Making an amp

  • Thread starter Thread starter Krystof01
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Krystof01

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Hi,
How easy is it to make an amplifier? Would it work out cheaper if you knew what you were doing? How easy would it be to replicate an amp (expensive one)?

Any thoughts?
 
The amp I gig with is entirely custom made by a buddy in his garage.We started out with a Twin chassis and stripped it down to bare steel and ceramic tube sockets.My buddy Conan Cantwell built (using milspec components - this makes a BIG sonic difference for a little extra $ ) me a 100 watt amp where channel one is the 59 Bassman circuit for clean and channel two is the 69 Plexi circuit for crunch.12AX7s for pre and EL34s for power tubes,although I first tried 6L6s.
Total cost was about $500 and I would rate it better than $2000 boutique amps like Soldano etc.Another buddy was a 15 year cabinet-maker and he built the box for $50.I built the speaker cab and loaded it with an EV12L (argueably the finest guitar speaker made).
The key ingredient here is access to skilled craftsmen to do the job right.But I can assure you the idea is more than a pipe dream.

Tom
 
Building your own amp can cost as little or as much as you want it too. It all depends on what you want to make. Get your self some How-To-Build-Amps books and do a lot of research first. Don't let anybody talk you out of it, start out small by rebuilding broken amps. Work up to mods and then build your own custom amp. As Tom Hicks more or less said, it's fun, you get a kick ass amp, save some bucks, and learn a cool skill .......
 
if you start with good documentation(schematics, print, parts list) for the design, a working knowledge of electronics, experience building electronics, the right tools, quality components and sub-asssemblies, you could build and test one in a day or two, but I wouldn't advise it as your "first" such effort....try building one of EM magazine's "do it yourself" projects first--such as a compressor/limiter..."quality" amps go through some pretty extensive "tests"--vibration, environmetal chambers, etc. that would be impractical for "individuals" to perform at home because they require special equipment...but, I'm sure it can be done.
 
hey Krystof01,

IMO, if the goal is to save money, i think you'll be disappointed. if it's to learn about amps, tubes and transformers, maybe it's worth it. consider buying an amp kit and put it together.

else...
if you already have a good VOM, Oscilloscope, good soldering iron, cutters, long-nose-pliers, etc... else several hundred bucks just for this stuff.

the transformers will run several hundred

NOS tubes, $$$$

quality pots will run $50 to $100 depending on how many you need

all of the resistors, caps, wire, tube sockets, jacks ...

amp base

case

getting an understanding of wiring High Voltages and grounding techniques - experience only...

and so on.

i have about 25 years of amp repair and circuit-design experience, one time projects most always cost more than a comparable retail model and always a lot more than a used model.

also remember you're working with high voltages > +400VDC. touching 400VDC hurts like hell and it'll surely melt a pair of cutters. :mad: if you wire something in wrong (tubes, transformers) you cook it and thats $$ down the drain real fast... :confused:

if you go for it, good luck.

-kp- :)
 
Have a look at this site.........:

www.venus.aros.net/~tboy/ampage

As much as I would like to make a project valve amp (and I have made numerous solid state amps over the years)I have to agree with eveyone...it could be a real costly lesson.

Peace......ChrisO :cool:
 
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