The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons

Twice a month, guitar amp guru Skip Simmons fields your questions on vintage tube amp repair, restoration and collecting. Often hilarious and always insightful, it's like no other guitar podcast out there.

Ep. 134: "A Little Debbie Swiss Roll" 05/29/2024

Ep. 134: "A Little Debbie Swiss Roll" 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 tubes 13:06 Skip has a Falcon for sale; Mumbo Gumbo 13:58 I put the electrolytic capacitor in backward on a 5F2A build; how coupling caps work; what to do with this Gregory Mark 1? 19:16 Natural year-round lemonade 20:21 How to fix the broken reverb on a vintage Gibson Falcon; open secondaries, someone needs to make a replacement Falcon transformer 22:20 What do you do if you need to replace a capacitor and its original part is different from the schematic? Steve Albini's Gear Dork Videos (, ) 28:58 Special guest: Jonathan Stout ()! Field coil speakers; traffic sounds; Gibson EH-150/185 amps; Vintage 47 amps (); Combs Guitars JJ-150 pedal (); Quilter 101 heads; the evolution of amplifiers; Junior Barnard; the Echo Speaker jack on a Gibson EH-150, Knott's Berry Farm, Fender Tweed Pros; Marie Sharp's hot sauce; pizza stones; pizza tips 1:03:38 David Lindley; Jackson Browne; Greg Leisz on the FJ's Steel Podcast () 1:04:11 Revisiting the Ice Cube 1:06:39 Non-reverb Princeton love; the Brown Box voltage attenuator 1:08:21 This week's Baffler: What amazingly killer amp can you turn a non-reverb Princeton into? 1:08:49 Waiting for a ferry in Snowdonia; early mountain biking 1:14:46 A VHT Special 6 with a useless tone knob 1:18:45 6L6s in a Fender Deluxe Reverb; acceptable idle current range; Revere Ware; Cameo Copper Cleaner; Chuck roast instead of brisket; spicy Italian sausage in pasta sauce; Brussels sprouts; beer Special thanks to Tim Le Blanc for his help mixing this episode. Recorded May 24, 2024. Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal. Want to support our show? ! /episode/index/show/vintageamps/id/31517387

Ep. 133: "A Spicy Tomato Sauce" 05/03/2024

Ep. 133: "A Spicy Tomato Sauce" 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 complete rebuild 24:14 One solution for the multiple Pignose-amp quandary from ep. 132: Radial Engineering's Shotgun 4-Channel Amp Driver (); 100 Vintage Hawaiian Songs () 30:35 Tom Gunterman's lithium battery pack picks from ep. 132, prunes 33:51 RIP Gerald Weber (Kendrick Amplifiers) 35:56 Book recommendation: 'The Birth of Loud' () 37:39 Jason has a jdflyback handblown tube amp! () 40:19 A Fender Vibrochamp that doesn't like my Les Paul, volume-dropping 45:11 Anything worth rescuing from old tube car radios? 48:55 A 1569 Altec power amplifier for guitars? Grange Hall and self-published cookbooks 53:30 A Music Man 115RP with a broken reverb 59:17 An update on last episode's 1972 Fender Princeton Reverb, a homemade signal tracer (based on ); 'Designing Tube Preamps for Guitar and Bass' by Merlin Blencowe (); tahini; 'Servicing by Signal Tracing' by John F. Rider 1:04:24 Why can't I pry this tone pot off of my Harmony H-200? 1:07:10 What does using a tube pre-amp unit in front of your guitar amp actually do? Tube swapping a 6V6 or 6L6 (note: we'll get back to this next week) 1:14:09 Skip's handiwork on the new Taylor Swift album? () 1:17:24 Making a closed cabinet for my Fender Princeton 1:21:19 Are amp techs divas? Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal. Want to support our show? ! /episode/index/show/vintageamps/id/31116223

Ep. 132: "Start Dark" 04/02/2024

Ep. 131: "Sandy Soil" 03/04/2024

Ep. 130: "America's Hat" 02/16/2024

Ep. 130: "America's Hat" 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 () & Lo-Fi Electronic Instruments (); Stromberg-Carlson 207; Pepco Riviera 725; Lifco Cobra Mark 2; how to make an amp less bass-y; Frazey Ford's "U Kin B the Sun" () 13:10 The Velvet Touch 14:31 Our Facebook group (); how did Skip first notice Johnson and Soundmaster amps? 20:18 Garnet quirks: What's up with the tone stack on this Garnet Revolution II? 23:22 Ted Weber speakers, field coil reconing 23:51 Niagra Falls 25:01 All things poutine; Suuns () 30:25 Special guest: Calvin McCormick of Hiwatt! () 53:01 Regional Canadian foods: Ketchup chips, coffee crisp, beaver tales, peameal bacon on a kaiser, Newfoundland Screech; the Great Canadian Maple Syrup Heist 58:23 Outside foil cap orientation on Soundmasters; DC leakage in grid leak bias input caps 1:03:10 The Kahayan 8x4 Selector () 1:05:30 What's the deal with this Soundmaster 086 schematic? 1:11:31 Slowing down the trem on a Traynor Custom Reverb YSR-1; Kevin O'Connor's books; Pepco amps 1:17:51 Reducing the noise on the Fretboard Summit Microtone pre-amp; Traynor YGM-3; El Pato chicken 1:23:07 Special guest: Mike Watson of the 6L6s; Lifco amps; Keil Amps; the Velvetone amp; Turner amps; Swampdonkey amps; amps with 6Y6 power tubes; Acrosound 1:43:23 Jimi Hendrix on a Marshall amp 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 content and surprises: /episode/index/show/vintageamps/id/29991528

