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.
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Ep. 140: "Tiny Bits of Tingle"
11/05/2024
Ep. 140: "Tiny Bits of Tingle"
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 Summit 2025 () 18:01 Our sponsors (and baby goats): ; and (Jensen speakers are currently on sale!) 23:42: Alamo and other budget amplifiers; the COVID gear boost has deflated 25:35 Amp bargains (look for two transformers); a black panel Super Reverb; Silvertone Twin-Twelve and optocouplers 28:53 The Alembic Pre-Amp in a pedal (or two): Frog Pedals (); Sushi Box FX (); Mexican Pizza with Boboli pizza crust; starved plate loads 35:41 PSA: You can buy WD-40 by the gallon 38:22 Should I put the original transformer back in my 1966 Fender Princeton? 44:07 Preferred replacement 12AT7 reverb driver tubes 47:26 Two-prong shock in the studio 50:35 A converted Stromberg-Carlson; speaker-driven effects channel? Rudy Van Gelder; the usable range of a bright cap 57:55 A Plush 3000G tubes and tremolo with a mystery rectifier tube 1:03:08 What's with the lettering on my 1950s Rauland Lyric transformer 1:06:47 Putting a JBL in an Ampeg Rocket 2; a Traynor Studio Mate Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal. Don't forget, we have a . Join us to get show updates and get to the front of the question line.
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Ep. 139: "I'm Going Negative"
10/18/2024
Ep. 139: "I'm Going Negative"
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 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 () 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 (thanks, Larry Chung) 52:17 Using 5V4 rectifier tubes in a Matchless DC-30; Nduja mayonnaise () 1:00:17 Recommended reading: "There Are No Electrons: Electronics for Earthlings" (); 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. Don't forget, we have a . Join us to get show updates and get to the front of the question line.
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Ep. 138: "Check for Ticks"
09/24/2024
Ep. 138: "Check for Ticks"
It's the 138th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps podcast, where amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on all-things-tube amps! This week, we pay tribute to Angela Instruments founder and former guest Steve Melkisethian (1950-2024); talk resistors and transformers; catch up on the 2024 Fretboard Summit; and much more. Want to be a part of our show? Just email us a question or voice memo to . Don't forget, we have a . Join us to get show updates and get to the front of the question line. Some of the topics discussed this time around: :58 R.I.P. Nick Gravenites (Electric Flag, Mike Bloomfield) 3:08 Our sponsors: and . (Watch Emerald City Guitars' Fretboard Summit video .) 5:32 The 2024 Fretboard Summit in a nutshell 10:29 R.I.P Steve Melkisethian (Angela Instrument); read our tribute 18:42 R.I.P. Stephen Fitzstephens, member of our Kegger Facebook group 19:18 What was Skip listening to as a kid? 22:08 Skip’s Music vintage gear headed to auction 24:42 When to use old, mismatched resistors? 26:39 The 2003 interview in Vacuum Tube Valley with Steve Carr () 27:41 Removing surface rust from transformers 30:27 A 1964 Ampeg Reverberocket that pops when you turn it off 31:10 You all need a Variac 33:03 A pig farm mini-baffler; Papa Murphy’s in a Weber grill 36:56 Dropping the B+ with a solid state rectifier 39:47 Flattening a Fender eyelet board, redux; how to flatten a ‘70s Fender grill cloth frame? 42:52 Aux phono input on a tube amp; replacing plastic knobs; movie recommendation: 'As It Is In Heaven' 46:48 An original 1963 Fender Vibroverb in the UK with a switchable voltage panel; John Kelly amps; Rainer Ptacek 52:33 How to select an output transformer for an amp when you don’t know its specs 1:00:55 The wrong tube in Danelectro amplifiers (12AU6 vs 12AV6) 1:04:02 What’s on Skip’s bench? An Alamo amp; kudos to Larry Chung 1:05:43 Recommended reading: 'The Feather Thief' (); TAVA listener and winemaker William Downie () 1:10:36 Using Meguiar’s Convertible Top Cleaner to clean up a Premier amp 1:11:35 A Pepco Riviera 725; Frazey Ford 1:14:04 Posters by Serifs & Whiskey 1:15:10 Blossom Valley Foods' Pepper Plant sauce 1:15:37 Fixing a reverb tank by changing the transducer; Fender’s specific use of European tubes Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal.
