Alle afleveringen van The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons – pagina 4 van 4

Ep. 25: "Defensible Space"

10 december 2019 · 1 uur 54 min

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The Truth About Vintage Amps Podcast has turned one! Once again, Skip Simmons is fielding guitar tube amp questions from around the world. Lees meer

Submit your questions to Skip here: podcast@fretboardjournal.com or, better yet, leave us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848.

* SUPPORT TAVA & ANGELA INSTRUMENTS AND ENTER TO WIN*
Order a PDF download of Steve Melkisethian's tweed Princeton amp project here. You may just win something!

This week's sponsor: Grez Guitars (link)

Some of the topics discussed on this episode:

1:18 The TAVA Index (h/t to Harper's magazine)

6:55 What's on Skip's bench?

8:49 Speaker reconing: Scumback speakers

10:46 Skip's Christmas wish list: A Subaru replacement, a break from phone calls

13:42 TAVA givewaway: A Stew-Mac Tweed Champ kit!

14:12 Our Angela Instruments amp project download

15:35 Manbroidery's two-prong patch / a future Ebbett's Field Flannels hat? (Instagram link)

17:00 Another giveaway: An A/B box or $125 Skip labor credit giveaway

19:40 Skip gets a tractor

24:14 Dual rectifier tubes and Sag 101

28:40 Jason tries to get a special guest

31:29 Cabbage and mushrooms

35:00 Cabinet glue

40:49 Fender's White amplifiers

44:09 Choosing a Fender for your band

48:12 How Skip drains filter caps

51:35 Lafayette amplifiers

54:28 A 1971 Fender Bassman (AA371) with stray voltages

59:23 Making an Ampex 602A work for guitar

1:11:32 Splitting a 2x12 speaker cab

1:15:19 Using a looper pedal to help with soundchecks (h/t Julian Lage)

1:16:50 Music recommendation: Red Norvo

1:18:12 Budweiser Copper Lager and cast iron pans

1:25:43 A Cornell Romany Pro that goes through power tubes

1:33:34 Book review: Maurice J. Summerfield's 'The Jazz Guitar'

1:34:32 Light bulb limiters

1:36:56 A Princeton Reverb-style amp with a pull-switch on the volume control

1:41:35 A Classic Tone 5E3 power transformer with one metal washer

1:43:35 A history of phase inverters

1:46:02 More new parallel, single-ended amps

Special thanks to TAVA listen…

Ep. 24: "Half-Finished Malt Liquor"

27 november 2019 · 1 uur 51 min

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A back-to-basics episode: No special guests, no recipes. Once again, Skip Simmons is fielding guitar tube amp questions from around the world. Submit your questions to Skip here: podcast@fretboardjournal.com or by leaving us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848. Lees meer

* SUPPORT TAVA & ANGELA INSTRUMENTS*
Order a PDF download of Steve Melkisethian's tweed Princeton amp project here.

Some of the topics discussed on this episode:

9:49: This week's sponsor: Grez Guitars (link)

10:35 The Fretboard Journal's Electric Guitar Annual, Vol. 2 (pre-order here)

11:56 The TAVA First Year anniversary celebration: Win a Tweed Champ kit from Stew-Mac (Instagram link) !!!

15:26 Who wants to order a TAVA hat like this one? Email us…

18:36 Skip on our Angela catalog reprint

24:36 Transformer 101

35:35 Amps for harp players

43:26 Building your first bass amp

51:54 Using an ART tube pre-amp in front of a guitar amp

55:18 A Traynor YBA-1 Bass-Master with a sensitive master volume

59:18 British vs. American amp tone

1:04:22 Another listener recommended amp tech: Tyler at Boss Organ in Somerville, Mass.

1:10:11 DeArmond amps

1:16:57 Bringing a Gibson EH-150 back to life

1:22:34 Kenny Burrell's Midnight Blue

1:24:17 Craig Korth on the Fretboard Journal Podcast and the Ray Butts EchoSonic amp (link)

1:25:58 Salvaging stuff from a dead RCA film projector for a Princeton Reverb clone

1:34:32 A 1972 Fender Super Reverb with a weak tremolo; plus, what is an opto-coupler?

1:41:54 Trying different tubes on a Music Man Sixty-Five Reverb

1:48:35 KTNN: The Voice of the Navajo Nation

Like the show? Share it with your friends, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and stay tuned for next month, when we unveil even more surprises for our one year anniversary.

Ep. 23: "He's a Hugger"

7 november 2019 · 2 uur 19 min

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This week, Skip and Jason are joined by a very special guest, John Vanderslice. John is a prolific singer-songwriter, musician, record producer and engineer. We have a candid, unfiltered conversation about vintage amps, food, life, the music industry and so much more. Seriously, just listen... Lees meer

After our chat with John, we once again field your questions about all things guitar amplification.

As always, if you'd like to contribute to a future show, submit your guitar amp questions to Skip here: podcast@fretboardjournal.com or leave us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848.

* SUPPORT TAVA & ANGELA INSTRUMENTS*
Order a PDF download of Steve Melkisethian's tweed Princeton amp project here.

