Hoffman Amplifiers Tube Amplifier Forum

Other Stuff => Other Topics => Topic started by: tubenit on July 20, 2019, 08:51:28 pm

Title: My first tube amps
Post by: tubenit on July 20, 2019, 08:51:28 pm

I've been going thru some photos to scan to digital and found these.  My first tube amps were

1)  Ephiphone Devon Tremolo  (great tremolo.  I made an oak cabinet for it when I saw the Mesa Boogie's that were oak)
2)  Music Man RD50 112  (got it for $150 almost brand new. Foolishly changed the silver grill cloth to black but gave the next
     owner the original cloth.  Super LOUD amp)
3)  Then a Carvin BelAir (I think? Four EL84's & I never bonded with it)
4)  Fender PR and VC

I also had a Fender Bullet guitar and threw away the plywood body and made a solid maple body. 1st guitar building effort.
I had zero understanding of "vintage values" back then.  :dontknow:

The clean tone on the Music Man was excellent from what I remember.

Jeff

Title: Re: My first tube amps
Post by: Ritchie200 on July 20, 2019, 10:34:24 pm

My first one was Knight Kit power!  I think we used the crystal phono input.  That went into a 12" coax full range speaker.  I couldn't understand why I didn't sound like Hendrix...  :think1:

My second was a no name open chassis that I mounted in a head, 6V6 PP.  My dad voiced it for clean and bold, a little edge, and grind. All with a turn of the selector switch.  It was brilliant for 1969.  I really need to pull it apart and see what he did.  I also found that if I used an old outboard magnetic phono preamp, I could really overdrive the grind channel and sound just like Iron Butterfly!  Or later, Sabbath!

Then there was that white Bandmaster....  Glad I got over that!!!

Tubenit,
All those Music Man amps had insane plate voltage, I'm not surprised it was loud and clean!

Ahh memory lane!
Jim

Title: Re: My first tube amps
Post by: tubenit on July 21, 2019, 06:25:14 am

Our first home stereo was a HeathKit stereo that my dad built!  I remember it sounding great.  He made the speaker cabs also. Cool stuff!

Jeff

Title: Re: My first tube amps
Post by: shooter on July 21, 2019, 10:19:35 am

I was a product of the transistor revolution so my 1st tube amp build wasn't til the 90's when my kid decided guitar was for him.  Found a diy on the early web that used 4 pin'rs and an automotive ignition coil from a 60's car.  It made audible sounds then flamed out in spectacular fashion n I was hooked  :icon_biggrin: