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Hi all,
I am an amp 'newbie' and I want to understand more about the way
an amp works but most importantly, how to service an amp. I've taken
college physics. Are there any books out there that you might know of
that would suit me best? I want to learn more so that I may able to
tweak my amp as I see fit. Thanks for the advice. CLC
> -----Original Message-----
> From: cancerleocam [mailto:]
>
> Hi all,
> I am an amp 'newbie' and I want to understand more about the way
> an amp works but most importantly, how to service an amp. I've taken
> college physics. Are there any books out there that you might know of
> that would suit me best? I want to learn more so that I may able to
> tweak my amp as I see fit. Thanks for the advice. CLC
Hi,
I have seen lots of books on the subject. You might try the Fender Amp Field
Guide:
They have a links page that may help you track down some info.
BN
Also--How to Service Your Own Tube Amp, by Tom Mitchell
--- In SurfGuitar101@y..., "Brian Neal" <bneal@z...> wrote:
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: cancerleocam [mailto:cancerleocam@y...]
> >
> > Hi all,
> > I am an amp 'newbie' and I want to understand more about the
way
> > an amp works but most importantly, how to service an amp. I've
taken
> > college physics. Are there any books out there that you might
know of
> > that would suit me best? I want to learn more so that I may able
to
> > tweak my amp as I see fit. Thanks for the advice. CLC
>
> Hi,
>
> I have seen lots of books on the subject. You might try the Fender
Amp Field
> Guide:
>
>
>
> They have a links page that may help you track down some info.
>
> BN
I would say college physics and tube amplification relate in a similar way
as say, college genetics relates to blowjobs. Things to remember - #1,
unplug the amp before tinkering. #2, capacitors can and do hold a bigass
charge that can nail you at the most unsuspecting of moments. #3, you've
never laughed till you laughed at a guy who's guitar is shocking the bejezus
out of him.
Seriously - these things can BITE you. And, it's real easy to blow things
up.
Robb
----- Original Message -----
From: "ohsyrus" <>
To: <>
Sent: Thursday, June 06, 2002 1:14 AM
Subject: [SurfGuitar101] Re: Need a technical amp book.
> Also--How to Service Your Own Tube Amp, by Tom Mitchell
>
>
> --- In SurfGuitar101@y..., "Brian Neal" <bneal@z...> wrote:
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: cancerleocam [mailto:cancerleocam@y...]
> > >
> > > Hi all,
> > > I am an amp 'newbie' and I want to understand more about the
> way
> > > an amp works but most importantly, how to service an amp. I've
> taken
> > > college physics. Are there any books out there that you might
> know of
> > > that would suit me best? I want to learn more so that I may able
> to
> > > tweak my amp as I see fit. Thanks for the advice. CLC
> >
> > Hi,
> >
> > I have seen lots of books on the subject. You might try the Fender
> Amp Field
> > Guide:
> >
> >
> >
> > They have a links page that may help you track down some info.
> >
> > BN
>
>
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> .
> Visit for archived messages,
bookmarks, files, polls, etc.
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
>
>
>
and remember, it isn't enough to merely unplug the tube amp. You
gotta drain the caps and keep them drained the whole time you are
working on it. Or maybe just die. Frankly, there are only 2 use cases
I can think of where you want to monkey around with a tube amp. OK
maybe 3. 1st, you bought an original cool old amp that needs a major
overhaul including a cap job, and DIY. 2nd, you want to build
yourself an amp from an old Fender schematic. 3rd, you changed power
tubes and need to rebias a fixed bias amp. Ok, 4. 4th, something is
wrong with your amp and you decide you are going to fix it yourself.
Each of these use cases requires a different level of knowledge, but
repair is the toughest of the bunch. None of these are intuitive jobs-
-you either know what you are doing or you don't. One way to ease
into it would be to buy a tube amp kit--like, a Champ clone, and
build that. There are a number of vendors, including Clark
amplification, STF electronics, Allen Amplification, and London
Power, that have kits that all produce tones on a par --or at least
very, very close--to original old classic models. But then, in most
cases, you are paying more than you probably would for an original
old amp. Here is my take on th e whole thing, if you really want to
know. If you have to go to a news list and ask for books to read
about tube electronics--you probably are not going to become a
firebottle guru...just my 2 cents. As Muldaur said, "The truth is out
there."
