The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons

This week, Skip and Jason are joined by a very special guest, John Vanderslice. John is a prolific singer-songwriter, musician, record producer and engineer. We have a candid, unfiltered conversation about vintage amps, food, life, the music industry and so much more. Seriously, just listen... After our chat with John, we once again field your questions about all things guitar amplification. As always, if you'd like to contribute to a future show, submit your guitar amp questions to Skip here: [email protected] or leave us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848. * SUPPORT TAVA & ANGELA INSTRUMENTS* Order a PDF download of Steve Melkisethian's tweed Princeton amp project here. Some of the topics discussed on this episode: 1:05 "Naming calls" and PG&E 2:33 A/B box updates 3:00 The TAVA "book club" launches: Order the Angela Instruments' tweed Princeton article and schematic (see above) 9:18 John Vanderslice (singer-songwriter, Tiny Telephone Recording!) joins us: Living room shows, eating on the road, Gibson Falcons, mics for recording amps, Stromberg-Carlson pre-amps, surviving the music industry 1:01:40 Brian, the speaker re-coner at Weber Speakers: https://www.tedweber.com/recone-services/ 1:03:03 Erick Coleman's amp tech recommendation: Paul Schmittauer (email us) 1:04:08 Great Goo: Pepper Plant hot sauce (Amazon link: https://amzn.to/33orYLq) 1:05:40 Epiphone Pacemaker amps 1:07:23 Misspelled "Colombia" Fender amps 1:08:52 How multiple inputs work on amps 1:11:57 Using the second input on a Fender as a line-out 1:14:14 Amp builder Bob Gjika (Gjika Amplification), the mojo behind single-ended amps 1:20:09 A noisy Peavey Delta Blues 115 1:24:44 Solder in Italy (Soldergate revisited) 1:26:17 Breaking-in new tubes; upgrading parts in a Champ kit 1:32:00 What's on Skip's bench 1:33:01 Sano accordion tube and Audio Guild amps (see our Instagram for photos) 1:38:07 Skip on biasing 1:43:00 St. George amp heads, built by Ray Massie 1:46:50 The lifespan of tweed Fender caps 1:49:17 The "Fountain of Sound" Ampeg JS-35 1:53:02 Music recommendation: Pat Martino's 'El Hombre' and the Guild Double Twin combo 1:55:43 Music recommendation, part two: The Nat Turner Rebellion's cover of "Going in Circles" 1:56:43 Parenting tips: Classic Walt Disney movies 1:58:15 Slowing the tremolo rate in a blackface Fender 2:00:58 6973 power tubes in Supro amp 2:02:28 Replacements for a 6c10 tube found in an '80s Fender Super Champ 2:06:38 Working on a Montgomery Ward 55 JDR 8436 2:10:49 Tube naming 101 2:13:16 Our forthcoming one year anniversary, a brief state of affairs Like the show? Share it with your friends, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and stay tuned for next month, when we unveil even more surprises for our one year anniversary.

Special guest Charles Baty joins us on this week's Truth About Vintage Amps podcast! Twice a month, guitar amp guru Skip Simmons fields your questions on vintage tube amp buying, restoration and repair. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde. Submit your guitar amp questions to Skip here: [email protected] or by leaving us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848. Some of the topics discussed on this episode: 1:37 Charles Baty (Little Charlie & The Nightcats! Little Charlie & Organ Grinder Swing!) joins in: Termites, Spanish rice and amp tips from the road 43:09 Movie recommendations: Wattstax; Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey 44:16 Skip plays a gig 46:30 This week's sponsor: Grez Guitars 46:55 Robert Keeley (!) calls in on Dean's Echoplex woes (from TAVA 21) 50:24 A '68 Fender Vibrolux reissue with a wonky footswitch 54:16 Replace a two-prong cord with a three-prong cord 57:29 "Getting to 'no' you;" "Suzie Q," the Instant Pot, mashed potatoes and hot dogs 1:04:10 An amp with a noisy front plate 1:06:27 Instrumental music picks (Leo Kottke, Nels Cline), Skip's early music influences 1:12:19 Future TAVA interviews plans 1:14:25 "Why we don't replace all vintage electrolytic capacitors" video (link: https://youtu.be/GMNQDoFpYQY) 1:18:00 Robben Ford's Dumble-modified Fender Super Reverbs 1:24:29 Why don't amps have no-speaker protection? 1:31:53 AC568 Bassman amps, Fender grounding plates, sources of hiss, the 500 pF Baffler 1:37:55 Music picks: Erkin Koray's 'Elektronik Turkular' (YouTube link) and Bloodstone's "Natural High" (YouTube link) 1:39:07 Bogen PA heads and Harvey Mandel's fuzz tone 1:43:43 Replacing drop capacitors in Victoria amps 1:49:47 Canada, part one: a Traynor YGL-3, Mark III with no input signal 1:53:14 Canada, part two: Sleeper Canadian amps (Garnet, Traynor, Johnson); check out the Corry Boys 1:57:00 An (almost) free vintage speaker (act fast) 1:58:15 Coffee in a can updates

