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We're back and episode 111 has it all: Deep thoughts, a tornado, fried eggs, and power tubes gone bad. Keep the questions coming to podcast@fretboardjournal.com and enjoy!  Some of the topics discussed this week: 1:59 The TAVA Big Index page (link) 3:26 A pro chef hack, Rancho Gordo beans redux (link to the beans)  4:34 A '64 Princeton Reverb clone with a switch that can convert it to a stock Princeton, redux (thanks Emcee Amps of Montreal); the Tweed Vibrolux tone control 7:44 What's on Skip's bench: A Stromberg-Carlson PA head 9:52 What did today's vintage amps sound like new? Pizza with an egg 19:00 A tornado-damaged 1967 Deluxe Reverb with a loose reverb wire 23:38 A 6G3 with a glowing power tube, when good power tubes go bad 28:41 Why does my hand-wired Vox AC4 hum more than my PCB version of the exact same amp? 32:18 Making a '63 Vibroverb reissue quieter; the Crazy Tube Circuit's White Whale reverb pedal (link) 42:13 Baffler: The usefulness of a 6AT6 preamp tube in old radios 46:16 What Skip's reading: Garrett Hongo's 'The Perfect Sound: A Memoir in Stereo' (Amazon link), a 12-volt powered dynamotor  51:57 A psychologist chimes in; B+ voltage Recorded Feb. 14, 2023. 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.

An episode that almost went off the rails (a missing special guest, talk of tragic balloon heroes, street tacos) but somehow gets back to amp basics. Some of the topics discussed this week: 3:56 Skip's decision to quit being a drawbridge operator, Skip visits Eminence   8:58 Austin Ribbon Mics, the Hot Holder Pro (link); book recommendation: 'How to Read Schematic Diagrams' by Donald Herrington 11:36 The Man in the Flying Lawn Chair, by George Plimpton (New Yorker link)  12:22  Roqsolid amp covers (link); Vengeance 13:52 New to our Patreon: Listener Nick reads the Jack Darr (link) 15:30 The use of ferrite beads, redux; inductors versus capacitors  18:20 A love for logging trucks; the Gretsch Fury, a not-quite-stereo-amplifier 24:00 The amp-related plotline on the fourth episode of Poker Face on Peacock  25:10 Polarized electrolytic caps; using a dual-shaft concentric pot on a '65 Gibson Scout GA-17RVT to avoid drilling a new hole; musician Seth Walker    30:21 Installing a switch to bypass the whole reverb circuit on a clone 1965 Princeton Reverb clone 34:12 Ampeg VT-40 60 cycle hum, even in standby 39:40 Skip's steak street tacos; Tortillaland tortillas; Rancho Gordo beans (link) 46:19 SOLVED: James' 1967 Twin Reverb with diminished volume, could this mistake be a desired mod? 53:38 Whacking a transformer with a hammer 55:40 Could you build an extension cab with a field coil speaker that has its own power supply so you can use it with any amp? 1:01:31 Seeking a budget hi-fi rig for classic country; Mezzetta garlic-stuffed olives; cream cheese-filled eggrolls, Granzella's Restaurant in California 1:08:08 Dutch kale in heavy cream; using a thermal camera to diagnose faulty amp parts, puppies as relationship testers; thermometer guns This week's episode is sponsored by 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.  There's a giant index page with nearly all the former topics we've discussed in our first 100+ episodes found here.  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.

Episode 109: A long build-up to the amp troubleshooting, but plenty to discuss, including a new puppy, the realities of vintage guitar shows, grandmothers getting run over by reindeer, and ferrite beads. Some of the topics discussed this week: :34 Meet Junior 5:59 Skip's report from the 2023 Bay Area Amigos Guitar Show; Dr. Elmo buys a Grez (Wikipedia link); the dangers of parking at a produce stand 23:26 This week's sponsors: Grez Guitars; Amplified Parts (Hammond products are currently on sale!); Iztotope (use Fret10 as your discount code); and our Patreon patrons. 24:38 Listener Nate sends Skip an autographed copy of the Jack Darr book 26:01 Why do we twist lead wires?, a 5U4 rectifier in a 1965 Deluxe Reverb, 'Heartworn Highways' 35:02 Fixing a broken, grounded plug 37:49 Seamless Joe from Italy, "Nature Boy" (Wikipedia link) 44:39 A Super Reverb with dying tremolo 48:20 5G cell tower interference and ferrite beads 52:14 Getting the sticker back on a vintage Fender footswitch 53:51 Improving the tone stack on a Harmony 420 59:42 Transformers for a 5C1 Champ build; to choke or not to choke 1:06:53 An EL84 Filmosound with a buzzing transformer 1:09:08 Junior has an accident 1:09:45 Why doesn't my Knight 93-320 PA head have a fuse? 1:11:32 Actual logging truck tales on 'Odd Lots' (Apple Podcasts link) 1:12:06 A Teisco/Checkmate/Northland Baffin III 1:15:35 Why is there an angry crackle on my Magnasync Moviola 1800 whenever I touch my guitar? 1:18:29 Toots & the Maytals cover "Country Roads Take Me Home" (YouTube link) 1:20:06 Why is my Bassman's plate voltage so high with this GZ34 tube? 1:22:33 Dolly Sinatra's pasta sauce (Edit: Duquesne is a town in PA, not a PA...stupid autocorrect!) 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. There's a giant index page with nearly all the former topics we've discussed in our first 108 episodes found here.  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.

