Looking to build my first Amp. Need some advice

[Jackstraw89]

Hey all

So I’m looking to build my first amp. I’ve personally have always wanted a Steel String Singer clone, and was wondering weather I should start with something simpler and work my way up, or just go for it and try and build the singer?

I do plan on doing my research on amp building and making sure I know what I’m doing. I also have friends who know a lot about the way tube amps work, and I have a bit of an idea how they work and I do know how to solder

[Littlewyan]

That's a pretty complex amplifier to begin with. It all depends on your experience with electronics in general. I built my first valve amp from a kit, but it all depends on what you'd be happy with.

[ChopSauce]

Yes, it looks like you can hardly start with something more complex than this amp.

Anyway, it looks like some people here achieved very complex builds without prior experience, which confirms my opinion that you should be able do achieve what you do feel like you can. It does depend on your self-confidence, of course, but also on time and money, both latter which tend to be largely under-estimated by newcomers...

That could be a wonderfull experience, though...

[norburybrook]

I could solder, but had very basic electronics knowledge. I worked up to my dream amp The Dumble ODS in 3 steps.

1: ampbuilder 5wSE kit. a great little 5w amp in the end.

2: Marshall JTM45, again a great amp.

3: #102 ODS

not one of these amps worked fully on first power up. I learned more from trouble shooting this than if they'd have worked first time.

main thing is to be safe, and methodical .

A SSS is a very complex build, and an expensive one just for parts too.


M

[Phil_S]

Not everyone seems to agree on where to start.

Everyone seems to agree that amp building is addictive.

The means, no matter where you start out, you'll be building a minimum of 3 amps and quite possibly 10 or 12. The point is, think of your starter amp as something that will lead you to the SSS. You'll still like and use that 1W-5W amp at home and in low volume situations.

I realize that 10-12 amps may be hard to believe. Just ask the amateurs here at TAG how many amps they have built. i think up up to about a dozen. I stopped counting. I haven't built anything in the last few years. I'm working on building cabs for them. The woodworking is slow going.

I suggest it is best to start off with something that is easier. My reasoning is that you learn things that aren't easily conveyed by means other than personal experience. After a while, you'll get better at soldering, especially in tricky or tight locations. You'll get better at lead dress -- the art of making wires stay where you want them instead of where they want to go. You'll get a general understanding of what's right and wrong -- a sort of sixth sense. Success begets more success. I feel like most people will be more successful on a simpler, easier project.

[pompeiisneaks]

Love the replies so far. I'm not going to give more of the same, instead I want to basically put my thoughts on this:

If you're the type that is extremely fastidious and careful with everything, and take a careful thought out long time to complete projects and they often come out better than you expected, go ahead and start with a SSS.
If you're the type that tends to mess up a lot at first, or rush things a bit, I'd go for the easier start like a simple champ, or the like.

Only you know you.

Know that the amp will likely end up working, but may not be as good as it could be if you haven't made mistakes on easier amps first... most people do.

I've seen some first try amps by people that built something super complex and it looked amazing, and sounded great. I think, though, that they likely had electronics and fabrication experience beforehand

I've seen my first few tries and they were horrible, ugly, bad, sounded bad, tons of dry solder connections etc.
I still on my last (10th) amp had problems I had to rework/fix due to a couple minor problems.

But man I love building amps. Agree 100% they're addictive.

Good luck and have fun!

~Phil

[Andy Le Blanc]

I had a couple fender champs to scab around with before I started to fabricate rigs at home.
I was out and about to jams and open mikes and had the perfect test conditions to keep going after it.

Any little SE kit is convenient as hell. When I got going on it I had to accumulate a bone pile old tube stuff (junk) for the parts, and had at it from scratch,
better than scab-in out vintage pieces. I was jazzed just to have an OK meter, and was wet to the knees for my first Oscope.

I started before the inter web and had to beg bum borrow scrape scrounge and steal the parts, the tools, and even the basic informational resources.
Very few at the time actually went ahead and built their own. Even sourcing a kit was not really an option.

Keep it simple to start, and don't be afraid of frigging it up, that's how you learn.

Eventually you form a solid conception of the circuits, construction and testing, that ensures a positive outcome.
A simple SE kit can get you there with much less of all the riggamaroll.

[Jestr503]

Your experience may dictate how big that first bite is. I can tell you what I have done. To start I have quite a lot of electronic experience: 20+ years of projects and two engineering degrees as well as time as a technician. Given all that I started with a fender Champ from from a Mojotone schematic and most of the parts ordered from them. It's the most basic, simple amp I could find that would introduce me to the world of tubes because I knew nothing about their operation and design principles. I did not learn too much with that project but ended up with a wonderful sounding AMP and a basic introduction to vintage amp construction. The next was a jcm800 KIT, yes a kit. I learned quite a bit from that build. It gave me the confidence to build a trainwreck express using the very detailed and excellent instructions found on this very site. I then started digging into some of the tube theory books and have a funcional knowledge of this trade now, like a third year apprentice. My comfort level using tools, soldering etc was way better than the average builder starting out but I always find it useful to start at the very basics. Most of us are not coming up with legendary, ground breaking new designs. We are feeding a hobby that is more of a specialized art form than it is a technical skill. Start slow, take advice from experienced builders, look at people's projects and decide where you feel comfortable starting.

[AustinKid8675309]

First you need to learn about tube amps. They come in different stages. I'd recommend going to YouTube and watching one of my favorite amp tech's. He's an old guy living outside El Paso, Tx. The reason I like him so much is he reminds me of an old lawyer I met years ago that really helped me get through an ugly divorce. Look up Uncle Doug. He works on really old tube amps dating from the 40's right on up to the later model amps. He's got a dog and a cat he talks to and this makes the vids entertaining. He uses equipment to make working on amps safer and is constantly reminding you to not put both hands into your amp. (Voltage through your heart successfully stops it) You have to learn all this bleeding down your high voltage electrolytic capacitors to prevent them from killing you EVERY TIME you've plugged it in and let them charge up. They hold voltage for quite some time. This high voltage has killed quite a few people. So now you know building and repairing tube amps is serious business. He also builds a lot of amp accessories equipment you'd normally never be aware of. To do what you're planning on doing you first have to figure out which amp you're looking to build and search for a chassis. If you can find one along with a faceplate you've won 1/3rd the battle already. Finding correct transformers, tube sockets for the tubes and a lot of the older amp's tubes are getting extremely hard to find. You might fair better first building an amp that has chassis, face plates, tube sockets, transformers, & easier tubes that are more affordable. Plan to spend the time needed to educate yourself first to where you can work safely. No one needs to die building something that can bring you great accomplishment in the fact that you built it yourself. YouTube has a few really smart Electronic guys on there. Just weed through them and it won't take you long to realize who the good ones are. Good Luck

[Guy77]

"bleeding down your high voltage electrolytic capacitors to prevent them from killing you EVERY TIME you've plugged it in and let them charge up. They hold voltage for quite some time. This high voltage has killed quite a few people. So now you know building and repairing tube amps is serious business."

This is really important advice. I was working on an amp last week and I had powered it down about 15 min prior and while reaching for something my hand brushed against the standby switch and I got hit with 320 volts och!!!!!!!!!!!!!

At first everything was fine probably because of the adrenal I released, then a few minutes later my heart felt like it had 2 gallons of caffeine pored through it! All was fine by the evening.