Ep. 129: "Summer of the Comet" 02/04/2024

Ep. 128: "The Smells Were Overwhelming" 01/20/2024

Ep. 127: "The Rogue Hoe" 12/29/2023

Ep. 126: "They Do Eventually Die" 12/16/2023

Ep. 126: "They Do Eventually Die" 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 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 (); Norwegian goat horn player Karl Seglem's "Mytevegar" () 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 () 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 Love the show? We have a Patreon where you can support it and get exclusive bonus content and surprises: /episode/index/show/vintageamps/id/29109563

Ep. 125: "Put Your Hands on the Hood" 11/21/2023

Ep. 124: "Night Train" 11/07/2023

Ep. 123: "Salt to Taste" 10/11/2023

Ep. 123: "Salt to Taste" Today, we celebrate the millionth download of our podcast with one of our favorite conversations to date: Longtime TAVA contributor Larry Chung joins Skip and Jason to talk about the zen and art of early tube amp restoration and so much more. We also tackle a bunch of questions from our listeners about PAs, field coil speakers, guitar amp finds, and other surprises. Want to be a part of our show? Just email us a question or voice memo to . Our sponsors are , and . Some of the topics discussed this week: 1:43 Thanks to you all, our Truth About Vintage Amps just hit a million downloads! 2:21 Our millionth download giveaway: Voltic Electronic Devices DTF fuzz (). Enter by November 1, 2023! 4:17 Special guest Larry Chung: Getting electrocuted on his first amp repair; Skip's OG appearance on Fretboard Journal Podcast #224 (); a love for '30s and '40s PAs and amplifiers; the intrinsic joy of working on amplifiers; 'How to Repair Small Appliances' by Jack Darr; 6N6/6B5 tubes 29:43 Radio's Master and the hidden value of old catalogs 33:12 Why was the dark art of speaker reconing never documented? 35:20 Larry's unique approach to components when it comes to antique amplifiers; not rushing amp restorations 40:54 A not-so-stock blonde Tremolux; a White amplifier found at the dump; Soursound transformers () 48:08 The tone circuit in Gibson EH-150s with the high/low settings, collecting amps as a reference library 51:03 The sound of a field coil speaker vs. a standard speaker with the same amp 53:17 Do field coil speakers need maintenance beyond the actual speaker? the upper response of field coil speakers 57:58 Field coil into ground amplifiers 59:07 A Skip-serviced Masco Audiosphere 10 for sale in Amsterdam 1:00:15 How to dry out an amp that's been soaked by a storm; Kenny Vaughan's "Mysterium" () 1:04:23 A Precision Electronics PE-25 PA head that sounds terrible 1:15:04 What is this Marshall 100-watt head? 1:19:17 Do I need to replace all the resistors on my 1940s Masco MA-25; SF's Kilowatt Bar () 1:24:45 Baking butternut squash as per the 'Joy of Cooking' 1:25:54 The magic of vintage pots, Louise Penny's Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series; the Bros. Landreth 'Let It Lie' 1:32:31 Adam Levy's 'Spry' () 1:35:28 Troubleshooting a Masco MA-25/ME-27 with a loud hiss 1:44:13 Larry's book recommendation: Norman Maclean's 'Young Men and Fire' () Recorded October 9, 2023. Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal. Love the show? We have a Patreon where you can support it and get exclusive bonus content and surprises: /episode/index/show/vintageamps/id/28289453

