jjasniew, I wouldn't kill hours searching the Internet for ANY info. That's why I asked for schematic advice here, to save time. I probably don't have your level of talent for looking at ANY circuit but the simplest and drawing schematics. THAT would take ME too much time. Plus, any schematics I DO find, I print off for future reference and I have an ever increasing library of them. I have more guitar amp schematics than Aspen Pittman now, but as I said I am new to tube Hi-Fi equipment. I just bought my first old amp of that type a week ago. It is a Don McGohan amp and quite different to me. I will probably HAVE to go it alone on that one because nobody seems to know squat about them including Radiomuseum and Antique Radio Supply. One would think that a company that sold equipment for over 40 years would leave more than a trace. Maybe it's my background, but I just like schematics. I envy the guys who just tear in, scribble a few notes, and start soldering shiny joints but it comes harder for me. The soldering came easy and I qualified first try to get my first job, but the tech work came harder and when in un familiar territory, still does. Right now, I am studying the power scaling circuitry patented by Kevin O'Connor of London Power, Ontario, Canada. THAT is coming REAL hard, but it will be a part of at least some of the amps that I will offer in the near future, and I wouldn't touch that stuff WITHOUT a schematic to get me started.
What you could also try, is https://www.nvhr.nl/ even though it is in Dutch. The schematics are pretty international anyway.
Click on "Schema's" in the menu on the left, then under "NVHR Schemateek" type in the brand, type number and manufacturer (or at least some of that information) and click on "Zoeken".
Click on "Schema's" in the menu on the left, then under "NVHR Schemateek" type in the brand, type number and manufacturer (or at least some of that information) and click on "Zoeken".
One site with good information is merlin blencowe How to build guitar amplifiers
He also have some modules for sale useful for incorporation in your own build
He also have some modules for sale useful for incorporation in your own build
Yes, there is a common ancestor of HiFi / Sound Reinforcement and musical instruments, both amplifiers and speakers. Early gear, Gibson, Fender, even Marshall, were intended to be, as faithful as possible, simply reproducers of existing acoustic instruments. Musicians quickly learned how to incorporate them as parts of their 'instrument', and history.
Current religion in America is a combination of reverence for instruments of the just-pre-rockabilly era and/or reverence for amplifiers played by somebody famous. I want to sound like Jimi. It's tough to break into an established cult, but maybe reliability, adaptability, some chutzpah, some flare - it could be done. Be true to yourself and you'll be happy.
All good fortune,
Chris
As learning and inspiration, I liked to visit a site called something like "100 tube amplifiers", with schematics and some comments, but I can't seem to find the site anymore. Anyone knows it? Could be interesting for dimwatt as well.
That was Kurt Lilienthal's site and it has sadly disappeared. You can find bits and pieces of it if you google "lilienthal 100 amplifiers."
Here is a link to that from the Wayback machine ... lilienthal engineering
This is my go to site - Patrick Turner
Couple of remarks:
This is my go to site - Patrick Turner
Couple of remarks:
- What do you need with these schematics? Usually here people have a plan what they want at the end, and they need help to get there. The requirement might be 70W clean sound, or 1.5W spud amp, or even 'I have these parts, what can I do with them?'.
As you can tell from the plethora of replies, asking for sources of schematics is like asking how long is a piece of string. - I do not normally comment on the way posts are written, but I think it could be an idea not to use block capitals in posts like you did in the first one. There is something called netiquette, and capitals are used for SHOUTING, and written conversations can be a bit of a minefield anyway with mixed interpretations.
I see occasional security warnings on my site - no reason for it - I need to check with the host to see what's happening.
I believe I have the schematic for the H-K PC-200, but haven't scanned it yet. Let me know if you haven't found it.
Another one to checkout is Hifiengine. Especially if you're into restoring vintage equipment. It is a huge database of schematics and service manuals.
Oh Boy(netiquette applied)! I must say that I never expected to get such a response by asking for ideas to resolve my problem. I want to thank, if it is proper in one post : MarceludG, rfbrw, huggygood, petertub, Chris Hornbeck, Erikdebest, grovergardner, and OldHector for your kind input. Where I got only derisive comments at that other forum I mentioned previously, Here I got more help than I can even check out in one day. Thanks so much guys. Even if I don't get any good results with the many ideas, it makes my day that there are people who try to be of help here. It makes one feel a part of a community. I will definitely get around to All of these places suggested.
