• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Build a tube head

M0ses

M0ses

Sep 11, 2009
3,715
1,079
Los Angeles
#1
So, uh, how hard is it?

I can solder, I can read schematics, I have more than enough woodworking skills to build a box. I don't really know anything about how they work. But is there a reason I shouldn't do it? Anyone have any useful links?
 
#4
Hi.

A tube amp is extremely easy to build.

To get it working as planned takes quite a bit more knowledge and work, and because of the lethal voltages, considerably more safety measures.

Check www.ax84.com, that should clear things up quite a bit.

Start from simple class A designs and work Your way up.

Some may disagree, but without an oscilloscope, forget anything fancier than SE class A.

Regards
Sam
 
#6
T-Bird said:
Hi.

A tube amp is extremely easy to build.

To get it working as planned takes quite a bit more knowledge and work, and because of the lethal voltages, considerably more safety measures.

Check www.ax84.com, that should clear things up quite a bit.

Start from simple class A designs and work Your way up.

Some may disagree, but without an oscilloscope, forget anything fancier than SE class A.

Regards
Sam
Click to expand...



I will Second T-Birds advice.

While I did do all the wiring myself, i had an EE by profession breathing down my neck and checking my work. ... Also telling me when "not to do that!".

START OUT SMALL.

While it may be tempting as a bassist to go "Gee, i wanna built an SVT!" You WILL regret it once you start laying things out, and actually have to begin soldering. Not to mention the price of transformers for a large tube amp is MUCH more than a smaller one.

Start out with a Fender Champ Style Amp. :)

.... And yes, i am a bassist too. So having "lots of volume and headroom is a requirement". More or less FORGET THAT until you get more experience.

I was taught a certain way, and that is, If you are going to do it in the first place, do it right.

Hope this hasnt been too discouraging... who knows, maybe when you finish your first build, you'll think back to these posts and say ".... Yep. I agree now in retrospect". I sure as heck did... and I almost built a DR201 as my first amp! Emphasis on the Almost.

Heres is a PERFECT amp to get you started.

http://www.ax84.com/p1.html

My older brother built one... and it sounds great. Very low cost, simple, and relatively easy of a build. More of a guitar amp, but since when does it hurt to have multiple amps? ;)
 
#7
Hi M0ses

Not much to add to the good advice above, only to visit Invalid Link Removed (great resource!) and a few thoughts:

- start with only a simple preamp ( one with a 12AX7, for example ) to get your feet wet.
- tube amps usually have a high impedance so they're more sensitive to 60 cycle hum (and other interferences), especially the low signal stages. Choose a simple schematic and try to avoid ground loops and long signal paths.
- use good capacitors for the power supply; make sure they have a voltage rating 20-30% higher than the working voltage.
- high DC voltage sucks, I literally saw small yellow lights lit in my eyes :bassist: and felt a weird metallic taste in mouth :spit: that one time I was a little too brave :D
- try and use readily made output and power transformers; it ain't worth the fuss to wind them yourself :rollno:

Otherwise, good luck building it! It's surely a lot of fun, and besides, they glow nicely in the dark :)

Regards,
Adrian
 
#8
Thank you for all the advice and links. I'll be reading through every scrap of them.
I am thinking about building an amp for these reasons:
a. I love DIY. I mod my basses (with routers and other power tools), set them up, wind pickups, etc.
b. I can't really find an amp with all the features I want. Which would be:
- All tube
- 3 band EQ
- Seperate gain and volume
- Post DI
- somewhere around 100-150 watts.
- awesome vintage tone
 
#11
Ahh.

Okay then.

You could do what i did, and get a schematic, parts, and other stuff from one place... like Weber!

Oh and BE SURE TO GET A WIRING LAYOUT... that alone makes the build SO much easier. You really can not experience that until you've done it... and a layout easily saved four or five hours of work.
 
#12
I started planning on buying a kit of a 30-60 watt Marshall / Fender clone and started reading and asking questions... I graduated to wanting to build a Hiwatt clone and spent time looking at Ted Weber's stuff, Ceriatone and eventually realizing that with VHR's kits you can actually build an authentic Hiwatt (50 or 100 watts).

I ended up spending a lot of time printing and reading from [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] site as well as various others. I picked up [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] DVD and book, more than 1/2 of Keven O'Connor's books (plan to buy the rest), Robert Megantz's book, and various other used gems recommended or not.


At this point I'm stuck waiting for a move as soon as we can evict my tenants (month or 2 at most now... they are deadbeats and living in the bigger of my 2 houses) before I can commit to starting to build my personal designed bass tube amp.
 