Ep. 122: "A Low Ceiling Situation" 10/10/2023

Ep. 121: "Plaid Bell Bottoms" 09/21/2023

Ep. 120: "One Call" 09/01/2023

Ep. 120: "One Call" It's the 120th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps, the call-in show where amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on all things tube amp. This week in a nutshell: Is this the Fender Yale?; lots of Fretboard Summit love; Skip sneaks a mower across the border; magnifiers; tomato gravy; and rumblings of a possible Oregon Truth About Vintage Amps meetup! Special Note: Our friends at Amplified Parts are having a Labor Day Sale right now. Use the code LABOR10 to save 10% off your order, but act fast. Want to be a part of the show? Keep the amp questions for Skip coming to ! Voice memos or emails are welcome. Don't forget we now have a Patreon if you'd like to support the show featuring weekly installments of what's on Skip's bench, random eBay finds, and surprise content: Some of the topics discussed in this episode: :00 Fretboard Summit recap (thanks, Kevin!); a gift of Del Cabo mangos; Rob Abernathy's robots (); our sponsors (, (use the code FRETBOARD to save 10% off your first string order), and . 10:30 Donny Hathaway plays "The Ghetto" (); Skip brings a Tweed Deluxe back from the dead (and possibly a Princeton Reverb), lousy amp repair people 16:22 A Fretboard Summit recap; a transitional Gibson Falcon find 21:40 An Ampeg SVT CL that sounds sort of like the opening to the Beastie Boys' "Intergalactic" when you turn it on 24:46 Offshoot amp brands we can spot in the wild 26:43 Magnifiers, redux! Recommended: YOCTOSUN Head Mount Magnifier on Amazon (, on sale for just 16 bucks right now); LED garage lighting () 29:55 How do self-split output stages work? Kalamazoo KEA amps 32:30 Help me make sense of this Bell PM33 Pacemaker schematic 37:53 Speaker-driven line out and reverb, together; a Seattle TAVA meetup?; an Oregon Coast TAVA meetup at Pelican Brewing? 41:01 Skip's contraband riding lawn mower 49:01 Is this the Fender Yale? John Peden's Sidetrack Liner Notes podcast (Apple Podcast link: ) 53:05 Kate Wolf; Eminem 56:25 Transformer windings and tomato gravy 1:02:12 The Silvertone 1484 TwinTwelve input section; Fender Musicmaster Bass amp mods 1:06:17 The Gibson tone-sucking circuit in the GA19RVT Falcon () Recorded August 31, 2023. Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal. Support us for added content and the occasional surprise and don't forget to get a subscription to the Fretboard Journal (). Digital subscriptions start at just $30. Submit your amp questions, recipes, and life hacks to and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media. /episode/index/show/vintageamps/id/27918591

Ep. 119: "Painting Some Dots" 08/07/2023

Ep. 119: "Painting Some Dots" It's the 119th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps, the call-in show where amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on all things tube amp. Want to be a part of the show? Keep the amp questions for Skip coming to ! Voice memos or emails are welcome. Don't forget we now have a if you'd like to support the show featuring weekly installments of what's on Skip's bench, random eBay finds, and surprise content. Some of the topics discussed in this episode: 2:32: This week's sponsors: , (use the code FRETBOARD to save 10% off your first string order), and . 4:27 Special call-in guest: TAVA listener Brian McAllister (, @): Finding TAVA while hospitalized; amps on Brian's bench; tips on making a pre-amp out of a Conn Strobotuner (or a Bogen PH10); Skip is building a tube pre-amp for the !; what's the most improper fuse you've seen in an amp? 29:00 Using magnifiers / magnifying glasses while working on amps 33:19 Installing a fuse in a 1973 Fender Musicmaster Bass amp; preventative maintenance on replacing electrolytic caps that work?; using an audio transformer as a phase inverter instead of a tube; Datsun pickups; what happened to the Ford Aerostar? 46:51 Are all Selenium rectifiers bad? 50:34 Hand-painting the value onto Domino Mica caps 55:43 Best way to test speakers on a Gibson GA8 and RB17T Scout 58:06 Handling unused taps on a power transformer 59:38 An all-tube tremolo circuit: the Tone God's Bullit (); removing the skin on salmon 1:01:18 How do I reduce the B+ on my Dynaco ST-35 clone project? 1:05:27 An Amaro cocktail for the TAVA set 1:08:46 Recommended viewing: The Pharmacist, All the Beauty and the Bloodshed; Hidden; The Art of the Steal Recorded August 4, 2023. Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal. Support us for added content and the occasional surprise and don't forget to get a subscription to the Fretboard Journal (). Digital subscriptions start at just $30. Submit your amp questions, recipes, and life hacks to and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media. /episode/index/show/vintageamps/id/27669162

