Look what this silly person did to one of my boards.

[EL34]

Looks like a horrible install and the guy added another bias circuit 

I added a comment on the video if anyone want to add to my comment.

[EL34]

And the guy deleted my comment
Can't have anyone disputing his claims
There are other comments from people that have installed my boards correctly

I added to those comments

Anyone feel like adding their own comments?

[sluckey]

I don't think you can comment unless you have a youtube channel of your own. If I'm wrong please tell me how to add comments.

[EL34]

I don't think you can comment unless you have a youtube channel of your own. If I'm wrong please tell me how to add comments.

I think you just have to be logged into google don't you?
I don't know for sure?

[Diverted]

Wow, what a hit job.
He comes right out and says the Hoffman board’s ground scheme was the cause of the hum.
I actually prefer old school eyelet boards, just because it’s how I learned and it’s easier to see the schematic connections, at least for me. But the 3-4 Hoffman boards I’ve built (revibe, AB763 Twin and others), have all been extra quiet and solid.
Sad to see an expert designer raked over the coals for the fault of the builder.

[EL34]

Yeah, weird that he deleted my comment about the multitude of these boards being installed since 1995 and nothing wrong with having the bias circuit on the main board
Instead of trouble shooting like a normal tech, he now has to charge the customer a bunch of money by installing a paper board

Makes me think he has some sort of issue
I don't know who he is

What is his name?

[sluckey]

I don't think you can comment unless you have a youtube channel of your own. If I'm wrong please tell me how to add comments.

I think you just have to be logged into google don't you?
I don't know for sure?

I'm logged in and restricted mode is turned OFF. When I click in the area to add a comment, youtube changes the page to an endless page full of links to videos.

[jordan86]

Just left a comment...

"I've not used Hoffman's Deluxe board, but I've always heard great things about his products. Seems unlikely to me based on some of the other changes and wiring errors that Hoffman was the culprit. Did you reach out to the company about it? I'd think they are the type to stand by their product either way."

[dude]

My first build or re-built was a Fender reissue 59 Bassman back in the nineties. I found Hoffman’s site and order a board made and assembled by Doug himself for the 59 Fender reissue Bassman. Replaced the stock PCB Fender board with Hoffman’s, instructions came with his board (the old layout design at that time), very quiet, was my reliable gigging amp for years. I use the buss bar in Hoffman’s designs for most all my amp builds all very quite.
Pretty shameful not to contact you before trashing your product, like who assembled it..?

.

[tdvt]

That video came up on my YT feed earlier today before I saw this thread.

I did watch the whole thing & found it rather dismissive in general. But from watching some of his other Fender-related stuff over the last year, I don't get the sense he is much of a free thinker regarding alternative methods when problem solving.

It is unfortunate that the amp didn't undergo some sort of troubleshooting before just abandoning what is a proven (though admittedly alternative) design.

For example, he has several videos where he fabricates & retrofits the brass plate behind the pots to eliminate hum, seems mostly because that is how Fender used to do it...


In fact, that subject came up here back in March:  https://el34world.com/Forum/index.php?topic=30032.msg330893#msg330893

[HotBluePlates]

I'm logged in and restricted mode is turned OFF. When I click in the area to add a comment, youtube changes the page to an endless page full of links to videos.

I'm sorry that happened to you.  I am logged in to me Google/Gmail account, and I was able to post both a standalone comment, and a reply to someone else's comment.

[AlNewman]

It's a clickbait video.

[roarshock]

Here's what I put:
I've enjoyed plenty of your videos, and continue to learn more about amp building as I go but naming the Hoffman board as the culprit and calling it a Hoffman kit were easily avoided errors.  Your client installed the board in their own, erroneous way. You could have reached out to Hoffman (EL34world.com) and done a cool collaborative video.Maybe you should do one with him if he is willing. This amp building and repair community is a small one and he should be very easy to contact. I look forward to you extending an olive branch.

I hope this ends well, with both entities coming out looking better than they currently do. It's crumby that Terry dragged you through the mud in an obvious attempt to generate more internet traffic on his channel. I'd like to see more friendly collaborative content in this very niche environment. Thanks for creating a community that keeps me informed and thanks for making my first board for my first amp!

aaaaaaand the comment was deleted in less than 5 minutes.