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Ep. 137: "Walk Around the Yard"
08/20/2024
Ep. 137: "Walk Around the Yard"
It's the 137th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps podcast, where amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on all-things-tube amps! This week, we talk to special guest, Steve Carr of Carr Amplifiers! Want to be a part of our show? Just email us a question or voice memo to . Our sponsors: , and . Don't forget, we have a . And come to the . Some of the topics discussed this time around: 2:22 Steve Carr () joins us for an enlightening talk about prototyping, speaker cabs, Solen caps, tone controls, and so much more. He even fields a few of your questions! 1:14:17 Big M speaker cabinets 1:16:08 Red Norvo "In a Mist" 1:17:49 Did a rubber tube amp mount just fix my microphonic amp? Easy Brussels sprouts 1:21:45 On the bench: An Epiphone Electar Zephyr 1:23:16 Pre-amps in front of amps that already have pre-amps; the WEM amps used at Live at Pompeii (); Selmer reverb tanks; was this Philco amp made by Bogen?; pizza stones 1:31:55 Out-of-range potentiometers 1:35:05 Ballast resistors in field coil amps Plus Hurdy gurdys and more.
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Ep. 136: "Release the Curd"
07/27/2024
Ep. 136: "Release the Curd"
It'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 . Our sponsors: , and . Don't forget, we have a . 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 (); re-coning by Hempopotamus (and Weber) 16:56 The 2024 Fretboard Summit, featuring Blake Mills, Josh Scott (JHS), Colin Hay and so much more (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 () 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.
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Ep. 135: "Liquor, Candy, Model Airplane Magazines..."
06/26/2024
Ep. 135: "Liquor, Candy, Model Airplane Magazines..."
It's the 135th 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 time around: 1:24 Another hopeful story; Winters, California 7:44 The fifth-ever Fretboard Summit: Blake Mills, Adam Levy, vintage amps, new amps, 80 luthiers, JHS and so much more. 13:25 One of the greatest boxes of all time: thanks, Ben from Chattanooga! 15:01 Lynn Wheelwright reaches out to Skip 16:33 The very first Standel amp; Tacoma, Washington's Guitar Maniacs 18:53 Our sponsors: (watch the Dumble video ), , and . 22:10 Thank you, John Ross 23:41 Gibson's GA-45 "Velvet Touch"; Terry Dobbs (Mr. Valco) 27:32 The answer to Ep. 134's Baffler: A Tweed Vibrolux 31:44 A Body & Soul El Pato fuzz giveaway? 34:00 The last remaining Big Boy locomotive is moving through California; Skip's hobo days 37:26 How to satisfy your customer when only one power tube needs to be replaced? CE Distribution; pimento cheese 47:04 A 5E3 build with too much Fender "bacon;" Ken Fischer 49:51 A Rickenbacker M11 with a 60 cycle hum out of V1 57:22 VHT Special Six, redux 1:03:51 A simple cocktail: A Boyhattan; bitters 1:05:15 The history of AIMS amps; 5 ohm amps; The Mosquito Supper Club's boiled shrimp () 1:13:34 The pronunciation police; modding a Silver Panel Fender Champ with a Magnatone 213 tone control 1:17:11 Elemental knowledge; California-built Vox amps; Clarkson's Farm 1:25:00 Is variable input impedance worth experimenting with? Bogen guitar amps 1:29:41 Is the two-prong hat offensive? Are fixed-bias amps more touch-sensitive? the phono input in old PAs; GM/IP on tubes 1:33:15 Recommended reading: The All-Music Guide Recorded June 21, 2024.
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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? !
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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? !