Episode 108: It's like a best-of episode, but totally new! Pre-amps, typewriters, too many kitchen hacks, transformer talk, Jason reads the tubes wrong, and we even get a little artsy!  Some of the topics discussed this week:  2:53 Does Skip want to see your amps right now? See Skip at the January 14-15, 2023 Amigo Bay Area Guitar Show 4:59 A Tweed Pro with a variable inverse feedback control knob  5:45 Lee Jeffriess in the Fretboard Journal's 51st issue (link); check out Jeffriess and John Munnerlyn performing "Blues for Earl" 11:22 The December 31 TAVA Seattle meetup (thanks for organizing, @liquidnyo); YouTube's jgflyback shows off his tube-powered clock (shaky Instagram Live footage) 13:50 This week's sponsors: Grez Guitars has a new long-scale bass!; Amplified Parts (Hammond products are currently on sale!); Iztotope (use Fret10!); AND Stringjoy Strings. Plus...Josh Scott (JHS) is coming to TAVA, the TAVA El Pato-Tone Practice amp (Reverb link), and our Patreon page 20:56 The resonance of a fully loaded turret board; mounting components in a head vs. combo; goop 28:25 Microphonics in a tube amp (the good kind); David Lindley (support him via t-shirt sales here) 30:04 Why were so many power transformers changed in the '70s and '80s?; Spokane, Washington; Jason's favorite noodle place in Spokane, Washington (link); a very-modified Gibson Les Paul Junior with a cooling fan 36:03 Typewriter keyboards; '80s Scottish cop show, 'Taggart' 39:58 Should I change the transformer on my Bruce Zinky Fender Prosonic head? the effect of an output transformer on tone 45:46 What's the deal with the Fender Bantam bass amp?; the oven instead of the range; ham and bacon end pieces 50:39 Reincarnating a dead Peavey Deuce II; putting a Vox-style preamp circuit on an amp with 6L6s; cheese quesadilla hacks 54:06 Fixing the uneven distortion on my Dad's Gibson GA-9 56:53 Why isn't my 1967 Fender Twin Reverb as loud as my other Twin Reverb? 1:00:05 Arts & Humanities corner: The Albert Barnes collection of post-modern art, 'Art of the Steal,' (link); Skip goes to Harvard, again; RIP poet Charles Simic (read "Stub of a Red Pencil" here)   1:04:06 Chopped onion, chickpeas, and black beans sauteed in a pan 1:06:18 What would you do with my Bogen CHA-33 PA head? coffee-roasted carrots (link) 1:12:13 Changing the pre-amp tube (and speaker) in an Epiphone Model 101  1:19:47 What to do with this 1953 Revere T-100 reel-to-reel?  1:31:48 Skip likes the new Fretboard Journal (issue 51, link)  Recorded January 10, 2023.  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. There's a giant index page with nearly all the former topics we've discussed in our first 107 episodes found here.  Submit your amp questions, recipes and life hacks to the podcast via podcast@fretboardjournal.com and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media. 

Episode 107: The genius of Garnet founder "Gar Gillies," Fender reverb controls, fixing Magnatones, and more.  **Want to meet Skip? He'll be at the January 14-15, 2023 Amigo Bay Area Guitar Show with stuff to sell (and also picking up amps that need to be serviced).**  Some of the topics discussed this week:  3:00 Deluxe Amplification's El Pato Tone Amp (Reverb link)  7:19 El Pato, cottage cheese with salsa, Sacramento's music instrument lending library "MusicLandria" (link) 11:09 Silverface Champs: Change just the tone stock or also increase the value of the plate resistors, the Garnet book (link) 17:23 Speaker load revisited 21:25 A 12AU7 instead of a 12AT7 in a Princeton Reverb; gochujang Korean pepper paste, kimchi 26:45 Fender reverb unit controls, explained; hybrid Vox 7-series amps; the Aclam Dr. Robert pedal (link); impedance redux; the life of a vacuum tube 34:45 What's oozing out of Magnatone M-9's wires? 42:29 Why does my Pepco (Garnet! Canada!) amp use two 6AV6 tubes and only half a 12AX7, instead of a whole 12AX7 and a 6AV6? 46:18 Vintage bass amps for actual bass players? 56:01 16 or 18-gauge zip cord for speaker wire? heat shrink for splicing  This week's episode is sponsored by Calton Cases, 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. There's a giant index page for nearly all the former topics we've discussed in our first 100 episodes found here.  Submit your amp questions, recipes and life hacks to the podcast via podcast@fretboardjournal.com and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media. 

Episode 106: No special guests, but plenty of amp questions answered and some recipes!  Some of the topics discussed:  1:01 It's good to be anxious 3:59 Our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/vintageamps 4:18 Any interest in a Seattle amp swap meet / hang on December 31? Message me at podcast@fretboardjournal.com. 4:49 Deluxe's TAVA-tribute El Pato-Tone 9-volt practice amp: Now available in the green El Pato can! (Reverb link) 7:51 Music recommendation: Thee Sinseers (NPR Tiny Desk concert link); The "5" Royales (YouTube link) 9:23 How is amp output affected by adding speakers? 12:39 Impedance vs resistance, revisited; phaser analysis; chicken curry 17:27 The Soursound transformers episode (link); when does the speaker deep dive happen?; amps with hybrid circuits; harpist Emily Hopkins (YouTube link), 8417 tubes 27:38 Netflix's new documentary, 'Travelin' Band: Creedence Clearwater Revival at the Royal Albert Hall' 30:45 Harp player Paul Oscher; Jontavious Willis' interview with Oscher on the Diddie Wah Diddie podcast (link) 33:34 Tips on extending wiring; a Western Electric Slice 37:06 Safe long-term storage of vintage amps; a Falcon discovered in the trunk of a car 40:23 What's the simplest tube reverb circuit? the Boss FRV-1 '63 Fender Reverb pedal, vintage Premier 90 Reverb tanks 45:38 'The How & Why of Guitar Tube Amps' by Gar Gillies (order: http://www.garnetamps.com/order_b.htm) 50:57 Now you have a third salad dressing 51:31 Is the speaker switch I made safe to use? Grits with smoked gouda 1:00:07 Buying a second-hand Mesa Boogie amp 1:04:02 What's the CSA Thermal Protector on a Fender Musicmaster Bass amp? 1:06:52 An Australian Philips PA conversion that won't stop popping and crackling; cathode resistors and plate load resistors 1:09:17 Three Marshall Super Lead heads, one that has ghosting; filter capacitance 1:18:35 Soup with kale and white beans 1:21:01 Yank magazine; a fancy tube tester (and a Heathkit signal generator) still available at Skip's; Rabbit Hole bourbon (link); Sherwood (British TV show); see Skip at the Marin Guitar Show (January 2023, link) This week's episode is sponsored by Calton Cases, 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. There's a giant index page for nearly all the former topics we've discussed in our first 100 episodes found here.  Submit your amp questions, recipes and life hacks to the podcast via podcast@fretboardjournal.com and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media. 