Some of the topics discussed on this episode:

1:05 "Naming calls" and PG&E

2:33 A/B box updates

3:00 The TAVA "book club" launches: Order the Angela Instruments' tweed Princeton article and schematic (see above)

9:18 John Vanderslice (singer-songwriter, Tiny Telephone Recording!) joins us: Living room shows, eating on the road, Gibson Falcons, mics for recording amps, Stromberg-Carlson pre-amps, surviving the music industry

1:01:40 Brian, the speaker re-coner at Weber Speakers: https://www.tedweber.com/recone-services/

1:03:03 Erick Coleman's amp tech recommendation: Paul Schmittauer (email us)

1:04:08 Great Goo: Pepper Plant hot sauce (Amazon link: https://amzn.to/33orYLq)

1:05:40 Epiphone Pacemaker amps

1:07:23 Misspelled "Colombia" Fender amps

1:08:52 How multiple inputs work on amps

1:11:57 Using the second input on a Fender as a line-out

1:14:14 Amp builder Bob Gjika (Gjika Amplification), the mojo behind single-ended amps

1:20:09 A noisy Peavey Delta Blues 115

1:24:44 Solder in Italy (Soldergate revisited)

1:26:17 Breaking-in new tubes; upgrading parts in a Champ kit

1:32:00 What's on Skip's bench

1:33:01 Sano accordion tube and Audio Guild amps (see our Instagram for photos)

1:38:07 Skip on biasing

1:43:00 St. George amp heads, built by Ray Massie

1:46:50…

Ep. 22: "A Crouton in Every Bite"

24 oktober 2019 · 2 uur

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Special guest Charles Baty joins us on this week's Truth About Vintage Amps podcast! Lees meer

Twice a month, guitar amp guru Skip Simmons fields your questions on vintage tube amp buying, restoration and repair. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde.

Submit your guitar amp questions to Skip here: podcast@fretboardjournal.com or by leaving us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848.

Some of the topics discussed on this episode:

1:37 Charles Baty (Little Charlie & The Nightcats! Little Charlie & Organ Grinder Swing!) joins in: Termites, Spanish rice and amp tips from the road

43:09 Movie recommendations: Wattstax; Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey

44:16 Skip plays a gig

46:30 This week's sponsor: Grez Guitars

46:55 Robert Keeley (!) calls in on Dean's Echoplex woes (from TAVA 21)

50:24 A '68 Fender Vibrolux reissue with a wonky footswitch

54:16 Replace a two-prong cord with a three-prong cord

57:29 "Getting to 'no' you;" "Suzie Q," the Instant Pot, mashed potatoes and hot dogs

1:04:10 An amp with a noisy front plate

1:06:27 Instrumental music picks (Leo Kottke, Nels Cline), Skip's early music influences

1:12:19 Future TAVA interviews plans

1:14:25 "Why we don't replace all vintage electrolytic capacitors" video (link: https://youtu.be/GMNQDoFpYQY)

1:18:00 Robben Ford's Dumble-modified Fender Super Reverbs

1:24:29 Why don't amps have no-speaker protection?

1:31:53 AC568 Bassman amps, Fender grounding plates, sources of hiss, the 500 pF Baffler

1:37:55 Music picks: Erkin Koray's 'Elektronik Turkular' (YouTube link) and Bloodstone's "Natural High" (YouTube link)

1:39:07 Bogen PA heads and Harvey Mandel's fuzz tone

1:43:43 Replacing drop capacitors in Victoria amps

1:49:47 Canada, part one: a Traynor YGL-3, Mark III with no input signal

1:53:14 Canada, part two: Sleeper Canadian amps (Garnet, Traynor, Johnson); check out the Corry Boys

1:57:00 An (almost) free vintage speaker (act fast)

1:58:15 Coffee in a can updates

Ep. 21: "Bases Loaded, Full Count"

10 oktober 2019 · 1 uur 56 min

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Twice a month, guitar amp guru Skip Simmons fields your questions on vintage tube amp buying, restoration and repair. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde. Lees meer

Submit your guitar amp questions to Skip here: podcast@fretboardjournal.com or by leaving us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848.

Some of the topics discussed on this episode:

8:00 Cloning vintage knobs (video link, h/t John from Australia!)

9:34 This week's sponsors: Grez Guitars, Roberto-Venn

11:01 An open call for our first live caller

13:39 Bartell guitar history (site link)

14:49 Skip's schedule

16:49 More Solder-gate

17:15 Single-ended, parallel twin power tube amps

21:18 WD-40 to the rescue, again

23:28 Unwanted noise from an Echoplex

32:02 Lower B-plus voltage on a Blackface Fender

37:38 Tweed Princeton with a choke vs a resistor

44:18 Speaker cable vs guitar cable (and a sad bird tale)

53:46 Skip's soup tips

56:43 The story behind the TAVA intro music

57:44 Sal Trentino and a Standel 80L15 schematic

1:05:22 Asking boutique makers for their schematics

1:10:37 Dr. Z's new Jetta amp and the story behind the 7591 power tube

1:15:25 Figuring out what's original in a 1953 Fender Tweed Deluxe (5B3)

1:18:14 How noticeable are bad caps?

1:26:06 A solid state Peavey Firebass 700 that won't stop power cycling

1:29:00 An AmpRX BrownBox for a Brownface Deluxe

1:31:57 Skip's picks: Treme; Aretha Franklin's Amazing Grace; Harlan County, USA; The House That Trane Built; the Recordium on YouTube; "Wherever You Go" by Skip Mahoney

1:37:00 Cheap Amazon variacs

1:39:41 Mystery tubes in a 1960 Lafayette tape deck

1:44:16 Putting the 5U4GB back into a 1969 Fender Princeton

1:51:29 Cooling off an amp that runs hot

PS: The reason Jason is preoccupied: https://www.myballard.com/2019/10/07/2-alarm-fire-on-market-st/

Ep. 20: "It's a Big Tent"

27 september 2019 · 1 uur 56 min

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Summary: Skip has never had sushi; Earl is not a fan of low-balling; and Fender Bassmans rock Lees meer

Twice a month, guitar amp guru Skip Simmons fields your questions on vintage tube amp buying, restoration and repair. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde.

