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? Join our Patreon!  Some of the topics discussed:  1:38 NOS military-grade green pilot light jewels from Gary Economy (Instagram); 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 (link) 6:43 This week's sponsors: Emerald City Guitars; Amplified Parts; Izotope; Stringjoy Strings; and Grez Guitars.  Ordering from StewMac? Use this affiliate link to help us out!  11:26 The 2024 Fretboard Summit, August 23-25 (link) 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): https://www.solidsoundbook.com/ 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 (link)! 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' (YouTube link); 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" (YouTube link); playing 78 records today; Al Dodge 1:38:10 John Sebastian gets his dad's PA head back; a Disneyland tube PA

Ep. 131: "Sandy Soil"

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: You should join our Patreon. Some of the topics discussed:  1:06 Jason heads to the Phoenix MIM Museum (link); the National Music Museum in Vermillion, South Dakota (link); the American Banjo Museum (link) 3:20 This week's sponsors: Emerald City Guitars, Amplified Parts, Izotope, Stringjoy Strings, and Grez Guitars. 6:05 Canadian amp builders worth following: Gary Economy (Instagram) & Lo-Fi Electronic Instruments (Instagram); 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" (YouTube) 13:10 The Velvet Touch 14:31 Our Facebook group (link); 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 (link) 30:25 Special guest: Calvin McCormick of Hiwatt! (link) 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 (link) 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:  https://www.patreon.com/vintageamps

Ep. 130: "America's Hat"

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: You should join our Patreon.  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: Emerald City Guitars, Amplified Parts, Izotope, and Grez Guitars. 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 (link) 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 (link); 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:  https://www.patreon.com/vintageamps

Ep. 129: "Summer of the Comet"

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: You should join our Patreon.  (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 (Yelp), pupusas 33:46 Gibson reissues the Falcon (link) 40:03 Skip fixes a refrigerator 43:51 Skip loses his dentist and finds Trader Joe's; musician/illustrator Robert Armstrong (link) 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: Emerald City Guitars, Amplified Parts, Stringjoy Strings, Izotope, and Grez Guitars. 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:  https://www.patreon.com/vintageamps

Ep. 128: "The Smells Were Overwhelming"

We're closing out 2023 with special guest Bill Krinard of Two Rock!  https://www.two-rock.com 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 podcast@fretboardjournal.com. Our sponsors: Emerald City Guitars, Amplified Parts, Stringjoy Strings, and Grez Guitars 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:  https://www.patreon.com/vintageamps

Ep. 127: "The Rogue Hoe"

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 podcast@fretboardjournal.com. Some of the topics discussed this week: :48 Skip types out a tube chart 3:16 This week's sponsors: Emerald City Guitars, Amplified Parts, Stringjoy Strings, and Grez Guitars; 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 (link) 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 (link); Norwegian goat horn player Karl Seglem's "Mytevegar" (Bandcamp) 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 (link) 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:  https://www.patreon.com/vintageamps

Ep. 126: "They Do Eventually Die"

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 podcast@fretboardjournal.com. 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: Emerald City Guitars, Amplified Parts, Stringjoy Strings, and Grez Guitars. 8:12 Our 2023 Voltic DTF pedal 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:  https://www.patreon.com/vintageamps

Ep. 125: "Put Your Hands on the Hood"

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 podcast@fretboardjournal.com. Our sponsors are Emerald City Guitars, Amplified Parts, Stringjoy Strings, and Grez Guitars.  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: @dpetrzelka) 13:39 The 1970s Whole Earth Catalogs are now online (link) 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:  https://www.patreon.com/vintageamps

Ep. 124: "Night Train"

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 podcast@fretboardjournal.com. Our sponsors are Emerald City Guitars, Amplified Parts, and Grez Guitars.  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 (Instagram). 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 (link); 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 (link)  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" (YouTube)  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 (link)  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' (link)  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' (Amazon link) 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:  https://www.patreon.com/vintageamps

Ep. 123: "Salt to Taste"

** 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 (Wikipedia link); Lena Dunham's Tiny Furniture (Wikipedia link); Wynton Marsalis' "Blood on the Fields" (YouTube link); Brice Martin; Lo Moon (link); "Are You Awake?" by Lauren Mayberry (YouTube link); Wood Belly (link); 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 podcast@fretboardjournal.com 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': https://www.facebook.com/groups/164889374531738  Join the TAVA Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/vintageamps Our sponsors are Emerald City Guitars, Amplified Parts, and Grez Guitars. Recorded October 6, 2023. Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal. 

