Nice option, but I think that's out of my price range. I was hoping to be under $600, and those are like $1400 if you build a combo which is what I want
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DIY tube bass amp kits?
- Thread starter Discharge
- Start date
A B-15 is a combo, albeit an expensive one. A less expensive option is to build the head and mate it with a used cab such as an Ampeg PF115 or PF210: Ampeg: Portaflex Series.
Another alternative is to but a used tube amp and restore it. This allows you to get your hands dirty and enjoy a quality amp. Parts cost can add up.
Here is an alternative: MOD102+ tube amp kit review. It is a very low power guitar amp used with a cab that can handle the low end.
Here is an alternative: MOD102+ tube amp kit review. It is a very low power guitar amp used with a cab that can handle the low end.
Thanks, Beans. That might be beyond my knowledge. I'll have to look at it more. I see a lot of guitar combo amps that are in my budget and knowledge (not high, but I can solder). Like if I build a little Champ kit can I run bass into it for practicing?
Some kits have detailed manuals which makes building the amp a lot easier. Other kits simply provide the parts and a schematic. Something to consider when shopping around. In general, you don't save money by building a kit. It's more about the educational experience.
It depends on the kit but normally the Champ has a 3.2 ohm output transformer. Plug a bass into a Champ with a guitar speaker and it will fart out at a low volume level. It's pretty much unplayable. Not that it can't be done. It works a lot better if the amp is paired with a proper 4 ohm bass speaker cabinet.
Bass amps and guitar amps have some design differences in the power supplies, the speakers, and the tone stages. When you play a note, the tubes draw energy that is stored in the power supply's capacitors. Lower frequency notes such as those of a bass require more energy to reproduce. Demands on the power supply can cause the voltage levels to sag, this causes distortion. Good for a guitar, it may not be so desirable for a bass. As a result, bass amps tend to have more capacitance in the power supply. Using a bass into a guitar amp runs the risk of too much distortion, even at lower volume levels. It is easier to get away with this with a higher powered guitar amp than with a smaller wattage amp such as a Champ.
It really depends on the amp and what volume you want to practice at. Something that you'd have to try and see.
It depends on the kit but normally the Champ has a 3.2 ohm output transformer. Plug a bass into a Champ with a guitar speaker and it will fart out at a low volume level. It's pretty much unplayable. Not that it can't be done. It works a lot better if the amp is paired with a proper 4 ohm bass speaker cabinet.
Bass amps and guitar amps have some design differences in the power supplies, the speakers, and the tone stages. When you play a note, the tubes draw energy that is stored in the power supply's capacitors. Lower frequency notes such as those of a bass require more energy to reproduce. Demands on the power supply can cause the voltage levels to sag, this causes distortion. Good for a guitar, it may not be so desirable for a bass. As a result, bass amps tend to have more capacitance in the power supply. Using a bass into a guitar amp runs the risk of too much distortion, even at lower volume levels. It is easier to get away with this with a higher powered guitar amp than with a smaller wattage amp such as a Champ.
It really depends on the amp and what volume you want to practice at. Something that you'd have to try and see.
hi there my friend.
i am searching like mad for a diy project, and i have found those you mentioned. the 6S100 and the 6H100 in the weber website.
my question is: how do you know that these are suitable for a bass player? i don't find anything that relates these two amps with the bass, so that's me asking.
second question would be: what speaker would mate the amps?
thanks in advance
The mojotone amp posted before would probably be perfect for bass, and if you make it into a head, you could just plug it into whatever bass cab that you have that can handle its wattage. If you have a cab that you like, you can probably use that, if you don't - it's really just a matter of finding what you can afford that sounds good to you.
Likely the assumption comes from the fact that those kits are based upon the sunn 100S and hiwatt DR103. On the vintage sunn and hiwatt amps (as well as many companies of the day) the guitar and bass versions of the products were substantially similar. If you were to substitute more robust transformers/stiffer power supply designs as mentioned in the text you quoted you may enhance the low end response, but I would caution against making these modifications if you don't have experience with amp building/design.
