Guitar with built in amp and speaker

Llama16 · 20th November 2011, 08:25 PM

Hello everyone,

It's late so I'll keep it short. The DIY bug is coming back and I was wondering if I could build a an amp that would fit into an old guitar (saw out an extra hole) and fit in a speaker as well.

I know it's a terrible idea and it'll sound like hell, but I'm making this just as a novelty no matter how poor the quality. I'd like to learn more about amps and try and make them go at low voltages (12v?)

I could use some pushes in the right direction though as I'm unfamiliar with designing my own schematic.

I've built a few headphone amps (followed others schematics), speakers,... currently I'm in my second yearl engineering in college and I just chose to major in electronics, alas specific courses only begin next semester so my knowledge is quite small.

I know my wa around the basic stuff, but I'm way to underqualified to make my own schematics that are more complicated than a cmoy.

Any help would be very much appreciated

Dries

DF96 · 20th November 2011, 08:54 PM

I'm no guitarist, but I suspect feedback could be a problem if the speaker is mounted inside the guitar! (That is an example of the sort of understatement which English physicists love to make).

Llama16 · 20th November 2011, 09:05 PM

Feedback..hmm that could be a problem but I'm not sure. If I'm correct feedback happens when the signal from a speaker reaches the microphone and amplifies itself again and again and again...

But in this case the sound from the speakers need to vibrate the strings to get back into the input or the speakermagnet could interfere with pickups from the guitar.

I've tried to google it and see what pops up but maybe someone else can help with this?

HollowState · 20th November 2011, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Llama16

The DIY bug is coming back and I was wondering if I could build a an amp that would fit into an old guitar (saw out an extra hole) and fit in a speaker as well.

This is not a new idea, in fact it's already been done several times. But probably not with tubes, only SS. You can find them on eBay. They even have amplifiers in guitar carry bags or cases.

razorrick1293 · 20th November 2011, 10:21 PM

i believe marshall once tried this,

GloBug · 20th November 2011, 11:22 PM

Well the hardest part would be getting a power transformer in there. Its doable.

I know that you could use 50EH5, but don't unless you have an isolation transformer.

Build something along the lines of a Fender Champ. If you rectify with SS it only has two tubes.

Printer2 · 21st November 2011, 12:32 AM

Might make more sense to go battery powered solid state.

GloBug · 21st November 2011, 01:22 AM

If you SS, just hack something apart for it's chipamp or opamps, then google the datasheet. Some of the datasheets have simple schematics in them. You can even "stack" the opamps.

Distortion can be simulated by using a pair of diodes. This will clip the signal when it diodes start to conduct. One diode is "reversed from the other", to clip either end of the AC signal. Were it's placed in the circuit will be depend on what you pick (ie: feedback loop etc)

Modern silicon diodes clip (distort) at the highest voltage (out of common diodes) and clip hard. More suited for heavier sound.
Germanium diodes, the little glass ones you used to see will clip a little sooner and softer resembling a tube amp.

That's if you even want distortion. That's how "real" SS amps distort, so your project will sound surprisingly good, for a SS amp that is.

Have fun.
AL

thefragger · 21st November 2011, 02:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HollowState

This is not a new idea, in fact it's already been done several times. But probably not with tubes, only SS. You can find them on eBay. They even have amplifiers in guitar carry bags or cases.

Silvertone had a tube amp built into a guitar case back in the '60s

HollowState · 21st November 2011, 02:40 AM

Hey that's neat. I've never seen that one before, and it's tubes. I like it.

20th November 2011, 08:25 PM	#1
Llama16 diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2009	Guitar with built in amp and speaker Hello everyone, It's late so I'll keep it short. The DIY bug is coming back and I was wondering if I could build a an amp that would fit into an old guitar (saw out an extra hole) and fit in a speaker as well. I know it's a terrible idea and it'll sound like hell, but I'm making this just as a novelty no matter how poor the quality. I'd like to learn more about amps and try and make them go at low voltages (12v?) I could use some pushes in the right direction though as I'm unfamiliar with designing my own schematic. I've built a few headphone amps (followed others schematics), speakers,... currently I'm in my second yearl engineering in college and I just chose to major in electronics, alas specific courses only begin next semester so my knowledge is quite small. I know my wa around the basic stuff, but I'm way to underqualified to make my own schematics that are more complicated than a cmoy. Any help would be very much appreciated Dries

21st November 2011, 02:40 AM	#10
HollowState diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Taxland, New Jersey	Hey that's neat. I've never seen that one before, and it's tubes. I like it. __________________ "The supercomputer is technologically impossible. It would take all of the water that flows over Niagara Falls to cool the heat generated by the number of vacuum tubes required." ~ Professor of Electrical Engineering, New York University

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20th November 2011, 08:54 PM	#2
DF96 diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2007	I'm no guitarist, but I suspect feedback could be a problem if the speaker is mounted inside the guitar! (That is an example of the sort of understatement which English physicists love to make).

20th November 2011, 09:05 PM	#3
Llama16 diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2009	Feedback..hmm that could be a problem but I'm not sure. If I'm correct feedback happens when the signal from a speaker reaches the microphone and amplifies itself again and again and again... But in this case the sound from the speakers need to vibrate the strings to get back into the input or the speakermagnet could interfere with pickups from the guitar. I've tried to google it and see what pops up but maybe someone else can help with this?

20th November 2011, 10:21 PM	#5
razorrick1293 diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: England Hertfordshire	i believe marshall once tried this,

20th November 2011, 11:22 PM	#6
GloBug Banned Join Date: Jun 2011	Well the hardest part would be getting a power transformer in there. Its doable. I know that you could use 50EH5, but don't unless you have an isolation transformer. Build something along the lines of a Fender Champ. If you rectify with SS it only has two tubes.

21st November 2011, 12:32 AM	#7
Printer2 diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2010	Might make more sense to go battery powered solid state.

21st November 2011, 01:22 AM	#8
GloBug Banned Join Date: Jun 2011	If you SS, just hack something apart for it's chipamp or opamps, then google the datasheet. Some of the datasheets have simple schematics in them. You can even "stack" the opamps. Distortion can be simulated by using a pair of diodes. This will clip the signal when it diodes start to conduct. One diode is "reversed from the other", to clip either end of the AC signal. Were it's placed in the circuit will be depend on what you pick (ie: feedback loop etc) Modern silicon diodes clip (distort) at the highest voltage (out of common diodes) and clip hard. More suited for heavier sound. Germanium diodes, the little glass ones you used to see will clip a little sooner and softer resembling a tube amp. That's if you even want distortion. That's how "real" SS amps distort, so your project will sound surprisingly good, for a SS amp that is. Have fun. AL

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