Toe in the water...

[AlistairH]

I have finally answered my own original post question by reading more stuff on this website. It's all in here if you spend long enough digging. Thanks for the chaps who responded, its all useful. I have ordered a stereo LM3886 board ready built, a JLH 1969 class A 10W kit, two LM1875 mono board kits and 2 Burmester 933 mono boards ready populated using Sanken output devices. Quite a spread! And a load of various transformers from eBay of varying sources, and been given bags of electrolytic caps from a talented friend who no longer dabbles with home spun stuff.

Looks like you are going to be having some fun.

 

[little wisp]

Over the top

Looks like you are going to be having some fun.

I always go too far with enthusiasm. Getting something to completion is another matter. It seems silly to knock up an amp quickly only to then rebuild it 'nicely', so I'm going for it - no excuses. A little voice tells me that's what all the newbies say ...ho hum... The standard of some of the builds is genuinely stunning - those members with milling access...😱
Now borrowed a variac so thanks John Blackburn but may not now follow up good advice re bulb test thing.
I'm going to call my first build Poppy - not because that's likely to be the first and last sound it ever makes, but named after my recently deceased pet cat. Hmm if this hobby takes off I may have to kill the wife to maintain the naming convention...