Paint by Numbers....NOT!

[Big Jim]

I've been building for a couple of years now off and on. I have absolutely no formal training in electronics. I feel like I build good amps and I have read a couple of entry level books on schematics. I can also honestly say that I have never built an amp without studying the schematic prior to the build. I know what the symbols are, and I can recognize the power supply vs the signal path. I just want to learn this stuff faster. If I could take a course at the local college, I would have done so a long time ago. Am I wrong? do these courses exist? Lately I have been taking schematics of amps that I am familiar with, and studying them to search out the different sections and components. This seems like a logical way to "reverse" learn circuits and schematics. I would like to learn to read and comprehend schematics to a greater level. Any suggestions? I don't want to be "that guy". You know, the "paint by numbers guy".
Jim

[Cliff Schecht]

There are lots of great resources online now, as well as great books both new and old which can help you on your way. I find that the older the book is, the more in-depth the analysis is which can be a big help in figuring out little details that newer books already assume you know. There are also some newer texts that I haven't read but others hold in high regard, hopefully some of the readers of these books chime in. How much you learn will be hindered only by your thirst for knowledge. I think Confucius said that.

With that said, to really become an expert you need to understand not just the tube circuits but a lot of general electronics theory as well (feedback theory, KVL/KCL, time and frequency domain analysis, filter theory, impedance matching/bridging, understanding bias, etc..). There is a LOT to know and all of this information takes time to absorb so be patient and don't be afraid to ask a lot of questions (no question is dumb). You have the advantage of a relatively large community of experts on the topic you are interested in learning who love to discuss and explain anything tube/electronics related. If we say a statement that you don't understand, put it in quotes and ask us to explain ourselves. BTW this is where you find out of people know what they are talking about or talking out of their ass .

[diagrammatiks]

the pentode press, merlin, and morgan jones books are a good place to start.

there's a lot too know but there's also a lot you don't need to know and those books do a good of focussing on the guitar amp related aspects.

once you know what everything does schematics aren't really necessary.

[RJ Guitars]

I read Gerald Webers book first... I learned a ton. I know he is not the final word but he did bring stuff to me at a level I could learn from him. I've read a bunch of other amp books since then and now keep a copy of Merlins book around just to keep myself humble. After I read each section a dozen times I pick up a little more of what he's teaching. I have also come to recognize that there were some pretty sharp cookies back in the 40's and 50's despite the fact that electronics have come a long ways since then. Some of the old tube tech articles are really well done.

rj

[amplifiednation]

I read Gerald Webers book first... I learned a ton. I know he is not the final word but he did bring stuff to me at a level I could learn from him. I've read a bunch of other amp books since then and now keep a copy of Merlins book around just to keep myself humble. After I read each section a dozen times I pick up a little more of what he's teaching. I have also come to recognize that there were some pretty sharp cookies back in the 40's and 50's despite the fact that electronics have come a long ways since then. Some of the old tube tech articles are really well done.

rj

I read Webers books too and learned a lot. He loves to plug Kendrick! Dave Hunter has a good book too and there are good links in the sticky thread in the garage of TAG. I actually reread the Weber books this year and they made sdo much more sense after some building experience

[Gibsonman63]

I studied electronics 25 years ago, but never held a position where I used very much of it. About 4 years ago, I decided that my amps were not going to fix themselves, so I started trying to relearn a lot of the stuff I forgot. Knowing what I know now, I would have better questions and would be much more focused on my research if I were to take the classes again, but there is much of it that is pretty far removed from what you need to know to build/design a good tube amp.

I started with the Weber books as well. He is well advertised and speaks highly of himself. I had to stick tape flags everywhere in my books because they are not very organized and I always have trouble finding the passage I need when I get around to working on something. I got some good information from them and the confidence to dig into my amps and get them all working again.

I read Merlin's books. A lot of it is over my head, but I seem to gleen a little more from them each time I go back.

Dave Funk's book was surprisingly good, in my opinion. Not nearly as technical as Merlin Blencowe or Randall Aiken, but he has a good way of presenting concepts in a way I could visualize them. Plus if you are a Fender guy, he has a lot of good information about the various Fender amps that I have not seen elsewhere.

Aspen Pitman's book was actually my first, but it is more of a collection of stuff rather than a book. There are few pages in there from Ken Fischer.