Twice a month, guitar amp guru Skip Simmons fields your questions on vintage tube amp buying, restoration and repair. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde. Submit your guitar amp questions to Skip here: [email protected] or by leaving us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848. Some of the topics discussed on this episode: 8:00 Cloning vintage knobs (video link, h/t John from Australia!) 9:34 This week's sponsors: Grez Guitars, Roberto-Venn 11:01 An open call for our first live caller 13:39 Bartell guitar history (site link) 14:49 Skip's schedule 16:49 More Solder-gate 17:15 Single-ended, parallel twin power tube amps 21:18 WD-40 to the rescue, again 23:28 Unwanted noise from an Echoplex 32:02 Lower B-plus voltage on a Blackface Fender 37:38 Tweed Princeton with a choke vs a resistor 44:18 Speaker cable vs guitar cable (and a sad bird tale) 53:46 Skip's soup tips 56:43 The story behind the TAVA intro music 57:44 Sal Trentino and a Standel 80L15 schematic 1:05:22 Asking boutique makers for their schematics 1:10:37 Dr. Z's new Jetta amp and the story behind the 7591 power tube 1:15:25 Figuring out what's original in a 1953 Fender Tweed Deluxe (5B3) 1:18:14 How noticeable are bad caps? 1:26:06 A solid state Peavey Firebass 700 that won't stop power cycling 1:29:00 An AmpRX BrownBox for a Brownface Deluxe 1:31:57 Skip's picks: Treme; Aretha Franklin's Amazing Grace; Harlan County, USA; The House That Trane Built; the Recordium on YouTube; "Wherever You Go" by Skip Mahoney 1:37:00 Cheap Amazon variacs 1:39:41 Mystery tubes in a 1960 Lafayette tape deck 1:44:16 Putting the 5U4GB back into a 1969 Fender Princeton 1:51:29 Cooling off an amp that runs hot PS: The reason Jason is preoccupied: https://www.myballard.com/2019/10/07/2-alarm-fire-on-market-st/

Summary: Skip has never had sushi; Earl is not a fan of low-balling; and Fender Bassmans rock Twice a month, guitar amp guru Skip Simmons fields your questions on vintage tube amp buying, restoration and repair. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde. Submit your guitar amp questions to Skip here: [email protected] or by leaving us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848. Some of the topics discussed on this episode: 1:50 John Lennon in Sacramento 3:17 A quick story about Earl Yarrow 12:20 Western Electric hi-fi collecting 14:40 Music recommendations: The Originals; Skip Mahoney & the Casuals; Julie London; "On the Alamo" 17:28: This week's sponsors: Grez Guitars and Mono Cases 18:15 Skip addresses the critics (on grounded cords, replaced caps) 30:02 "Solder," revisited 31:39 Removing the ground hum of two amps running together 34:50 Making an amp out of a sushi platter; recommended needle nose pliers 38:27 6L6s in a Deluxe Reverb 42:41 Skip on your voicemail 45:20 President Skip?, practicalities of running an attenuator 50:33 Acoustic tube amps, revisited 54:45 A 1968 Princeton non-reverb lacking volume 57:47 Other vintage Gibson amps 1:03:00 The truth about unmodified Gibson Falcons and Silverface Champs 1:09:41 Vox Pacemakers overview 1:12:24 The unique properties of a Fender Bassman 1:15:38 Using pre-amp tube as a power tube 1:19:40 Learning soldering and circuits from simple pedal kits and the little Ruby: http://www.runoffgroove.com/ruby.html 1:24:58 Running a Champ through a Variac versus a Hammond 290AX power transformer 1:27:44 A 1963 Fender Vibrolux with treble hiss 1:35:14 Speakers for a 1965 Ampeg Reverberocket 2 GS-12R 1:39:44 Non-lead solder 1:43:54 Biasing a cathode bias amp 1:49:49 Measuring plate current 1:54:57 The Baffler returns!

