Help finding a project book to build amp

trilobyte

trilobyte

New member
I'm looking to build a tube amp.
I'm looking to learn how power transformers, tubes, resistors, capacitors are used to create the preamp, tone stack, and power amp parts of amps.

I could:
1.) Use online resources to build a copy of an amp like a fender champ. (Basic schematic build)

2.) I could buy a kit.

3.) Or I could learn from a project explained where I understand/learn why I'm doing it, and procure parts myself.

I'm a software engineer who does a lot with arduino microcontroller DIY, but I'm not an Electrical engineer (although i do know basics). I believe I can learn, and would like to combine my human interface expertise to create an amp with some ability to integrate digital signal processing and human interface controls (ie. Touchscreen, etc).

I'm most curious about how amps create tone, namely distortion, and want to make a personalized amp that I can know how to tweak or fix.


What does the community here recorded for books, online walk-thrus.

I bought these and they cover theory and history more than "how to".

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I second Merlin’s books.

The rest are actual EE basics. Fundamentally guitar amplifiers are just front ends of AM radios without antennas.

You should get a book on EE basics. The voltages in these amps are enough to kill you. Way higher than the 3.3 and 5V you’re used to. I don’t recommend people learn on a real amp without knowing what they’re doing. You’ll run into real world problems like oscillations and bad components or poor layout that complicates initial learning.
 
You may find it elementary with your background but I like the uncle Doug stuff on YouTube. I found the limited amount of books I’ve read on the subject to be way too theory based and technical, maybe to my detriment.

You’ll pick it up fast, for the most part tubes are signal in through the grid, out to the plate, and grounded through the cathode.

Once you wrap your head that, get a general idea of safety. As long as you don’t get complacent, think, and know what to look for you can stay pretty safe. Then I’d encourage you to buy or build something like a champ kit and try common mods, changing values up and down. You can spend all day on a tone stack calculator only to find out what you thought would sound good really sounds like shit, that’s where experience is key.
 
Chubbs said:
You may find it elementary with your background but I like the uncle Doug stuff on YouTube. I found the limited amount of books I’ve read on the subject to be way too theory based and technical, maybe to my detriment.

You’ll pick it up fast, for the most part tubes are signal in through the grid, out to the plate, and grounded through the cathode.

Once you wrap your head that, get a general idea of safety. As long as you don’t get complacent, think, and know what to look for you can stay pretty safe. Then I’d encourage you to buy or build something like a champ kit and try common mods, changing values up and down. You can spend all day on a tone stack calculator only to find out what you thought would sound good really sounds like shit, that’s where experience is key.
Click to expand...
Yes, that's what I'm thinking too
 
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