Submit your guitar amp questions to Skip here: podcast@fretboardjournal.com or by leaving us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848.

Some of the topics discussed on this episode:

1:50 John Lennon in Sacramento

3:17 A quick story about Earl Yarrow

12:20 Western Electric hi-fi collecting

14:40 Music recommendations: The Originals; Skip Mahoney & the Casuals; Julie London; "On the Alamo"

17:28: This week's sponsors: Grez Guitars and Mono Cases

18:15 Skip addresses the critics (on grounded cords, replaced caps)

30:02 "Solder," revisited

31:39 Removing the ground hum of two amps running together

34:50 Making an amp out of a sushi platter; recommended needle nose pliers

38:27 6L6s in a Deluxe Reverb

42:41 Skip on your voicemail

45:20 President Skip?, practicalities of running an attenuator

50:33 Acoustic tube amps, revisited

54:45 A 1968 Princeton non-reverb lacking volume

57:47 Other vintage Gibson amps

1:03:00 The truth about unmodified Gibson Falcons and Silverface Champs

1:09:41 Vox Pacemakers overview

1:12:24 The unique properties of a Fender Bassman

1:15:38 Using pre-amp tube as a power tube

1:19:40 Learning soldering and circuits from simple pedal kits and the little Ruby: http://www.runoffgroove.com/ruby.html

1:24:58 Running a Champ through a Variac versus a Hammond 290AX power transformer

1:27:44 A 1963 Fender Vibrolux with treble hiss

1:35:14 Speakers for a 1965 Ampeg Reverberocket 2 GS-12R

1:39:44 Non-lead solder

1:43:54 Biasing a cathode bias amp

1:49:49 Measuring plate current

1:54:57 The Baffler returns!

Ep. 19: "I Have Lifestyle Tips"

13 september 2019 · 2 uur

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Twice a month, guitar amp guru Skip Simmons fields your questions on vintage tube amp buying, restoration and repair. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde. Lees meer

Submit your guitar amp questions to Skip here: podcast@fretboardjournal.com or by leaving us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848.

It's our most veer-filled episode to date, including soup and footwear tips, a trip to Harvard and, yes, even some amp repair advice!

Some of the topics discussed on this episode:

3:06 Soup hacks

4:01 An affordable, American-made boot

5:41 Frampton plays B.B. King

9:00 Site specific amp problems

12:37 Recommended Music: Joe Craven & the Sometimers' 'Garcia's Songbook,' Aretha Franklin's 'Aretha's Gold' and Charlie Musselwhite's 'Stand Back'

18:36 Skip goes to Harvard

20:04 Parenting tips

30:06 Today's sponsor: Grez Guitars

32:15 More Larry Norman and props to Jon Linn

33:02 Solder or "sodder"

35:05 Skip's recommended vintage tube supplier and advice on replacing tubes: https://www.ebay.com/usr/dangeruxb

40:22 Putting a solid state rectifier in a tweed-style amp

49:00 Fixing an output transformer in a 1961 Fender Brownface Pro

56:07 Hi-fi tube amps and phono pre-amp basics

1:04:06 A '67 Fender Bassman that was plugged into a DI box

1:09:14 More output transformer talk: Ampeg Reverberocket

1:11:26 A vintage Niviko MA120X Japanese amp

1:19:06 A 1968 Fender Super Reverb with a rattle

1:25:34 The "trimmer" in a '60s Silvertone 1431

1:28:40 Dirty power, an electric fence and an early '60s Gibson Skylark

1:34:33 Changing the head gasket on a Subaru Forester

1:35:25 More on the trimmer on a Silverton 1431

1:38:28 Car talk

1:43:36 A Fender Hot Rod Deluxe with a busted volume pot

1:47:52 A clean, high-headroom, low volume steel amp

1:52:15 A Fender Silverface Champ vs Blackface Champ

Ep. 18: "Walk the Dog Backwards"

22 augustus 2019 · 1 uur 45 min

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Twice a month, guitar amp guru Skip Simmons fields your questions on vintage tube amp buying, restoration and repair. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde. Lees meer

Submit your guitar amp questions to Skip here: podcast@fretboardjournal.com or by leaving us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848.

Some of the topics discussed on this episode:

2:40 Jason brings home a Marshall Mercury

13:40 Mark Lindsay of Paul Revere & the Raiders

17:47 A request for a deeper dive into the Fender Champ schematic

24:34 Skip sells his Fender Tremolux head; an Ampex 960 reel-to-reel for free

27:45 Pat Boone's recording console

30:45 Putting a VU meter in a Champ?

34:10 Truth About Vintage Amps shirts update: Shipped!

34:34 This week's sponsor: Grez Guitars

37:20 More soldering advice

38:42 Scratchy pot tips (spoiler alert: WD-40)

41:43 An '80s Fender Concert

47:08 A Vibroluxe Reverb versus Deluxe Reverb and the sonic difference between 10" and 12" speakers

57:25 Ray Massie's The Vibe amp

59:30 18-watt Marshalls and a listener's clone attempt using a Rauland PA amp platform

1:06:34 A 1955 Tweed Bassman with nearly all-new parts

1:10:32 When to replace drifted resistors

1:12:30 Converting a Fender PA-100 into a guitar amp

1:14:16 How many watts from a 6L6?