Chris Hornbeck. You make a couple of good points that I will comment on. I agree with your assessment of the "amplifier situation" that is quite evident today. My philosophy on the work that I am attempting to employ in my work is to get the equipment that I buy and modify to sound the way that I like it to sound. I make no bones about that. I am primarily a blues/blues rock player and have been right from the beginning. When everybody in my high school was listening to the Eagles, the Raspberries, and Neil Diamond, or Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, and Buck Owens, I was listening to Muddy Wolf, Otis Rush, and the Yardbirds. I found myself drawn to the overdriven tube amp sound that came from amps that ranged from old beat up Supros to the early Fenders and Marshalls. Now that's a wide range in amp circuitsif you look at it one way, but one can also point to a lot of similarities. After playing for many years I have realized that perhaps the biggest similarity in those circuits is the talent that drives them. That may be immediately obvious to many, but it took me quit awhile to get it through my head that there was No magic bullet when it came to getting an amp to deliver what I wanted. However, that does Not mean that I cannot make the attempt to build amplifiers that make that Timbre more easily attainable. It also does not mean that in that attempt, I cannot also try to make a circuit that will also play clean enough to satisfy the average country or pop artist. There will never be an amp that satisfies everybody, but if it satisfies Me it will be a goal attained because it will satisfy many that I now play with and many I Have played with. I get a lot of support in what I do from that crowd. I have no desire to build Jimi's kind of amp or SRV's kind of amp. When you check into what most of the famous players played, you most often find out that they were never satisfied with one set up anyway and their rig was a never ending evolution anyway. If I had to narrow things down, I usually find that nobody knows exactly what was used or done anyway. Who knows what Chuck Berry played on Maybelline or Otis Rush on So Many Roads? I doubt that They could tell you.
People even tell me that they don't like the sound of an EL84 or that a 6L6 sounds better than an EL34. I think to myself...whatever floats your boat. I do not get into arguments about what sounds best nor am I trying to please anybody but myself with what I do. I hope to break even money wise and have a good time experimenting. As far as why I want schematics anyway, well, I like schematics and for me that's enough. It doesn't mean anything to me that someone can draw their own, or don't need one to get the job done. That's great if you can but I am not easily impressed, and I don't care if I impress anyone. I am not afraid to admit that I don't know the half of vacuum tube technology and never will. I just do what I do and try to soak up what I can. A forum to me is not so much about filling my time as it is a place to learn from others in an atmosphere that I have a little control over, and a nice way to do it with the emphasis on nice. If I want the type of turmoil that I found on the first forum I joined, I will call my ex. Sorry to go on so but I felt a need to do some explanation of my motive for being here, but the main thing I will always try to be here, is thankful for the help nI receive. Thanks again to everybody who has replied to my first post, I am sure it won't be my last.
Chris Hornbeck. You make a couple of good points that I will comment on. I agree with your assessment of the "amplifier situation" that is quite evident today. My philosophy on the work that I am attempting to employ in my work is to get the equipment that I buy and modify to sound the way that I like it to sound. I make no bones about that. I am primarily a blues/blues rock player and have been right from the beginning. When everybody in my high school was listening to the Eagles, the Raspberries, and Neil Diamond, or Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, and Buck Owens, I was listening to Muddy Wolf, Otis Rush, and the Yardbirds. I found myself drawn to the overdriven tube amp sound that came from amps that ranged from old beat up Supros to the early Fenders and Marshalls. Now that's a wide range in amp circuitsif you look at it one way, but one can also point to a lot of similarities. After playing for many years I have realized that perhaps the biggest similarity in those circuits is the talent that drives them. That may be immediately obvious to many, but it took me quit awhile to get it through my head that there was No magic bullet when it came to getting an amp to deliver what I wanted. However, that does Not mean that I cannot make the attempt to build amplifiers that make that Timbre more easily attainable. It also does not mean that in that attempt, I cannot also try to make a circuit that will also play clean enough to satisfy the average country or pop artist. There will never be an amp that satisfies everybody, but if it satisfies Me it will be a goal attained because it will satisfy many that I now play with and many I Have played with. I get a lot of support in what I do from that crowd. I have no desire to build Jimi's kind of amp or SRV's kind of amp. When you check into what most of the famous players played, you most often find out that they were never satisfied with one set up anyway and their rig was a never ending evolution anyway. If I had to narrow things down, I usually find that nobody knows exactly what was used or done anyway. Who knows what Chuck Berry played on Maybelline or Otis Rush on So Many Roads? I doubt that They could tell you.