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Ep. 132: "Start Dark"
04/02/2024
Ep. 132: "Start Dark"
No guests or special theme this week...just an all-new, old-school episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps, 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: 1:31 What's on Skip's workbench: Valco amps with a resistor and a normal speaker instead of a field coil 3:46 This week's sponsors: , , , , and . 5:04 Thrift store: Revere Ware 8:01 What's the deal with this Leslie Model 18 circuit 15:41 Daisy chaining four Pignose amps to a backpack, tuna salad 20:46 What to do with these orange capacitors? Vacuum Tube Valley, Mexican Martinis 25:38 Skip has a nice mono hi-fi speaker cabinet for sale 27:07 Do speakers ever go out phase on their own? 28:32 Fender Princeton Reverb vs. Tremolux gain stages 31:22 The truth about vintage Sano amps (gumbo recipe found ) 35:47 Seventh-grade Skip; the glider that never touched down 40:11 A source for El Pato in Australia (link: ) 41:16 Ampeg Jets and Rockets "with the knobs that point straight up" 43:04 Spotlight on Paradise, California 48:32 Powered vintage speakers, El Pato chili 53:05 Film cap orientation hack and the EH Hum Eliminator/Debugger 58:35 Spotlight on glue 1:03:04 The joys of using lithium-ion batteries onstage to power your tube amps 1:09:43 A 1972 Princeton Reverb that doesn't like a wireless transmitter; a simple fish recipe 1:16:11 How do the dual rectifiers work in the Angela Super Single Ended amp 1:19:17 Rainier beer 1:21:21 Claude Thornhill Orchestra Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal. Want to support our show? !
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Ep. 131: "Sandy Soil"
03/04/2024
Ep. 131: "Sandy Soil"
Illustrator/musician/underground comix legend Robert Armstrong (Mickey Rat, Couch Potato, the Cheap Suit Serenaders!) joins Skip and Jason this week for a very special installment of the Truth About Vintage Amps. Want to support our show? ! Some of the topics discussed: 1:38 NOS military-grade green pilot light jewels from Gary Economy (); leave us an Apple Podcasts review and take a screenshot to enter to win one!; 5879 tubes 3:03 Where is George? (Danger UXB on eBay) 4:48 Rick Estrin and Dennis Gruenling's harmonica workshop, March 16 () 6:43 This week's sponsors: and Ordering from StewMac? Use this to help us out! 11:26 The 2024 Fretboard Summit, August 23-25 () 11:49 What's on Skip's bench: A PA head; blown power transformers 13:44 A discount on Eric Daw's amazing Solid Sound guitar wiring book (use TAVA when you check out): 16:19 Taming the bass frequency on your amplifier 23:15 Resistors: What does Skip use? 27:27 Special guest: Illustrator/musician/friend/Mickey Rat & Couch Potato-inventor/record collector Robert Armstong ()! Early Hawaiian guitar recordings; growing up in Fender country but gravitating towards the banjo; Coulter guitars; Hugo Ernst guitars; John DeLapp guitars; playing saw on the 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' soundtrack; animator Ward Kimball; 'Man in Space' (); not working at Disneyland; seeing David Lindley at the Topanga Banjo & Fiddle contest; coining the term "Couch Potato;" Bob's tweed Fender Deluxe; Supro Dual Tones; Pee Wee's Playhouse; playing with Sourdough Slim; sheepherder conventions; touring Japan; Ben Pollack's "Two Tickets to Georgia" (); playing 78 records today; Al Dodge 1:38:10 John Sebastian gets his dad's PA head back; a Disneyland tube PA
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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:
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Ep. 129: "Summer of the Comet"
02/04/2024
Ep. 129: "Summer of the Comet"
Welcome to ep. 129 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, it's an (almost) all-Fender episode! Reminder: . Some of the topics discussed: :44 Jason goes to the NAMM Show 4:20 Skip is fixing his 1961 Comet 9:04 What's on Skip's bench: Three Fender Concerts; 5C1 Fender Champ circuits; a 5-watt Oahu with a 40-watt transformer; a silver panel Fender Champ for sale at Skip's 14:27 This week's sponsors: , , and . 