** We are doing another run of Truth About Vintage Amps t-shirts. Pre-order your shirt now by clicking here: https://silkshopstores.com/tavamerch/shop/home ** Just in time for the holidays: A bonus Truth About Vintage Amps episode! This week, no listener-submitted questions. Instead, we introduce you to Joshua Dejaen, a.k.a. jdflyback on YouTube. This young, Pacific Northwest-based electrical engineer has taken YouTube by storm with a viral video where he not only built a tube amp from scratch, he even built the tubes! Watch Joshua's video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UEfqAWb3fE&t=439s During our chat, we hear how Joshua got his start building vacuum tubes at home, learn about some of the grassroots tube builders / electrical engineers who have inspired him along the way, and hear about Joshua's build process. We also learn about the perils of microwave oven transformers and so much more. Joshua has included a schematic for the spot welder he used in his tube-making video. See the show notes on fretboardjournal.com or check our Instagram/Patreon pages. Other references mentioned by Joshua: 'Saga of the Vacuum Tube,' by Gerald F.J. Tyne (Amplified Parts order link) https://simplifier.neocities.org https://www.youtube.com/@glasslinger/ 'Materials Technology for Electron Tubes' by Walter H. Kohl  (Tubebooks.org link) This week's episode is sponsored by Calton Cases, 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. In early December, we'll celebrate the third anniversary of TAVA with Ep. 106. Submit your amp questions, recipes and life hacks to the show via podcast@fretboardjournal.com, and don’t forget to share the show with friends on social media. The Truth About Vintage Amps is hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons. Co-hosted and produced by the Fretboard Journal‘s Jason Verlinde.

The 103rd Truth About Vintage Amps Podcast. Special guest Mason Stoops (Jackson Browne, Marcus Mumford) walks us through his crazy Marcus Mumford live rig! Plus: Dutch potatoes, shorting jacks, vintage road cases, and more. **Get a glimpse of what Mason is talking about by watching this video:  https://youtu.be/TH-bixpr-EQ and then listen to his explanation on our show (starts at 1:03:28).** :47 What's on Skip's bench: a Mesa Boogie Mark I 2:21 Kevin in Ohio has joined the Rustic Kegger in the Woods (Facebook link), nasty old pine trees 7:53 Eric Daw's Solid Sound book (order link); Daniel Petrzelka's replacement pilot light washers for SF Fenders (contact him via Instagram) 18:42 Easiest way to date a Fender amp; Portland, Oregon's Cast Iron Revival (Instagram link) 22:55 Music recommendation: Sonny Burgess 27:22 A Blonde Fender Bandmaster with failing volume; Nic Grabien 31:09 Gain vs volume, redux; Hotchpotch / hutspot potatoes with kale 38:14 Alternatives to a Fender Champ 12 42:39 Shorting jacks to reduce hum in amps? Mexican gumbo soup 50:32 A 1968 Fender Bassman head with two chokes and a non-original power transformer 54:25 A 1959 Gibson GA-9 with an erratic distortion once the volume is turned up 57:00 Taming the boost on 1979 Fender Princeton Reverb with the pull-boost; original Fender-branded tubes 1:01:34 Alternatives to a Music Man RD-50? 1:03:28 Special guest: Mason Stoops! Stoops' live rig touring with Marcus Mumford, Austen Hooks-modified Filmosounds + "Space Heater" amps, Kalamazoo Model 2s, a Peavey Studio Chorus, LED lights, playing with Jackson Browne, and so much more. Watch our video here to see what Mason is talking about (and his guitar and pedal setup): https://youtu.be/TH-bixpr-EQ (Thanks, Duncan!) This week's episode is sponsored by Calton Cases, Jupiter Condenser Co., 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 the podcast via podcast@fretboardjournal.com and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media. 

Special guest Bryan Sours (Soursound transformers) joins us for an epic talk all about transformers! Note: This is the longest episode of TAVA to date, and one of the most information-rich. I didn't attempt to make complete show notes for all the topics Bryan covered as it would be impossibly long. For our listeners who like to get into the weeds, this episode is for you. Dive in. **Also, for a limited time, Bryan Sours is offering TAVA listeners a special discount: Use the code SKIPSENTME when you check out at https://soursound.com. ** This week's episode is sponsored by Calton Cases, Jupiter Condenser Co., 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 Jason's magazine, the Fretboard Journal (link). Some of the topics discussed this week: :00 Skip has COVID 4:49 Temple Grandin in the Wall Street Journal (link) 7:18 The top boost circuit in a Vox AC30 from a Gibson GA-70? (link) 8:40 What's the deal with all these PA head and Filmosound conversions?   13:39 Special guest: Bryan Sours of Soursound: Making transformers, working with Benson amplifiers, rewinding transformers, custom transformers, and a lot more. There's a steak recipe toward the end, too.     Submit your amp questions, recipes and life hacks to the podcast via podcast@fretboardjournal.com and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media. 