1:17:40 The Vingtor amp from Norway (and fixing a tremolo)

1:23:53 More Champ kit tips (wiring tube sockets)

1:25:22 A proposed Skip certification program

1:26:52 Coffee advice (Amazon link for the lazy)

1:29:40 Soap advice (Amazon link for the lazy)

1:31:50 Getting a 1965 Fender Princeton Reverb reissue rewired by Alessandro

1:37:45 Bad solder joints and troubleshooting a DIY 5F1 that stopped behaving

Ep. 17: "One Good Solder Joint"

15 augustus 2019 · 1 uur 51 min

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Twice a month, guitar amp guru Skip Simmons fields your questions on vintage tube amp buying, restoration and repair. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde. Lees meer

Submit your guitar amp questions to Skip here: fretboardjournal@gmail.com or by leaving us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848.

Some of the topics discussed on this episode:

1:57 Skip's A/B box update
2:50 Skip's music picks: Curtis Mayfield!, Larry Norman!, Stryper!
10:11 Johnny Cash and Joe Strummer, "Redemption Song"
12:00 TAVA shirt updates
12:22 Skip's amp packing recommendations
14:05 Jason asks all the dumb Champ build questions you're scared to ask
32:33 A higher-powered single-ended amp recommendation (a contemporary Supro Comet)
39:36 The 18-watt WEM Dominator V and a plug for David Minter's Marshall and UK Made Pre Owned Amplifiers Facebook group
45:22 The amps built inside Fender Rhodes
48:12 "Blackfacing" a 1975 Fender Bassman
51:03 A unique 5F1 build and a question about speakers with whizzer cones
58:59 A Model 21 National-Dobro-made amp-in-case
1:02:54 Cloning the DeArmond R5 amp
1:08:52 Oddball European tube amps
1:11:34 The pros and cons of FX loops
1:17:38 The sonic differences between octal and 9-pin pre-amp tubes
1:25:03 Does a 2x12 speaker need a baffle
1:29:48 Uncle Doug videos
1:31:17 Harmonic tremolo
1:34:48 The rare Fender Vibroverb
1:46:20 A terminal board rattle

Special thanks to the presenting sponsors of the Fretboard Journal: Gibson, Martin and Carter Vintage Guitars.

Ep. 16: "Glue on the Windshield"

2 augustus 2019 · 1 uur 56 min

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Twice a month, guitar amp guru Skip Simmons fields your questions on vintage tube amp buying, restoration and repair. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde. Lees meer

Submit your guitar amp questions to Skip here: fretboardjournal@gmail.com or by leaving us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848.

Some of the topics discussed on this episode:

1:50 Jason starts his Stew-Mac Tweed Champ kit, Skip offers soldering tips
9:33 Skip offers some new surplus aluminum amp chassis
11:05 An A/B box update
13:50 Skip's latest projects: A Blackface Fender Bassman and a Blackface Bandmaster
15:52 An eBay score: A bargain Park-branded Marshall JTM45
20:16 TAVA t-shirt updates
22:25 Sponsors: Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery & Grez Guitars
24:30 Any female amp techs out there? (Shoutout to @fazioelectric!)
31:20 Finding an amp's EQ sweet spot via hearing the greatest amount of change on the knobs
41:30 Higher-wattage single-ended amps
48:30 A 1960 Epiphone Pacemaker that breaks up too soon
54:15 What type of wire(s) for a vintage-style Fender clone?
1:01:00 The next steps after building a Champ
1:10:05 The horrible distortion on an Ampeg V4
1:16:20 Damage from powering a tube amp without a speaker
1:21:28 Two amp reverb from vintage Gibson, Gretsch and Supro amps
1:28:24 Fender combo speaker output 101
1:35:47 Skip's cheap speaker cabinet tips
1:42:24 Noisy filament wire in Filmosound conversions
1:47:48 Oldies.com
1:50:19 Digging deeper into the Champ schematic

Special thanks to the presenting sponsors of the Fretboard Journal: Gibson, Martin and Carter Vintage Guitars.

Ep. 15: "Yuba Peach"

19 juli 2019 · 1 uur 34 min

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Twice a month, guitar amp guru Skip Simmons fields your questions on tube amp buying, restoration and repair. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde. Lees meer

Submit your guitar amp questions to Skip here: fretboardjournal@gmail.com or by leaving us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848.

Want to support the show? It's last call to reserve your very own Truth About Vintage Amps t-shirt. Pick from one of three styles! Please order before July 31, 2019 to reserve yours!