Ep. 118: "Pirate Ale" (Special Guest: Ben Harper) 07/20/2023

Ep. 118: "Pirate Ale" (Special Guest: Ben Harper) This week, we’re joined by the one-and-only Ben Harper, who has a couple of questions for Skip right before his Lyon, France concert. Ben regales us with tales of a rare Weissenborn spotted on a Disneyland ride, Dumbles, and pre-show skateboarding (which Skip is a little worried about). He also spills the beans on his new touring amp of choice… a Two-Rock. Before Ben joins us, we’ve got our usual assortment of listener-submitted questions on tremolo and speaker impendence, Larry Chung references, and a tamale suggestion. Want to be a part of the show? Keep the amp questions for Skip coming to ! Voice memos or emails are welcome. Don't forget we now have a if you'd like to support the show. Some of the topics discussed in this episode: :34 Special thanks to Shure for that MV7 that Skip uses; the Fretboard Summit (August 24-26 in Chicago; ) 1:51 PSA: Skip is retired through September 2:23 A forthcoming Danelectro documentary, early Nat Daniel-built Epiphone Model M amps 15:32 This week's sponsors: , (use the code FRETBOARD to save 10% off your first string order), and . 19:05 Peter Jensen’s Magnavox 12" speakers 20:54 Don Pepino canned tomato sauce (thanks, Rob), Remington Model 5 typewriters 22:27 A 1964 Fender Vibrolux Reverb with a replaced power transformer…but not really; Skip gets a visit from Larry Chung 29:46 The dangers of playing a bass through a small guitar amp; Versatone amps; Los Hernandez tamales in Union Gap, Washington (); Bruce Harvie & the Sound Flea’s ‘Overhead at Darrington’ () 38:47 A humming Ampeg GS-12 Reverberocket: Was the speaker affecting the reverb spring? 43:26 Changing the tremolo depth on an Ampeg Jet 46:12 Skip’s favorite trem circuit; a Massie that modulates the guitar signal; Chris Vincent () 51:03 Tube amp kits (Mod 102 and Mod 102+ from AmplifiedParts.com ); grilled asparagus; the Good Ol’ Grateful Deadcast 59:54 The rising cost of everything 1:02:17 Speaker impedance for a Gibson Falcon GR-19RVT Crestline 1:02:53 What to do with the reverb on a Silvertone 1484; JHD Audio Ice Cubes 1:06:09 Special guest: Ben Harper! Forestry; a vintage Weissenborn spotted on Disneyland's Pirates of the Caribbean ride; Ben’s new Two-Rock Bloomfield Drive; Marcus Eaton; Jimmy Page seeing David Lindley’s Kaleidoscope; Liuteria Guarnieri guitars (); Dumbles are like Basquiats; skateboarding before a concert; kicking Princeton Reverbs; tech Bill Webb; and vintage Gibson amps Recorded July 19, 2023. Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal. Support us for added content and the occasional surprise and don't forget to get a subscription to the Fretboard Journal (). Digital subscriptions start at just $30. Ben has a huge feature in our 53rd issue! Submit your amp questions, recipes, and life hacks to and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media. /episode/index/show/vintageamps/id/27517728

Ep. 117: "Tommy, Time for Dinner" 07/04/2023

Ep. 117: "Tommy, Time for Dinner" It's the 117th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps podcast, where legendary amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on guitar amps and their repair! Want to be a part of the show? Keep the amp questions for Skip coming to ! Voice memos or emails are welcome. And don't forget we now have a This week's sponsors: , (use the code FRETBOARD to save off your first string order), and . This week's topics: 1:18 Jason goes to NYC (and Montana) 4:43 Special thanks: Listener Doug, QSL cards, Micah 9:18 Skip's movie, music and book picks of the week: 'Little Miss Sunshine,' an Arhoolie Records box set (), "A Hero's Death" by Fontaines D.C., "Cleanin' Out My Closet" by Eminem; 'Fire in Sierra Nevada Forests' by George E. Gruell 16:34 The amps Skip has seen the most often and why 21:51 When to NOT just service it first, should I gut this Stromberg Carlson AU-42? Daniel Romano; Premier Amps 29:45 Can I actually use the AC outlet on the back of my vintage Fender? 32:43 Extending the leads on a Mojotone Tweed Princeton kit, what are turret boards made of? 38:08 Do I need to replace all the resistors on my 1953 Gibson GA-20? 42:52 Coupling cap orientation, redux 44:30 Sourcing a parts kit for vintage amp servicing 51:17 John Vanderslice visits Skip, Gibson resistors again 54:02 Using the vintage speakers found in the walls of my midcentury modern home's intercom system 59:06 Hope for the Fender Musicmaster bass amp, GSS Speaker Repair Services in Los Angeles 1:05:50 Plate voltage versus screen voltage on a power tube; ; a Hohner / Sano combo amp for sale; the 2023 Fretboard Summit () 1:14:14 Modding the tone control on a Silvertone 1482, using a tip ring sleeve jack to bypass a cap 1:22:40 Fat Tire Amber beer Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal. Support us for added content and the occasional surprise and don't forget to get a subscription to the Fretboard Journal (). Digital subscriptions start at just $30. Submit your amp questions, recipes, and life hacks to and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media. /episode/index/show/vintageamps/id/27368421