Episode 101 of TAVA: Gain, flux, gochujang and more!  This week's episode is sponsored by Calton Cases, Jupiter Condenser Co., 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 Jason's magazine, the Fretboard Journal (link). Some of the topics discussed this week: 12:00 Building a 5F1, Little Charlie's Spanish Rice and the impact of TAVA 14:13 Listener Mitch's landline USB phone!; weirdest thing found in amps; frozen kale crumbles; Angela caps; gochujang spice 21:00 Do EL84s sound different after being on for a half hour? 23:27 What's the difference between volume and gain? 25:47 The Trainwreck Type-3 master volume, redux 27:34 Tad's Bell & Howell amp; maple syrup from New Hampshire 28:24 Clean flux or leave it on? 29:55 An Australian barn find: A 1960 Moody 17/12 amp; fixing silkscreening on a control panel; a 9-pin triode pentode (6BL8); Dynaco ST-70 amps; adding avocado to vegemite toast 35:56 A barn find Filmosound; what to do when starting up a long-dormant amp, checking capacitors for ECR 47:22 Electrolytic bypass caps on preamp tubes 51:50 Frozen fruit instead of ice cubes in cocktails 52:33 A silverface Fender amp with a conductive part board; moisture in a part board? 58:57 Does anyone like amps with combination fixed and cathode bias? 1:01:56 Buying a 1960s Gretsch 6152 as your first vintage amp 1:05:54 What's the difference between all the input jacks on a 6G2 Princeton vs a 5F11 Vibrolux 1:07:04 Book recommendation: Please Kill Me: The Uncensored History of Punk (Amazon link); music recommendation: 'Balsams' by Chuck Johnson (Bandcamp link); the trem circuit in a Victoria Victorilux 1:13:05 Yank, the Army Weekly magazine 1:15:11 Bill Orcutt's Music for Four Guitars (Bandcamp, FJ Podcast appearance) 1:16:12 Rust on transformers and how it affects performance, eddy currents, Plush amps, Metal Rescue 1:20:17 A Stromberg Signet 22 PA head converted into a two-EL84 Matchless DC-30 that makes lightsaber sounds 1:26:54 The typewriters of the Beat poets; the Beat Museum in SF (link)  1:30:12 An Eico 950 Capacitor Tester    1:35:44 Brew 102 beer    Submit your amp questions, recipes and life hacks to the podcast via podcast@fretboardjournal.com and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media. 

Our 100th episode! To help us celebrate this milestone, Skip and Jason are joined this week by friends of the show Nels Cline (Wilco), Barry Grzebik (Grez Guitars), Jesse Quitslund (Acme), Steve Melkisethian (Angela Instruments), and Colleen Fazio (Fazio Electric). We tackle a few amp questions, get the first-ever ambient remix of our podcast, catch up, and announce the winners of our 100th episode giveaways.  This week's episode is sponsored by Calton Cases, Jupiter Condenser Co., 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.  Some of the topics discussed this week: 4:48 'California Burning' book (Amazon link) 7:05 Special guest: Nels Cline: Daybreak Seaweed Flakes (link)  8:26 Our TAVA 100 Giveaways: A Grez Mendocino Junior; a Skip-modded SF Fender champ; a Madsen Amplification GE Boost (use the discount code TAVA 20 at madsenamps.com); a FirstCoast Amplification-modified Masco-turned-5F2A Princeton (FirstCoast's Reverb store); Eric Daw's new book 'Solid Sound: 23 Schematics for Wiring Vintage and Modern Single-Coil, Solid-Body Guitars' (order link) 11:01 Special guest: Barry from Grez Guitars 11:23 Special guest: Jesse Quitslund (Acmeverb.com) 17:55 Special guest: Steve Melkisethian (Angela Instruments), a rough tomato season, the Angela SSE amp project 21:52 Special guest: Colleen Fazio (fazioelectric.com) 26:35 Marty from the Oregon Coast 28:05 Carlsbro amps, haunted amps 33:38 What does a wattage rating really mean? 38:29 Derek the Cruise Ship Guy's ambient TAVA remix; increasing the tremolo on old Fender amps, pulling the tremolo pre-amp tube to increase gain, McGohan PA amps 48:14 Building the Angela SSE amp (link to the catalog/schematic) 53:35 Favorite speakers for black panel Fenders, Colleen's test cabinet 56:26 A philosophical question: What if the modded vintage amp you bought was modded by a genius?; homemade hot sauce, mica caps, replacement Fender Silverface pilot light washers 1:07:19 The amp that Barry at Grez puts all his guitars through 1:09:06 Was the Vox AC-30 circuit inspired by a Gibson design? EL34s in early AC-30s 1:12:19 Music recommendation: Billy Jack Wills' Crazy Man Crazy (YouTube link), Bob Wills' 1941 Martin D-45 (catch Jason in this Emerald City Guitars' YouTube video) 1:13:54 How to tell a tube's origin from its appearance? 1:18:06 Thoughts on putting a vintage transformer in a Champ kit; single-ended Hammond output transformers (125 BSE, ESE, etc); 5932 tubes 1:33:52 TAVA's most boring or brilliant moments; laptop-to-tube-amp connections (speaker-driven line out from a headphone jack?) 1:36:22 The differences found in top boost and bright switches 1:39:22 The Coriolis effect on electrons in a pre-amp tube in the Southern hemisphere, the Goldentone amp book (link) 1:40:51 Grid leak bias amps and giving an amp more headroom 1:46:57 Barry describes the Grez Mendocino Junior that we're giving away 1:48:08 Special guest Nels Cline joins us, again! Nels' touring amp with Wilco, eating on the road, Standels, hot sauce, and more 2:00:39 Homemade coconut rice; Hank Mobley's 'Roll Call' or 'Soul Station;' Dexter Gordon; Wynton Kelly's Piano with Kenny Burrell; the best progression for a Champ clone to a Filmosound; 'Norman Blake/Tut Taylor/Sam Bush/Butch Robins/Vassar Clements/David Holland/Jethro Burns'; Fripp & Eno; Bill Evans' 'Live at the Village Vanguard' 2:08:23 More advice for those wanting to build a Champ 2:10:15 Adding a speaker jack to a Tweed Champ; balanced power? homemade hot sauce 2:13:53 One last "giveaway" Submit your amp questions, recipes and life hacks to the podcast via podcast@fretboardjournal.com and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media. 

