Ep. 140: "Tiny Bits of Tingle"
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
It's the 140th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps podcast, where amp tech Skip Simmons eventually fields your questions on all-things-tube amps! As always, use all advice at your own risk. Want to be a part of our show? Just email us a question or voice memo to . Some of the topics discussed this week: 2:35 What's on Skip's Bench: A modified ES-150 Charlie Christian amp with a non-field coil speaker 4:22 Smilin' Skip's: Stuff for Sale 5:15 Loma Rica's Aztec Recording Studio; the Ralph Shine Blues Band; Skip's new guitar; Sylvia Massy (); Weed, California; the Fretboard...
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Ep. 139: "I'm Going Negative"
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
It's the 139th 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 week: :48 On the bench: A 1974 Alembic pre-amp, a Showman head in disguise 3:58 Webb's Music and a hang gliding pioneer 6:08 Our sponsors: ; and ; the Wood Wire & Volts Show in Anaheim (); Bruce Harvie of Orcas Island Tonewoods 11:10 Skip has a warning for the TAVA ...and others 14:38 A luthiers' pet peeve 16:55 Bias...
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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:...
info_outlineIt's the 116th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps podcast, where legendary amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on guitar amps and their repair!
Want to be a part of the show? Keep the amp questions for Skip coming to [email protected]! Voice memos or emails are welcome. And don't forget we now have a Patreon.
This week's sponsors: Emerald City Guitars, Stringjoy Strings (use the code FRETBOARD to save off your first string order), Amplified Parts, and Grez Guitars.
This week's topics:
1:02 Making amps out of little intercoms, redux
4:01 Amplified Parts' Potentiometer Adapter Sleeve (link)
8:34 Join our Patreon and hear a lost episode with Steve Melkisethian (Angela Instruments): https://www.patreon.com/vintageamps
9:19 What's on Your Bench: A 1952 low-powered Tweed Twin found on eBay
12:00 Retiring the word "blackface" when talking about amps
16:10 Coupling capacitor orientation, redux
20:28 Jonathan Stout (check out 'Pick It and Play It'); "For the Good Times" by Al Green
26:19 Sellers turning vintage amps on with no speaker load
29:55 The best DIY Fender Princeton kits around; roasted cauliflower with curry powder, Soursound transformers (link)
40:28 Does a lower B+ keep an old amp happier?
43:58 How quickly could you build a Champ? The Fretboard Summit (August 24-26 in Chicago) and JHS's Germanium Chef competition (attend by registering here: www.fretboardsummit.org), wiring a part board before you put it in the amp
46:59 Chris at Deluxe Amplification (deluxeamplification.com)
50:08 A horse-powered IBM Selectric typewriter (Facebook post link)
52:06 Silvertone 1484 amps; in defense of metal film resistors, a forthcoming Ampeg documentary, Ampeg Jets and Rockets, the Jackson Audio 1484 - Twin Twelve pedal (link), a Guild 66-J amp with a Pyle Driver speaker
1:09:20 The Fret Files podcast capacitor test (link); the terminology of pickups
Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal.
Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise and don't forget to get a subscription to the Fretboard Journal (link). Digital subscriptions start at just $30.
Submit your amp questions, recipes, and life hacks to [email protected] and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media.