Twice a month, guitar amp guru Skip Simmons fields your questions on vintage tube amp buying, restoration and repair. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde. Submit your guitar amp questions to Skip here: [email protected] or by leaving us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848. It's our most veer-filled episode to date, including soup and footwear tips, a trip to Harvard and, yes, even some amp repair advice! Some of the topics discussed on this episode: 3:06 Soup hacks 4:01 An affordable, American-made boot 5:41 Frampton plays B.B. King 9:00 Site specific amp problems 12:37 Recommended Music: Joe Craven & the Sometimers' 'Garcia's Songbook,' Aretha Franklin's 'Aretha's Gold' and Charlie Musselwhite's 'Stand Back' 18:36 Skip goes to Harvard 20:04 Parenting tips 30:06 Today's sponsor: Grez Guitars 32:15 More Larry Norman and props to Jon Linn 33:02 Solder or "sodder" 35:05 Skip's recommended vintage tube supplier and advice on replacing tubes: https://www.ebay.com/usr/dangeruxb 40:22 Putting a solid state rectifier in a tweed-style amp 49:00 Fixing an output transformer in a 1961 Fender Brownface Pro 56:07 Hi-fi tube amps and phono pre-amp basics 1:04:06 A '67 Fender Bassman that was plugged into a DI box 1:09:14 More output transformer talk: Ampeg Reverberocket 1:11:26 A vintage Niviko MA120X Japanese amp 1:19:06 A 1968 Fender Super Reverb with a rattle 1:25:34 The "trimmer" in a '60s Silvertone 1431 1:28:40 Dirty power, an electric fence and an early '60s Gibson Skylark 1:34:33 Changing the head gasket on a Subaru Forester 1:35:25 More on the trimmer on a Silverton 1431 1:38:28 Car talk 1:43:36 A Fender Hot Rod Deluxe with a busted volume pot 1:47:52 A clean, high-headroom, low volume steel amp 1:52:15 A Fender Silverface Champ vs Blackface Champ

Twice a month, guitar amp guru Skip Simmons fields your questions on vintage tube amp buying, restoration and repair. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde. Submit your guitar amp questions to Skip here: [email protected] or by leaving us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848. Some of the topics discussed on this episode: 2:40 Jason brings home a Marshall Mercury 13:40 Mark Lindsay of Paul Revere & the Raiders 17:47 A request for a deeper dive into the Fender Champ schematic 24:34 Skip sells his Fender Tremolux head; an Ampex 960 reel-to-reel for free 27:45 Pat Boone's recording console 30:45 Putting a VU meter in a Champ? 34:10 Truth About Vintage Amps shirts update: Shipped! 34:34 This week's sponsor: Grez Guitars 37:20 More soldering advice 38:42 Scratchy pot tips (spoiler alert: WD-40) 41:43 An '80s Fender Concert 47:08 A Vibroluxe Reverb versus Deluxe Reverb and the sonic difference between 10" and 12" speakers 57:25 Ray Massie's The Vibe amp 59:30 18-watt Marshalls and a listener's clone attempt using a Rauland PA amp platform 1:06:34 A 1955 Tweed Bassman with nearly all-new parts 1:10:32 When to replace drifted resistors 1:12:30 Converting a Fender PA-100 into a guitar amp 1:14:16 How many watts from a 6L6? 1:17:40 The Vingtor amp from Norway (and fixing a tremolo) 1:23:53 More Champ kit tips (wiring tube sockets) 1:25:22 A proposed Skip certification program 1:26:52 Coffee advice (Amazon link for the lazy) 1:29:40 Soap advice (Amazon link for the lazy) 1:31:50 Getting a 1965 Fender Princeton Reverb reissue rewired by Alessandro 1:37:45 Bad solder joints and troubleshooting a DIY 5F1 that stopped behaving

Twice a month, guitar amp guru Skip Simmons fields your questions on vintage tube amp buying, restoration and repair. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde. Submit your guitar amp questions to Skip here: [email protected] or by leaving us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848. Some of the topics discussed on this episode: 1:57 Skip's A/B box update 2:50 Skip's music picks: Curtis Mayfield!, Larry Norman!, Stryper! 10:11 Johnny Cash and Joe Strummer, "Redemption Song" 12:00 TAVA shirt updates 12:22 Skip's amp packing recommendations 14:05 Jason asks all the dumb Champ build questions you're scared to ask 32:33 A higher-powered single-ended amp recommendation (a contemporary Supro Comet) 39:36 The 18-watt WEM Dominator V and a plug for David Minter's Marshall and UK Made Pre Owned Amplifiers Facebook group 45:22 The amps built inside Fender Rhodes 48:12 "Blackfacing" a 1975 Fender Bassman 51:03 A unique 5F1 build and a question about speakers with whizzer cones 58:59 A Model 21 National-Dobro-made amp-in-case 1:02:54 Cloning the DeArmond R5 amp 1:08:52 Oddball European tube amps 1:11:34 The pros and cons of FX loops 1:17:38 The sonic differences between octal and 9-pin pre-amp tubes 1:25:03 Does a 2x12 speaker need a baffle 1:29:48 Uncle Doug videos 1:31:17 Harmonic tremolo 1:34:48 The rare Fender Vibroverb 1:46:20 A terminal board rattle Special thanks to the presenting sponsors of the Fretboard Journal: Gibson, Martin and Carter Vintage Guitars.