--- In SurfGuitar101@y..., "Robb Lowe" <robblowe@h...> wrote:
> I would say college physics and tube amplification relate in a
similar way
> as say, college genetics relates to blowjobs. Things to remember -
#1,
> unplug the amp before tinkering. #2, capacitors can and do hold a
bigass
> charge that can nail you at the most unsuspecting of moments. #3,
you've
> never laughed till you laughed at a guy who's guitar is shocking
the bejezus
> out of him.
>
> Seriously - these things can BITE you. And, it's real easy to blow
things
> up.
>
> Robb
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "ohsyrus" <ohsyrus@y...>
> To: <SurfGuitar101@y...>
> Sent: Thursday, June 06, 2002 1:14 AM
> Subject: [SurfGuitar101] Re: Need a technical amp book.
>
>
> > Also--How to Service Your Own Tube Amp, by Tom Mitchell
> >
> >
> > --- In SurfGuitar101@y..., "Brian Neal" <bneal@z...> wrote:
> > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > From: cancerleocam [mailto:cancerleocam@y...]
> > > >
> > > > Hi all,
> > > > I am an amp 'newbie' and I want to understand more about
the
> > way
> > > > an amp works but most importantly, how to service an amp. I've
> > taken
> > > > college physics. Are there any books out there that you might
> > know of
> > > > that would suit me best? I want to learn more so that I may
able
> > to
> > > > tweak my amp as I see fit. Thanks for the advice. CLC
> > >
> > > Hi,
> > >
> > > I have seen lots of books on the subject. You might try the
Fender
> > Amp Field
> > > Guide:
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > They have a links page that may help you track down some info.
> > >
> > > BN
> >
> >
> >
> > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> > SurfGuitar101-unsubscribe@y...
> > Visit for archived
messages,
> bookmarks, files, polls, etc.
> >
> >
> >
> > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
> >
> >
> >
For someone with no electronics background I 'll recommend "Inside Tube Amps
by Dan Torres
Roland Bettenville
-------Original Message-------
From:
Date: Thursday, June 06, 2002 01:17:48
To:
Subject: [SurfGuitar101] Need a technical amp book.
Hi all,
I am an amp 'newbie' and I want to understand more about the way
an amp works but most importantly, how to service an amp. I've taken
college physics. Are there any books out there that you might know of
that would suit me best? I want to learn more so that I may able to
tweak my amp as I see fit. Thanks for the advice. CLC
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:.
Visit for archived messages,
bookmarks, files, polls, etc.
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Amongst the tube amp gurus on the various newslists, Dan Torres has
an infamous reputation, partly because he has recommended some
irreversible mods and hacks on classic original blackface amps from
the 60's--which many regard as sacrilege. the best books you can
find, IMHO are available from the London Power web site. I
personally, would not read a book by Dan Torres or do business with
him. There are better, more responsible sources, again, IMHO.
--- In SurfGuitar101@y..., "Roland Bettenville"
<roland.bettenville@p...> wrote:
> For someone with no electronics background I 'll recommend "Inside
Tube Amps
> by Dan Torres
>
>
> Roland Bettenville
>
> roland.bettenville@p...
>
>
>
>
>
> -------Original Message-------
>
> From: SurfGuitar101@y...
> Date: Thursday, June 06, 2002 01:17:48
> To: SurfGuitar101@y...
> Subject: [SurfGuitar101] Need a technical amp book.
>
> Hi all,
> I am an amp 'newbie' and I want to understand more about the way
> an amp works but most importantly, how to service an amp. I've
taken
> college physics. Are there any books out there that you might know
of
> that would suit me best? I want to learn more so that I may able to
> tweak my amp as I see fit. Thanks for the advice. CLC
>
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> SurfGuitar101-unsubscribe@y...
> Visit for archived
messages,
> bookmarks, files, polls, etc.
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
>
>
>
> .
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
I can not judge about that. But being an electronic engineer (not a tube amp
guru) I must say his book is clear and correct and does not need much
electronic background. I agree the London Power books are better but needs
more electronic knowledge to understand. A very good book is also Valve
Amplifiers - Morgan Jones it is only about Hi Fi amps but explains very well
how tube circuitry works and goes very deep into math.
Roland Bettenville
-------Original Message-------
From:
Date: Thursday, June 06, 2002 18:27:35
To:
Subject: [SurfGuitar101] Re: Need a technical amp book.
