This unique manual explains how vacuum tubes (valves) work and how they are used in guitar amp circuits. Many examples of vintage & modern commercial amps serve as case studies to identify problems, fixes & improvements. With over 500+ photos and schematics, this practical book is a "must have" for guitar players, amplifier designers & builders!
(Book). There's a huge amount of hype and mythology surrounding tube amplifiers in the guitar world. For years, experts have argued over the tiny details of exactly how they do what they do, and how their various components interact. What's undeniable is that, far more than being just a "loudness booster," the unique combination of tubes, capacitors, resistors, and transformers in these amps can contribute enormously to the quality of sound derived from any electric guitar. In this thorough and authoritative book, Dave Hunter cuts through the marketing hyperbole, and the blind faith, and supplies all the information you need to choose the right amp, and get the best from it. The book also features exclusively conducted, in-depth interviews with leading figures in the tube amp-building world including Ken Fischer, Mark Sampson, and Michael Zaite and even provides full instructions on how to construct your own high-quality tube guitar amp from scratch.
(Book). Explores all manufacturers and de-mystifys the inner workings of tube amps. All new material from the amp guru Gerald Weber. Tons of empirical data that de-mystify the inner workings of tube amps to help you get the most from your amps! You will learn how tube amps work, electronic concepts, how different types of tubes work, the anatomy of a gain stage, how to resurrect a dormant tube amp, how to do a cap job correctly, modifications to preserve your amp, how to voice an amp and tune the reverb, how to build an amp, recover a cabinet, re-grill a baffleboard, how to buy a vintage amp; and common wiring mistakes and idiosyncrasies found in vintage amps. And you get a couple of hundred pages of Questions and Answers sectioned off into Fender, Gibson, Marshall, Danelectro/Silvertone, Vox, Other American, Other British and Miscellaneous Topics. You will learn the six dreaded tone killers and how to avoid them, the top ten amp-tone tips, and how to fine-tune your entire amp setup. In short, you will have the knowledge needed to squeeze your amp's performance from lame to insane.
The most complete and practical modern reference on audiophile vacuum tube technology! Destined to become a true classic in its field, this unique DIY design & construction manual presents the theory and practice of amplifier design & construction in a balanced way. For those who dislike formulas and want proven, practical, ready-to-build designs, dozens of such commercial, tried & tested circuits are explained and analyzed. Just get your soldering iron ready and start building! Absolute beginners will benefit from the methodological approach, starting with DC circuits, then moving into AC voltages and currents and their circuits. The first few chapters of Volume 1 are a complete training course in fundamentals of electronics. Although the focus is on audiophile or "hi-fi" vacuum tube amplifiers, those interested in tube guitar amps will also benefit from the wealth of material presented, most of which directly applies to tube guitar amps as well. Apart from various audio circuits, electronic components, power supplies and tests & measurements are also covered in depth. Even tube testing and tube testers are discussed at great length, as is troubleshooting, repairing and modifying (upgrading) tube gear. The advanced topics that other books don't even mention, such as audio transformer design, construction and testing, make this reference manual a valuable addition to your technical library. For those familiar with solid state devices, such as bipolar transistors and FETs, an easy and seamless transition into tube technology is provided in the book, which adopts a unifying approach to amplification and rectification devices, be they of solid state or vacuum tube kind. This practical DIY manual is richly and professionally illustrated with photographs of tubes, components and amplifiers, circuit diagrams, tube pinouts, curves and loadlines, graphs and charts. Hundreds of such valuable illustrations make it easy to comprehend issues. There is no need to search for, download and print such information, saving you valuable time. All the information required to design and build tube amplifiers