Twice a month, guitar amp guru Skip Simmons fields your questions on vintage tube amp buying, restoration and repair. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde. Submit your guitar amp questions to Skip here: [email protected] or by leaving us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848. Some of the topics discussed on this episode: 1:50 Jason starts his Stew-Mac Tweed Champ kit, Skip offers soldering tips 9:33 Skip offers some new surplus aluminum amp chassis 11:05 An A/B box update 13:50 Skip's latest projects: A Blackface Fender Bassman and a Blackface Bandmaster 15:52 An eBay score: A bargain Park-branded Marshall JTM45 20:16 TAVA t-shirt updates 22:25 Sponsors: Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery & Grez Guitars 24:30 Any female amp techs out there? (Shoutout to @fazioelectric!) 31:20 Finding an amp's EQ sweet spot via hearing the greatest amount of change on the knobs 41:30 Higher-wattage single-ended amps 48:30 A 1960 Epiphone Pacemaker that breaks up too soon 54:15 What type of wire(s) for a vintage-style Fender clone? 1:01:00 The next steps after building a Champ 1:10:05 The horrible distortion on an Ampeg V4 1:16:20 Damage from powering a tube amp without a speaker 1:21:28 Two amp reverb from vintage Gibson, Gretsch and Supro amps 1:28:24 Fender combo speaker output 101 1:35:47 Skip's cheap speaker cabinet tips 1:42:24 Noisy filament wire in Filmosound conversions 1:47:48 Oldies.com 1:50:19 Digging deeper into the Champ schematic Special thanks to the presenting sponsors of the Fretboard Journal: Gibson, Martin and Carter Vintage Guitars.

Twice a month, guitar amp guru Skip Simmons fields your questions on tube amp buying, restoration and repair. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde. Submit your guitar amp questions to Skip here: [email protected] or by leaving us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848. Want to support the show? It's last call to reserve your very own Truth About Vintage Amps t-shirt. Pick from one of three styles! Please order before July 31, 2019 to reserve yours! Some of the topics discussed on this episode: 2:40 New goats! 5:34 The search for good amp repair people (introduce yourself!) 8:10 Music pick of the week: Thee Lakesiders 9:00 New sponsor: the Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery 10:15 Cooking on amps: Hot dogs and Leslie West's meatball subs: https://youtu.be/NkMExWjs8k4 (thanks, Greg!) 12:37 An answer to last week's Baffler 13:44 Digging deeper into the Fender 5E1 Champ schematic 17:07 Skip's stir fry recipe 23:27 A listener searches for a vintage tube amp book (Update: it can be found online for free, here!) 28:03 New shirt ideas, working on tube AM radios 35:32 Quieting the ticking tremolo of a Silverface Fender Deluxe Reverb 44:20 Evaluating a 1966 Epiphone Pacemaker and a National Studio 10 50:13 The tonal and volume difference between 10 and 12-inch speakers 53:20 A 1965 Ampeg Reverberocket GS-12R transformed by a replacement vintage Alnico speaker 56:20 Low-watt alternatives for a Marshall lover 1:01:51 The "thing" that Fender Bandmasters do 1:08 Pros/cons of pulling the V1 tube on two-channel Blackface amps 1:12:08 A '65 Pro Reverb with a splashing reverb noise 1:17:08 Joshua Yenne's Falcon shootout: https://youtu.be/I16kPtGSAFw 1:17:46 A listener avoids a bad amp trade thanks to Skip 1:24:50 Skip's take on a kit 5E3/5E5 Proluxe 1:28:35 A sag resistor to make a Fender Pro Jr. sound squishier 1:31:32 Another music pick: Van Morrison's "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFF1wJN75Z0 Special thanks to the presenting sponsors of the Fretboard Journal: Gibson, Martin and Carter Vintage Guitars.