Episode 99 of our podcast and Skip has one more surprise in store...  yet another giveaway prize for our 100th episode!  This week's episode is sponsored by Calton Cases, Jupiter Condenser Co., 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. One of our patrons will win a Hello Sailor Fuzz Face this month!  Some of the topics discussed this week: :23 The Fretboard Summit Chicago: Come see Jason, Larry Chung, Grez Guitars, and more August 25-27 at Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music (link) 7:02 One more prize for our 100th episode giveaway: A 1971 Skip-modded SF Champ 10:30 Skip is headed to a guitar show... in January (link) 12:55 A 1928 National Squareneck Tricone Style 1 for sale; a Recording King amp 17:56 One thing we've learned about vintage amps over the course of this podcast, a 1960 Fender Super in factory white (Instagram link) 23:55 Choosing the ultimate pickup-testing amp 28:13 Isaiah Mitchell; bias or no bias 32:54 A twin Reverb with a dying sound on the vibrato channel 38:50 Goat judging, redux (Instagram link) 44:39 Reverb without transformers, ie the Ampeg GU-12 46:34 A Traynor YGM-3 with an overly metallic reverb 48:38 Is an amp a signal pusher or a signal sucker? 51:03 Music Man amps, keeping a 12AX7 from failing, 6CA7 tubes, Johnny Winter's burning Music Man (YouTube link) 53:43 Could Gibson successfully reissue a Crestline-era style amp? schematicheaven.net 58:54 How important is an original output transformer? 1:01:18 The high-pitched ringing of a V2 (12AX7) on a 5F4 clone 1:03:23 A 1968 Fender Bronco vs. a '75 Vibro Champ  1:05:55 The Gibson GA-50, thoughts and maintenance; another way to ground your amp (non-three prong plug)   1:11:00 Giving yourself more spacing in an amp build to accommodate bigger hands    1:13:26 B+/power transformer questions on a 1977 Vibrolux Reverb    1:18:30 Peavey Encore 65 footswitch, redux  Submit your amp questions, recipes and life hacks to the podcast via podcast@fretboardjournal.com and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media. 

With Skip's internet down, we recorded our 98th episode the old-fashioned way. Once you get past the distorted land line telephone, you'll hear about how you can win some truly amazing gear on our 100th episode (including a new Grez Mendocino Junior guitar!), plus what inspires Skip, screen resistors on power tubes, center taps on resistors, and one heck of a goat story. This week's episode is sponsored by Calton Cases, Jupiter Condenser Co., 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. One of our patrons will win a Hello Sailor Fuzz Face this month!  Some of the topics discussed this week: :54 The Fretboard Journal 50 (link) ...and issue 1; NAMM Shows 6:15 Our 100th episode giveaways: Win a Grez Guitars Mendocino Junior; a Madsen Electronics GE Fuzz; or a First Coast Amplification Masco - 5F2A Princeton conversion... plus, Josephine Baker was a spy 11:57 What exactly does a Variac do on a dormant amp? 15:43 A super microphonic Deluxe Reverb 17:33 Screen resistors on power tubes: 1-watt resistors vs 3-watt resistors 22:10 Center taps on power transformers: Grounded, tapped-off, or artificial? 26:29 Replacing the rotary off-on switches on Gibsons; Carling rotary switches (link) 29:45 What inspires Skip 35:23 Skip and the Reserve Champion goat 47:09 How important is the orientation of film capacitors?   53:20 A 1974 Fender Pro Reverb with a hissing problem that goes away with the vibrato; rosemary seasoned foil-wrapped corn on the cob 59:08 Voltage on the chassis of a two-pronged Harmony H-195 1:03:50 Replica cabinets from Lightning Music in Marengo, Ohio; Electro-Harmonix Hum-Debugger pedals, Bruce Forman, James "Blood" Ulmer, the Westerlies 1:07:48 The Fretboard Summit at Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music, August 25-27, 2022 (www.fretboardsummit.org) 1:09:18 Ananyo Bhattacharya's 'The Man From the Future: The Visionary Life of John Von Neuman' (Amazon link), vacuum tubes for computer memory, Nixie tubes, Fender Dimension IV Sound Exploder / Tel-Ray goo 1:12:26 The tone of Orange Drop capacitors: polyester versus polypropylene; spaghetti bolognese with a slug of El Pato 1:19:25 A Carl's Custom Amps Octal Princeton that can use either a 6L6, EL34, KT77, or 6CA7... and the difference in wattage 1:23:24 Musical instrument insurance; Heritage Insurance (link)  1:26:25 Do you need an insulator board on a turret board amp build? How to find time to work on amps when you have a busy life and family and other parenting tips.    1:36:22 Homework: How to add a tone control to a Gibson GA17-RVT?  Submit your amp questions, recipes and life hacks to the podcast via podcast@fretboardjournal.com and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media. 

