audio-talk

Seeking some advice for a colleague - He plays guitar but wants to build a valve guitar amp - any recommendations for UK-based kits and/or suppliers?

The motivation comes from our office 'makerspace' group and is more about having the satisfaction of playing through a self-built amp rather than an expectation of a big step change in sound quality so something fairly basic and reasonably simple to build (he's only got basic skills and tools) would be appropriate.

Cheers

Maybe something from one of these?

http://www.astonelectronics.co.uk/index.html

https://modulusamplification.com/Default.aspx

https://www.tubeampdoctor.com/en/tweed- ... le-amp-kit

sadly it seems Geoff Pugh(aston electronics) is no longer supplying kits....

It doesn't help, but just for comparison sake you could have had 4 of Geoff's amps for the price of one of the others...and 3 off the shelf ready builts for the same price.

It would seem the market has changed somewhat in the last few years.

I'd be interested to know what you find Ray.

sadly it seems Geoff Pugh(aston electronics) is no longer supplying kits

Shame

you could have had 4 of Geoff's amps for the price of one of the others

That may have had some connection with the above.

Thanks for the info chaps. The links were in the results when I did a search but I have no experience of what is good or bad in this context - I'll pass on the info and we'll see how he wants to play it.

Ray P wrote: ↑Mon Jul 12, 2021 7:05 pm - I'll pass on the info and we'll see how he wants to play it.

With both hands ?

Shame. I listened to the two five watt singles and el84 was most lively Id get that if it could be sourced.

pre65 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 12, 2021 9:48 pm

Ray P wrote: ↑Mon Jul 12, 2021 7:05 pm - I'll pass on the info and we'll see how he wants to play it.

With both hands ?

You have to stop thinking in stereotype terms Phil...

I missed the obvious here:

https://www.ampmaker.com/

all roads lead to Rome, which implies most you find will be a variation on the ubiquitous Fender amps.

Ampmaker probably represents the best value for money but that still leaves you with requiring cabinet, speakers and knobs. Ampmaker has the shop though, to cater for these things.

you haven't mentioned what he wants the amp for, home practice or stage?

I've only ever built several fender champs and then decided to just get professionally built amps. They are more rugged and reliable and very good value for money considering what they can include under the bonnet.

They have a resale value too.

Improving on the basic fender champ is easy and great fun. I built two once to show the difference between electronic distortion and speaker cone break up....

In the first band Malcolm the guitarist used an el34pp amp his dad built. It lasted for years with lots of gigging. I used an already battered Hi-watt (el34pp) 50 watt amp until using keyboards swapped over to HH solid state.

Erm, I think I still have a home brew fender champ ( one ecc83, one el84, telefunken output transformer) amp in the shed, still.

Have a look on Ebay ?

I found this one not a million miles from Taunton.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/144075714532 ... Sw6IpgxfJ3

Looks a bargain, collector's?, but not a kit.

andrew Ivimey wrote: ↑Tue Jul 13, 2021 11:30 am Looks a bargain, collector's?, but not a kit.

Very true, but an alternative to (perhaps) think about ?

And it's local.

pre65 wrote: ↑Tue Jul 13, 2021 11:42 am

andrew Ivimey wrote: ↑Tue Jul 13, 2021 11:30 am Looks a bargain, collector's?, but not a kit.

Very true, but an alternative to (perhaps) think about ?

And it's local.

From the first post

He plays guitar but wants to build a valve guitar amp

If he plays guitar he will already have an amp, the goal I am sure is to try building one. As Andrew says, the commercial ones are just cheaper than you can make, even the valve ones, but the fun is building one that’s broken in the way that guitarists like, and being able to play with components. If you want more than a champ style circuit, it gets more complex quickly, but the basic champ has lots to commend it. One of the the great things about the champ is it hasn't got a shed full of controls on the front (ref that ebay ad),

ed wrote: ↑Tue Jul 13, 2021 8:55 am you haven't mentioned what he wants the amp for, home practice or stage?

Thanks for the extra info Ed, I've forwarded it onto him.

He's started a new band I believe the aim is to gig.