How About An Ampfest?

[plexi50]

Would it be cool if there was a yearly gathering of all of us like a hamfest. Were not getting any younger. I cant afford the gas myself but i could do that. Maybe we would all drive each other crazy with electrons? A giant Barbecue with amp parts on the side

[tubeswell]

Damn fine idea. Your place or mine? (LoL)

They can be fun. We have 'em here from time to time. Some metalhead brings along his 200W thunderhead and I have to leave after 5mins because I forget my earplugs.

[plexi50]

I have noticed my hearing is going to hell. So what im hearing is not really what younger ears are hearing. Still sounds good though to me. NC is where it is. Greenville / Asheville. Beautiful GOD's country. I'll bring the ribs. Only problem is you have to fight to get them off the bone with no teeth  

[Willabe]

YES!  I say tubeswell should be the host and host city! I'm in! From Chgo. only about 22 hours flight time.        I still want to take my wife down under to NZ and OZ land.  

You Know my kiwi friend, I might just show up on your door step some day, and if my honey and I do don't be surprised.            

But plexie I think your on to something very good. I think it could be worked out. Maybe some place in the middle of the US?


      Brad        

[RicharD]

I love the idea and I love Asheville.  My wife loves Asheville too so I'd have a hope of pulling off the trip ifin it's during the summer.

[stingray_65]

Count me in!

I'll show up any where in the lower 48.


If any one is less than 200 miles out of my way I'll pick them up too.


Ray

[darryl]

I still want to take my wife down under to NZ and OZ land.

I'm sure your wife would love to go to an ampfest just as much as mine does . . . 

For your information Melbourne Ampfest is on June 18.

...and Sydney Ampfest will be in September. 

[plexi50]

I am in Floridah. The only reason i dont move from this dam road congested zoo is i do a lot of business being in the Tampabay area. Other than that im ready to setup a tent and get the hell out of here

Prices in Greenville or ashville arent what they used to be. But it's GOD's country bar none

[topbrent]

We are having an ampfest in Utah on May 7, 2011

http://www.facebook.com/amp.sho?sk=wall

  (Whee, I am rockin' the awesome green Gretsch throughout this clip...)

[pullshocks]

Go for it guys.  The recent Portland Dumble Fest ended up being just the organizer and myself, but it was really worth while for me.  After comparing my amp to his I discovered  I had mis-wired the bright switch and it's much better sounding with that put right.
Now you might ask how could somebody miswire something as simple as a bright switch.... but I did.  Must have been a late night.  Instead of disconnecting the bright cap I wired it to jumper across
I'd love to see Ashville but it's a bit far from the Northwest.

[jjasilli]

We are having an ampfest in Utah on May 7, 2011

http://www.facebook.com/amp.sho?sk=wall

  (Whee, I am rockin' the awesome green Gretsch throughout this clip...)

 

[duke of earl]

Party @ Doug's place! only about a 6 hr. drive for me.

[duke of earl]

Doug has the best smileys!

[Jack_Hester]

I used to go to HAMfests in N.Carolina, back in the day.  Still have stuff that I bought, that I never used.  But, I got it.  I tell people to be sure and come to my estate sale.  There'll be door prizes for everyone. 

What do you usually find at Ampfests, other that the obvious (amps)?  I used to buy wire/cable and connectors at the HAMfests, along with other project hardware.  I would rarely go for new, unless it was building components.  And, I would avoid the usual fleamarket, and find the sellers who were serious about their goods.  Is this something along the lines of an Ampfest?

Jack

[PRR]

> Doug's place! only about a 6 hr. drive for me.

I can drive 6 hours and still be in the same state.

That's fall or spring. In summer it can take 6 hours to get through Wiscasset or Ogunquit. In winter it can be 6 hours to the bottom of my driveway.

[andrew_k]

For your information Melbourne Ampfest is on June 18.

Making the trip down again this year? Hope to see you there 

[jjasilli]

I can drive 6 hours and still be in the same state.

I once had a car like that! 

[firemedic]

Asheville is nice. Anyone else from west central Fla though? Bueller?

[bluesbear]

Well, I don't believe it! For once, people are trying to make it easy for me. I have a neice in Asheville that's been asking me to visit for years. So... I'm in.
I usually don't like anything resembling a convention, but I think this would be good. I'm lucky in that I have 3 people around here I can talk circuits with that actually understand, talk back, and their eyes don't glaze over. Many don't have that luxury.
Now, all that's needed is to schedule it far enough in advance that most of us aren't booked.
Dave

[kagliostro]

I think that the Ampfest is a very nice idea

unfortunately I live in Italy and the way to go would be a little too much  

it will be nice to have at the Amp Fest also a Flea Amp Market as the Radio Amateurs do in their Ham Fest (so it will be possible to full or empty the junk boxes)

I'm lucky in that I have 3 people around here I can talk circuits with that actually understand, talk back, and their eyes don't glaze over. Many don't have that luxury.