Ep. 116: "Or Something" 06/16/2023

Ep. 116: "Or Something" It's the 116th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps podcast, where legendary amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on guitar amps and their repair! Want to be a part of the show? Keep the amp questions for Skip coming to ! Voice memos or emails are welcome. And don't forget we now have a This week's sponsors: , (use the code FRETBOARD to save off your first string order), and . This week's topics: 1:02 Making amps out of little intercoms, redux 4:01 Amplified Parts' Potentiometer Adapter Sleeve () 8:34 Join our Patreon and hear a lost episode with Steve Melkisethian (Angela Instruments): 9:19 What's on Your Bench: A 1952 low-powered Tweed Twin found on eBay 12:00 Retiring the word "blackface" when talking about amps 16:10 Coupling capacitor orientation, redux 20:28 Jonathan Stout (check out ''); "For the Good Times" by Al Green 26:19 Sellers turning vintage amps on with no speaker load 29:55 The best DIY Fender Princeton kits around; roasted cauliflower with curry powder, Soursound transformers () 40:28 Does a lower B+ keep an old amp happier? 43:58 How quickly could you build a Champ? The Fretboard Summit (August 24-26 in Chicago) and JHS's Germanium Chef competition (attend by registering here: ), wiring a part board before you put it in the amp 46:59 Chris at Deluxe Amplification () 50:08 A horse-powered IBM Selectric typewriter () 52:06 Silvertone 1484 amps; in defense of metal film resistors, a forthcoming Ampeg documentary, Ampeg Jets and Rockets, the Jackson Audio 1484 - Twin Twelve pedal (), a Guild 66-J amp with a Pyle Driver speaker 1:09:20 The Fret Files podcast capacitor test (); the terminology of pickups Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal. Support us for added content and the occasional surprise and don't forget to get a subscription to the Fretboard Journal (). Digital subscriptions start at just $30. Submit your amp questions, recipes, and life hacks to and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media. /episode/index/show/vintageamps/id/27168627

Ep. 115: "The Group W Bench" 05/23/2023

Ep. 114: "Mothers, Fathers, Sisters, Brothers" 05/08/2023

Ep. 114: "Mothers, Fathers, Sisters, Brothers" It's the 114th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps, where legendary amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on guitar amps and their repair. Want to be a part of the show? Keep the amp questions for Skip coming to ! Voice memos or emails are welcome. Some of the topics discussed this week: 3:49 Skip gets more gifts (thank you); Studio Slips (); Dragonfly USB-stereo connection; Connie Converse () 9:41 The Truth About Vintage Amps Patreon () 9:54 Josh Scott (JHS) plays the El Pato Tone practice amp (), which you can buy ; the 2023 Fretboard Summit featuring Jeff Parker, Jorma Kaukonen, JHS, Tommy Emmanuel, vintage amps and much more! (register for the Summit today: ) 10:59 Electrolytic bypass capacitors in Marshalls? 15:58 Spicy popcorn; best speaker load for a Black panel Fender Dual Showman head 21:05 The return of Leo Quan? 21:53 Standel has a new owner, Owen Duffy 22:49 What to do with a Matchless DC30 that sounds great, but runs really hot 32:33 A Princeton Reverb with weak reverb 35:54 Why you shouldn't use a Variac as an isolation transformer 38:40 GZ34 rectifiers and standby switches 46:24 Grounding issues on a hand-wired Fender Tweed Twin reissue, redux 48:56 What to do with an Aireon Model 1221A juke box amp with 6SK7, 6J5, 2x 6L6, and 5U4G tubes? 51:10 Preferred plate voltages on a 5F2A build; 5F2A vs 5F2 circuits 55:05 How would you measure an output transformer to know its preferred speaker load? 59:54 I built a 5E3 clone but there's no volume until I get to 2 1/2 1:01:11 Why does my 1967 black panel Deluxe Reverb have a tube chart for an AB165 Bassman and why is it so gainy? A narrow panel 1952 Fender Deluxe 1:11:16 Pancakes with goat cheese 1:12:58 Tips on accessing the underside of a '40s Stromberg-Carlson AU-33 PA's terminal board; isolation transformers, redux 1:19:07 https://worldradiohistory.com/. 1:21:04 Repairing the plastic on an Ampeg footswitch; E6000 craft adhesive; 1:24:16 A 1950 Gibson GB-CB with a power cord touching a tube 1:29:23 1957 Fender factory tour, narrated by Richard Smith () 1:31:14 Skip's voice cloned via AI; a 5F2A with weak volume and much more... Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal. This week's episode is sponsored by , (use the code FRETBOARD to save off your first string order), and . You can also use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off . Support us for added content and the occasional surprise and don't forget to get a subscription to the Fretboard Journal (). Digital subscriptions start at just $30. Submit your amp questions, recipes, and life hacks to and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media. /episode/index/show/vintageamps/id/26768979

