Tube Amp Books
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Vacuum Tubes for Amps
Tube Amp Books
From mcjim--(at)--ol.com Fri May 12 12:40:58 CDT 1995
Article: 1195 of alt.guitar.amps
From: mcjim--(at)--ol.com (McJimi)
Newsgroups: alt.guitar.amps
Subject: Re: Query,Does anyone know a good book about making an amp??
Date: 11 May 1995 20:43:27 -0400
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TUBE AMP BOOK FAQ
This really isn't a tube amp book FAQ, just the bare beginnings of
one. It's woefully incomplete. I'd like very much for people who really
know this stuff to put a REAL tube amp book FAQ together. The newsgroups
seem to be getting a lot of questions about where to get information on
learning about guitar amps, so such a FAQ could prove useful. Until then,
here's something to get people started.
MODERN BOOKS for Guitar Tube Amps:
1. The Ultimate Tone, by Kevin O'Connor.
This is the only true guitar tube amp design book I've seen. It
really is a guitar tube amp cookbook, and it is packed with info on power
supplies, preamp modifications and design, power amps, effects loops,
reverb, switching (91 pages!) and more. I've seen nothing like this until
now, though I've talked to several amp designers who've talked to me about
putting out such a work.
TUT is far from perfect, but if you're more into creating your own
designs than just learning what Leo Fender did, I recommend you check this
book out. While it does cover Fender and Marshall type topologies, if
you're primarily a fan of old Fender and early Marshall amps, I suggest
you look for another book. Those are fantastic amps, but this book is
simply more forward looking. The main problem is that it isn't available
in stores in the U.S., so you have to take a chance by ordering direct
>from Canada. I know this sucks, but I can tell you that three very
knowledgeable people I've talked to who've seen this book like it a lot. I
hope Guitar Player does a review of it soon, or that you can see if
someone in your area has picked up a copy of it.
Maybe whomever picks up on this Tube Amp Book FAQ idea could include
reviews (by several people, with different backgrounds, interests, and
levels of experience) of this and other books.
Anyway, here's what you need to get ahold of your own copy:
U.S. price until March 31, 1995: $40. includes shipping
U.S. price after March 31, 1995: $55
Power Press Publishing
P.O. Box 1777, Stn.B, London, Ontario, Canada N6A 5H9
tel:519-668-3132
fax: 519-660-8992
2. The Tube Amp Book ( Volume 4 is the most recent-765 pages.).
This is put out by Groove Tubes. It has chapters on the history of
several major amp companies, including Fender, Marshall, Ampeg, Gibson,
Hiwatt, Vox, and Orange, among others. I've just got volume 3, and I've
heard Volume 4 has more on tube mics.
There are pages on tube specs, trouble shooting, some common mods
(master volume, power tube changes, capacitor changes for fuller tone ),
and some beautiful color shots of amps with guitars. The best part about
the book is that is has several hundred pages of schematics for amps. Most
of these are for older amps-you won't find more recent offerings by
Mesa-Boogie and Soldano, for instance. Very few high gain monsters. But
there's a great deal to be learned from studying the schems of older amps,
and having them in one book is quite convenient.
Antique Electronic Supply sells this book for $29.95. Call 1-602-820-5411.
Or call Groove Tubes at 818-361-4500. They're in Slymar, CA.
3. A Desktop Reference of Hip Vintage Guitar Amps. by Gerald Weber, owner
of Kendrick Amplifiers. $26.95, 500 pages.
I've only glanced at few pages of this book. It seems to cover similar
ground to that in the Groove Tubes book. He gets into more detailed
circuit analysis of several classic Fender amps, however. There are a
couple of hundred pages of schems.
I'd try to get a gander at the book from somebody in your area, or at
least read Guitar Player's review of the book from last year.
Call Kendrick, or call AES at 602-820-5411.
4. The History of Marshall, by Michael Doyle. ($32.95, 254 pages )
If you're a rock guitarist even remotely interested in what makes
amps tick, you should get this book. It does a good job of documenting
Marshall's humble beginnings, ups and downs along the way, chiefly by
looking at various amps it's produced thru the years. There's an
especially nice comparison of the circuit differenced between the 1959
Fender Bassman, which Marshall used as the model for its first amps, and
Marshall's version of this amp, which had a few minor differences.
The back has about 100 schematics for Marshalls old and new,
including a great many of their more recent products, like the
Valvestates, JCM-900 amps, and their 30th Anniversary model. So, there's
plenty in here for students of high gain amp architecture. Some of you may
be surprized to see how often Marshall has used transistors along with
tubes to get overdriven tones. But what the hell, even SRV used a
transistor based overdrive pedal to push his Fender, Dumble, and Marshall
amps into distortion.
Go down to your own local music store, or call Marshall or AES to get
a copy.