20:36 Ceriatone amps; Divided by Thirteen Amplification gets acquired by Two-Rock 25:20 The art of drawing your own schematic; Robert Kidney's 'Jackleg' 29:56 Increasing gain on a Fender Princeton AA964 33:02 Isolated input/output jacks 35:45 A 1979 Fender Vibrolux with warped MDF baffle board, baffle replacement; good goo wood hardener 42:53 Should I recone the CTS alnico speakers on my rusty Fender Super Reverb or get new speakers? Slovakian Bwoop; Solfood's hot pepper sauce () 51:37 Why do my tubes have this crusty stuff around the base? Don Pepino pizza sauce; The Mob Run Pizzerias of NYC, N-Men: The Untold Story (); Lake Berryessa's glory hole; Ben Harper (redux) 59:07 Help me understand why a tube amplifier needs a load? 1:03:11 The all-Fender episode 1:05:09 What's a good cheap alternative to the Fender Musicmaster I am looking at? Ampegs 1:09:20 Tweed Princeton kit woes … new Champ speaker 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:
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Ep. 128: "The Smells Were Overwhelming"
01/20/2024
Ep. 128: "The Smells Were Overwhelming"
Welcome to episode 128 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. The first hour of this show probably belongs on our Patreon, but I'm feeling generous and sharing it with everyone. Reminder: . (The amp questions kick in around 49 minutes.) 2:10 Skip goes to the Bay Area Guitar Show: Fancy Gibson ukes, a Martin 00-28, lots of amps, a shopworn Grez, Jimboys Tacos, the bar on San Clemente Island (), pupusas 33:46 Gibson reissues the Falcon () 40:03 Skip fixes a refrigerator 43:51 Skip loses his dentist and finds Trader Joe's; musician/illustrator Robert Armstrong () 48:52 A 1961 Harmony H322 bass amp that isn't loud enough 53:38 A vintage Gibson Falcon with a flickering pilot light; D-cell batteries 56:18 Using a thermistor to slowly ramp up voltage on old amps, the new Toyota Landcruiser 59:17 Do you want to be an old car guy? Skip's 1961 Mercury Comet; Jason needs a body shop 1:04:17 My house's dimmer switches are driving me nuts 1:07:47 Why did Fender change the plate resistors on the Bassman? 1:11:44 Using the signal from just before the phase inverter on a push-pull amp to drive another amp 1:15:31 Skip sees a bobcat 1:15:58 Draw differences between matched pairs of the same tubes 1:20:41 Distortion on the Normal channel vs Vibrato channel on vintage Fender amps 1:23:51 How to expand the volume range on a Masco PA; the Necromancer cocktail recipe; Groove Tube tube adapters 1:31:22 A low-watt amp for bedroom playing; power-adjusting amps; music recommendation: Issa Juma And Super Wanyika's 'World Defeats the Grandfathers' 1:36:39 A push-pull output transformer in a single-ended amp Our sponsors: , , , and . 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:
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Ep. 127: "The Rogue Hoe"
12/29/2023
Ep. 127: "The Rogue Hoe"
We're closing out 2023 with special guest Bill Krinard of Two Rock! I won't even attempt to annotate this episode but Bill joins us at 5:36 and fields a bunch of listener-submitted questions on transformers with dissimilar primary windings; Two-Rock's design process; how he uses oscilloscopes; Ampegs; Filmosound mods; potentiometers; harmonic content; and more. Want to be a part of our show? Submit your question or voice memo to . Our sponsors: , , and 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:
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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:
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Ep. 125: "Put Your Hands on the Hood"
11/21/2023
Ep. 125: "Put Your Hands on the Hood"
It's the 125th installment of the Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons! Want to be a part of our show? Just email us a question or voice memo to . Some of the topics discussed this week: :51 Skip works on a Jim Kelley Amp, built-in attenuators, the magnetic field caused by a Tweed Bassman speaker 3:30 Skip needs an RCA MI-12155 schematic 3:56 Making stuff for the Bay Area Guitar Show 6:51 Our sponsors: , , and . 8:12 Our 2023 Dad joke winner: Keith F with "Why did Skip have to marry Mrs. Simmons? From the day he solder, he couldn't resistor." 