Ep. 113: "Too Much of Something Somewhere" 04/12/2023

Ep. 113: "Too Much of Something Somewhere" It's the 113th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps, where legendary amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on guitar amps and their repair. Want to be a part of the show? Keep the amp questions for Skip coming to ! Voice memos or emails are welcome. Some of the topics discussed this week: 4:11 Announcement: The Truth About Vintage Amps at the 2023 Fretboard Summit (); Chicago's Kale My Name () 14:14 Should you use better or same-quality replacement parts when your amp needs a repair? 18:52 A real rustic kegger; Skip's favorite amp 25:20 Beginner's corner: How many speakers can my amp run? Cast-iron griddle grilled cheese 32:50 B+, redux; benefits of a separate filament transformer; UTC transformers; HAM radio transmissions 38:17 6X5 rectifier tubes 41:48 A HiWatt clone that keeps blowing fuses 47:17 Thank you for the coffee, Kevin! 48:26 Running an acoustic guitar through a tube amp (Bogen Challenger); El Pato's neighbor; cleaning tube sockets 52:54 Mistakes made while swapping tube sockets on a Fender Bassman 50; frozen Arby's french fries 59:53 The tornado and 1967 Fender Deluxe Reverb story, redux 1:05:12 Convincing a store to ship you a Gibson EH-150; Carter Cutlery () 1:11:23 Special thanks: Max in Spain; Bill from California 1:13:00 Need your reverb coil rewound? Check out Tom Brantley () 1:15:39 Help me pick out speakers for my tweed Twin; parallel vs. in-series speaker wiring, sleeper vintage 12" speakers, Weber speaker's grades of doping and much more... Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal. This week's episode is sponsored by , (use the code TAVA10 to save 10% off of their Mod kits) and . You can also use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off . Support us for added content and the occasional surprise and don't forget to get a subscription to the Fretboard Journal (). Digital subscriptions start at just $30. Want to register for our Fretboard Summit? . Submit your amp questions, recipes, and life hacks to and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media. /episode/index/show/vintageamps/id/26492829

Ep. 112: "Adjust for Minimum Smoke" 04/03/2023

Ep. 112: "Adjust for Minimum Smoke" It's the 112th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps, where legendary amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on guitar amps and their repair. Want to be a part of the show? Keep the amp questions for Skip coming to ! Voice memos or emails are welcome. Some of the topics discussed this week: 7:42 David Lindely on Dumble: Audio interview on our Patreon () 8:07 Shoutout to August from 8:46 Rancho Gordo Beans, redux (), Herdez Salsa Casera, Juantonio's chips 11:42 What's on Skip's workbench: A Stromberg PA head; a 1910 Hammond Multiplex typewriter 16:39 More on David Lindley 19:31 A muted Tweed Bassman with a hiss in V2, testing test equipment; a brownface Deluxe at the flea market 27:15 What's the difference between silverface '60s Fender Pro Reverbs (drip-edge or not); the Cars; is the Pro Reverb the beginning of "logging truck" status 33:53 Amps that use 2A3/6A3 triodes as power tubes 40:01 ChatGPT wrote a poem about TAVA 43:11 Rob Robinette's recommendation to put a 1N4007 diode in series after the Secondary AC High voltage and the plate of the rectifier tube; 'Junior Bonner' with Steve McQueen; Better Call Saul; Hollywood gossip 47:49 Lighting your workbench, a dedicated filter circuit for testing amps? 50:39 Waking up amps that have not been used in a long while; using multimeters for the first time; inconsistencies in the volt readout on a variac 56:12 Does a variac provide the same shock protection as an isolation transformer?, the Silvertone 1485 circuit, the Hillbilly Rueben recipe 1:02:52 Hearing Skip's voice in your head while you're at your day job; a 1940s Navy soundsystem with a dynamotor 1:06:15 Fixing the crack in a 1972 Fender Deluxe Reverb cabinet, troubleshooting amps that have been dropped, index pins 1:13:13 The sound of octal tubes; the Baxandall EQ circuit explained; why did my Ampeg start smoking with an acrid smell when turned on? 1:17:38 A Fender Hotrod Blues Deluxe that is muted until it has warmed up for 30 seconds, input jacks 1:22 Kenny Burrell’s ‘Soulero’, a 2006 Fender Tweed Twin (no reverb) with an intermittent volume drop 1:28:46 Balancing family life with amp projects, redux Recorded March 15, 2023. Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal. This week's episode is sponsored by , and . You can also use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off . Support us for added content and the occasional surprise and don't forget to get a subscription to the Fretboard Journal (). Digital subscriptions start at just $30. Want to register for our Fretboard Summit? . Submit your amp questions, recipes, and life hacks to and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media. /episode/index/show/vintageamps/id/26434473