is compiled in one place. Who is this book for? Audiophiles and guitar players wanting to learn how tubes and tube amplifiers work. DIY constructors who wish to take their knowledge and building skills to a higher level. Buyers and sellers of tubes and tube equipment who need a better understanding of tube technology. Electronic technicians and engineers familiar with solid state devices and circuits, who want to expand their knowledge of tubes and their circuits. Anyone who wants to learn how to design, build, test, fix, or upgrade tube gear. Contents of Volume 1: WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS BOOK AND HOW BASIC ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT THEORY ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS AUDIO FREQUENCY AMPLIFIERS PHYSICAL FUNDAMENTALS OF VACUUM TUBE OPERATION VOLTAGE AMPLIFICATION WITH TRIODES - THE COMMON CATHODE STAGE OTHER VOLTAGE AMPLIFICATION STAGES WITH TRIODES TETRODES AND PENTODES AS VOLTAGE AMPLIFIERS FREQUENCY RESPONSE OF VACUUM TUBE AMPLIFIERS IMPEDANCE-COUPLED STAGES AND INTERSTAGE TRANSFORMERS NEGATIVE FEEDBACK TONE CONTROLS, ACTIVE CROSSOVERS AND OTHER CIRCUITS PRACTICAL LINE-LEVEL PREAMPLIFIER DESIGNS PHONO PREAMPLIFIERS SINGLE-ENDED TRIODE OUTPUT STAGE PRACTICAL SINGLE-ENDED TRIODE AMPLIFIER DESIGNS PRACTICAL SINGLE-ENDED PSEUDO-TRIODE DESIGNS SINGLE-ENDED PENTODE AND ULTRALINEAR OUTPUT STAGES"
Most musicians would like to understand how their amplifiers work. For reason to either get a better tone, explain that tone to their serviceman, prevent an amplifier from failing on stage, perform a quick-fix on the job, do their own maintenance, maybe even start their own repair or custom amp business. This book is intended to provide an actual Workbook that can be opened up on your workbench and used to study, service, or modify tube amps. The book is laid out in a "cadence" of schematic on top, with the appropriate layout underneath. This allows you to see both drawings at the same time. It also means that some pages are intentionally left blank, so as to not break the "cadence." These pages can be used for note taking. After all, this book is meant to be used. Contained in the chapters are reference pages for Jensen Speakers, Fender Transformers, and Accutronics Reverbs.
(Book). The sound of rock, blues, country and jazz is not just the sound of electric guitars. It's the sound of electric guitars through amplifiers. For the first time, Guitar Rigs examines the great guitar/amp combinations that have created more than 50 years of fantastic music. Each section includes a full history of guitar and amps and details the construction, components, performance, qualities and drawbacks of each combination. Guitar Rigs is not just a celebration of the collectable treasures of the guitar and amp world. Along the way it evaluates many more instruments, amps and effects, offering alternatives for those trying to conjure great sounds from less-exalted equipment. And it comes with a CD that demonstrates these and many more combinations so you hear them for yourself.
Incorporate the "tube sound" into your home audio system Learn how to work with vacuum tubes and construct high-quality audio amplifiers on your workbench with help from this hands-on, do-it-yourself resource. The TAB Guide to Vacuum Tube Audio: Understanding and Building Tube Amps explains tube theory and construction practices for the hobbyist. Seven ready-to-build projects feature step-by-step instructions, detailed schematics, and layout tips. You'll also find out how to tweak the projects, each based on a classic RCA design, for your own custom-built amps. Coverage includes: Principles and operational theory behind vacuum tubes Tube nomenclature, applications, and specifications Circuit layout, connections, and physical construction Finding and selecting the right components for the project Power supplies for vacuum tube circuits Preamplifier and power amplifier circuits Performance measurement Safety, maintenance, and troubleshooting techniques Tips on building your own tube-based system—and having fun in the process This book is intended for hobbyists interested in adding the tube sound to any audio system. (Readers looking for high-performance audiophile books are urged to consider the McGraw-Hill books by Morgan Jones.) Learn more at www.vacuumtubeaudio.info Make Great Stuff! TAB, an imprint of McGraw-Hill Professional, is a leading publisher of DIY technology books for makers, hackers, and electronics hobbyists.