Twice a month, guitar amp guru Skip Simmons fields your questions on tube amp buying, restoration and repair. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde. Want to support the show? We now have Truth About Vintage Amps t-shirts available for pre-order. Special thanks to our sponsors: Grez Guitars, Martin, Gibson and Carter Vintage. Submit your guitar amp questions to Skip here: [email protected] or by leaving us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848. Some of the topics discussed on this episode: 2:18 We have Truth About Vintage T-shirts (support the show) 5:33 This week's sponsors: Grez Guitars, Gibson, Martin and Carter Vintage 6:29 The Epiphone version of a Gibson Falcon 9:00 More cooking tips with Skip 12:12 Skip can't find his schematic 12:30 Thrifty Leo 14:12 More music tips: Bix Beiderbecke, Ned Boynton 18:00 Skip's looking for someone to recone field coil speakers 19:35 Skip talks about his Champ mods, once more 24:45 The final Baffler 28:06 Correction re: Guitar Center's return policy 29:28 A listener with an interesting way to use an electric amp with an acoustic guitar 33:27 The Grateful Dead's Wall of Sound 37:12 Skip's test guitar and cheap British amp recommendations 43:00 Skip's test cabinet 45:15 A 1968 Fender Pro Reverb with a delayed vibrato 47:32 What's a tone stack? 51:15 Pinpointing the buzz on a Silverface Fender Princeton 54:35 Class A, Class A/B and single-ended power tube arrangements 59:17 Tips on looking at vintage Gibson amps 1:02:48 A listener fixes his own Gibson Discoverer Tremolo 1:08:00 The triode mode used on high-powered amps 1:14:01 A brief chat about Dumble 1:18:44 A mid-60s Epiphone Galaxy that's won't turn off 1:20:23 Salvaging parts from a heavily modified Blackface Fender Bassman 1:24:30 Discussing changes on an early 1969 Fender Twin Reverb 1:29:50 Making homebrew amps sound less civil 1:33:11 Making a late '50s Sylvania powered speaker amp work better as a guitar amp 1:42:12 Modding PA heads to work for guitars

Twice a month, guitar amp guru Skip Simmons fields your questions on tube amp buying, restoration and repair. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde. Special thanks to our sponsors: Mono Cases and Grez Guitars. Submit your guitar amp questions to Skip here: [email protected] or by leaving us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848. Some of the topics discussed on this episode: 3:27 Skip's roll call of A/B box pre-orders 5:11 We discuss episode 12's Baffler, the 3 Channel Psychedelic Control Center 9:10 This episode's Baffler 11:44 An unlikely backup amp suggestion 14:30 This episode's sponsors: Grez Guitars and Mono Cases and TAVA t-shirts 17:00 Little Charlie's recipe for Spanish rice (yes, our first recipe) 18:22 More parenting tips 19:11 A preview of our next amp schematic 101 22:34 More Champ mod talk: One difference between Blackface and Silverface Fender Champs, the Hammond 290AX transformer 27:38 Gain stage basics: What makes an amp distort? 32:14 Bringing a Blackface Fender Tremolux with a solid state rectifier back to stock 37:21 A '60s Kay "Vanguard" 704 43:54 An amp motherlode in Lodi, California 45:35 A Princeton Reverb with a pilot light that is too bright 48:43 A Gibson GA-20 RVT found in a trash bin 54:28 Channel jumping and a vintage Airline Model 62-9013A 1:01:48 The pop you hear turning off your amp 1:07:03 A speaker dilemma on a 1962 Brownface Deluxe 1:09:28 Converting a PA head to a tube mic pre-amp 1:14:20 Turning an old tube radio into a guitar amp 1:18:18 Norwegian blues and Helge Tallqvist 1:19:11 This week's recommended music 1:20:49 High-powered tube amps and the Hiwatt 400 bass amp 1:25:32 Using a light bulb limiter instead of a variac 1:27:34 Speaker replacement on a Gibson GA-40 1:31:50 A tribute guitar repairman Glen Quan, inventor of the Badass bridge