Ep. 111: "A Tree, the Roof of a Trailer and a Deluxe Reverb" 03/16/2023

Ep. 110: "Need a Ride?" 02/08/2023

Ep. 110: "Need a Ride?" An episode that almost went off the rails (a missing special guest, talk of tragic balloon heroes, street tacos) but somehow gets back to amp basics. Some of the topics discussed this week: 3:56 Skip's decision to quit being a drawbridge operator, Skip visits Eminence 8:58 Austin Ribbon Mics, the Hot Holder Pro (); book recommendation: 'How to Read Schematic Diagrams' by Donald Herrington 11:36 The Man in the Flying Lawn Chair, by George Plimpton () 12:22 Roqsolid amp covers (); Vengeance 13:52 New to our Patreon: Listener Nick reads the Jack Darr () 15:30 The use of ferrite beads, redux; inductors versus capacitors 18:20 A love for logging trucks; the Gretsch Fury, a not-quite-stereo-amplifier 24:00 The amp-related plotline on the fourth episode of Poker Face on Peacock 25:10 Polarized electrolytic caps; using a dual-shaft concentric pot on a '65 Gibson Scout GA-17RVT to avoid drilling a new hole; musician Seth Walker 30:21 Installing a switch to bypass the whole reverb circuit on a clone 1965 Princeton Reverb clone 34:12 Ampeg VT-40 60 cycle hum, even in standby 39:40 Skip's steak street tacos; Tortillaland tortillas; Rancho Gordo beans () 46:19 SOLVED: James' 1967 Twin Reverb with diminished volume, could this mistake be a desired mod? 53:38 Whacking a transformer with a hammer 55:40 Could you build an extension cab with a field coil speaker that has its own power supply so you can use it with any amp? 1:01:31 Seeking a budget hi-fi rig for classic country; Mezzetta garlic-stuffed olives; cream cheese-filled eggrolls, Granzella's Restaurant in California 1:08:08 Dutch kale in heavy cream; using a thermal camera to diagnose faulty amp parts, puppies as relationship testers; thermometer guns This week's episode is sponsored by and . You can also use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off . Support us for added content and the occasional surprise and don't forget to get a subscription to the Fretboard Journal (). Digital subscriptions start at just $30. Want to register for our Fretboard Summit? . There's a giant index page with nearly all the former topics we've discussed in our first 100+ episodes found . Submit your amp questions, recipes, and life hacks to and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media. /episode/index/show/vintageamps/id/25871997

Ep. 109: "The First Podcast Puddle" 02/01/2023

Ep. 109: "The First Podcast Puddle" Episode 109: A long build-up to the amp troubleshooting, but plenty to discuss, including a new puppy, the realities of vintage guitar shows, grandmothers getting run over by reindeer, and ferrite beads. Some of the topics discussed this week: :34 Meet Junior 5:59 Skip's report from the 2023 Bay Area Amigos Guitar Show; Dr. Elmo buys a Grez (); the dangers of parking at a produce stand 23:26 This week's sponsors: ; (Hammond products are currently on sale!); (use Fret10 as your discount code); and our 24:38 Listener Nate sends Skip an autographed copy of the Jack Darr book 26:01 Why do we twist lead wires?, a 5U4 rectifier in a 1965 Deluxe Reverb, 'Heartworn Highways' 35:02 Fixing a broken, grounded plug 37:49 Seamless Joe from Italy, "Nature Boy" () 44:39 A Super Reverb with dying tremolo 48:20 5G cell tower interference and ferrite beads 52:14 Getting the sticker back on a vintage Fender footswitch 53:51 Improving the tone stack on a Harmony 420 59:42 Transformers for a 5C1 Champ build; to choke or not to choke 1:06:53 An EL84 Filmosound with a buzzing transformer 1:09:08 Junior has an accident 1:09:45 Why doesn't my Knight 93-320 PA head have a fuse? 1:11:32 Actual logging truck tales on 'Odd Lots' () 1:12:06 A Teisco/Checkmate/Northland Baffin III 1:15:35 Why is there an angry crackle on my Magnasync Moviola 1800 whenever I touch my guitar? 1:18:29 Toots & the Maytals cover "Country Roads Take Me Home" () 1:20:06 Why is my Bassman's plate voltage so high with this GZ34 tube? 1:22:33 Dolly Sinatra's pasta sauce (Edit: Duquesne is a town in PA, not a PA...stupid autocorrect!) Support us for added content and the occasional surprise and don't forget to get a subscription to the Fretboard Journal (). Digital subscriptions start at just $30. There's a giant index page with nearly all the former topics we've discussed in our first 108 episodes found . Submit your amp questions, recipes, and life hacks to and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media. /episode/index/show/vintageamps/id/25793655

