Ep. 126: "They Do Eventually Die"
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
Release Date: 12/16/2023
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...
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Ep. 128: "The Smells Were Overwhelming"
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
Welcome to episode 128 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. The first hour of this show probably belongs on our Patreon, but I'm feeling generous and sharing it with everyone. Reminder: . (The amp questions kick in around 49 minutes.) 2:10 Skip goes to the Bay Area Guitar Show: Fancy Gibson ukes, a Martin 00-28, lots of amps, a shopworn Grez, Jimboys Tacos, the bar on San Clemente Island (), pupusas 33:46 Gibson reissues the Falcon () 40:03 Skip fixes a refrigerator 43:51 Skip loses his...
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Ep. 127: "The Rogue Hoe"
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
We're closing out 2023 with special guest Bill Krinard of Two Rock! I won't even attempt to annotate this episode but Bill joins us at 5:36 and fields a bunch of listener-submitted questions on transformers with dissimilar primary windings; Two-Rock's design process; how he uses oscilloscopes; Ampegs; Filmosound mods; potentiometers; harmonic content; and more. Want to be a part of our show? Submit your question or voice memo to . Our sponsors: , , and Love the show? We have a Patreon where you can support us, get to the front of the line with questions, and get exclusive bonus...
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Ep. 126: "They Do Eventually Die"
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
Transformer talk, spaghetti carbonara, goat horn jazz, and more transformer talk...it's the 126th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps! Want to be a part of our show? Submit your question or voice memo to . Some of the topics discussed this week: :48 Skip types out a tube chart 3:16 This week's sponsors: , , and ; the art of bargaining at a guitar show; the Bay Area Vintage Guitar Show; Premier and Alamo amps 7:43 A Marshall Major PA-200 head at Emerald City () 11:48 What's on Skip's bench: an RCA PA head; Bill Krinard's return to the podcast? 15:08 RIP Earl Yarrow & Shep the dog...
info_outlineTransformer talk, spaghetti carbonara, goat horn jazz, and more transformer talk...it's the 126th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps!
Want to be a part of our show? Submit your question or voice memo to [email protected].
Some of the topics discussed this week:
:48 Skip types out a tube chart
3:16 This week's sponsors: Emerald City Guitars, Amplified Parts, Stringjoy Strings, and Grez Guitars; the art of bargaining at a guitar show; the Bay Area Vintage Guitar Show; Premier and Alamo amps
7:43 A Marshall Major PA-200 head at Emerald City (link)
11:48 What's on Skip's bench: an RCA PA head; Bill Krinard's return to the podcast?
15:08 RIP Earl Yarrow & Shep the dog
18:26 Junior Bonner
21:40 More Earl Yarrow
23:50 Brandy and soda
24:30 What to use in my Princeton Reverb clone: A Soursound 12-watt transformer or a Hammond 14-watt?
28:01 What to do with one single can of El Pato; avant-garde guitarist Havard Skaset; Los Pericos Quadradas chips (link); Norwegian goat horn player Karl Seglem's "Mytevegar" (Bandcamp)
33:23 Help my humming Vintage 47 Mini
37:52 What to do with a 1964 Magnatone 401, one-to-three input transformer, how to not get shocked
42:43 Should we be burning-in our amps after repairs?
46:21 Converting a Bogen MO30 to a Fender Pro circuit
51:44 Recording a tube amp at low volume by pulling the phase inverter
53:21 1952/1953 Fender Tweed Deluxes with low gain instrument jacks, input impedance
55:44 Armadillo Amp Works cabinets
56:20 Is this serviced 1970 Fender Bassman head still a Fender Bassman? gifting a tweed Bassman to your nephew
1:01:25 Thanks for the TAVA show notes; what's the deal with my one-knob, early 1960s Gibson Skylark GA-5?
1:06:50 What output transformer to use on my Trainwreck clone? Dynaco transformers
1:09:03 Heritage Auctions' typewriter sale (link)
1:10:49 Spaghetti carbonara; gutting a Peavey VTX Heritage 130 to build a bass amp with an ultra-linear transformer; Sunn amps
1:14:40 The magic of Soundmasters; Sacramento ska band Filibuster; how a family of amps can basically have the same pre-amp circuitry; 807s vs. 6L6s or EL34s
1:24:43 Thoughts on the 2024 Vintage Guitar Price Guide
1:27:57 What could cause DC voltage to build up on the grid of a power tube aside from leaky coupling caps
1:35:10 Shoutout to the Fender greats: Richard Smith, Bruce Zinky, Lynn Wheelwright, Terry Foster; a circuit baffler of sorts!
1:37:47 Spaghetti carbonara & Los Pericos Quadradas redux
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