AX84.com - The Cooperative Tube Guitar Amp Project is a good start.
Or google mullard 5-20. "For a cleaner sound"
good luck!
Or google mullard 5-20. "For a cleaner sound"
good luck!
hey-Hey!!!,
Before taking on a ground-up build, consider modifying a mic-capable PA amp. These things are a fine place to start, they've usually got more than enough gain, tone controls, and the chassis already in place. They're also pretty cheap compared to the Hi-Fi amps. You can try all sorts of mods too. Building a better power supply for one...
though the PS of a geetar amp seems to follow different rules than Hi-Fi for some reason.
cheers,
Douglas
Before taking on a ground-up build, consider modifying a mic-capable PA amp. These things are a fine place to start, they've usually got more than enough gain, tone controls, and the chassis already in place. They're also pretty cheap compared to the Hi-Fi amps. You can try all sorts of mods too. Building a better power supply for one...
though the PS of a geetar amp seems to follow different rules than Hi-Fi for some reason.cheers,
Douglas
I'd second bandersnatch, that's how I did my first little guitar amp. Chassis work is hard without appropriate equipment or friends with a metal shop. Just stay away from those ugly little tube radios with no power transformer and you'll be fine.
With guitar, frequency response isn't nearly as critical, and some tone controls are not so good. Power supply quality is a matter of taste--the worse the power supply, the more "sag" and "compression" and "marketing class A" you can get. The better, the more "punch" and "drive" etc. Some hum is generally acceptable to guitar players, but a quiet one will have more apparent dynamics and character (all the small stuff lost in the bzzz). Of course most guitars themselves hum too. Replacing electrolytics is essentially a must, older chassis will eventually let out the smoke with stock capacitors.
Here's a link along Bandersnatch's line of thought, the fun part is finding a cool chassis too!
Converting Integrated/PA Tube Amps into Guitar Amps.
With guitar, frequency response isn't nearly as critical, and some tone controls are not so good. Power supply quality is a matter of taste--the worse the power supply, the more "sag" and "compression" and "marketing class A" you can get. The better, the more "punch" and "drive" etc. Some hum is generally acceptable to guitar players, but a quiet one will have more apparent dynamics and character (all the small stuff lost in the bzzz). Of course most guitars themselves hum too. Replacing electrolytics is essentially a must, older chassis will eventually let out the smoke with stock capacitors.
Here's a link along Bandersnatch's line of thought, the fun part is finding a cool chassis too!
Converting Integrated/PA Tube Amps into Guitar Amps.
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