Ep. 148: "Lining Up"
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
We're back with episode 148 of the Truth About Vintage Amps: Jason survives a month in Peru; the schematics of acupuncture; speaker break-in; and more! Our sponsors: ; ; , and Topics discussed: :00 Jason goes to Peru, Skip gets the new Fretboard Journal 11:20 What’s on Skip’s Bench: A roasted Tweed Harvard 13:18 Spotted on eBay: Packard Bell teaching tool / working schematic 16:13 A 1952 Champion 600 with a 1952 Telecaster 18:54 Skip doesn’t hang out with Jack White 24:22: Our sponsors: Check out at Emerald City Guitars! 31:33 Barry & The...
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Ep. 147: "Kosher Sound"
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
Episode 147 of the Truth About Vintage Amps: Jason is headed to Peru, hemp speakers, resistors, modding PAs for harps, Lilly vs Lily at the Fender factory, kosher sound, and more! Fluidics: Our sponsors: Save $20 off Amplified Parts' with the discount code TAVA20! (expires April 30, 2025); ; , and Recorded April 24, 2025. Want amp tech Skip Simmons' advice on your DIY guitar amp projects? Join us by sending your voice memo or written questions to ! Include a photo, too. Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard...
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Ep. 146: "Where the Spot Is"
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
Episode 146 of the Truth About Vintage Amps: Troubled drummers, bulk Gatorade, more typewriter and Rockford Files talk, and a bunch of amp questions. Reminder: Amplified Parts now has ! Thanks, as always, for being a part of the world's finest call-in tube amp repair show. Want amp tech Skip Simmons' advice on your DIY guitar amp projects? Join us by sending your voice memo or written questions to ! Include a photo, too. Some of the topics discussed this week: :43 The Ampeg book (), George Barnes and 'Guitars Galore' 3:43 A 1982 black panel Fender Champ 4:43 A Super Reverb that...
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Ep. 145: "I Have a Swimming Pool"
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
Episode 145 of the Truth About Vintage Amps: Kahlua brie, replicating Nirvana's In Utero sound, hissy reverb units and more! Thanks, as always, for being a part of the world's finest call-in tube amp repair show. Want amp tech Skip Simmons' advice on your DIY guitar amp projects? Join us by sending your voice memo or written questions to ! Include a photo, too. Some of the topics discussed this week: 1:17 Skip makes even more stuff for John Vanderslice & Tiny Telephone; Skip's take on the MTI Tubes pedal 8:18 Skip's Premier 90-inspired reverb unit 15:20 Our sponsors: ; ...
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Ep. 144: "You've Got to Feed Those Things"
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
Episode 144 of the Truth About Vintage Amps: Flashing Flukes, reflections on NAMM, variable plate capacitors, hot buttered rum (and popcorn!), and more! Need some help with your tube amps? Be a part of our show by sending your voice memo or written questions to ! Some of the topics discussed this week: 1:13 Jason goes to the NAMM Show, the Dumble relaunch (watch our Instagram video ); Grit Laskin's 'The Stradivari Formula' (); Wood Wire & Volts () 11:49 What's on Skip's bench: A late 1940s Danelectro Vibrovox; Wandre Guitars 20:57 Our sponsors: ; and ! 25:14 A...
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Ep. 143: "The Girl Who Never Rained"
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
A throwback, lo-fi landline episode just for the purists! Caller waiting beeps, the state of the guitar show, an energized Skip, and more. Want to be a part of our show? Just email us a question or voice memo to . Recorded on January 13, 2025. Some of the topics discussed this week: 1:31: The LA fires 3:34: A recap of the Bay Area Vintage Guitar Show; are guitar shows just for eating now? estuaries and prison proposals 34:00 Our sponsors: ; and ! 36:56 The origins of goop; Standel amps and their little plastic boxes, Mark Sampson (aforementioned amp ) 43:24 Skip's death caps (not...
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Ep. 142: "Paul Jerky"
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
It's the 142nd episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps! Join Skip and Jason as they field all of your pressing guitar amp questions. Plus...recipes, music and book recommendations 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 week: :00 Jingle Bell Rock and other Christmas classics 1:14 Our sponsors: ; and ! 5:37 Supermarket Sweep; The Office 7:27 ; listener John's Angela parts list 8:27 Another Tweed Harvard by Skip? 9:33 Let's celebrate the TAVA makers; the TAVA Cookbook () 11:09 A 1970 Davis PA Head with a...
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Ep. 141: "I've Got an Alamo That I Want to Forget"
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
Missing your rambling relatives this holiday season? You're in luck! Tune in to Jason and Skip as they ramble through weather reports, amp fixes, book recommendations, reflective impedance, reverb-driven line-out and more on our 141st episode! 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 Weather report: Rain in the West, bomb cyclones in the PNW 4:32 A 1968 Heathkit catalog with DIY Harmony Guitar kits 6:35 Thanksgiving at the Simmons house 7:09 A noisy Alamo; Pathfinder, the band (); bands named after...
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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...
info_outlineIt'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 [email protected].
Our sponsors: Emerald City Guitars, Amplified Parts, StewMac, and Grez Guitars.
Don't forget, we have a Patreon page.
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 replica speaker (link); re-coning by Hempopotamus (and Weber)
16:56 The 2024 Fretboard Summit, featuring Blake Mills, Josh Scott (JHS), Colin Hay and so much more https://fretboardsummit.org (Aug 23-25, 2024 in Chicago)
20:29 The Davis Guitar Scene
20:51 Is there a new speaker comparable to the JBL D130F? Artie Shaw
22:43 VHT amps, redux; homemade cheese
28:05 Why did Leo use RCA plugs for his speaker jacks?
32:20 I miss lo-fi Skip; help me isolate the hum on my Magnatone 410
39:45 Favorite solder; avocado toast
43:26 Recommended movie: 'All That Is Sacred' featuring Tom McGuane, Jim Harrison, Jimmy Buffett, and vintage Key West (link)
44:58 Help me ground my Pepco Riviera 725
48:15 Does the phase inverter tube contribute gain?
49:47 AIMS amplifiers, redux; Don Randall
53:59 Skip (almost) fixes a church organ
1:00:03 Should I wax pot these old output transformers?
1:04:55 Why is there chicken wire in my amplifier? finding the outside foil on a cap
Recorded July 25, 2024.