Twice a month, guitar amp guru Skip Simmons fields your questions on tube amp buying, restoration and repair. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde. Special thanks to our sponsors: Mono Cases and Grez Guitars. Submit your guitar amp questions to Skip here: [email protected] or by leaving us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848. Some of the topics discussed on this episode: 2:05 Skip works on a barn-find 1960 Fender Tweed Bassman 6:10 Parenting tips – get a riding lawn mower 7:50 Jason confesses to Skip that he got a Stew-Mac Champ kit; DIY amp tips 12:33 Skip's music picks 16:05 Building a tube stereo amp (Dynaco Stereo 70, for music playback) versus a guitar amp 19:39 A synth repairman gets a contact high thanks to LSD residue 20:33 Disgusting things found in old amplifiers 21:16 Last week's Baffler (a noisy Princeton Reverb, listen to episode 11) responses and answer 27:37 This week's Baffler (view the image on our new Instagram page): What is the thing used for? 28:45 A listener in a hurry fixes his Les Paul thanks to Skip's tube amp advice 30:34 Preserving (sloppy) originality on a CBS-era Fender or making it better than original 35:13 A non-reverb Silverface Fender Princeton with a weak vibrato 40:48 A reissue '63 Fender Vibroverb that needs more clean headroom 45:42 How do amp circuits get named? 47:40 Cleaning vintage pots 49:49: An '80s Tusc amp with EQ 51:06 What to do with a '70s Silverface Champ with no maintenance history 54:14 A '66 Ampeg Reverberocket with an unusual distortion sound 1:01:18 A '69 Fender Bassman with both fixed and cathode bias 1:05:20 Rebuilding an amp found in a Hammond M-3 organ and melted wax on power transformers 1:07:52 A glimpse at the Fender Musicmaster Bass amps 1:11:40 Differences between an amp schematic and layout 1:13:24 A bargain Ampeg cabinet with four Altec 417 speakers 1:15:28 Sleeper pedal steel amp recommendations 1:17:00 An '80s Mesa Boogie SOB amp with a red-plating 6L6BC tube 1:20:01 Alternatives to the 6C10 tube on a '82 Fender Super Champ 1:22:40 Negative feedback: What is it? Adjusting it. 1:29:21 A 1963 Gibson Discoverer Tremolo (GA-8T) amp with too much treble 1:32:01 Skip's brief tutorial on speaker efficiency

Twice a month, guitar amp guru Skip Simmons fields your questions on tube amp buying, restoration and repair. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde. This is our eleventh (and possibly most philosophical) episode to date. Submit your guitar amp questions to Skip here: [email protected] or by leaving us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848. Some of the topics discussed on this episode: 4:00 The Fretboard Journal silverface Fender Champ mods (it's awesome, btw) 13:17 Skip's four amp switcher / mixer / pre-amp 19:48 Looking at the Fender 5F1 Champ schematic, part two 31:37 This podcast now has an Instagram page 32:30 The problem with Skip's Ep. 10 Baffler (on Fender tremolo circuits) 34:00 This week's Baffler: A recently-serviced Fender Princeton Reverb with noisy pots 37:08 The smell of vintage tube amps 40:42 Gibson Falcon mods 45:00 Skip's preferred NOS tubes 51:02 Loose tubes on a Gibson GA-6 Lancer 56:38 Thoughts on vintage Magnatones and the Magnatone pitch-shifting vibrato 1:02:36 A listener with a rare Hohner Contessa CA-300 amp asks for tips on keeping terminal strip/point-to-point wiring repair tidy 1:09:44 Why the 5E3 tweed Fender Deluxe is so loud, even with the volume turned down… plus the perils of replacing vintage pots 1:13:06 More Snufferstick talk and a Fender 6G15 reverb tank that hates high humidity 1:16:38 Tips on finding a good amp tech 1:26:45 A battery-powered(!) Gretsch Safari owned by a member of the Blue Man Group 1:29:15 Finding tube amp treasures through Ham radio enthusiasts 1:33:54 Sleuthing on the origin of a Venice-branded amplifier 1:36:06 A repaired 1966 Ampeg Reverberocket 2 with some quirks 1:43:18 A hissing 1967 Fender Vibrolux Reverb and a great Danny Gatton tale Plus: Travis Wammack's "Scratchy;" a cardiologist chimes in; Skip's disappointing beer of choice; why you should befriend your dentist; the novels of Patrick O'Brien and much more. This episode is sponsored by Grez Guitars and Mono Cases.