Some of the topics discussed on this episode:

2:40 New goats!
5:34 The search for good amp repair people (introduce yourself!)
8:10 Music pick of the week: Thee Lakesiders
9:00 New sponsor: the Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery
10:15 Cooking on amps: Hot dogs and Leslie West's meatball subs: https://youtu.be/NkMExWjs8k4 (thanks, Greg!)
12:37 An answer to last week's Baffler
13:44 Digging deeper into the Fender 5E1 Champ schematic
17:07 Skip's stir fry recipe
23:27 A listener searches for a vintage tube amp book (Update: it can be found online for free, here!)
28:03 New shirt ideas, working on tube AM radios
35:32 Quieting the ticking tremolo of a Silverface Fender Deluxe Reverb
44:20 Evaluating a 1966 Epiphone Pacemaker and a National Studio 10
50:13 The tonal and volume difference between 10 and 12-inch speakers
53:20 A 1965 Ampeg Reverberocket GS-12R transformed by a replacement vintage Alnico speaker
56:20 Low-watt alternatives for a Marshall lover
1:01:51 The "thing" that Fender Bandmasters do
1:08 Pros/cons of pulling the V1 tube on two-channel Blackface amps
1:12:08 A '65 Pro Reverb with a splashing reverb noise
1:17:08 Joshua Yenne's Falcon shootout: https://youtu.be/I16kPtGSAFw
1:17:46 A listener avoids a bad amp trade thanks to Skip
1:24:50 Skip's take on a kit 5E3/5E5 Proluxe
1:28:35 A sag resistor to make a Fender Pro Jr. sound squishier
1:31:32 Another music pick: Van Morrison's "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFF1wJN75Z0

Special thanks to the …

Ep. 14: "I'll Do the Jokes"

28 juni 2019 · 1 uur 52 min

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Twice a month, guitar amp guru Skip Simmons fields your questions on tube amp buying, restoration and repair. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde. Lees meer

Want to support the show? We now have Truth About Vintage Amps t-shirts available for pre-order.

Special thanks to our sponsors: Grez Guitars, Martin, Gibson and Carter Vintage.

Submit your guitar amp questions to Skip here: fretboardjournal@gmail.com or by leaving us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848.

Some of the topics discussed on this episode:

2:18 We have Truth About Vintage T-shirts (support the show)
5:33 This week's sponsors: Grez Guitars, Gibson, Martin and Carter Vintage
6:29 The Epiphone version of a Gibson Falcon
9:00 More cooking tips with Skip
12:12 Skip can't find his schematic
12:30 Thrifty Leo
14:12 More music tips: Bix Beiderbecke, Ned Boynton
18:00 Skip's looking for someone to recone field coil speakers
19:35 Skip talks about his Champ mods, once more
24:45 The final Baffler
28:06 Correction re: Guitar Center's return policy
29:28 A listener with an interesting way to use an electric amp with an acoustic guitar
33:27 The Grateful Dead's Wall of Sound
37:12 Skip's test guitar and cheap British amp recommendations
43:00 Skip's test cabinet
45:15 A 1968 Fender Pro Reverb with a delayed vibrato
47:32 What's a tone stack?
51:15 Pinpointing the buzz on a Silverface Fender Princeton
54:35 Class A, Class A/B and single-ended power tube arrangements
59:17 Tips on looking at vintage Gibson amps
1:02:48 A listener fixes his own Gibson Discoverer Tremolo
1:08:00 The triode mode used on high-powered amps
1:14:01 A brief chat about Dumble
1:18:44 A mid-60s Epiphone Galaxy that's won't turn off
1:20:23 Salvaging parts from a heavily modified Blackface Fender Bassman
1:24:30 Discussing changes on an early 1969 Fender Twin Reverb
1:29:50 Making homebrew amps sound less civil
1:33:11 Making a late '50s Sylvania powered speaker amp work better as a guitar amp
1:42:12 Modding PA heads to work for g…

Ep. 13: "Throw a Love Light Party!"

12 juni 2019 · 1 uur 34 min

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Twice a month, guitar amp guru Skip Simmons fields your questions on tube amp buying, restoration and repair. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde. Lees meer

Special thanks to our sponsors: Mono Cases and Grez Guitars.

Submit your guitar amp questions to Skip here: fretboardjournal@gmail.com or by leaving us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848.

Some of the topics discussed on this episode:

3:27 Skip's roll call of A/B box pre-orders
5:11 We discuss episode 12's Baffler, the 3 Channel Psychedelic Control Center
9:10 This episode's Baffler
11:44 An unlikely backup amp suggestion
14:30 This episode's sponsors: Grez Guitars and Mono Cases and TAVA t-shirts
17:00 Little Charlie's recipe for Spanish rice (yes, our first recipe)
18:22 More parenting tips
19:11 A preview of our next amp schematic 101
22:34 More Champ mod talk: One difference between Blackface and Silverface Fender Champs, the Hammond 290AX transformer
27:38 Gain stage basics: What makes an amp distort?
32:14 Bringing a Blackface Fender Tremolux with a solid state rectifier back to stock
37:21 A '60s Kay "Vanguard" 704
43:54 An amp motherlode in Lodi, California
45:35 A Princeton Reverb with a pilot light that is too bright
48:43 A Gibson GA-20 RVT found in a trash bin
54:28 Channel jumping and a vintage Airline Model 62-9013A
1:01:48 The pop you hear turning off your amp
1:07:03 A speaker dilemma on a 1962 Brownface Deluxe
1:09:28 Converting a PA head to a tube mic pre-amp
1:14:20 Turning an old tube radio into a guitar amp
1:18:18 Norwegian blues and Helge Tallqvist
1:19:11 This week's recommended music
1:20:49 High-powered tube amps and the Hiwatt 400 bass amp
1:25:32 Using a light bulb limiter instead of a variac
1:27:34 Speaker replacement on a Gibson GA-40
1:31:50 A tribute guitar repairman Glen Quan, inventor of the Badass bridge

Ep. 12: "Painting the Fence"

31 mei 2019 · 1 uur 39 min

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Twice a month, guitar amp guru Skip Simmons fields your questions on tube amp buying, restoration and repair. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde. Lees meer

Special thanks to our sponsors: Mono Cases and Grez Guitars.