9:34 A basic servicing check-list of what to do when you get a vintage amp 15:36 An early 1960s Tweed Princeton branded Harvard, tensioning the input jack 22:22 Modar-branded guitar amps; tube lineup of EF86, 6BQ5, EZ81 23:51 Trainwreck amplifiers; the tone difference between a single 8 ohm secondary winding vs four separate 1 ohm coils wired at 8 ohms 25:47 Should I buy this Peavey Triumph 120 combo?; five-pin footswitch replacement 28:15 Dummy load vs speaker when working on amps 30:55 How to replace the battery circuit on a Bogen E66 portable PA, ice cream truck-specific amps, the Fretboard Brewery 35:45 5Y3 rectifiers, demystified 39:00 Rancho Gordo beans, redux 39:46 An inspiring 1966 Champ and a vegan pumpkin pie 45:24 A hi-fi Eico ST-84/Dynaco ST-70 with the balance way off, RIP Earl Yarrow 55:22 Servicing a Carr Mercury; 12AT7 versus 12ZX7 pre-amp tubes 1:01:04 What to do with a 1980s Fender 30 with a weak second channel? a rare Ampeg B-15N Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal. Happy holidays, everyone! Love the show? We have a Patreon where you can support it and get exclusive bonus content and surprises:
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Ep. 124: "Night Train"
11/07/2023
Ep. 124: "Night Train"
It's the 124th installment of the Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons: Conductive paints, speaker impedance mismatches, pizza hacks and lots of dad jokes! 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: :57 Skip works on a Jim Kelley Amp 6:30 Rancho Gordo beans, redux 7:49 Converting a SF Champ to the Princeton schematic and recommended plate voltages; Skip makes a tweed Harvard out of a Champ; pilot light washers from Daniel Petrzelka (Instagram: ) 13:39 The 1970s Whole Earth Catalogs are now online () 15:21 What makes a great A/B box? 17:24 A '55 Tweed Bassman with a replaced output transformer and 7025s; Skip finishes the Tweed Deluxe overhaul 25:41 Impedance mismatches in 1950s Fender amps, using the external speaker output 31:26 Did David Lindley play on the Rockford Files theme song? Toots Thielemans 33:43 Eminence, Kentucky and Colonel Sanders 35:07 Can anything other than tubes be microphonic; the one-wire mod to have the reverb and tremolo on both channels on a Fender 37:12 Fuse-eating rectifier tubes on a Victoria Bandmaster clone; 5U4 vs GZ34 tubes 39:38 Converting a '50s Philco record player console for guitar use; Commander Cody; the Louvin Brothers' 'Satan Is Real' 43:26 Bringing up an old amp on a Variac 48:49 Experiments with conductive paints 52:36 Very loud noise floor in a low-wattage amp 56:21 A tube amp setup to compliment the Fender Tonemaster Pro 1:00:00 Biasing an old record player amp 1:05:22 Homemade pizza hacks, pizza stones, buying dough, Don Pepino, Rainier beer 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:
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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:
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Ep. 122: "A Low Ceiling Situation"
10/10/2023
Ep. 122: "A Low Ceiling Situation"
** Note to the Amp Purists: There is virtually NO amp talk on this episode. If that's what you're seeking, stay tuned for TAVA episode 123, out tomorrow, where we'll have two hours of deep amp knowledge with special guest Larry Chung. Everyone else: Enjoy a very special TAVA featuring Skip's son, Will!** What's it like to have amp tech Skip Simmons as your dad? We find out on the 122nd episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps featuring special guest Will Simmons! Will shares tales of growing up alongside a bunch of amps; Skip's parenting style; Will's love for art; and his his current work as an art critic. Also discussed: Drawbridge tales; photographer Laurie Simmons (); Lena Dunham's Tiny Furniture (); Wynton Marsalis' "Blood on the Fields" (); Brice Martin; Lo Moon (); "Are You Awake?" by Lauren Mayberry (); Wood Belly (); Dean & Britta; Lady Gaga vs. Lana Del Rey; and so much more. All-told, it's a very sweet father & son (& podcast cohost) chat. Plus: Jason learns about diet pills! Amp related topics: 1:19:27 Soursound transformers 1:20:09 Are there any classic Fender amps that Skip hates? 1:21:51 Congratulations, John Vanderslice! 1:22:34 MTI Tubes effects unit, redux 1:26:55 A Peavey Mace 2x12, what are matched tubes? 1:32:31 Recommended: Replica tweed cabinets by Armadillo As always, keep the amplifier questions and voice memos coming to [email protected] and thanks to everyone who listens to our show. If you love it, leave us a five-star review over on Apple Podcasts. Join our Facebook group, 'A Rustic Kegger in the Woods': Join the TAVA Patreon Page: Our sponsors are , and . Recorded October 6, 2023. Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal.