Twice a month, guitar amp guru Skip Simmons shares stories and answers your questions on tube amp buying, restoration and repair. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde. Submit your guitar amp questions to Skip here: [email protected] or by leaving us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848. The more questions we get, the more episodes we record. Some of the topics discussed on this episode: :22 Skip and Jason discuss possible Truth About Vintage Amps t-shirt designs (coming soon) 2:55 Jason and Skip discuss the Fretboard Journal (modified) Fender Champ 4:26 How to install a quarter-inch output into a Champ with an RCA speaker connector 6:02 Recommended solder 8:00 Our first sponsor - Grez Guitars! https://www.grezguitars.com 10:26 Our new Instagram page! https://www.instagram.com/vintageampspodcast/ 10:54 This week's Baffler 12:08 A walk-through of the Fender Champ 5F1 schematic (available online, print it out) 21:10 Wall power fluctuations 26:38 Recommended tube amps for acoustic guitars 33:05 Father's Day and the Tweed Deluxe 36:05 BB King's Gibson Lab Series (solid state) amp 38:26 A yard-sale find pre-war Rickenbaker amp and a dim bulb current limiter 41:14 Stew-Mac's Snufferstick, Part One 44:00 Leaning a tube amp on its stand - good or bad? 46:30 A noisy Fender silverface Princeton 49:26 Boutique amps 51:54 Recommended new components 55:22 Snufferstick, Part Two 59:40 Capturing that Champ distortion with a louder amp (and a shoutout to Tim Foster) 1:03:26 Manitoba's Johnson Sound System amplifiers 1:06:30 Replacing old can power capacitors cleanly 1:15:15 Recommended bigger speakers / impedance for a Fender Champ 1:18:38 Converting an old Hammond AO-39 organ reverb amp to a guitar amp 1:27:15 A 1957 Fender 5F4 Super amp with an original selenium bias rectifier 1:35:13 Skip's record picks of the week 1:38:22 Best position for the three-way ground switch on a Fender 1:40:00 Skip has to return a weed eater Want to advertise your brand on the TAVA podcast? Drop us a line at [email protected]. If you're enjoying this podcast, please leave us a review on iTunes and don't forget to share it with friends.

Twice a month, guitar amp guru Skip Simmons shares stories and answers your questions on tube amp buying, restoration and repair. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde. Submit your guitar amp questions to Skip here: [email protected] or by leaving us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848. The more questions we get, the more episodes we record. Some of the topics discussed on this episode: -Skip takes care of a baby goat -Who was Ray Massie (the answer to this week's baffler) -A Clavioline needs TLC -Identifying a tube when you have no schematic -The affect a speaker size has on even the smallest amps -The Garnet Herzog mod -The different tremolo circuit between a Blackface Deluxe Reverb and a Blackface Princeton Reverb -Tube amp touring advice (including the often-asked, 'Which way do I lie my amp down in the van' question) -Baffle board construction -RAW switches -Radio noise in a Fender reverb unit -Removing tube covers -A funky Gregory Mark XX -Skip offers a music recommendation and much more… Want to advertise your brand on the TAVA podcast? Drop us a line at [email protected]. If you're enjoying this podcast, please leave us a review on iTunes and don't forget to share it with friends.

Twice a month, guitar amp guru Skip Simmons shares stories and answers your questions on tube amp buying, restoration and repair. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde. Submit your guitar amp questions to Skip here: [email protected] or by leaving us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848. The more questions we get, the more episodes we record. Some of the topics discussed on this episode: -Skip replies to a critic of his WD-40 hack -Jason's Gibson EH-150 amp needs help -An answer to last week's Champ baffler -Speaker re-coning recommendations -A buggy reissue Gibson GA-20 prototype -Recommendations for a baritone guitar player -Protecting an amp from the elements in damp Southeast Texas -Running a Traynor head on only one power tube -Can you break an amp through loud playing/boost/effects? -Making a reissue Blackface Deluxe Reverb sound vintage -How to buy pre-amp tubes online -Alternative chasis materials -Fitting bigger speakers in a Champ cab -Capturing the sound of Billy Childish (again) -A '60s Gibson Skylark with numerous issues and much more… Want to advertise your brand on the TAVA podcast? Drop us a line at [email protected]. If you're enjoying this podcast, please leave us a review on iTunes and don't forget to share it with friends.

Twice a month, guitar amp guru Skip Simmons shares stories and answers your questions on tube amp buying, restoration and repair. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde. Submit your guitar amp questions to Skip here: [email protected] or by leaving us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848. The more questions we get, the more episodes we record. Some of the topics discussed on this episode: -Dick Dale and the Fender Showman amp -The differences between Fender Tweed, Brownface, Blackface and Silverface amps -Noise floor: What's acceptable, what indicates an amp problem -Broken tube pins -Using amps in stereo (safely) -Toroidal power transformers -The "bright cap mod" on a Fender Deluxe Reverb -Skip's mods to the Silverface Champ circuit -Building your own kit amp -Achieving the sound of Billy Childish without a Selmer Triumph Reverb -Replacement bass amp speakers and much more… Want to advertise your brand on the TAVA podcast? Drop us a line at [email protected]. If you're enjoying this podcast, please leave us a review on iTunes and don't forget to share it with friends.