[kagliostro]

What to say

Seems that someone knows and all other people don't

doesn't matter if a problem comes only in one occasion, it happened to someone that knows all and is not possible it is his fault

Problem solved with the brass plate method ?

OK, may be, I would like to hear what will go to happen in a future (and I know what to expect, but the more people don't)

About the practice to delete adversary comments, this seems a bit of part (a bit is only an euphemism), but to put on silence instead to argument a reason IS good practice to impose to others a fake idea

Doug ..... Non ti curar di lor ma guarda e passa

Franco

[HotBluePlates]

Problem solved with the brass plate method ?

IMO, the brass plate was used to expedite manufacturing.  Fender soldered ground wires from the eyelet board to the brass plate, meaning they did not have to make those individual solder joints to the chassis.  Then solder a wire from one lug of a pot to its case, all done before installing to the steel chassis.  This avoids the chassis acting as a heatsink.

Then one installer adds the transformers, makes the chassis solder connections for those.  A different installer attaches the eyelet board, brass plate, and pots to the chassis.  Grounding is completed automatically via the chassis-connections, and the installer need only wire the board to the sockets, and perhaps the board to the pots.

Yeah, weird that he deleted my comment about the multitude of these boards being installed since 1995 and nothing wrong with having the bias circuit on the main board

aaaaaaand the comment was deleted in less than 5 minutes.

That's pretty wild, as I remember seeing Roarshock's comment at the top right before I posted mine.  Many comments are nest below others, especially if replying to a previous comment.  But maybe they were deleted (for whatever reason).

So adding the screenshots of other comments defending Hoffman boards here:

[tubenit]

I tried to post a response and was unable to for some reason? 

Hoffman style turret boards are excellent and are amazingly quiet. It's a well thought out and proven design. I've never had a single issue using Hoffman's turret boards. My opinion is D-Lab's comments attributing the problem to the design instead of the original builder was inappropriate and frankly remarkably unprofessional.

The start of the video mentions blowing fuses. So obviously, something wasn't wired up correctly by the original builder.

Fortunately, there are enough positive responses affirming the Hoffman board design that I think anyone who reads those would get an accurate picture of what actually unfolded with the original builder making some error/s.

With respect, Tubenit

[EL34]

Just left a comment...

"I've not used Hoffman's Deluxe board, but I've always heard great things about his products. Seems unlikely to me based on some of the other changes and wiring errors that Hoffman was the culprit. Did you reach out to the company about it? I'd think they are the type to stand by their product either way."

I have nothing to do with installing the board
The customer installs the board using the instructions and other documents on the library page
No need to reach out to anyone
I feel bad for his customer because he did not trouble shoot and fix the customers install errors

[EL34]

That video came up on my YT feed earlier today before I saw this thread.

I did watch the whole thing & found it rather dismissive in general. But from watching some of his other Fender-related stuff over the last year, I don't get the sense he is much of a free thinker regarding alternative methods when problem solving.
It is unfortunate that the amp didn't undergo some sort of troubleshooting before just abandoning what is a proven (though admittedly alternative) design.
For example, he has several videos where he fabricates & retrofits the brass plate behind the pots to eliminate hum, seems mostly because that is how Fender used to do it...

In fact, that subject came up here back in March:  https://el34world.com/Forum/index.php?topic=30032.msg330893#msg330893

That's a good summary

[EL34]

I'm logged in and restricted mode is turned OFF. When I click in the area to add a comment, youtube changes the page to an endless page full of links to videos.

I'm sorry that happened to you.  I am logged in to me Google/Gmail account, and I was able to post both a standalone comment, and a reply to someone else's comment.