[ampmike]

Im right there with you Jim,or probably a bit behind you.Ive been feeling the same way lately,I wish rj,or Fowler lived near just to hang with.I cant read schematics,and I do have a few books.There were a few electronic courses here in PA.When Im down on this I just think 2 years ago the inside of an amp was mind boggling.So, keep in mind how far you have come in the past few years!! Great thread,This is the best site and filled with the nicest guys!Mikey

[T Wilcox]

This thread has some useful info and links.

https://tubeamparchive.com/viewtopic.php?t=9023

The boozhound link is a good one!

Todd

[thejaf]

I audited an entry level electronics course at my local community college about 12 years ago, and that was a great way to get my feet wet and have a textbook to refer back to for the basics.

[Big Jim]

Thanks guys! Sorry for the late response back. I appreciate all the responses and advice. I actually have read one of Gerald Webers books, as well as Dave Hunters book. Both were very good reads. Can you say Kendrick amps? I will dig around for the other publications that were mentioned, and get some of that stuff read. Like Mikey said, it's only been two years. I just want to be able to contribute to, and benefit from, some of the in depth dialogue on this site. Its sinking in, I just want it to sink in faster....By the way Mikey, hows that Rocket coming along?

[NickC]

From my bookshelf (in no particular order):

Mullard Tube Circuits for Audio Amplifiers ISBN 1-882580-03-6

Inside The Vacuum Tube - John Rider (1947)

The Tube Amp 4.1th Edition - Aspen Pittman

Desktop Reference of Hip Guitar Amps - Gerald Weber ISBN 0-9641060-0-0

Guitar Amplifier Power Amps - Richard Kuehnel ISBN 9780976982241

Guitar Amplifier Preamps - Richard Kuehnel ISBN 9780976982265

Designing Tube Preamps For Guitar and Bass - Merlin Blencowe ISBN 978-0-9561545-0-7

Designing Power Supplies for Tube Amplifiers - Merlin Blencowe ISBN 978-0-9561545-1-4

The Ultimate Tone - Kevin O'Connor ISBN 0-9698608-0-3

The Ultimate Tone Volume 3 - Kevin O'Connor ISBN 0-9698608-8-9

How To Service Your Own Tube Amp - Tom Mitchell ISBN 0-9628170-0-7

[buildafriend]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSdHf6yozyc

this might make you laugh a little bit, but you should watch it. Learn transistor charts and biasing.

Learn about rectification, smoothing capacitors, pull down resistors, coupling caps, emitter bypass caps, swamping caps, darlington pairs, impedence matching, how to get impedences on your input, ohms law, faradays laws, electromagnets, inductors, phase, velocity, inductive and capacitive reactance, clamping, diode types, regulators, voltage dividers, series vs parallel equations...

what in that sounds strange to you? I can help. Ive never designed but I will soon. yes technology courses are exactly what you want.

also, check out the all about circuits forums.

[rdjones]

I'll make my usual reference to the RCA Radiotron Designer's Handbook.
It makes some assumptions as to the reader's level of understanding, but is the Genesis of all we know about tube circuits and a great reference.

A great non-guitar beginner's book might be the Radio Amateur's Handbook.
Published every year or so since the '20s, it makes no assumptions and starts at the begining, progressing through AC and DC circuits up to complete working projects.
The older the better, since the early ham projects were all tube.

It really helps to have some formal classroom for the basics and you'll see very quickly how important the math is.
Go for Electronics 101, AC/DC circuits, and the associated applied math courses if you want to get up to speed right away.
Then you can dig into the tube guitar amp books in more meaningful way.

rd

[RJ Guitars]

This thread has some useful info and links.

https://tubeamparchive.com/viewtopic.php?t=9023

The boozhound link is a good one!

Todd

Jason at Boozhound labs was one of my tube amp mentors... he is a bright guy and loves to teach as much as he loves to learn. Anytime I get stuck on something I go visit and he has always been able to sort this stuff out.

rj

[Big Jim]

This thread is proof that this forum's members are willing to help anyone thats willing to help themself. I wish I had got into this years ago. My uncle was a TV and electronics repairman that eventually was hired by GE for work in aerospace electronics, and then worked for Honeywell until retirement. Something tells me he would have been a wealth of knowlege (and maybe tubes). Sadly, I started building after his decline in years. I'm sure he would have enjoyed teaching me.
Jim