New to this forum

[artdadinski]

Hi,

I'm Art. I am a retired media and graphic design professor. I have been a guitarist for 60 years. I been in 5 bands  and written some decent music during that time. I have owned some pretty great equipment alone the way.

I regrets losing a few guitars and amps over the years -- such as a Gibson GA-55RVT Ranger, I used during my college days. Also, I had a 62 SG with P90s, mahogany body and a cream-colored headstock. It was in rough shape when I bought it in the late 70s, but played like a dream. I, unfortunately, sold it for beans in the 90s with a young family, and the need for cash. One guitar I regret not owning is a Rickenbacker 360 6 string. It seems to always be just out of reach finance-wise.

Current amps and guitars:
• 67 blackface Pro Reverb
• 69 Vibro Champ
• Mojo (Silvertone)1484 (I built it)

• Martin Dreadnaught (I built it from a "kit")
• Art Astro – hard body, flattop, mid-century moderne design, 2 Mean 90 pickups, Rickenbacker-style bridge (I designed and built as a prototype for guitars I am developing) – my favorite to play
• TeleStrat – (I built because I had a Squire Stratocaster neck sitting around) – good when I want Fender slickness
• Epiphone SG 400
• Epiphone WildKat
• Grote (ES 300 style) hollow body Electric (my cheapest, and one of the best guitars I have)
• Grote (Jazz) hollow body electric (the next cheapest I have, and worst guitar I have ever owned --hate it)
• Epiphone El Niño – accoustic glass back – travel guitar
• Enya Nova Go – travel

• Hofner 500 bass

One of my favorite amps to ever have played is an original Silvertone 1484 my brother had in the 60s. It was a glorious feedback machine. I could Jimi-out on that thing all day long! No peddles needed. It was just pure fun.

I learned tube amp repair out of necessity – owning a few old tube amps. This led to building, and designing a couple, as well. I have found Rob Robinette's site and Uncle Doug vids incredible useful, while I learned doing this. Hoffman's site has been a great source for components and information, as well. 

Now, along with designing and building guitars, I am interested in building a couple of 5 to 18 watt amps for my grand sons who live in the UK. So, I am researching DIY designs that sound great and are versatile.

Has anyone build and used any of the amps designed by Elamscafeboutique.com? I am open to other suggestions if anyone has a favorite DIY suggestion.

Thanks for any feedback.

[EL34]

Welcome to the Hoffman Amps forum

There are many different boards on this forum for different topics.

The Tube Amp Building - Tweaks - Repairs board is where you can post amp questions.

That board is listed here.
https://el34world.com/Forum/index.php?board=13.0

Thanks,
Doug Hoffman

[Lectroid]

Art, welcome.
I also had an 80s mahog SG I still regret selling, oh...only three decades later.  Also a beautiful ash '62 Tele.  (Oh, sure, I"ve moved on...right.    ).

I had a Rick 360-6 for a couple of years.  I loved owning it but never bonded with it, sold it and don't really regret it.  It definitely had the Rick sound, but it was just too bright and shiny for this boy to control.  It did NOT do jazz or anything soft or mellow.  But I still loved owning it.  It gives you instant cred.
 
I can't say about Elamscafeboutique.com's designs b/c he doesn't seem to show his schematics without $$.  Personally, in the range you want, something like a Fender Princeton (12W) would be good. Why not a VibroChamp, with reverb like the series Uncle Doug just finished up?  (May 2025)    Or some kind of Marshall-ish 18W?  You can build one with the 6BH7 tube (working from memory here) and get an decent 8-9W push-pull amp.  tubenit, (a builder  around her) had a schematic for it.  And hey, the amps would feel right at home in the UK. 

Repost your question in the Tube Amps Building forum.  You'll get opinions...

Again, welcome

[artdadinski]

Thank you Doug for the welcome, and thanks Lectroid for the reply.

I'll definitely be posting questions to the Tube Amps Building forum. Also, thanks for the equipment insights.

Very cool.