As an Amazon Associate, TalkBass may receive commissions from qualifying purchases made via links on this site.
#14
James Hart said:
I started planning on buying a kit of a 30-60 watt Marshall / Fender clone and started reading and asking questions... I graduated to wanting to build a Hiwatt clone and spent time looking at Ted Weber's stuff, Ceriatone and eventually realizing that with VHR's kits you can actually build an authentic Hiwatt (50 or 100 watts).

I ended up spending a lot of time printing and reading from [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] site as well as various others. I picked up [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] DVD and book, more than 1/2 of Keven O'Connor's books (plan to buy the rest), Robert Megantz's book, and various other used gems recommended or not.


At this point I'm stuck waiting for a move as soon as we can evict my tenants (month or 2 at most now... they are deadbeats and living in the bigger of my 2 houses) before I can commit to starting to build my personal designed bass tube amp.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the links! The VHR kits look quality but are more expensive than the Weber kits (which also have a cabinet). Decisions.
 
As an Amazon Associate, TalkBass may receive commissions from qualifying purchases made via links on this site.
#15
rcubed said:
The VHR kits look quality but are more expensive than the Weber kits.
Click to expand...

The VHR stuff is all top shelf, quality components with the singular purpose of producing a proper 1970s Hiwatt clone. The Weber kits is bulk imported generic stuff and available in MANY different types.

Also if you study the schematics @ VHR, Weber and Ceriatone... you'll find VHR is a Hiwatt while the other 2 are Hiwatt inspired.

I'm not saying the others a bad... I've ordered plenty from Weber and will again. I'm just giving my justification for the difference :)

Also with the VHR kit, you get access to a message board that is frequented by Mark Huss who is an expert on all things Hiwatt... he helped put the kit together too.
 
#16
M0ses said:
Understood. I wasn't planning on kitting, but following a schematic somewhere. That ax84 site is ridiculously interesting and I am reading up frantically right now.
Click to expand...

The layout, and how it is wired, are extremely important, despite the apparent simplicity of many tube amps......

If not done right, very odd things happen...... I have seen folks do it and have the tone controls literally work backwards, hums, buzzes, oscillations, tubes turning red, etc, etc, etc.....

All of these things are VERY mysterious if you know little about electronics. Some of them can be quite mysterious even if you DO know electronics...... until you suddenly 'get it" and then of course it turns out to be obvious.....

Following a kit, or copying an existing product, are the best ways to get a good result if you don't know much.

Building is easy.... there are factories full of high school dropouts building complicated stuff. The key when you don't know what you are doing is to avoid the "design" and "troubleshooting" job functions.........

That is how a kit , if decently explained, is best. It leaves you with just the job of building. That or the "kit without parts", i.e the instructions and a list of parts you need to buy.
 
#17
James Hart said:
The VHR stuff is all top shelf, quality components with the singular purpose of producing a proper 1970s Hiwatt clone. The Weber kits is bulk imported generic stuff and available in MANY different types.

Also if you study the schematics @ VHR, Weber and Ceriatone... you'll find VHR is a Hiwatt while the other 2 are Hiwatt inspired.

I'm not saying the others a bad... I've ordered plenty from Weber and will again. I'm just giving my justification for the difference :)

Also with the VHR kit, you get access to a message board that is frequented by Mark Huss who is an expert on all things Hiwatt... he helped put the kit together too.
Click to expand...

Definitely. Just at that price I'm tempted to just buy an original and save the time and effort. :D

I might end up sourcing my own circuit components, I just don't want to drill an enclosure and build a cabinet and would like to have printing on the faceplates for controls/jacks. My inner debate is between cheapness and laziness. Soldering and wiring up an amp is a little too close to what I do at work plus have effects pedals to make.
 
#18
M0ses said:
So, uh, how hard is it?
Click to expand...
Incredibly more trouble and expense than it is objectively worth compared to a ready-built amp of similar qualities.

If these are considerations, stop now.

Simply chasing the parts for scratch-built would drive me crazy.

If, on the other hand, you are a process-oriented personality who likes to shovel unrecoverable time and money into one-off Frankenamps just because its fun for you, rock out. :hmm:
 
#19
Bongolation said:
Incredibly more trouble and expense than it is objectively worth compared to a ready-built amp of similar qualities.

If these are considerations, stop now.

Simply chasing the parts for scratch-built would drive me crazy.

If, on the other hand, you are a process-oriented personality who likes to shovel unrecoverable time and money into one-off Frankenamps just because its fun for you, rock out. :hmm:
Click to expand...


I find your words encouraging. :bassist: According to AX84 the beginner model is easy to complete. No idea about price yet, there's tons of reading to do and my brain can only handle so much at once.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back