Nothing really happened to me
I feel bad for his customer

[EL34]

The guy posted in one of the replies that he has not deleted any comments
Mine was gone a few minutes after posting itI tried to edit a misspelled word and it came back with an errorThen I looked and it was gone
A few others said they had theirs deleted also

No big deal, I was just hoping to call in some re-reinforcements
Thanks all

[bmccowan]

I saw the video yesterday and wrote a challenging/somewhat angry comment. Amongst other things, wondering if D-Lab stood for Dick-Lab. But like testy emails, I decided to hold off, and this morning posted this one:

I am a subscriber and find D-Lab videos interesting. I also have been buying from Hoffman for years and routinely participate in the EL-34 Forum Hoffman manages. Having built multiple amps using Hoffman boards I can assure you that they are quality components and that Hoffman puts a lot of thought into their layouts. I think you should make some corrections. Multiple people have pointed out that Hoffman does not sell complete kits. They sell components and provide advice. Folks who follow their advice, and learn how to solder and assemble, build great amps. Sadly, some folks just refuse to learn and listen. Your client did substandard work and apparently discarded good advice. If you sent him the components that you used and asked him/her to rebuild the amp, the outcome would have been the same, or worse. You answered one comment by saying you could find little info on the Web regarding Hoffman - there is tons - look again.

What I find remarkable is that people with little experience take on complex builds, refusing to practice technique and follow learned advice. And then when their amp does not perform as intended, they start modding the circuit, instead of finding and fixing their mistakes.
It is interesting to note that D-Lab provides links to Mojo-Tone and Tube Depot. I doubt that he would have taken the same approach if a client sent in one of their sourced projects.

[tdvt]

My opinion is D-Lab's comments attributing the problem to the design instead of the original builder was inappropriate and frankly remarkably unprofessional.

Agreed.


I am also disappointed to hear that so many comments are being deleted, but I guess that is the way of things these days. Glad I never actually subscribed to his channel.


It stuck me that I don't think I ever heard the term "turret board" in the video, only "Hoffman board".  No way to know if that was intentional or not..

[dwinstonwood]

If you're an inexperienced or first-time builder, try sourcing all of the various parts needed to build a tube guitar amp from Mouser or DigiKey. It's overwhelming and confusing (if you don't know exactly what to buy).

Hoffman's store has made it a heck of a lot easier to order caps, resistors, wire, diodes, etc., because he stocks the right parts for building tube guitar amps.

I've also had success with his turret boards. His board material and turrets allow me draw up my own layouts, and easily make custom boards.

So, I don't understand the need for the snide remarks in that video.

Non ti curar di lor ma guarda e passa

kagliostro, my memory is not what it was, Dante?

[sluckey]

I figured out my not being able to comment issue. I have a google/gmail account and was properly logged in and still could not make comments. However, I used my ***@comcast.net as my primary login name/email. I set up another email account and used ***.gmail.com as my primary email and once I logged back into youtube I can now leave comments. Tubenit, maybe you have a similar issue?

Anyhow, I left a wordy comment.

[EL34]

That's interesting
I did not know you could log in like that
Thanks Steve

[mresistor]

Doug  I left my comment as well and couldn't believe some of the others I saw there. 


~James

[bmccowan]

Terry has now posted some respectful replies to some of our comments. He sees that he jumped to some incorrect conclusions. I urged him to offer up a correction to his description of the video.
BTW - YouTube defaults to sorting the comments as "top comments." One can click on sort and select latest. Doing that you see that a lot of folks have jumped in to support Doug's products.

[EL34]

Thanks for the tip
I use the sort most recent all the time on YouTube

[Lekky]

YouTube is definitely doing some auto-censoring of comments. I tried to post a comment too, but it vanished after about one minute. Not the first time that's happened. Maybe it's enough to include a name of a service, a website address or mentioning how YT is censoring comments, and *poof*, comment is gone.

[EL34]

I think he must be deleting them
The other option is that you cab turn on "Held for Review" which is what I do on certain videos where you run into people commenting garbage
You then decide to ok or delete the comment
Once you ok the post, it shows up

But my replies to other post show up fine and so I don't think he has that option turned on.

[kagliostro]

@ Dwistonwood

Dante, Divine Comedy, Inferno Canto III 51

Franco

[acheld]

Add me to the list posting on his comments.

[jeff]

Ceramic white sockets... Intermittent..."We all know these things are trouble makers"
Who's we?
What is he talking about?

[EL34]

Ceramic white sockets... Intermittent..."We all know these things are trouble makers"
Who's we?
What is he talking about?