Submit your guitar amp questions to Skip here: fretboardjournal@gmail.com or by leaving us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848.

Some of the topics discussed on this episode:

2:05 Skip works on a barn-find 1960 Fender Tweed Bassman

6:10 Parenting tips – get a riding lawn mower

7:50 Jason confesses to Skip that he got a Stew-Mac Champ kit; DIY amp tips

12:33 Skip's music picks

16:05 Building a tube stereo amp (Dynaco Stereo 70, for music playback) versus a guitar amp

19:39 A synth repairman gets a contact high thanks to LSD residue

20:33 Disgusting things found in old amplifiers

21:16 Last week's Baffler (a noisy Princeton Reverb, listen to episode 11) responses and answer

27:37 This week's Baffler (view the image on our new Instagram page): What is the thing used for?

28:45 A listener in a hurry fixes his Les Paul thanks to Skip's tube amp advice

30:34 Preserving (sloppy) originality on a CBS-era Fender or making it better than original

35:13 A non-reverb Silverface Fender Princeton with a weak vibrato

40:48 A reissue '63 Fender Vibroverb that needs more clean headroom

45:42 How do amp circuits get named?

47:40 Cleaning vintage pots

49:49: An '80s Tusc amp with EQ

51:06 What to do with a '70s Silverface Champ with no maintenance history

54:14 A '66 Ampeg Reverberocket with an unusual distortion sound

1:01:18 A '69 Fender Bassman with both fixed and cathode bias

1:05:20 Rebuilding an amp found in a Hammond M-3 organ and melted wax on power transformers

1:07:52 A glimpse at the Fender Musicmaster Bass amps

1:11:40 Differences between an amp schematic and layout

1:13:24 A bargain Ampeg cabinet with four Altec 417 speakers

1:15:28 Sleeper pedal steel amp recommendations

1:17:00 An '80s Mesa Boogie SOB amp with a red-platin…

Ep. 11: "Waiting For the Tater Tots"

17 mei 2019 · 1 uur 50 min

Afspelen

Twice a month, guitar amp guru Skip Simmons fields your questions on tube amp buying, restoration and repair. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde. This is our eleventh (and possibly most philosophical) episode to date. Lees meer

Submit your guitar amp questions to Skip here: fretboardjournal@gmail.com or by leaving us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848.

Some of the topics discussed on this episode:

4:00 The Fretboard Journal silverface Fender Champ mods (it's awesome, btw)

13:17 Skip's four amp switcher / mixer / pre-amp

19:48 Looking at the Fender 5F1 Champ schematic, part two

31:37 This podcast now has an Instagram page

32:30 The problem with Skip's Ep. 10 Baffler (on Fender tremolo circuits)

34:00 This week's Baffler: A recently-serviced Fender Princeton Reverb with noisy pots

37:08 The smell of vintage tube amps

40:42 Gibson Falcon mods

45:00 Skip's preferred NOS tubes

51:02 Loose tubes on a Gibson GA-6 Lancer

56:38 Thoughts on vintage Magnatones and the Magnatone pitch-shifting vibrato

1:02:36 A listener with a rare Hohner Contessa CA-300 amp asks for tips on keeping terminal strip/point-to-point wiring repair tidy

1:09:44 Why the 5E3 tweed Fender Deluxe is so loud, even with the volume turned down… plus the perils of replacing vintage pots

1:13:06 More Snufferstick talk and a Fender 6G15 reverb tank that hates high humidity

1:16:38 Tips on finding a good amp tech

1:26:45 A battery-powered(!) Gretsch Safari owned by a member of the Blue Man Group

1:29:15 Finding tube amp treasures through Ham radio enthusiasts

1:33:54 Sleuthing on the origin of a Venice-branded amplifier

1:36:06 A repaired 1966 Ampeg Reverberocket 2 with some quirks

1:43:18 A hissing 1967 Fender Vibrolux Reverb and a great Danny Gatton tale

Plus: Travis Wammack's "Scratchy;" a cardiologist chimes in; Skip's disappointing beer of choice; why you should befriend your dentist; the novels of Patrick O'Brien and much more.

This episode is sponsored by Grez Guitars and…

Ep. 10: "Would It Get You Out of the Army Early?"

1 mei 2019 · 1 uur 40 min

Afspelen

Twice a month, guitar amp guru Skip Simmons shares stories and answers your questions on tube amp buying, restoration and repair. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde. Lees meer

Submit your guitar amp questions to Skip here: fretboardjournal@gmail.com or by leaving us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848. The more questions we get, the more episodes we record.

Some of the topics discussed on this episode:

:22 Skip and Jason discuss possible Truth About Vintage Amps t-shirt designs (coming soon)

2:55 Jason and Skip discuss the Fretboard Journal (modified) Fender Champ

4:26 How to install a quarter-inch output into a Champ with an RCA speaker connector

6:02 Recommended solder

8:00 Our first sponsor - Grez Guitars! https://www.grezguitars.com

10:26 Our new Instagram page! https://www.instagram.com/vintageampspodcast/

10:54 This week's Baffler

12:08 A walk-through of the Fender Champ 5F1 schematic (available online, print it out)

21:10 Wall power fluctuations

26:38 Recommended tube amps for acoustic guitars

33:05 Father's Day and the Tweed Deluxe

36:05 BB King's Gibson Lab Series (solid state) amp

38:26 A yard-sale find pre-war Rickenbaker amp and a dim bulb current limiter

41:14 Stew-Mac's Snufferstick, Part One

44:00 Leaning a tube amp on its stand - good or bad?