Are we really running out of vacuum tubes? This week, special guest Thomas Cravener of Amplified Parts joins us to talk about the 2022 new tube shortage, plus a lot more. Reserve a new TAVA t-shirt here. This week's episode is sponsored by Calton Cases, Jupiter Condenser Co., 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. One of our patrons will win a Hello Sailor Fuzz Face this month!  Some of the topics discussed this week: :27  A cool guy's Traynor and tube stuff from the Forest Service in Chester, California 1:47 A '60s Heathkit IG-5237 still sealed in the box (stereo FM signal generator) 4:07 The Fretboard Journal's 50th issue, the Fretboard Summit in Chicago, the legacy of Dumble 10:08 This week's sponsors: Amplified Parts, Calton Cases, and Jupiter Condenser Co. 11:12 This month's Patreon giveaway: A Fuzz Face from Hello Sailor! Effects 13:17 Fire season in Northern California 14:53 An Ampeg B-12XY with an internal 5-watt amp for speaker-driven reverb, Guild Thunderbird amps 18:26 Reserve your new TAVA t-shirt (link) 19:26 Tube naming, revisited 20:41 Last episode's smoking Earthsound Research G-2000... fixed?; more fuse talk 23:34 Skip explains his WD-40 stance; Red Green 27:53 Kevin from Ohio, eBay score Patreon perks, EIA codes 32:49 Special guest: Thomas Cravener, V.P. Sales and Marketing at Amplified Parts: Russian/Chinese tube supply; Amplified Parts is still buying/selling NOS tubes; Psvane tubes; building Mallory Capacitors (YouTube link) 56:59 Gibson GA-8; do I need a matched set of 6V6s in a parallel single-ended amp? 1:02:34 Using alcohol in cooking; kale as shoe repair 1:05:57 Building a Masco Audiosphere A-8 off the schematic (6V6 or 6L6) 1:10:15 Jupiter caps at Amplified Parts; the low acceptable DC voltage on leaky coupling caps 1:12:57 A Flot-A-Tone with a howling problem 1:15:36 A Masco head from the 50/50 Club gets reunited with its cab 1:18:00 Trying to match the dynamics and distortion of an Ampeg B-25 and a Marshall Plexi clone; post-power inverter master volume mods, buying pedals off Amazon 1:23:51 What would Skip buy: A silver-paneled Princeton Reverb, a high-quality clone, or a new hand-wired one from Fender? 1:27:20 Howling Flot-A-Tone revisited, 6SC7 tubes 1:27:10 1966 Fender Pro Reverb with a big increase in plate voltage right after using the standby switch; standby switch 101; GZ34 vs 5U4 rectifier tubes; roasted potatoes 1:37:29 Taming the treble on a Marshall Mercury (we'll attach the schematic to the fretboardjournal.com show notes page so you can see what we're discussing) 1:42:16 Skip's learning curve: Did he work on ultra-collectible amps when he was still starting out? a '53 Tweed Deluxe with no original parts; William Penn and His Pals' "Swami" (YouTube link) Submit your amp questions, recipes and life hacks to the podcast via podcast@fretboardjournal.com and please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you love the show. It helps others discover it. 

It's the summer solstice and seemingly everyone is in the kitchen, dishing out amp problems and recipes.  This week's episode is sponsored by Calton Cases, Jupiter Condenser Co., 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.  Some of the topics discussed this week: :00 Defensible space, making electricity 5:40 What's on Skip's bench: Old Supros; a late '20s Lyon & Healy amp sporting the Matchless/Vox treble cut tone control 9:59 Silverface jewel light washers (coming soon); pre-order TAVA t-shirts and help support the show (link) 11:12 A Harmony amp with a buzzy volume control; another Harmony with overreacting tone knobs; kale "vodka," bias resistors   19:42 New KT66 tubes for a 1966 Marshall JTM45 100-watt clone; restaurant-quality french fries; 807 tubes 28:46 Pastorelli pizza sauce; tinkering with a '90s Marshall-made Vox AC-15's static; plastic PCB mounts 37:19 Fixing a vintage Gibson Les Paul amp by cleaning the tube sockets, what's the deal with Fender PA100 heads?; a Sano amp and McIntosh tuner up for grabs 46:45 Soldering fume dangers and keeping your workspace clean 49:50 A Larry Chung sighting; an Epiphone Zephyr (a GA-40 with a 15" speaker) and an Epiphone Century (a Gibson GA-20T) 50:58 Recommended movie: the original Pinnochio, Aladdin, and Little Miss Sunshine; recommended music: Eli "Paperboy" Reed; seeing Merle Haggard at the Sacramento Western Swing Society 56:46 The naming of tubes; how to find usable tubes at a garage sale; undercooked ramen with peanut butter and chilies; dog harnesses for your amp in transit; tube substitution books ('The Receiving Tube Substitution Guide Book' by Middleton, pdf link) 1:02:47 Is my Peavey Encore 65 vintage? Working around its finicky solid-state distortion 1:09:53 Filet mignon with bacon and vodka 1:13:08 A 1972 Traynor YGM-2 that turns everything to fuzz after 1/2 second 1:15:50 Should I mod a Silverface Champ when I already own a 5F2-A? 1:21:00 The Call ("Let the Day Begin," YouTube link), Black Rebel Motorcycle Club 1:22:22 Forming filter caps with a Variac?   1:27:44 A 1979 Fender Pro Reverb that changed for the worse after a power outage; William Penn & His Pals - "Swami" (YouTube link) 1:38:15 Modding a boring 1966 Fender black-panel Princeton with no reverb? 1:42:11 Why is there a jumper on the 12AX7 of my SF Fender Champ? 1:44:44 Are 1968/1969 Fender power transformers lemons? 1:51:14 Mexican pork stew 1:54:23 Tubes for a Bell 3715 PA conversion Submit your amp questions, recipes and life hacks to the podcast via podcast@fretboardjournal.com and don't forget to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