5. Tom Mitchel's "How to Service Your Own Tube Amp".
A decent introduction to basic electronics and amp upkeep. There's
even a small chapter on mods-output protection circuits, power tube
conversions, adding an effects loop, giving Master Volume Marshall's a
little gain and overdrive boost, and bias monitoring.
If you are into using several gain stages for generating overdrive (
like Soldano, Bogner, CAE, Boogie, etc. ) this book is not for you. Tom
explicitly states his aversion to using multiple gain stages to generate
thick overdrive in this manner. He suggests you buy a distortion pedal,
like the Ibanez Tube Screamer. (Funny, the "TUBE screamer" name suggests
the sound of screaming tubes, like in a high gain preamp...)
If you're into amp maintenance, you may want to look at his book, but
if you want to do design work, get Kevin's TUT book. It has a lot more on
mods and overall preamp topology. Or if we're lucky enough to get more
"cookbooks", look into buying one of those.
6. "AMPS! The Other Half Of Rock'n'Roll" By Ritchie Flieger. 120 pages.
A nice overview of tube amps that has chapters on Fender, Vox,
Ampeg, Marshall, Mesa-Boogie, Soldano, Gibson, Matchless, Hiwatt, and even
some transistor wonders. While there are very few schematics, he does talk
about the circuits of these amps. He gets into the British high gain
approach (EQ after several stages of preamp gain ), and the more American
early Mesa-Boogie approach ( EQ very early on in the preamp-before the
distortion ). There are also comments on the circuits and construction of
Vox's, Hiwatts, Soldano's, etc.
7. OTHER BOOKS-
I've heard Dan Torres has put out a $50 amp design book. But if
it's anything like the amps I've heard that he's modded, I'd stay clear
away.
I'm hoping that other true tube amp cookbooks will be written by
those in the know-Ken Fischer, Bob Gjika, Guy Hendricks, John Suhr, among
others. Guy, a Michigan based amp designer, has talked to me about putting
out such a book, but I think he's got other projects keeping him busy at
present.
In case you haven't yet come across them yet, RG Keen has great
FAQ's on tube amps and effects pedals he posts regularly on guitar related
newsgroups. I think some of them are archived at the ualberta site and its
mirrors. Or try:
"It is also available on Web Pages:
>http://www.wwu.edu/~n9343176
>http://www.eecs.umich/~tjs/guitar/effects.hmtl"
The FAQ's contain info on other books pertaining to tube amps.
Maybe a guitar amp mag could help develop the market for these kinds
of publications.
__________________________________________________________________________
_
Vintage Guitar magazine has several people writing for it on the
subject of tube amp electronics. I like some of what David Funk has
written in VG. He covers older amps and modern ones.
Vintage Guitar
Depatment W
P.O. Box 7301
Bismark, ND 58507
tel: (701)-255-1197, fax: (701)-255-0250
Another good source of information on tube amps is the world of
high-end audio. The magazine I'm most familiar with that covers this is
GLASS AUDIO, one of several magainzes published by Audio Amateur
Publications, Inc., P.O. Box 576, 305 Union Street, Peterborough, New
Hampshire, 03458-0576. Tel: 603-924-9464. The magazine is fairly
technical, but it's not all that expensive, and I've noticed more and more
guitar amp articles sneaking in. The publisher is seriously considering
publishing a separate magazine for musicians who use tube amps. Old Colony
Sound Lab, a branch of Audio Amateur sells a lot of the same books on
guitar amps that AES does. See if there are any audiophile associations of
clubs in your area-I bet they'd have a few copies of GLASS AUDIO on hand.
OLDER TEXTS:
1. Tube Recieving Manuals:
These have spec sheets on hundreds of tubes. Given the relatively
small number of tubes used in guitar amps, you may be surprized at the
number of different tube types there are.
These books also have information on setting up tube circuits. A few
companies are reprinting some of these books, like RCA's manuals. But see
if you can track down an old original copy first. It's likely to be
cheaper.
2. THE RADIOTRON DESIGNERS HANDBOOK by Langford & Smith.
This is the CLASSIC text for tube amp designers. Kind of heavy on the
theory, but it's a goldmine of information. It is a radio and audio amp
cookbook that any serious tube amp nut should have. If you can't get an
original copy, I've heard rumours that someone is reprinting this book.
Check the audio mags-they're much more fanatical about tube info than are
most folks into guitar amps.
3. Electronic Radio Engineering
4. Radio Engineering
Both of these are by a guy named Frederick Terman. The same kind of
book as the Radiotron book. In some ways, even more technical. I found my
copies while in Asia of all places. Maybe by the time I'm 90 I'll
understand some of these two books. (Yes, they're in English. )
----------------------------------------------------
There's a lot I've neglected to put in here, I'm sure. Here's hoping
someone takes the idea, and expands on it. And improves it!
Index:
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