No we's over here know that
Never heard of such a thing in 30 years of doing this

[jeff]

"I have read reviews on the web and these appear to be a decent amp, so this is an isolated instance due to construction method. Again, this video is not saying Hoffman is a problem, it was just errors in this build."
"I decided the best course of action was to remove the Hoffman turret board and install a standard Fender fiber eyelet board, time saving method, since I was not familiar with the turret design."
This is in description if you hit "read more"
Dunno if that's new

[EL34]

"I have read reviews on the web and these appear to be a decent amp, so this is an isolated instance due to construction method. Again, this video is not saying Hoffman is a problem, it was just errors in this build."
"I decided the best course of action was to remove the Hoffman turret board and install a standard Fender fiber eyelet board, time saving method, since I was not familiar with the turret design."
This is in description if you hit "read more"
Dunno if that's new

Removing a board and installing a different board is a huge time suck
A technician could fix the customers mistakes in a lot less time

My amp library with all the documents for that board is open 24/7

[jeff]

Removing a board and installing a different board is a huge time suck
A technician could fix the customers mistakes in a lot less time

My amp library with all the documents for that board is open 24/7

*good technician
LoL


The only thing I've ever heard bad about those sockets is if you forcefuly, smash, jam, stuff a tube in without respesting the keyway it's posssible to damage it in a way where the pins don't line up to the right sockets.


Ya, know... If you have NO IDEA how to keyway an octal!!!
Maybe that's what he means.
 

[bmccowan]

"I have read reviews on the web and these appear to be a decent amp, so this is an isolated instance due to construction method. Again, this video is not saying Hoffman is a problem, it was just errors in this build."
"I decided the best course of action was to remove the Hoffman turret board and install a standard Fender fiber eyelet board, time saving method, since I was not familiar with the turret design."
This is in description if you hit "read more"
Dunno if that's new

I'm not sure either, but everybody will read the incorrect title in bold letters, and only a few will read the full description. Terry should put on his man pants and simply make a correction.

[sluckey]

sockets...

[RadioComm]

Just wanted to take this opportunity to thank you el34 for el34world and all the resources you provide that are truly too numerous to enumerate. I would also like to thanks like to thank the heavy hitters and all contributors for making this forum an awesome and fun place to hang out. Sluckey stated in his comments "Lot of other smart people hang out there". This is so true and maybe even a little bit of an understatement.

This place is more than a site, it's a community. Thanks again everyone.

Paul

[sluckey]

Terry has been busy editing his video and adding positive comments toward Hoffman boards. I don't see anything that could be considered in a negative way coming from Terry. The guy has a lot of experience working on original Fender amps. If I were in his shoes I would have ripped out an unfamiliar board and replaced it with an original style board that I know works well. Just seems like a quicker, easier path and you don't have to deal with fixing the nasty soldering job that was done by the owner. I'm sure Terry could have fixed the Hoffman board, but by the time the job was done he could have probably built a couple original style DRs. Just makes sense to me to stick to something you know well, especially when time is money. I don't have a day job and don't need any money. I just do this stuff for fun, but I see a lot of horror amps worked on by dumbasses that I would not dare touch. I like a challenge but there's no fun in cleaning up after someone.

[sluckey]

This place is more than a site, it's a community. Thanks again everyone.

Reminds me of the little sandwich/coffee shop that was next door to the radio/tv shop I worked at in the '60s. Every day at 2:00pm the tv shop would lock the doors for a 30 minute coffee break. And many of the other tv shop techs would drive over to join us. We even had telco and cable tv techs join in. For those 30 minutes we would mostly talk shop... what pig you were working on, success stories, and failures too. Lot of problems were solved during those coffee breaks. Lot of comradery between like minds just making a living. Sound familiar?

[shooter]

Sound familiar?

we have 2 Mom N Pop's within 6 miles of my home, The beerBaitNgas I call the center of the Universe, all the Farmers, trades, hourly n bosses shop there, if you live within 7 miles of "Larry's 'ol place" it's the place you go instead of town, want sardines in mustard sauce, $2.69, 6 pack of the "top shelf" craft beer $17.99.  I started working there in '14 after being downsized.  The friggin 13 year old's when I started are  now buying beer n vap pens, blunt wraps....    It's like Cheer's, "everybody knows your name"


Station 66 is the Ice-cream/ sandwich shop, the kid that dug under my foundation to install the well, got a free meal when I seen him come in,  my order is down when the short-order cook see's my car pull in.  America, 20th century style still exists

[PRR]

Dante?