It's the 95th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps! Despite some technical / Zoom difficulties, Skip and Jason talk about replacement transformers, smoking Earthsound amps, bias, and more.  This week's episode is sponsored by Calton Cases, Jupiter Condenser Co., 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.  Some of the topics discussed this week: 1:32 Econoco, the giant tube rebuilding place in Woodland, California (link, h/t www.reelaudio.net) 3:16 Cordless yard tools 4:31 What's on Skip's bench: A Charlie Christian-style amp head for Todd Clinesmith; John Munnerlyn's Magnatone-inspired guitars, the power transformer from a blonde Tremolux head; blue molded caps 9:56 The Truth About Vintage Amps Patreon page (link); congrats to Patreon supporter Josh F. on winning a Body and Soul fuzz pedal (Body and Soul on Instagram) 14:18 Nate the syrup guy's 1965 Vibro Champ, redux; inverse feedback; reversing the primary leads on the power transformer 20:31 Beginner's Corner: Cathode bias vs. fixed bias vs. grid bias 25:07 Find this guy: Ham operator Armond Noble, the Kon-Tiki, World Radio News 27:00 A 1964 Fender Super Reverb with a strange volume taper 30:57 A tuxedo Princeton going to the Los Angeles Guitar Show 31:45 Mid-'60s Ampeg B-18N with a weird noise and a single glowing power tube that fixes itself with the standby switch 37:32 A loose rectifier tube in a 1968 Fender Deluxe Reverb 41:32 Fumes from soldering 43:35 Fixing the polarity at a local dive bar 50:38 The goat murder trial is over 53:25 Sourcing the washer behind the jewel light on a Silverface Champ 58:04 Schematics for a Webster TP12-1 PA, making a Blackstar cleaner by swapping the pre-amp tube 1:03:44 A smoking 1973 Earthsound amp 1:11:20 A Harmony H400 combo up for grabs; the Fender Bantam Bass schematic 1:15:09 Replacement output transformers for Fender Champs, Princetons, and Deluxes; rewinding output transformers 1:26:37 Literary recommendation: 'Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies' by Jared Diamond Submit your amp questions, recipes and life hacks to the podcast via podcast@fretboardjournal.com and don't forget to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

This week, we welcome special guest Tony Teixeira from Tex Amps onto the show! http://texamps.com We frequently get questions about Filmosound conversions. During this episode, Tony talks to us about his process when using Filmosounds, the magic of Bernie-built amps, his own circuit designs and a lot more.  This week's episode is sponsored by Calton Cases, Jupiter Condenser Co., Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars. You can also use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase. Keep the questions for Skip coming to podcast@fretboardjournal.com for our 95th episode, which we're taping next week.  Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise. 

It's the 93rd episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps! Strain relief, stubborn Champs (and Randalls!), blanched kale with sunflower seeds, and plenty more. This week's episode is sponsored by Calton Cases, Jupiter Condenser Co., 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. This month, we'll be giving a TAVA-themed fuzz pedal to one lucky patron!  Some of the topics discussed this week: :50 Amplified Parts now carries PSVANE tubes; tube brands 6:51 Nate's maple syrup 7:50 Garrett Hongo's 'The Perfect Sound' 10:19 A Silverface Champ, Little Charlie's Spanish rice, Trustee from the Tool Room, the novels of Charles Portis, the Kalamazoo KEA's unique push-pull circuit 17:06 Making the two channels of a reissue Fender Vibroverb in-phase; learning soldering as a blind person (link: https://lighthouse-sf.org/tag/soldering/) 24:56 Putting a few select vintage parts in a new Princeton 5F2A clone 31:35 @nocoastsaint's tractor tire-as-speaker-cabinet experiment (Instagram link) 32:52 The Fretboard Journal, TAVA, Doug Sewall's amplifiers (Wampus Cat), getting rid of intermittent noise by moving an amp, cheap surge protectors, Taj Mahal & Ry Cooder's 'Get On Board' 43:01 A 1965 Fender Vibro Champ that's with a squeal on its vibrato, Capacitor Wizards, bypass cap orientation 48:11 A new transformer for a Victor projector amplifier and matching speaker 50:25 Overheating parts during soldering, using a heat sink? 53:38 The MTS modular tube preamp system 55:53 Strain relief bushing tips, Pro's Kit, blanched kale with toasted sunflower seeds, madsenamps.com giveaway (coming soon) 1:01:51 A stiff 5E8A clone with two game changing mods 1:06:13 A reissue tweed Champ that sputters for 30 seconds every time its turned on 1:08:12 A Randall Century 3000 solid state amp that decides to change its own volume 1:11:00 What to source for a cheap but defective 1965 Gibson skylark GA5 1:16:22 Music recommendation: Jim Hall & Paul Desmond

