressing guitar amplifier questions. No topic is too basic... or seemingly too complex! Lees meer
(Banter hater? The actual amp talk this time around starts at 17:00.)
This week's episode is sponsored by Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars.
Some of the topics discussed this week:
1:01 UFOs and Art Bell
8:01 Our Patreon page: Now with new updates and articles from Acmeverb.com!
12:05 Jason gets a haircut, learns how to use epazote in beans
16:59 B+, revisited: B is for Battery
18:02 Medical grade tubes: Still in production!
20:46 Princeton tone stack and the TAVA community, tips for Variac hunting, Mount Olive Pickle Salsa
26:32 Skip's movie picks: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Nomadland
29:49 A clone Tweed Princeton success story; vintage Jensen P-15R speakers; Amplified Parts' NOS tube sale
37:38 WD-40, again
41:00 Skip's Chile Colorado
42:03 Field coil speakers for a Gibson EH-150/185-style amp (and what's the deal with the echo speaker extension cabinet?)
48:18 The Vox book gets a new home; acidfuzz.com (for Vox guitar onboard fuzz schematics)
50:06 The TAVA Facebook group (Facebook link)
51:25 Another movie tip: The Straight Story
51:50: Twin mod revisited: Changing two 6V6s to rectifiers; a TAVA meetup?; music by Joe Policastro Trio, Colin Stetson
58:25 Single-ended amps with a 6V6 tube with and without a cathode bypass capacitor, Skip's toothbrush hack
1:04:46 Testing a cabinet design with a crappy amp
1:07:27 Bruce MacMillan's Princeton Reverb; Joe Craven & The Sometimers' Garcia Songbook
1:12:05 "It's about to get boring…"
1:15:14 Primus' "Over the Electric Grapevine" (Spotify link); RIP Blackalicious' Gift of Gab
1:16:48 Which power tube blew my Mesa Boogie Mark I's fuse?, checking a tube's filament with an ohm meter
1:22:26 Skip's TAVA 60-second challenge: How does Bitcoin mining actually work?
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