Yes, it is so, I've some Radio Amateur friends (I'm not) but no one like audio tube amps, the only friend I've here in Italy that likes to talk about amps lives 570 Km far from here the other person I can speak about is my son (sound engeener) but he understand near nothing about circuits details ..............

Kagliostro

[DummyLoad]

> Doug's place! only about a 6 hr. drive for me.

I can drive 6 hours and still be in the same state.

i didn't know you lived in texas. 

[Backwoods Joe]

I'm in for the Ampfest. I say we should all crash at Doug's place. It"s all his fault anyway

[darryl]

For your information Melbourne Ampfest is on June 18.

Making the trip down again this year? Hope to see you there 

I'll be there, with a collection of amps - from 1 watt up to 240 watts. 

[plexi50]

I'm in for the Ampfest. I say we should all crash at Doug's place. It"s all his fault anyway

Thats right!

[shortfuse]

I'm in for a road trip to an ampfest.   I am in Central Fla and have no problem being talked into going to the Ashville area. 
Dave seems you are MC'ing this thing I see many posts in the near future.

[billcreller]

 The only guy I can talk about amps to is my younger brother, who has been a ham since he was old enough, in the 50s. He was TV repair tech for many years too.  But he lives in the Toledo area and I see him only about 5 times a year. An amp fest would be interesting, and everyone there would realize that I don't know squat about amps !!

[plexi50]

Sounds like Doug might just have to put up NO TRESSPASS signs!  

[simonallaway]

I'm in the Chicagoland area, so east coast is a stretch for me, but I'd be up for a 'fest for the Midwest chapter of the forum ;)

[bluestone]

Count me in!!! We moved to Zephyrhills Fl. near tampa from Black Mountain, NC (near Asheville). Would love to go back and visit friends!!!

[Platefire]

After this thread got started, it my understanding that Doug has moved to an address un-designated.  

[billcreller]

  If Doug was smart, he would take a trip to Europe or Hawaii until this blows over 

[EL34]

I am not a very social kind of guy. 

Some people just really like to hang out with other people.
I prefer dogs most of the time and people maybe once a week for a couple hours.

Having said all that, I would probably drop by your ampfest if it was in Asheville.
Knowing that my truck was out in the parking lot and I could make a clean getaway any time I wanted is a big help. 

JK:

[jerrydyer]

most of us tinkerers are a lot like that as well. sometimes i feel like I have more compassion for a lost dog than a homeless person. My Italian family reunions are huge but after ten minutes of them I gotta split. 

[Willabe]

Knowing that my truck was out in the parking lot and I could make a clean getaway any time I wanted is a big help.  

Hey, there he is!  Get him boys!      Wooot!        

No realy Doug, I'm sure all the guys would like to meet you. I would. Anybody who likes dogs and plants his own garden from seed is all right by me.



                 Brad            
      

[plexi50]

It was a novel idea and would be cool to do. But i do realize that i am the same as some of you and do better with amps and dogs. Besides how much more amp info can the brain store before spontainiously combusting? I think it's infinite.

[softwarejanitor]

> Doug's place! only about a 6 hr. drive for me.

I can drive 6 hours and still be in the same state.

i didn't know you lived in texas. 

I live smack in the middle of Texas...  It takes 4 to 8 hours in any direction to get to another state...

[RicharD]

> Doug's place! only about a 6 hr. drive for me.

I can drive 6 hours and still be in the same state.

i didn't know you lived in texas. 

I live smack in the middle of Texas...  It takes 4 to 8 hours in any direction to get to another state...

Where 'bouts?  Me -n- Dummy Load live in Austin.

[38Super]

Maybe we cound get a govt small business grant or some stimulus $$ to put this thing together and make transportation arrangements and... a three day amplifier building  speaker cabinett building seminar.

Which government agency should I call?

cheers,

rob

[EL34]

How about a virtual amp fest?

Everyone is on their computers talking and playing at the same time.

[bluesbear]

I thought this WAS a virtual ampfest!
Seriously though, don't you think this "loner" thing is BECAUSE of the amps and not the other way around? I know I love to talk circuits and designs. My wife knows I solve problems by talking about it so she lets me go on and just lets her eyes glaze over. She only screams at me to shut up about it maybe once a month. Others are not so kind. I think we're about equal to accountants for boring the general population. Luckily, I have 2 friends that build amps and my son is learning so I have people to talk to face to face... and that's the point of an ampfest: others to talk to that won't want to run away when we open our mouths.
Dave

[plexi50]

Maybe we cound get a govt small business grant or some stimulus $$ to put this thing together and make transportation arrangements and... a three day amplifier building  speaker cabinett building seminar.

Which government agency should I call?

cheers,

rob

Also dont forget to ask them if we can have access to the old Army Navy surplus and tubes

[plexi50]

How about a virtual amp fest?

Everyone is on their computers talking and playing at the same time.

I think Dougs on to some thing. I think this has been a virtual ampfest all these years. It slipped right by me. Thanks Doug!