For a bass focused kit, depending on your needs for power and design you could also look at the trinity triptop, mojotone 50 watt bass amp, ceriatone's model T or sound city 100 kits, or some bassman style head kits.
I fondly remember when kit based electronic devices were very popular. You would usually go with Heath Kit or Knight Kit (Allied Electronics). If you went with Heath Kit you got very detailed instructions and parts that had been tested and bagged. I think
of the Trinity Trip Top in the same way as I regarded Heath Kit, quality designed, easy to read instructions. Knight Kit required a bit more electronics savvy and know how.
of the Trinity Trip Top in the same way as I regarded Heath Kit, quality designed, easy to read instructions. Knight Kit required a bit more electronics savvy and know how.
Thanks for the reply,
Do you know where to find the schematics so I can do the rest of the proyect?
I love spending weeks in searching material, gathering it, doing autocads to design everything...
The kit seems too "easy" for me.
That's probably a good question for the folks at mojotone. I imagine being in the EU, if these guys are from the states - which I think they are - you'd have a bit of a hard time with duty and shipping costs. I'm not sure where a guy in the EU would get this stuff either. If you're good enough with schematics you could probably find schematics for concevably any old tube amp you could want, and then could source parts from there going forward.
I have built the 6S100, but not with the parts that come with the kit. Since this is amp is based on a Sunn amp, I got Dynaco transformers (which were used in the original Sunn 100S). I have also built a Hiwatt DR201 from scratch. I've used both amps with one EBS 1x15" or one Ampeg SVT410HE. The 6S100 + EBS 1x15" combo might not be loud enough for some venues. The Hiwatt is awesome with any cab.
Here's a link with some pictures from the 6S100 build (some comments are in Swedish): Weber 6S100 | LF AudioService
...and here's the Hiwatt DR201 : Hiwatt DR 201 | LF AudioService
If you want a research and learning challenge, choose a CAD package and design a printed circuit board. You mentioned Autocad, the company offers Eagle for PCB work. It is part of the personal Fusion360 package which is free (but has some feature constraints).
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I will offer words of warning. These kits will be operating at a lethal voltage when built. I would caution someone who has no experience with working with high voltages to think twice, or even three times, before setting out to build.
Check out Tube amp Information, Guitar amp Schematics, Tube amp Information
Also note that Micro-Cap spice emulation is now free.
New Duncan Munro Vacuum Tube Models - Spring 2000
Model the whole and and hear it before you touch a soldering iron.
With some extra effort you might be able to design and source a lot of parts local to your COO.
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During the installation is safe?
Can you recommend a link that gives info about these risks and how to work safe?
Building the unit is safe. It's when you have to power it up that the risks appear. In order to check the unit out for proper operation you have to power it.
how to work safe....The amp's electrolytic capacitors need to be fully discharged. One way to do this is with a discharge tool. Then use a voltmeter to ensure that the voltage across these capacitors is zero volts.
Discharge stick
SnufferStick High Voltage Discharge Stick
Building a kit is fun and a great learning experience. An education is often costly. Don't do it to save money over buying a commercial product, you won't. If you want to understand how an amp works, building gets your hands dirty and is a good start to lifelong learning about electronics.
Minor point, you'll probably never need be concerned if you have average luck...Your home brew or kit amp will not have safety agency certification. In the event of a lethal shock to a third party or a fire that burns down the house, insurance won't pay.
Discharge stick
SnufferStick High Voltage Discharge Stick
Building a kit is fun and a great learning experience. An education is often costly. Don't do it to save money over buying a commercial product, you won't. If you want to understand how an amp works, building gets your hands dirty and is a good start to lifelong learning about electronics.
Minor point, you'll probably never need be concerned if you have average luck...Your home brew or kit amp will not have safety agency certification. In the event of a lethal shock to a third party or a fire that burns down the house, insurance won't pay.
with all respects, if so i would ask in the thread about ready made amps. don't you think so?
