Ep. 139: "I'm Going Negative"
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
Release Date: 10/18/2024
Ep. 159: "TAVA, Again...Exclamation Point"
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
Episode 159 of the Truth About Vintage Amps: Beans, two-prong ASMR, peeling diodes (and faceplates) and more! Thank our sponsors: ; and . And honarary mention to Rancho Gordo beans. Some of the topics discussed this week: 1:32 Rancho Gordo beans in the WSJ, corn sticks 8:13 What's on Skip's bench: All the early Fender Princetons; a baffler! 11:20 Our sponsors: and (unofficially) Rancho Gordo beans 15:15: What should I do with this extra Bell Sound 2122-C hi-fi amp?; hear the TAVA All-Stars: Bob Armstong, Keith Cary, Charles Batey, Leff Jeffries (, audio only) 25:20 How can I remove...
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Ep. 158: "Not Just Living in Their Mom's Basement"
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
Episode 158: Chris Benson of Benson amps and Bryan Sours of Soursound transformers make their long-awaited returns to the Truth About Vintage Amps. Why? They want to tell us all about the logging truck of an amp they are currently building, a 700-watt(!) all-tube beast dubbed Babylon! The Babylon will feature 14 KT88 tubes, 16 total speakers, three knobs, and two power cords. It's literally the most powerful tube amp they could make without requiring a dryer outlet. Check for a sneak peek at the creation. and honorable mention to... Hear the Babylon in person at the 2026 Wood,...
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Ep. 157: "Coyote and Deer"
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
It's the 157th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps, the call-in show where amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on all things tube amps. Thank our sponsors: ; and Some of the topics discussed this week: :42 Atmospheric rivers 3:52 Skip's appearance at the Bay Area Guitar Show (Jan 10-11, ) 8:46 Fretboard Journal 58 (coming soon!) 9:57 Unsung electronics hero (and possible con man) Lee De Forest (read his memoir ); power conditioners 17:44 Skip's new trail cam 20:47 One man's trash: Repurposing the square capacitor/resistor found in a Gibson GA-19 RVT/Falcon...
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Ep. 156: "A Hoop and a Stick"
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
It's the 156th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps, the call-in show where amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on all things tube amps. This week: Special guest Jack Weston joins us with a great Allman Brothers story. Thank our sponsors: ; and Some of the topics discussed this week: :43 What's on Skip's Bench: a Fender Princeton with reversed input jacks 5:41 Special Guest: Jack Weston, author of 'The Allman Brothers Band: Classic Memorabilia, 1969-1976' () 46:17 The Magnatone Triplex; ultralinear output stages, redux; Bob Wills' The Tiffany Transcriptions...
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Ep. 155: "Realistic Carnival"
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
It's the 155th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps, the call-in show where amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on all things tube amps. This week: Barn finds, lost dogs, an extra-grounded Jason (amp pun intended) and more! Some of the topics discussed this week: 1:05 Skip gets the new Fretboard Journal (); do banjos belong in the Fretboard Journal? 5:16 Recommended music: Ned Boynton's 'The North Beach Sound;' The No-Mads () 7:54 Our sponsors: ; and (and Mr. Microphone) 18:12 What's on Skip's bench: A Bogen GA-5; a Realistic Carnival; Masco C-6; 6AQ5 tubes 22:53...
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Ep. 154: "Compromise the Windings"
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
It's the 154th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps, the call-in show where amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on all things tube amps. Some of the topics discussed this week: :42 Skip is back on the Ferguson TO-35 tractor; Roy Clark & Joe Pass 7:04 What's on Skip's bench: A Marshall Plexi Super Bass, Marshall bright caps, the Pet Shop Boys 11:43 Our sponsors ; and more Fender Champ mods; a Champ gain input baffler; Soursound transformers 23:51 200 more power cords; IEC hijinks; Steve Soest 28:13 A 1954 Fender Tweed Twins and the low-powered versus...
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Ep. 153: "A C in Chemistry"
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
It's the 153rd episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps and Skip is having a happy day fielding your amp questions. From cleaning tweed to Magnatone varistors and all points in between, it's 90 minutes of tube amp knowledge, laughs, and some serious California trivia. Some of the topics discussed this week: 1:27: The 2025 Fretboard Summit; the importance of repair tags 6:55: Thanks for the mangos, John! And a food preservation tip 8:30: Our sponsors: ; and ! 14:15 What's on Skip's bench? 60 amps in August; great Loma Rica deals; far out tubes 23:29 The big TV tubes in...
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Ep. 152: "Gridley Bias"
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
It's the much-delayed 152nd episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps! 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: 3:53 Real musicians ARE gearheads (redux) 5:47 Our sponsors: ; and ! 6:40 Tom Gunterman gets two Grez's 8:21 Yellow Jacket tube converters 10:27 Standel amps (redux); Todd Clinesmith; National Dobro amps; driver transformers...
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Ep. 151: "It Starts Out Cool"
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
It's the 151st episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps! 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: 1:03:05 What's on Skip's bench: A pile of Standel amps; Vacaville's Pacific Hardware (redux); a baffler of sorts 8:28 Tom Gunterman (); Kevin from Ohio; Joe Walsh 11:30 Our sponsors: ; and ! Marshall Capris; Christopher Guest 19:07 Julian...
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Ep. 150: "Throw It In the River"
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
It's the 150th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps! How did that happen? 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: 1:26 The Esparto fireworks storage facility explosion (); salvaging organ pedals 6:22 Jason's life updates: Issue 57; Fretboard Summit (); trail running; watching the 2025 Western States Endurance Run 11:46 Standel...
info_outlineIt'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 podcast@fretboardjournal.com.
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: Grez Guitars; Emerald City Guitars and Amplified Parts; the Wood Wire & Volts Show in Anaheim (link); Bruce Harvie of Orcas Island Tonewoods
11:10 Skip has a warning for the TAVA Kegger Facebook group...and others
14:38 A luthiers' pet peeve
16:55 Bias modulating tremolo, intensity pots
20:45 Skip works on a Dan Torres-modded amp
21:35 Jason screens his Ben Harper Dumble film in Seattle; Ben Harper on TAVA (ep. 118)
25:34 When does Skip use his tube tester?
28:17 Should I turn this jukebox amp into a guitar amp?
30:52 A monitor out a la GA17RVT; Quilter amps; full-fat Greek yogurt
36:24 When do we get a Marshall/Vox expert on the show?
37:58 A Kroker Triple Toad amp
40:13 Warming up a Nat Daniel-designed amp; separately mounted pre-amp tubes
42:17 Late '60s Fender biasing (AC568)
43:54 Skip's new guitar: A 1966 Fender Duo-Sonic
49:51 The Fender Files on YouTube (thanks, Larry Chung)
52:17 Using 5V4 rectifier tubes in a Matchless DC-30; Nduja mayonnaise (link)
1:00:17 Recommended reading: "There Are No Electrons: Electronics for Earthlings" (Amazon link); subbing a 6SL7 for a 6SN7 in a Gibson BR9
1:02:42 Transformer Corner: Using US amps overseas
1:11:07 Recommended music: Henry Kaiser & David Lindley's "Sweet Sunny North;" Steve Melkisethian remembered
1:13:01 A cheap and easy output transformer dynamic test; rebuilding reverb tanks
1:19:54 Skip's map collection
Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal.
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