Twice a month, guitar amp guru Skip Simmons shares stories and fields your questions on tube amp buying, restoration and repair. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde. Submit your guitar amp questions to Skip here: [email protected] or by leaving us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848. The more questions we get, the more episodes we record. Some of the topics discussed on this episode: -Modding a Silverface Fender Champ -Speaker wiring harnesses -Keeping seldom-used guitar amps in usable shape -Groundbreaking amplifiers throughout history -The standby switch (again!) -Craigslist shopping tips -Replacement fuses -A 1948 Gibson BR6 with an unusual chasis mount -The explosive proliferation of pedals -Wet/dry rigs and recommendations for an A/B box -Tips on buying NOS vacuum tubes -Discovering a Coastwise Electronics Model 310 amplifier -Replacement tubes for a hand-wired Vox AC30 -Buying a transformer for a 5E3 Tweed Deluxe amp kit and much more… Want to advertise your brand on the TAVA podcast? Drop us a line at [email protected]. If you're enjoying this podcast, please leave us a review on iTunes and don't forget to share it with friends.

Submit your guitar amp questions to amp repair guru Skip Simmons here: [email protected] or by leaving us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848. The more questions we get, the more episodes we record. Twice a month, guitar amp repairman and former drawbridge operator Skip Simmons fields your questions on tube amp buying, repair and maintenance. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde. Some of the topics discussed on this episode: -Spring Reverb, 101: How does it work, how to fix it -Grounding tips -Skip's recommended multimeters and soldering irons -Using vintage US-made amps overseas -Making a 1968 Fender Super Reverb a little less loud -Breaking in a new speaker -Gigging with a '58 Fender Vibrolux -Octal tubes -Skip's thoughts on DIY amp kits and much more... Want to advertise your brand on the TAVA podcast? Drop us a line at [email protected]. http://www.skipsimmonsamps.com https://www.fretboardjournal.com

Submit your guitar amp questions to Skip Simmons here: [email protected] or by leaving us a voicemail at 509-557-0848. The more questions we get, the more episodes we record. Twice a month, guitar amp guru and former drawbridge operator Skip Simmons fields your questions on tube amp buying, repair and maintenance. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde. Topics discussed on this episode: -Different aftermarket speaker options for a Fender Champ -The dangers of working on vintage amplifiers -What to look for when shopping for a vintage guitar amp -A perplexing 2000-era Gibson amplifier -Output transformers in a Silverton 1481 -Carbon comp resistors versus metal film -The value of an DIY amp kit -Using a Knight (or Bogen) vocal PA head as a guitar amp And much more. Want to advertise your brand on the TAVA podcast? Drop us a line at [email protected]. http://www.skipsimmonsamps.com https://www.fretboardjournal.com

Submit your questions for vintage amp repair expert Skip Simmons here: [email protected] Twice a month, guitar amp guru and former drawbridge operator Skip Simmons fields your questions on tube amp buying, repair and maintenance. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde. Topics discussed on this episode: -The death of guitar shows -The Truth About Vintage Amps rant on Skip's website -Why you may not need a three-prong plug on your amp -The "death cap" and the magic behind certain capacitors -Non-MASCO P/A heads as guitar amps -Inheriting and maintaining a '65 Super Reverb -Amp biasing -Learning how to read a schematic and much more. http://www.skipsimmonsamps.com https://www.fretboardjournal.com

The Fretboard Journal magazine presents The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons. Submit your questions to Skip here: [email protected] Every month, guitar amp guru and former drawbridge operator Skip Simmons shares stories and fields your questions on tube amp buying, restoration and repair. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde. Topics discussed on this episode: -The long-term storage of tube amps -The magic behind Standel amps -Calculating the exact wattage of an amp -Good goos (and how to fix a torn speaker) -Paul Rivera-era Fenders -The Kalamazoo Model 2 -The modern tube marketplace -Simple tube amp maintenance anyone can do -The limits of safely mismatching speakers to a stated amp load and much more… http://www.skipsimmonsamps.com https://www.fretboardjournal.com

The Fretboard Journal magazine presents The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons! Submit your questions to Skip here: [email protected] Every month, guitar amp guru Skip Simmons shares stories and fields your questions on tube amp buying, restoration and repair. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde. Topics discussed on this episode: -Repairing amps on a drawbridge -60hz/50hz hum -Troubleshooting amps -Yellowjacket YJR/solid-state rectifiers in a tube amp -Recommended new vacuum tubes for amps -The magic behind Alexander Dumble -Skip's influences (Les Paul, Jack Darr, Steve Melkisethian/ Angela Instruments, Earl Yarrow) and much more… http://www.skipsimmonsamps.com https://www.fretboardjournal.com

Once a month, amp repair guru Skip Simmons and Fretboard Journal publisher Jason Verlinde will field your questions about vintage guitar amps. Whether you're looking for your next purchase or just want to get your old tweed Fender Deluxe working again, this show is for you. To submit a question, just email us at [email protected]. Our first episode debuts in early December 2018.