Ep. 150: "Throw It In the River"
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
Release Date: 07/05/2025
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...
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Ep. 149: "Have Fun" (Special Guest: Jim Campilongo!)
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
Support our sponsors: ; ; , and ! Acclaimed guitarist Jim Campilongo joins Skip and Jason to talk about his music and gear journey, vinyl treasures, George Barnes playing "Little Rock Getaway" (), Vance Terry & Jimmy Rivers, Silverface Princeton Reverb love; Celestion G-10 speakers; Laika and the Cosmonauts; and so much more. Plus frozen meatballs! Follow Jim Campilongo: Jim's Lessons: 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...
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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...
info_outlineIt'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 podcast@fretboardjournal.com! Include a photo, too.
Some of the topics discussed this week:
1:26 The Esparto fireworks storage facility explosion (link); salvaging organ pedals
6:22 Jason's life updates: Issue 57; Fretboard Summit (link); trail running; watching the 2025 Western States Endurance Run
11:46 Standel amplifier quirks, voltage regulator tubes, Dave's Hot Chicken kale slaw
16:36 Our sponsors: Grez Guitars; Emerald City Guitars and Amplified Parts! Amplified Parts is having a Fourth of July sale right now (act fast)
19:17 The Fretboard Summit Pinewood Derby race
22:03 Honorary sponsor: Tin Can Valley Letterpress (link)
23:10 Recommended reading: Matthew Zapruder's 'Story of a Poem' (Amazon link)
25:22 An Ampeg V4 / V4B bias circuit baffler
28:07 Single-ended amp 101; Stouffer's Hotel cherry chocolate cake
41:19 Channel jumping on a Silvertone 1482 and other amps; Neil Young
46:00 Music recommendation: Round Eye from Shanghai
47:11 Why do these homebrew 5F1 clones have blackened input jacks?
49:31 The Fender 400PS schematic
54:18 Harmony 420 amps, making a pre-amp out of a Heathkit volt meter
1:00:05 The Fretboard Journal's Dumble short film with Ben Harper (YouTube link)
1:01:46 Dave Hill at the 2025 Fretboard Summit!
1:02:34 Redwood cabinets on Gibson Falcons; Lima, Peru's Los Saicos band
1:12:21 A-Z Darts in Sacramento (link)
1:16:04 Getting a mono tube hi-fi for music playback
1:23:56 Listener Yann at Body and Soul Instruments (Instagram); the new Robert Johnson book (Amazon link)
1:25:24 Keeping the 12v DC power supply on old PA amps? Doug Hoffman
1:30:54 How far should I mod this 1980 Fender Deluxe Reverb?
1:37:24 Ishi in Two Worlds (Amazon link)
Recorded July 4, 2025.
Want amp tech Skip Simmons' advice on your DIY guitar amp projects? Want to share your top secret family recipe? Need relationship advice? Join us by sending your voice memo or written questions to podcast@fretboardjournal.com! Include a photo, too.
Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal.
Don't forget, we have a Patreon page. Support the show, get behind-the-scenes updates and get to the front of the line with your questions.