Ep. 122: "A Low Ceiling Situation"

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 podcast@fretboardjournal.com! 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: https://www.patreon.com/vintageamps 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 (link, October 7-9, 2023); the Amigo Bay Area Guitar Show in January (link; 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  Kelley prototype head at Emerald City Guitars; 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 Emerald City Guitars, Amplified Parts, and Grez Guitars. Recorded September 20, 2023.  Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal. 

Ep. 121: "Plaid Bell Bottoms"

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.  https://www.amplifiedparts.com/ Want to be a part of the show? Keep the amp questions for Skip coming to podcast@fretboardjournal.com! 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: https://www.patreon.com/vintageamps Some of the topics discussed in this episode:  :00 Fretboard Summit recap (thanks, Kevin!); a gift of Del Cabo mangos; Rob Abernathy's robots (https://rodabernethy.com/); our sponsors (Emerald City Guitars, Stringjoy Strings (use the code FRETBOARD to save 10% off your first string order), Amplified Parts, and Grez Guitars. 10:30 Donny Hathaway plays "The Ghetto" (YouTube link); 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 (link, on sale for just 16 bucks right now); LED garage lighting (Costco link) 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: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sidetrack-liner-notes/id1162344630) 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 (Instagram link) Recorded August 31, 2023.  Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal.  Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise and don't forget to get a subscription to the Fretboard Journal (link). Digital subscriptions start at just $30.   Submit your amp questions, recipes, and life hacks to podcast@fretboardjournal.com and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media.

Ep. 120: "One Call"

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 podcast@fretboardjournal.com! 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:  2:32: This week's sponsors: Emerald City Guitars, Stringjoy Strings (use the code FRETBOARD to save 10% off your first string order), Amplified Parts, and Grez Guitars.  4:27 Special call-in guest: TAVA listener Brian McAllister (vintagetubeamplifiers.com, @vintagetubeamplifiers): 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 Chicago Fretboard Summit!; 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 (link); 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 on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise and don't forget to get a subscription to the Fretboard Journal (link). Digital subscriptions start at just $30.   Submit your amp questions, recipes, and life hacks to podcast@fretboardjournal.com and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media.

Ep. 119: "Painting Some Dots"

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 podcast@fretboardjournal.com! Voice memos or emails are welcome.  Don&#39;t forget we now have a Patreon if you&#39;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; www.fretboardsummit.org) 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&#39;s sponsors: Emerald City Guitars, Stringjoy Strings (use the code FRETBOARD to save 10% off your first string order), Amplified Parts, and Grez Guitars.  19:05 Peter Jensen’s Magnavox 12&quot; 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 (https://www.loshernandeztamales.com); Bruce Harvie &amp; the Sound Flea’s ‘Overhead at Darrington’ (Bandcamp link) 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  (https://www.instagram.com/djlavalamp/) 51:03 Tube amp kits (Mod 102 and Mod 102+ from AmplifiedParts.com  https://www.amplifiedparts.com/products/amp-kit-mod-electronics-mod102-guitar-amp ); 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&#39;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 (https://www.liuteriaguarnieri.com/en/acoustic-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 on Patreon.com

Ep. 118: "Pirate Ale" (Special Guest: Ben Harper)

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 podcast@fretboardjournal.com! Voice memos or emails are welcome. And don't forget we now have a Patreon. This week's sponsors: Emerald City Guitars, Stringjoy Strings (use the code FRETBOARD to save off your first string order), Amplified Parts, and Grez Guitars.  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 (link), "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; @thevalvinist on Instagram; a Hohner / Sano combo amp for sale; the 2023 Fretboard Summit (link) 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 on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise and don't forget to get a subscription to the Fretboard Journal (link). Digital subscriptions start at just $30. Submit your amp questions, recipes, and life hacks to podcast@fretboardjournal.com and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media.