46:30 A noisy Fender silverface Princeton

49:26 Boutique amps

51:54 Recommended new components

55:22 Snufferstick, Part Two

59:40 Capturing that Champ distortion with a louder amp (and a shoutout to Tim Foster)

1:03:26 Manitoba's Johnson Sound System amplifiers

1:06:30 Replacing old can power capacitors cleanly

1:15:15 Recommended bigger speakers / impedance for a Fender Champ

1:18:38 Converting an old Hammond AO-39 organ reverb amp to a guitar amp

1:27:15 A 1957 Fender 5F4 Super amp with an original selenium bias rectifier

1:35:13 Skip's record picks of the week

1:38:22 Best position for the three-way ground switch on a Fender

1:40:00 Skip has to return a weed eater

Want t…

Ep. 9 - "Up on Its Feet"

19 april 2019 · 1 uur 31 min

Afspelen

Twice a month, guitar amp guru Skip Simmons shares stories and answers your questions on tube amp buying, restoration and repair. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde. Lees meer

Submit your guitar amp questions to Skip here: fretboardjournal@gmail.com or by leaving us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848. The more questions we get, the more episodes we record.

Some of the topics discussed on this episode:

-Skip takes care of a baby goat
-Who was Ray Massie (the answer to this week's baffler)
-A Clavioline needs TLC
-Identifying a tube when you have no schematic
-The affect a speaker size has on even the smallest amps
-The Garnet Herzog mod
-The different tremolo circuit between a Blackface Deluxe Reverb and a Blackface Princeton Reverb
-Tube amp touring advice (including the often-asked, 'Which way do I lie my amp down in the van' question)
-Baffle board construction
-RAW switches
-Radio noise in a Fender reverb unit
-Removing tube covers
-A funky Gregory Mark XX
-Skip offers a music recommendation

and much more…

Want to advertise your brand on the TAVA podcast? Drop us a line at jason@fretboardjournal.com.

If you're enjoying this podcast, please leave us a review on iTunes and don't forget to share it with friends.

Ep. 8 - "Alcohol and what?"

9 april 2019 · 1 uur 47 min

Afspelen

Twice a month, guitar amp guru Skip Simmons shares stories and answers your questions on tube amp buying, restoration and repair. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde. Lees meer

Submit your guitar amp questions to Skip here: fretboardjournal@gmail.com or by leaving us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848. The more questions we get, the more episodes we record.

Some of the topics discussed on this episode:

-Skip replies to a critic of his WD-40 hack
-Jason's Gibson EH-150 amp needs help
-An answer to last week's Champ baffler
-Speaker re-coning recommendations
-A buggy reissue Gibson GA-20 prototype
-Recommendations for a baritone guitar player
-Protecting an amp from the elements in damp Southeast Texas
-Running a Traynor head on only one power tube
-Can you break an amp through loud playing/boost/effects?
-Making a reissue Blackface Deluxe Reverb sound vintage
-How to buy pre-amp tubes online
-Alternative chasis materials
-Fitting bigger speakers in a Champ cab
-Capturing the sound of Billy Childish (again)
-A '60s Gibson Skylark with numerous issues

and much more…

Want to advertise your brand on the TAVA podcast? Drop us a line at jason@fretboardjournal.com.

If you're enjoying this podcast, please leave us a review on iTunes and don't forget to share it with friends.

Ep. 7: "In French or English"

26 maart 2019 · 1 uur 36 min

Afspelen

Twice a month, guitar amp guru Skip Simmons shares stories and answers your questions on tube amp buying, restoration and repair. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde. Lees meer

Submit your guitar amp questions to Skip here: fretboardjournal@gmail.com or by leaving us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848. The more questions we get, the more episodes we record.

Some of the topics discussed on this episode:

-Dick Dale and the Fender Showman amp
-The differences between Fender Tweed, Brownface, Blackface and Silverface amps
-Noise floor: What's acceptable, what indicates an amp problem
-Broken tube pins
-Using amps in stereo (safely)
-Toroidal power transformers
-The "bright cap mod" on a Fender Deluxe Reverb
-Skip's mods to the Silverface Champ circuit
-Building your own kit amp
-Achieving the sound of Billy Childish without a Selmer Triumph Reverb
-Replacement bass amp speakers

and much more…

Want to advertise your brand on the TAVA podcast? Drop us a line at jason@fretboardjournal.com.

If you're enjoying this podcast, please leave us a review on iTunes and don't forget to share it with friends.

Ep. 6: "A Rustic Kegger Out in the Woods"

11 maart 2019 · 1 uur 40 min

Afspelen

Twice a month, guitar amp guru Skip Simmons shares stories and fields your questions on tube amp buying, restoration and repair. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde. Lees meer

Submit your guitar amp questions to Skip here: fretboardjournal@gmail.com or by leaving us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848. The more questions we get, the more episodes we record.

