Ep. 111: "A Tree, the Roof of a Trailer and a Deluxe Reverb"
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
Release Date: 03/16/2023
Ep. 138: "Check for Ticks"
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
It's the 138th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps podcast, where amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on all-things-tube amps! This week, we pay tribute to Angela Instruments founder and former guest Steve Melkisethian (1950-2024); talk resistors and transformers; catch up on the 2024 Fretboard Summit; and much more. Want to be a part of our show? Just email us a question or voice memo to . Don't forget, we have a . Join us to get show updates and get to the front of the question line. Some of the topics discussed this time around: :58 R.I.P. Nick Gravenites...
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Ep. 137: "Walk Around the Yard"
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
It's the 137th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps podcast, where amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on all-things-tube amps! This week, we talk to special guest, Steve Carr of Carr Amplifiers! Want to be a part of our show? Just email us a question or voice memo to . Our sponsors: , and . Don't forget, we have a . And come to the . Some of the topics discussed this time around: 2:22 Steve Carr () joins us for an enlightening talk about prototyping, speaker cabs, Solen caps, tone controls, and so much more. He even fields a few of your...
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Ep. 136: "Release the Curd"
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
It's the 136th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps podcast, where amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on all-things-tube amps! Want to be a part of our show? Just email us a question or voice memo to . Our sponsors: , and . Don't forget, we have a . Some of the topics discussed this time around: 1:11 A Big Boy locomotive chugs through CA 3:42 What's on Skip's Bench: A Valco/National/Airline amp-in-case; a single-ended Soundmaster PA; a Premier Twin 8 10:55 Another round of TAVA shirts? (coming soon) 13:06 Milkman to produce a JBL K120...
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Ep. 135: "Liquor, Candy, Model Airplane Magazines..."
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
It's the 135th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps podcast, where amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on all-things-tube amps. Want to be a part of our show? Just email us a question or voice memo to . Some of the topics discussed this time around: 1:24 Another hopeful story; Winters, California 7:44 The fifth-ever Fretboard Summit: Blake Mills, Adam Levy, vintage amps, new amps, 80 luthiers, JHS and so much more. 13:25 One of the greatest boxes of all time: thanks, Ben from Chattanooga! 15:01 Lynn Wheelwright reaches out to Skip 16:33 The very first Standel amp;...
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Ep. 134: "A Little Debbie Swiss Roll"
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
It's the 134th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps podcast, where amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on all-things-tube amp. This week, we're joined by jazz guitarist Jonathan Stout where we talk EH-150s, field coil speakers and more! Want to be a part of our show? Just email us a question or voice memo to . Some of the topics discussed this time around: 1:23 Triple E jerky and freeze-dried ice cream () 2:36 Our sponsors: , , and . 6:06 What's on Skip's bench: An Electar Model M with 6N6 power tubes; a National Dobro amp with 2A3 power...
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Ep. 133: "A Spicy Tomato Sauce"
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
It's the 133rd episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps podcast, where amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on all-things-tube amp! Want to be a part of our show? Just email us a question or voice memo to . Some of the topics discussed: 1:14 Skip's 1950 Ferguson tractor, the Truth About Lawn Mowers 7:28 A zebra on the loose in Washington State 9:30: This week's sponsors: , , and . 12:28 Grez Guitars sends Skip Quique Gomez & Little Charles Baty's Cookin' At Greaseland 16:51 What's on Skip's bench? A 1953 Fender Tweed Pro that needed nearly a...
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Ep. 132: "Start Dark"
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
No guests or special theme this week...just an all-new, old-school episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps, where amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on all-things-tube amp. Want to be a part of our show? Just email us a question or voice memo to . Some of the topics discussed: 1:31 What's on Skip's workbench: Valco amps with a resistor and a normal speaker instead of a field coil 3:46 This week's sponsors: , , , , and . 5:04 Thrift store: Revere Ware 8:01 What's the deal with this Leslie Model 18 circuit 15:41 Daisy chaining four Pignose amps to a backpack, tuna...
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Ep. 131: "Sandy Soil"
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
Illustrator/musician/underground comix legend Robert Armstrong (Mickey Rat, Couch Potato, the Cheap Suit Serenaders!) joins Skip and Jason this week for a very special installment of the Truth About Vintage Amps. Want to support our show? ! Some of the topics discussed: 1:38 NOS military-grade green pilot light jewels from Gary Economy (); leave us an Apple Podcasts review and take a screenshot to enter to win one!; 5879 tubes 3:03 Where is George? (Danger UXB on eBay) 4:48 Rick Estrin and Dennis Gruenling's harmonica workshop, March 16 () 6:43 This week's sponsors:...
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Ep. 130: "America's Hat"
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
It's a very special, all-Canadian episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps podcast, the call-in show where amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on all things tube amp repair! This week, we have special guests Calvin McCormick (Hiwatt) and Mike Watson of The 6L6s along for the ride. Reminder: Some of the topics discussed: 1:06 Jason heads to the Phoenix MIM Museum (); the National Music Museum in Vermillion, South Dakota (; the American Banjo Museum () 3:20 This week's sponsors: , , , and 6:05 Canadian amp builders worth following: Gary Economy () &...
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Ep. 129: "Summer of the Comet"
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
Welcome to ep. 129 of the Truth About Vintage Amps podcast, the call-in show where amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on all things tube amp repair. This week, it's an (almost) all-Fender episode! Reminder: . Some of the topics discussed: :44 Jason goes to the NAMM Show 4:20 Skip is fixing his 1961 Comet 9:04 What's on Skip's bench: Three Fender Concerts; 5C1 Fender Champ circuits; a 5-watt Oahu with a 40-watt transformer; a silver panel Fender Champ for sale at Skip's 14:27 This week's sponsors: , , and . 20:36 Ceriatone amps; Divided by Thirteen Amplification gets...
info_outlineWe're back and episode 111 has it all: Deep thoughts, a tornado, fried eggs, and power tubes gone bad. Keep the questions coming to [email protected] and enjoy!
Some of the topics discussed this week:
1:59 The TAVA Big Index page (link)
3:26 A pro chef hack, Rancho Gordo beans redux (link to the beans)
4:34 A '64 Princeton Reverb clone with a switch that can convert it to a stock Princeton, redux (thanks Emcee Amps of Montreal); the Tweed Vibrolux tone control
7:44 What's on Skip's bench: A Stromberg-Carlson PA head
9:52 What did today's vintage amps sound like new? Pizza with an egg
19:00 A tornado-damaged 1967 Deluxe Reverb with a loose reverb wire
23:38 A 6G3 with a glowing power tube, when good power tubes go bad
28:41 Why does my hand-wired Vox AC4 hum more than my PCB version of the exact same amp?
32:18 Making a '63 Vibroverb reissue quieter; the Crazy Tube Circuit's White Whale reverb pedal (link)
42:13 Baffler: The usefulness of a 6AT6 preamp tube in old radios
46:16 What Skip's reading: Garrett Hongo's 'The Perfect Sound: A Memoir in Stereo' (Amazon link), a 12-volt powered dynamotor
51:57 A psychologist chimes in; B+ voltage
Recorded Feb. 14, 2023.
This week's episode is sponsored by Stringjoy Strings, Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars. You can also use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase.
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