Ep. 117: "Tommy, Time for Dinner"

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 podcast@fretboardjournal.com! Voice memos or emails are welcome. And don't forget we now have a Patreon. This week's sponsors: Emerald City Guitars, Stringjoy Strings (use the code FRETBOARD to save off your first string order), Amplified Parts, and Grez Guitars.  This week's topics: 1:02 Making amps out of little intercoms, redux 4:01 Amplified Parts' Potentiometer Adapter Sleeve (link) 8:34 Join our Patreon and hear a lost episode with Steve Melkisethian (Angela Instruments): https://www.patreon.com/vintageamps 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 'Pick It and Play It'); "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 (link) 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: www.fretboardsummit.org), wiring a part board before you put it in the amp 46:59 Chris at Deluxe Amplification (deluxeamplification.com) 50:08 A horse-powered IBM Selectric typewriter (Facebook post link) 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 (link), a Guild 66-J amp with a Pyle Driver speaker 1:09:20 The Fret Files podcast capacitor test (link); the terminology of pickups Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal.  Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise and don't forget to get a subscription to the Fretboard Journal (link). Digital subscriptions start at just $30. Submit your amp questions, recipes, and life hacks to podcast@fretboardjournal.com and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media.

Ep. 116: "Or Something"

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 podcast@fretboardjournal.com! Voice memos or emails are welcome. And don't forget we now have a Patreon. Some of the topics discussed this week: 2:07 This week's sponsors: Emerald City Guitars (check out the  Jim Kelley prototype), Stringjoy Strings (use the code FRETBOARD to save off your first string order), Amplified Parts, and Grez Guitars. You can also use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase. 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 (link) 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 on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise and don't forget to get a subscription to the Fretboard Journal (link). Digital subscriptions start at just $30. Submit your amp questions, recipes, and life hacks to podcast@fretboardjournal.com and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media.

Ep. 115: "The Group W Bench"

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 podcast@fretboardjournal.com! Voice memos or emails are welcome.  Some of the topics discussed this week: 3:49 Skip gets more gifts (thank you); Studio Slips (link); Dragonfly USB-stereo connection; Connie Converse (Bandcamp link) 9:41 The Truth About Vintage Amps Patreon (link) 9:54 Josh Scott (JHS) plays the El Pato Tone practice amp (Instagram link), which you can buy  here on Reverb; the 2023 Fretboard Summit featuring Jeff Parker, Jorma Kaukonen, JHS, Tommy Emmanuel, vintage amps and much more! (register for the Summit today: fretboardsummit.org) 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; http://schematicheaven.irridia.com/ 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 (YouTube link) 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 Emerald City Guitars, Stringjoy Strings (use the code FRETBOARD to save off your first string order), Amplified Parts, and Grez Guitars. You can also use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase. Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise and don't forget to get a subscription to the Fretboard Journal (link). Digital subscriptions start at just $30. Submit your amp questions, recipes, and life hacks to podcast@fretboardjournal.com and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media.

Ep. 114:  "Mothers, Fathers, Sisters, Brothers"

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 podcast@fretboardjournal.com! 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 (www.fretboardsummit.org); Chicago's Kale My Name (link)  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 (link) 1:11:23 Special thanks: Max in Spain; Bill from California 1:13:00 Need your reverb coil rewound? Check out Tom Brantley (@tombrantleyrewinds) 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 Stringjoy Strings, Amplified Parts (use the code TAVA10 to save 10% off of their Mod kits) and Grez Guitars. You can also use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase. Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise and don't forget to get a subscription to the Fretboard Journal (link). Digital subscriptions start at just $30. Want to register for our Fretboard Summit? Here's a link.  Submit your amp questions, recipes, and life hacks to podcast@fretboardjournal.com and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media.

Ep. 113: "Too Much of Something Somewhere"

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 podcast@fretboardjournal.com! Voice memos or emails are welcome.  Some of the topics discussed this week: 7:42 David Lindely on Dumble: Audio interview on our Patreon (link) 8:07 Shoutout to August from Otis Amps 8:46 Rancho Gordo Beans, redux (link), 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 Stringjoy Strings, Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars. You can also use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase. Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise and don't forget to get a subscription to the Fretboard Journal (link). Digital subscriptions start at just $30. Want to register for our Fretboard Summit? Here's a link.  Submit your amp questions, recipes, and life hacks to podcast@fretboardjournal.com and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media.

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