Some of the topics discussed on this episode:

-Modding a Silverface Fender Champ
-Speaker wiring harnesses
-Keeping seldom-used guitar amps in usable shape
-Groundbreaking amplifiers throughout history
-The standby switch (again!)
-Craigslist shopping tips
-Replacement fuses
-A 1948 Gibson BR6 with an unusual chasis mount
-The explosive proliferation of pedals
-Wet/dry rigs and recommendations for an A/B box
-Tips on buying NOS vacuum tubes
-Discovering a Coastwise Electronics Model 310 amplifier
-Replacement tubes for a hand-wired Vox AC30
-Buying a transformer for a 5E3 Tweed Deluxe amp kit

and much more…

Want to advertise your brand on the TAVA podcast? Drop us a line at jason@fretboardjournal.com.

If you're enjoying this podcast, please leave us a review on iTunes and don't forget to share it with friends.

Ep. 5: "You're a Maintenance Man"

20 februari 2019 · 1 uur 9 min

Afspelen

Submit your guitar amp questions to amp repair guru Skip Simmons here: fretboardjournal@gmail.com or by leaving us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848. The more questions we get, the more episodes we record. Lees meer

Twice a month, guitar amp repairman and former drawbridge operator Skip Simmons fields your questions on tube amp buying, repair and maintenance. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde.

Some of the topics discussed on this episode:

-Spring Reverb, 101: How does it work, how to fix it
-Grounding tips
-Skip's recommended multimeters and soldering irons
-Using vintage US-made amps overseas
-Making a 1968 Fender Super Reverb a little less loud
-Breaking in a new speaker
-Gigging with a '58 Fender Vibrolux
-Octal tubes
-Skip's thoughts on DIY amp kits

and much more...

Want to advertise your brand on the TAVA podcast? Drop us a line at jason@fretboardjournal.com.

http://www.skipsimmonsamps.com

https://www.fretboardjournal.com

Ep. 4: "Smoked Paprika"

8 februari 2019 · 1 uur 13 min

Afspelen

Submit your guitar amp questions to Skip Simmons here: fretboardjournal@gmail.com or by leaving us a voicemail at 509-557-0848. The more questions we get, the more episodes we record. Lees meer

Twice a month, guitar amp guru and former drawbridge operator Skip Simmons fields your questions on tube amp buying, repair and maintenance. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde.

Topics discussed on this episode:

-Different aftermarket speaker options for a Fender Champ
-The dangers of working on vintage amplifiers
-What to look for when shopping for a vintage guitar amp
-A perplexing 2000-era Gibson amplifier
-Output transformers in a Silverton 1481
-Carbon comp resistors versus metal film
-The value of an DIY amp kit
-Using a Knight (or Bogen) vocal PA head as a guitar amp

And much more.

Want to advertise your brand on the TAVA podcast? Drop us a line at jason@fretboardjournal.com.

http://www.skipsimmonsamps.com

https://www.fretboardjournal.com

Ep. 3: "Make Me Some Bread"

22 januari 2019 · 1 uur 25 min

Afspelen

Submit your questions for vintage amp repair expert Skip Simmons here: fretboardjournal@gmail.com Lees meer

Twice a month, guitar amp guru and former drawbridge operator Skip Simmons fields your questions on tube amp buying, repair and maintenance. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde.

Topics discussed on this episode:

-The death of guitar shows
-The Truth About Vintage Amps rant on Skip's website
-Why you may not need a three-prong plug on your amp
-The "death cap" and the magic behind certain capacitors
-Non-MASCO P/A heads as guitar amps
-Inheriting and maintaining a '65 Super Reverb
-Amp biasing
-Learning how to read a schematic

and much more.

http://www.skipsimmonsamps.com

https://www.fretboardjournal.com

Ep. 2: "Don't buy that thing"

8 januari 2019 · 1 uur 40 min

Afspelen

The Fretboard Journal magazine presents The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons. Lees meer

Submit your questions to Skip here: fretboardjournal@gmail.com

Every month, guitar amp guru and former drawbridge operator Skip Simmons shares stories and fields your questions on tube amp buying, restoration and repair. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde.

Topics discussed on this episode:
-The long-term storage of tube amps
-The magic behind Standel amps
-Calculating the exact wattage of an amp
-Good goos (and how to fix a torn speaker)
-Paul Rivera-era Fenders
-The Kalamazoo Model 2
-The modern tube marketplace
-Simple tube amp maintenance anyone can do
-The limits of safely mismatching speakers to a stated amp load

and much more…

http://www.skipsimmonsamps.com

https://www.fretboardjournal.com

Ep. 1: "People Did Stuff"

1 december 2018 · 1 uur 19 min

Afspelen

The Fretboard Journal magazine presents The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons! Lees meer

Submit your questions to Skip here: fretboardjournal@gmail.com

Every month, guitar amp guru Skip Simmons shares stories and fields your questions on tube amp buying, restoration and repair. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde.

Topics discussed on this episode:
-Repairing amps on a drawbridge
-60hz/50hz hum
-Troubleshooting amps
-Yellowjacket YJR/solid-state rectifiers in a tube amp
-Recommended new vacuum tubes for amps
-The magic behind Alexander Dumble
-Skip's influences (Les Paul, Jack Darr, Steve Melkisethian/ Angela Instruments, Earl Yarrow)

and much more…

http://www.skipsimmonsamps.com

https://www.fretboardjournal.com

Introduction

12 november 2018 · 1 min

Afspelen

Once a month, amp repair guru Skip Simmons and Fretboard Journal publisher Jason Verlinde will field your questions about vintage guitar amps. Whether you're looking for your next purchase or just want to get your old tweed Fender Deluxe working again, this show is for you. Lees meer

To submit a question, just email us at fretboardjournal@gmail.com.

Our first episode debuts in early December 2018.