“Non ragioniam di lor, ma guarda e passa”, that is, “let us not reflect about them, but watch and move on”. Inferno, Canto III.


These have no longer any hope of death;
And this blind life of theirs is so debased,
They envious are of every other fate.
No fame of them the world permits to be;
Misericord and Justice both disdain them.
Let us not speak of them, but look, and pass."

[acheld]

Dante.   Who woulda thought . . .

Anyway, he did take Hoffman out of the title after I suggested that he could at least do that.

I'd much rather spend time here, thinking about Dante's inferno and how to make an amp sound like that, than watching videos anytime.

[66Strat]

I saw the video, but didn’t watch it. The title looked like click bait. I like Lyle Caldwell’s videos (Psionic Audio). He has some very good videos on restoring vintage Ampeg and Fender amps, as well as videos addressing the shortcomings in current production amps.

I was watching a Cesar Diaz video and had wrapped up a series of Rene Martinez videos from the Stewmac site when this video popped up. It was very interesting hearing their perspectives of being a guitar tech on the road. Other videos that I enjoy include old Justin Wilson Cajun cooking videos, Charlie Andrews’ New Orleans cooking videos, and Paul Sellers’ wood working videos.

Aside from these videos, I spend more time watching critters in the back yard. The robins have ongoing territorial wars with the grackles and starlings, and have implemented an elaborate sentry/early warning system to guard against attack from the hawk. The squirrels have been busy hiding nuts from one another and reconnoitering the neighbor’s efforts in planting his garden.  Without a doubt, they are in the midst of planning logistics for their upcoming forays into said garden.

[JPK]

That was a well written comment Sluckey. He didn't remove that one. I think he gets the point now. Not a Hoffman board issue. Total operator error. The ceramic tube socket thing is a joke. Any bad quality socket will be a problem.

My YouTube comment (Technically I bought the board material and turrets and made my own board but I wanted to be supportive):

joemusicman64
"I used a Hoffman board for an 18 watt plexi. No hum, dead silent. It would not have mattered what board this person used, he did not follow good amp building practices. Makes sense to start over though. Takes a lot of time to debug a poorly built tube amp."
 

[zircontweezer]

I added my 2 cents "Another youtuber to suggest why are you calling it a Hoffman kit? He supplies parts and info that work. The builder hasn't been able to make the amp correctly, possibly a language issue. You aren't familiar with a turret board? That is strange as there are possibly over a hundred thousand out there. They're fairly simple if you can read a schematic and match it with the layout. Regards Joe." The online world sigh, don't sweat the small stuff.

[Johnnydoright]

Just wanted to comment on this thread. As a newer builder, I have bought several turret boards and loads of parts from the Hoffman amp store. I have also had some success with my builds, but also had a few problems. NONE OF MY PROBLEMS WERE THE FAULT OF THE PARTS!  Also, when I built something and it did not function, I was able to get help from Doug on his site.
I have watched this and some other D-Lab videos, and I think Terry is a decent repair person, but he does tend to replace parts that HE feels might fail. Not sure if this is a good approach. I don't agree with him regarding use of a brass plate, or that it is the only way to get a quiet amp.
I do know that all my builds work well, and are quiet, and none have a brass plate!
This site and the Hoffman amp parts site are terrific resources.
There will always be a chuckle head that doesn't do research, adds a bunch of needless grounds, and then bails.
I too was a little offended that Terry refered to this amp as a kit.
The Hoffman site is very clear. It does not sell kits! It does sell fine quality parts and provides excellent information at no charge, provided the user is willing to look for it.
In closing, as I have said many times, THANK YOU DOUG.  YOUR SITE IS OUTSTANDING!

[tdvt]

THANK YOU DOUG.  YOUR SITE IS OUTSTANDING!

AGREED!