People even tell me that they don't like the sound of an EL84 or that a 6L6 sounds better than an EL34. I think to myself...whatever floats your boat. I do not get into arguments about what sounds best nor am I trying to please anybody but myself with what I do. I hope to break even money wise and have a good time experimenting. As far as why I want schematics anyway, well, I like schematics and for me that's enough. It doesn't mean anything to me that someone can draw their own, or don't need one to get the job done. That's great if you can but I am not easily impressed, and I don't care if I impress anyone. I am not afraid to admit that I don't know the half of vacuum tube technology and never will. I just do what I do and try to soak up what I can. A forum to me is not so much about filling my time as it is a place to learn from others in an atmosphere that I have a little control over, and a nice way to do it with the emphasis on nice. If I want the type of turmoil that I found on the first forum I joined, I will call my ex. Sorry to go on so but I felt a need to do some explanation of my motive for being here, but the main thing I will always try to be here, is thankful for the help nI receive. Thanks again to everybody who has replied to my first post, I am sure it won't be my last.
A great resource! But unfortunately the data is for registered members, and the registration no longer works. So ask, plenty of people already registered to download what you need.
Tom Bavis. I forgot to give you a thanks for the offer of the schematic, but That one I found last night on the Radiomuseum site. It turns out that there were two versions. The older one used 6V6 output tubes and the newer one used EL84's. I have the older one which is fine. I have too many EL84 amps to work on now!
Thanks! Some, I dont know, 35 years ago I wrote this http://www.geofex.com/article_folders/old2new.htm. Fascinating that it still floats about in the internet. I figured it would be long ago eclipsed by other's more substantial efforts and eventually fade into digital obscurity, if not oblivion.
Imagine doing what you want to do today, but 35 - 40 years ago? I'd run into these things at local flea markets for nothin'; fool with them some and just throw them away; 6BQ5s and all. I remember visiting the (Littleton, MA) town dump and seeing a Heathkit chassis I worked on in the metal scrap heap; it had a musical note decal I'd stuck on the front panel (like the Oberheim symbol)
Today - OMG - people would open their wallet for that - or not. Last one I worked on to sell I injured myself working on it and the emergency walk in doctor bill cost me more than - far more than - I made selling the amp. I dont go looking for them anymore, but if something lands in my lap I'd fix it and try to sell. Had a good flip recently with a Pioneer tube receiver. Took a while too.
The 'ol flame just doesnt burn as bright as when I wrote that. I'm even dumber than I was then too. I'll do things like hem and haw over a stereo Knight kit amplifier - the McIntosh killer - for $100 BIN on ebay, because I dont exactly recognize the output tubes. In the 10 - 15 minutes researching that, someone still having actual sense within their head sees it and buys it immediately. Just a random "tube amp" search at a random time where God said "here ya go". It was even in a Seattle pawn, where shipping would have been minimal.
Like Jerry says, "Dont ya let the deal go down".
The flip side is I'm loaded with amps and guitars I paid too much for and now am saddled with the effort of getting rid of them, mitigating the losses as best I can. It's going to be a lot of work... I'd rather spend my time learning songs and trying to sing / play at the local Friday open mic. I could play a different guitar every time I show up.
Hi thirdicomplex. Thanks for the lead but I tried and they are closed to new members. I was willing to pay if it wasn't too much but for some reason they don't make clear they are closed to new members. It would have been a good one I think as they list just about every manufacturer one could imagine. You can view some general info but to download a schematic or manual you must register.
Tom,
I cannot access your site, it’s not possible with my browser (security restrictions, no certificate).
Regards, Gerrit
I cannot access your site, it’s not possible with my browser (security restrictions, no certificate).
Regards, Gerrit
It seems that you are interested in guitar amps. If that's the case you should look at the instruments and amps forum here on diyAudio. It's the same group of people but posts are guitar amp centric.
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/forums/instruments-and-amps.30/
There was also a competition centered on the design and construction of a guitar amp with a parts cost of $100 or less. Lots to learn in that thread. It's over 10 years old now so some of the prices have gone up a bit.
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/the-hundred-buck-amp-challenge.190738/
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/forums/instruments-and-amps.30/
There was also a competition centered on the design and construction of a guitar amp with a parts cost of $100 or less. Lots to learn in that thread. It's over 10 years old now so some of the prices have gone up a bit.
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/the-hundred-buck-amp-challenge.190738/