Amongst the tube amp gurus on the various newslists, Dan Torres has
an infamous reputation, partly because he has recommended some
irreversible mods and hacks on classic original blackface amps from
the 60's--which many regard as sacrilege. the best books you can
find, IMHO are available from the London Power web site. I
personally, would not read a book by Dan Torres or do business with
him. There are better, more responsible sources, again, IMHO.
--- In SurfGuitar101@y..., "Roland Bettenville"
<roland.bettenville@p...> wrote:
> For someone with no electronics background I 'll recommend "Inside
Tube Amps
> by Dan Torres
>
>
> Roland Bettenville
>
> roland.bettenville@p...
>
>
>
>
>
> -------Original Message-------
>
> From: SurfGuitar101@y...
> Date: Thursday, June 06, 2002 01:17:48
> To: SurfGuitar101@y...
> Subject: [SurfGuitar101] Need a technical amp book.
>
> Hi all,
> I am an amp 'newbie' and I want to understand more about the way
> an amp works but most importantly, how to service an amp. I've
taken
> college physics. Are there any books out there that you might know
of
> that would suit me best? I want to learn more so that I may able to
> tweak my amp as I see fit. Thanks for the advice. CLC
>
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> SurfGuitar101-unsubscribe@y...
> Visit for archived
messages,
> bookmarks, files, polls, etc.
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
>
>
>
> .
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:.
Visit for archived messages,
bookmarks, files, polls, etc.
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
I haven't read Dan's book and can't speak about it, if you like it,
great, but his reputation is quite public and extensive. Ok, go to
deja.com, use this link:
and do a search for Torres, and you are guaranteed to find mountains
of reasons why people around there hate his name. People have gone
to great lengths to post pictures of his hack jobs to serve as
warnings. Of course, YMMV.
--- In SurfGuitar101@y..., "Roland Bettenville"
<roland.bettenville@p...> wrote:
> I can not judge about that. But being an electronic engineer (not a
tube amp
> guru) I must say his book is clear and correct and does not need
much
> electronic background. I agree the London Power books are better
but needs
> more electronic knowledge to understand. A very good book is also
Valve
> Amplifiers - Morgan Jones it is only about Hi Fi amps but explains
very well
> how tube circuitry works and goes very deep into math.
>
> Roland Bettenville
>
> roland.bettenville@p...
>
>
>
>
>
> -------Original Message-------
>
> From: SurfGuitar101@y...
> Date: Thursday, June 06, 2002 18:27:35
> To: SurfGuitar101@y...
> Subject: [SurfGuitar101] Re: Need a technical amp book.
>
> Amongst the tube amp gurus on the various newslists, Dan Torres has
> an infamous reputation, partly because he has recommended some
> irreversible mods and hacks on classic original blackface amps from
> the 60's--which many regard as sacrilege. the best books you can
> find, IMHO are available from the London Power web site. I
> personally, would not read a book by Dan Torres or do business with
> him. There are better, more responsible sources, again, IMHO.
>
>
> --- In SurfGuitar101@y..., "Roland Bettenville"
> <roland.bettenville@p...> wrote:
> > For someone with no electronics background I 'll
recommend "Inside
> Tube Amps
> > by Dan Torres
> >
> >
> > Roland Bettenville
> >
> > roland.bettenville@p...
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > -------Original Message-------
> >
> > From: SurfGuitar101@y...
> > Date: Thursday, June 06, 2002 01:17:48
> > To: SurfGuitar101@y...
> > Subject: [SurfGuitar101] Need a technical amp book.
> >
> > Hi all,
> > I am an amp 'newbie' and I want to understand more about the way
> > an amp works but most importantly, how to service an amp. I've
> taken
> > college physics. Are there any books out there that you might
know
> of
> > that would suit me best? I want to learn more so that I may able
to
> > tweak my amp as I see fit. Thanks for the advice. CLC
> >
> >
> > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> > SurfGuitar101-unsubscribe@y...
> > Visit for archived
> messages,
> > bookmarks, files, polls, etc.
> >
> >
> >
> > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
>
> >
> >
> >
> > .
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> SurfGuitar101-unsubscribe@y...
> Visit for archived
messages,
> bookmarks, files, polls, etc.
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
>
>
>
> .
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