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Ep. 121: "Plaid Bell Bottoms"
09/21/2023
Ep. 121: "Plaid Bell Bottoms"
It's the 121st 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: Special guest Jim Kelley joins us (around the 28-minute mark)! 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: 5:31 What's on Skip's bench: A Bogen mixer from the 1940s 6:35 What to do with a vintage MTI Tubes overdrive preamp stompbox 10:02 What's the deal with Fender Ultra Linear amps? 14:33 Australia's National Vintage Guitar Show (, October 7-9, 2023); the Amigo Bay Area Guitar Show in January (; Skip will be there!) 17:26 Repurposing old power transformers 22:16 Jazz guitarist Peter Bernstein; Russell Malone; Adam Levy; RIP Sammy Ash 23:17 A "brown" Deluxe that needed repair from San Quentin State Prison! 25:56 What to do with a 1973 Fender Princeton Reverb ground switch? 28:39 Special guest: Jim Kelley! 4x6V6s, plate voltages, Fortune Amps, Line, using a great reference speaker; Dumble; the ; Jim's preferred parts; Vince Gill 1:26:00 Tubes for a Marathon amp clone 1:27:50 Building a point-to-point wired amp inside of a PCB Vox AC15VR chassis Our sponsors are , and . Recorded September 20, 2023. Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Ep. 115: "The Group W Bench"
05/23/2023
Ep. 115: "The Group W Bench"
It's the 115th 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 Some of the topics discussed this week: 2:07 This week's sponsors: (check out the ), (use the code FRETBOARD to save off your first string order), and . You can also use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off . 6:58 Listener Matt gets the Heathkit Stereo Signal Generator kit 9:27 Skip sees a Bald eagle 11:33 Waking up a 1980 Musicman 112 RD after a long hibernation 14:05 Acceptable DC leakage in capacitors, puppies attacking sprinklers 17:11 Epiphone Pacemaker desirability versus its Gibson Skylark counterpart 20:04 How to blow up an amp, heating tortillas, and Masco ME-27s 32:31 A Weber Proluxe 5E3 amp kit and reducing hum by changing coupling cap orientation; Leighton Amps/Jef Brown's blog post () 43:33 Octal 6F5 tubes 38:55 An Operadio Model 1030 45:34 An Orange AD-30 with an EL84s that run hot; Servisol Super 10 51:07 A late '80s Fender Vibroverb with a burning smell and a glowing 6L6 56:47 Thoughts on a Symphonic MA7-1? 1:00:51 Thoughts on modern reverb tanks 1:04:06 A really quiet Frenzel HBX-AC30 1:10:42 What to service on a recently-purchased 1968 Univox U235? 1:17:18 Changing values in the preamp of a SF Champ to reduce bass 1:26:09 Non-stick pans 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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Ep. 111: "A Tree, the Roof of a Trailer and a Deluxe Reverb"
03/16/2023
Ep. 111: "A Tree, the Roof of a Trailer and a Deluxe Reverb"
We're back and episode 111 has it all: Deep thoughts, a tornado, fried eggs, and power tubes gone bad. Keep the questions coming to and enjoy! Some of the topics discussed this week: 1:59 The TAVA Big Index page () 3:26 A pro chef hack, Rancho Gordo beans redux () 4:34 A '64 Princeton Reverb clone with a switch that can convert it to a stock Princeton, redux (thanks Emcee Amps of Montreal); the Tweed Vibrolux tone control 7:44 What's on Skip's bench: A Stromberg-Carlson PA head 9:52 What did today's vintage amps sound like new? Pizza with an egg 19:00 A tornado-damaged 1967 Deluxe Reverb with a loose reverb wire 23:38 A 6G3 with a glowing power tube, when good power tubes go bad 28:41 Why does my hand-wired Vox AC4 hum more than my PCB version of the exact same amp? 32:18 Making a '63 Vibroverb reissue quieter; the Crazy Tube Circuit's White Whale reverb pedal () 42:13 Baffler: The usefulness of a 6AT6 preamp tube in old radios 46:16 What Skip's reading: Garrett Hongo's 'The Perfect Sound: A Memoir in Stereo' (), a 12-volt powered dynamotor 51:57 A psychologist chimes in; B+ voltage Recorded Feb. 14, 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. 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.
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