Ep. 144: "You've Got to Feed Those Things"
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
Release Date: 02/24/2025
Ep. 164: "Kern County Wool Growers"
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
Episode 164 of the Truth About Vintage Amps Podcast, where amp tech Skip Simmons tackles all of your questions about guitar tube amps! Thank our sponsors: ; ; and / . Some of the topics discussed this week: :37 The Garnet book and Garnet ponderings (order the book: ), bias supply voltage in optocoupler tremolo 6:13 Our sponsors! 8:21 Two Fretboard Journal videos to check out: Ryan Richter on playing Coachella with Dijon (); Gabe Noel playing a Rickenbacker bakelite tenor guitar with matching amp () 14:12 Beginner's corner: Amp switching, comparing different...
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Ep. 163: "Thoughts Go to Cornbread" (Special Guest: Roy Rogers!)
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
Acclaimed guitarist Roy Rogers joins us this week to talk about his unique gear choices, working with John Lee Hooker, vintage amps and so much more! Thank our sponsors: ; ; and / . Some of the topics discussed this week: :56 Eric Barbour's the Tube Dumpster in Vacuum Tube Valley: 6K6, 6F6, 6Y6 tubes 2:39 A flea market Tweed Bassman 8:51 A Garnet book giveaway! 13:42 What's on Skip's bench: A distribution pre-amp 17:12 Special guest: Roy Rogers: 'The Sky's the Limit' (his new album, out now!); Mesa Boogie Mark IIB and Epiphone Electar Zephyr amps; DeArmonds in flattop...
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Ep. 162: "The Temple of Music"
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
Episode 162 of the Truth About Vintage Amps Podcast, where amp tech Skip Simmons tackles all of your questions about guitar tube amps! This week, we go deep on Canadian amps, tremolo tweaks, and tech tips. Plus: Rumors of a possible TAVA meetup at Skip's and a poetry slam! Thank our sponsors: ; ; and / . Use the discount code TAVA10MOD for a one-time, 10% discount on orders at . Usable on speakers, amp kits, pedal kits, reverb tanks, etc. Offer ends April 11, 2026. Some of the topics discussed this week: :00 Skip has a cold 2:04 SF's The Fab Mab (), 1971 Guitar Player...
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Ep. 161: "Tremolo Thursday"
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
Episode 161 of the Truth About Vintage Amps Podcast, where amp tech Skip Simmons tackles all of your questions about guitar tube amps. Thank our sponsors: ; ; and / . Use the discount code TAVA10MOD for a one-time, 10% discount on orders at . Usable on speakers, amp kits, pedal kits, reverb tanks, etc. Offer ends April 11, 2026. Some of the topics discussed this week: :42 Phil Upchurch and 'What It's Like to Be a Musician' 3:25 On the Bench: A non-working outboard tremolo by Skip, a unique Massie trem circuit, putting trem in a Bassman 100, bias modulating tremolo 9:57...
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Ep. 160: "Some People Can't Stand an Unused Triode"
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
Episode 160 of the Truth About Vintage Amps Podcast, where amp tech Skip Simmons fields all of your questions about tube amps. Thank our sponsors: ; and . Some of the topics discussed this week: 1:09 Fishing and weather report, Tule fog 4:43 Skip's amp backlog 5:19 A West guitar amp with a Dynaco 454216 transformer, a paper plate breakfast hack 10:45 Our sponsors! 12:56 What's on Skip's bench: A 1950 Princeton, a White amplifier, a Tweed Deluxe AND a Vibrolux; Electromuse amps 14:39 The Lonesome Captain's music video () 17:31 A Webster-Chicago 166-1 with a post...
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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...
info_outlineEpisode 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 podcast@fretboardjournal.com!
Some of the topics discussed this week:
1:13 Jason goes to the NAMM Show, the Dumble relaunch (watch our Instagram video here); Grit Laskin's 'The Stradivari Formula' (link); Wood Wire & Volts (link)
11:49 What's on Skip's bench: A late 1940s Danelectro Vibrovox; Wandre Guitars
20:57 Our sponsors: Grez Guitars; Emerald City Guitars and Amplified Parts!
25:14 A confused Fluke 26 Series III meter trying to measure coils and output transformer windings
33:07 The parallel between an acoustic guitar's soundboard and an amp's speaker; recommended reading: And the Roots of Rhythm Remain by Joe Boyd (link)
39:17 A custom-made, single-ended 10-watt 800 JCM-style amp; variable voltage regulators vs. a variac
44:30 Keggers Got Talent: Walnut-maple cabinets from listener Niel F. (check our Instagram for pics)
47:42 Should I use the variable plate capacitors I pulled from a HAM radio?
51:25 Skip on the phone versus Skip on the mic
52:41 Breaking food news: Cuisinart Microwave Popcorn Maker (Amazon link)
57:19 Neko Case's new memoir, 'The Harder I Fight the More I Love You' (Amazon link)
59:18 A Garnet Lifco "stencil" amp, the Garnet amp book (order link)
1:03:07 Taming a reissue Princeton Reverb, redux; the Joyo American Sound pedal (link)
1:07:31 An idea for the "pedal" room at the 2025 Fretboard Summit: https://fretboardsummit.org
1:11:15 Want to attend a Bay Area amp workshop with Skip this Spring? Email us!
1:11:47 Accidentally creating an arc with the probe when checking plate voltages on power tubes, hot buttered rum
1:17:17 Recommended reading: Conquering the Electron (link); making a pre-amp out of a Silvertone Twin 12; Greenlee knockout punches
1:28:45 Who sent Skip a Skylark?; a Ampeg flip-top with a remote reverb speaker; Bustelo instant coffee; David Barrett's harmonica courses (link); John Vanderslice
Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal.
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