It's the 92nd episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps! Harvesting capacitors, recommended reading, Fred Astaire and more.  This week's episode is sponsored by Calton Cases, Jupiter Condenser Co., 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. This month, we'll be giving away a handmade pedal to one lucky patron!  Some of the topics discussed this week: 2:19 The great tube shortage on the front page of the Wall Street Journal, Western Electric 300Bs, a million dollar vacuum tube 11:39 Good goo for repairing rotten cabinets 13:59 A Precision Electronics PA amplifier with no model number; the rising prices of vintage PA heads 21:37 Recommended reading: Garrett Hongo's 'The Perfect Sound' (Amazon link) 22:43 Mic pre-amps at Tiny Telephone, RP2s, the Tiny Telephone podcast, Keep the Dream Alive (link) 29:42 Drawing layouts and schematics with DIY-fever.com's app (link); National Geographic's 'The Rescue' 32:29 A 1950 Fender Deluxe signed "Lilly" (Instagram link) 34:40 A bunch of tweed amps at Skip's; a 1953 Fender wide panel Tweed Deluxe score at an estate sale 38:54 Good-All branded caps vs blue molded caps 40:01 Harvesting old coupling caps: Which brands are worth saving? 43:27 Building an Angela SSE amp with a few mods: The cathode bias on the second half of the 12AX7, experimenting with a Variac to lower B+, Zener diodes to a center tap, repurposing an old jukebox amp, recommended book: 'A Fortune Life,' by A. B. Facey (Amazon link), vegetarian congee 50:46 Recommended music: Fred Astaire's The Astaire Story; Fred Astaire and Barney Kessell 52:44 Lesser known vintage amp brands with surprisingly good tone 56:32 Bahamas plays "All the Time" on a Skip-modified Fender Champ at the Fretboard Journal (YouTube link) 56:59 Buying a new boutique amplifier to get a modern reliable tweed sound 1:01:19 Strain relief for the power cord in a Gibson GA88s, Grandma's Smoked Country sausage from Broadbents Hams (link) 1:05:12 Skip is taking visitors again; Loma Rica Mexican cuisine; lots of disc capacitors up for grabs; a Heathkit SA-3 integrated stereo amp 1:11:00 Daisy chaining amps, a Bugera BC30-212, and a desire to make a foot switchable daisy chain through the effects loop 1:15:08 Running a guitar into both channels of a Northern Electric PA, redux 18:11 Reusing the factory solder during a Fender Champ fix 1:20:17 A silverface Fender Champ with an annoyingly loose can capacitor 1:22:36 A 1967 Deluxe Reverb with a broken reverb tank 1:26:07 Fixing a Gemini VI project; Texas breakfast tacos 1:30:35 Early electrics at MIM.org; the Appleton guitar APP guitar (link)  1:32:25 An antique building with a buzz and/or ghost problem; "Be Thankful for What You Got" (YouTube link) Haven't joined the Fretboard Journal yet? Use the discount code PODCAST and save $5 off your next Fretboard Journal order. 

It's the 91st episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps! We talk about the great tube shortage of 2022, blue molded caps, boutique amps, parenting tips, kale chips and more.  This week's episode is sponsored by Calton Cases, Jupiter Condenser Co., 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. This month, we're giving away an amp kit to one lucky patron!  Some of the topics discussed this week: 1:48 O.W. Appleton and the APP guitar (link)  7:09 Should we be freaking out about the 2022 vacuum tube shortage? Western Electric getting into guitar tubes (survey link) 19:50 An Australian PA amp with EF86s; when did solid state rectification begin?; For The Term of His Natural Life, by Marcus Clarke; congee 26:22 Hab Spicy Sweet Soy Sauce (link) 26:46 Blue molded caps in a Tweed Deluxe clone   31:00 Changing the voltage dropping resistors in a Silverface Champ where the B+ is super high 34:27 Extending the leads of pots and a jack so that you can fit an amp inside a vintage radio cabinet 37:18 The remote controls on old Bogen PA heads 45:39 Pedal steel amplifiers, redux; Fender Tweed Pro; beer bread 48:59 A pause for others who know what they're doing: Earl Yarrow, Terry Dobbs, Jeff Bakos; a shout out to the USPS 53:44 Working with a transformer that doesn't have a filament center cap; RIP El Charritos Building a 5F2A vs. a AA764 1:03:16 Thanks to Kevin in Ohio; the TAVA Patreon Page (link) 1:03:57 Why are boutique amps so expensive, revisited; point-to-point wiring versus turret board; CW Stoneking's Gon' Boogaloo  1:12:16 Baked kale chips; Irish colcannon; skillet Brussels sprouts; carrots in garlic oil 1:17:30  What's the deal with the 1955 Les Paul Jr. amplifier; making room for filter caps 1:20:17 Taming a Fender Champ; more parenting tips; Song Exploder ("Closing Time" episode link) 1:30:46 More book recommendations? Geoff Farina of Karate 1:39:57 Skip's Music Master bass... sold; K + M Chocolate (link) 1:42:25 What happens to your guitar signal when you split it with a Y cord? Voltage amplifier or cathode follower; Donny Hathaway ("Jealous Guy" on YouTube); 6CM6 tubes 1:47:19 What to do with a 1967 Kodak Pageant movie projector? Jimmy Smith & Wes Montgomery's 'Dynamic Duo', The Meters; Trustee From the Toolroom; Fluke TL71 Premium Test lead set; Marcella Hazan's tomato sauce "the tweed Champ of pasta sauce" (recipe link) 1:57:57 Skip has a McIntosh MR71 tube tuner for sale; independent radio; the Heptones "I've Been Trying" (YouTube link) Haven't joined the Fretboard Journal yet? Use the discount code PODCAST and save $5 off your next Fretboard Journal order.