Ep. 108: "Put a Pot Under It" 01/12/2023

Ep. 108: "Put a Pot Under It" Episode 108: It's like a best-of episode, but totally new! Pre-amps, typewriters, too many kitchen hacks, transformer talk, Jason reads the tubes wrong, and we even get a little artsy! Some of the topics discussed this week: 2:53 Does Skip want to see your amps right now? See Skip at the January 14-15, 2023 4:59 A Tweed Pro with a variable inverse feedback control knob 5:45 Lee Jeffriess in the Fretboard Journal's 51st issue (); check out Jeffriess and John Munnerlyn performing "Blues for Earl" 11:22 The December 31 TAVA Seattle meetup (thanks for organizing, @); YouTube's jgflyback shows off his tube-powered clock () 13:50 This week's sponsors: has a new long-scale bass!; (Hammond products are currently on sale!); (use Fret10!); AND . Plus...Josh Scott (JHS) is coming to TAVA, the TAVA El Pato-Tone Practice amp (), and our 20:56 The resonance of a fully loaded turret board; mounting components in a head vs. combo; goop 28:25 Microphonics in a tube amp (the good kind); David Lindley (support him via t-shirt sales ) 30:04 Why were so many power transformers changed in the '70s and '80s?; Spokane, Washington; Jason's favorite noodle place in Spokane, Washington (); a very-modified Gibson Les Paul Junior with a cooling fan 36:03 Typewriter keyboards; '80s Scottish cop show, 'Taggart' 39:58 Should I change the transformer on my Bruce Zinky Fender Prosonic head? the effect of an output transformer on tone 45:46 What's the deal with the Fender Bantam bass amp?; the oven instead of the range; ham and bacon end pieces 50:39 Reincarnating a dead Peavey Deuce II; putting a Vox-style preamp circuit on an amp with 6L6s; cheese quesadilla hacks 54:06 Fixing the uneven distortion on my Dad's Gibson GA-9 56:53 Why isn't my 1967 Fender Twin Reverb as loud as my other Twin Reverb? 1:00:05 Arts & Humanities corner: The Albert Barnes collection of post-modern art, 'Art of the Steal,' (); Skip goes to Harvard, again; RIP poet Charles Simic (read "Stub of a Red Pencil" ) 1:04:06 Chopped onion, chickpeas, and black beans sauteed in a pan 1:06:18 What would you do with my Bogen CHA-33 PA head? coffee-roasted carrots () 1:12:13 Changing the pre-amp tube (and speaker) in an Epiphone Model 101 1:19:47 What to do with this 1953 Revere T-100 reel-to-reel? 1:31:48 Skip likes the new Fretboard Journal (issue 51, ) Recorded January 10, 2023. Support us for added content and the occasional surprise and don't forget to get a subscription to the Fretboard Journal (). Digital subscriptions start at just $30. There's a giant index page with nearly all the former topics we've discussed in our first 107 episodes found . Submit your amp questions, recipes and life hacks to the podcast via and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media. /episode/index/show/vintageamps/id/25582419

Ep. 107: "Nip It In the Bud" 12/22/2022

Ep. 106: "That's When You Know You're Doomed" 12/06/2022

Ep. 106: "That's When You Know You're Doomed" Episode 106: No special guests, but plenty of amp questions answered and some recipes! Some of the topics discussed: 1:01 It's good to be anxious 3:59 Our Patreon page: 4:18 Any interest in a Seattle amp swap meet / hang on December 31? Message me at [email protected]. 4:49 Deluxe's TAVA-tribute El Pato-Tone 9-volt practice amp: Now available in the green El Pato can! () 7:51 Music recommendation: Thee Sinseers (); The "5" Royales () 9:23 How is amp output affected by adding speakers? 12:39 Impedance vs resistance, revisited; phaser analysis; chicken curry 17:27 The Soursound transformers episode (); when does the speaker deep dive happen?; amps with hybrid circuits; harpist Emily Hopkins (), 8417 tubes 27:38 Netflix's new documentary, 'Travelin' Band: Creedence Clearwater Revival at the Royal Albert Hall' 30:45 Harp player Paul Oscher; Jontavious Willis' interview with Oscher on the Diddie Wah Diddie podcast () 33:34 Tips on extending wiring; a Western Electric Slice 37:06 Safe long-term storage of vintage amps; a Falcon discovered in the trunk of a car 40:23 What's the simplest tube reverb circuit? the Boss FRV-1 '63 Fender Reverb pedal, vintage Premier 90 Reverb tanks 45:38 'The How & Why of Guitar Tube Amps' by Gar Gillies (order: 50:57 Now you have a third salad dressing 51:31 Is the speaker switch I made safe to use? Grits with smoked gouda 1:00:07 Buying a second-hand Mesa Boogie amp 1:04:02 What's the CSA Thermal Protector on a Fender Musicmaster Bass amp? 1:06:52 An Australian Philips PA conversion that won't stop popping and crackling; cathode resistors and plate load resistors 1:09:17 Three Marshall Super Lead heads, one that has ghosting; filter capacitance 1:18:35 Soup with kale and white beans 1:21:01 Yank magazine; a fancy tube tester (and a Heathkit signal generator) still available at Skip's; Rabbit Hole bourbon (); Sherwood (British TV show); see Skip at the Marin Guitar Show (January 2023, ) This week's episode is sponsored by , and . You can also use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off . Support us for added content and the occasional surprise and don't forget to get a subscription to the Fretboard Journal (). Digital subscriptions start at just $30. There's a giant index page for nearly all the former topics we've discussed in our first 100 episodes found . Submit your amp questions, recipes and life hacks to the podcast via and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media. /episode/index/show/vintageamps/id/25241409

Ep. 105: "You Started a Chainsaw" (Special guest: jdflyback) 11/22/2022

The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons

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