The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 63: "Chapter Four: Handles" Feb 11, 2021

Show notes

Once again, guitar amp tech Skip Simmons is fielding your questions on all things tube amp.

This week's sponsors: iZotope (use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your order), Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars.

Want to support the show? Be a part of our Patreon page.

Some of the topics discussed on this week's episode:

1:13 Three nightmares left 7:17 Sam's Wurlitzer 920 combo amp from Ep. 62, revisited 9:14 Special guest: Ian Moore (Austin, Vibroluxes, Deluxe Reverbs, Marshall mods and salsa dona!) 44:26 What to do with an unusual 1968 Gibson Falcon chassis missing a cabinet? 48:48 Building a clone of Ampeg R-12-R Reverberocket 56:21 A vintage Jenson P-15Q with a quarter inch jack mounted on the speaker frame 58:14 Mary Halvorson 59:31 A Dukane PA with a low B+ voltage 1:03:21 How did Skip accumulate a barn full of PAs? 1:09:09 "Historic" or "historical;" a Bogen Challenger CHA33 with pitting on the chassis 1:15:00 How to properly use an ESR Meter; the Anatek Blue ESR meter (link) 1:19:00 The dwell on a reverb tank 1:21:02 Where does distortion come from; author C.J. Box 1:23:12 Testing a vintage power transformer before you install it 1:26:46 Mathew Fitzwilliam's Goldentone Amp book, revisited (link) 1:27:15 Restoring a Goldentone 1761 Soloist; ozvalveamps.org 1:30:33 Chris from Deluxe Amplifications' amp chassis holder (YouTube, blueprint available on our Patreon) 1:33:39 Guitar Shorty 1:36:36 The smallest mountain range in the world 1:37:32 Installing a separate filtercap eyelet board in a BF Fender 1:41:19 Using a vintage Jensen C12S speaker in a Princeton Reverb clone; bean pasta 1:49:15 Shrunken model airplane tissue

Have a topic for a future episode? Email or send us a voice memo to: podcast@fretboardjournal.com or leave us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848.

Be sure to check out the ever-growing Big Index of Truth About Vintage Amp topics to see if your amp questions have already been covered.

Ep. 62: "Just Call Me Ike" Jan 28, 2021

Show notes

Once again, guitar amp tech Skip Simmons is fielding your questions on all things tube amp.

This week's sponsors: iZotope (use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your order), Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars. Want to support the show? Be a part of our Patreon page.

Some of the topics discussed on this week's episode:

1:00 California weather and old dogs

3:08 Sharpening knives, Carter Cutlery (link)

8:51 How not to ship amps and amp parts

13:09 SAMS Photofacts and obscure schematics

18:36 Making the reverb in a Fender-style amp less bright

23:05 Why are boutique amps so expensive; Benson Chimera (link); improving an amp's tone by unplugging the reverb tank; a DYI Ice Cube; El Pato

30:58 The layout of Skip's workspace

37:00 Building an amp out of a tape deck with 250k volume and tone pots, redux

43:21 An Ampeg M-15 with a thumping tremolo

46:36 A vintage Weller 8200 solder gun with a smelly tip

49:41 Adding speaker-driven reverb to a 5E3 clone without using a second amp

52:13 Converting a Kalart 7015 projector into a guitar amp, Filmosound conversions, Tex Amps

58:19 Recommended reading: All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr (Amazon link, thanks Brian in Seattle)

59:40 Recommended watching: Derek DelGaudio's In & of Itself (on Hulu)

1:02:14 British amp heads at 16 ohms, Rick Beato's YouTube channel (link), leftover holiday spices

1:04:59 What to do with a Wurlitzer 920 combo amp?

1:09:22 Preserving a completely original 1953 Gibson GA-20

1:15:35 Sweet potato fries

1:16:05 A Masco MA-35 powered up with no speaker, dried white onions

1:23:46 The grounding switch on a Fender, spiking store-bought ranch dressing with Balsamic vinegar, death caps

1:31:44 Slowing down the vibrato of a vintage Magnatone 440

Have a topic for a future episode? Email or send us a voice memo to: podcast@fretboardjournal.com or leave us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848.

Be sure to check out the ever-growing Big Index of Truth About Vintage Amp topics to see if your amp questions have already been covered.

Ep. 61: "Less Than Zero" Jan 19, 2021

Show notes

Once again, guitar amp tech Skip Simmons is fielding your questions on all things tube amp.

This week's sponsors: Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars. Want to support the show? Be a part of our Patreon page.

Some of the topics discussed on this week's episode:

6:15 Jason gets a Martin 110 amplifier 13:24 A DeArmond amp anomaly 15:47 The Truth About Recording and Mixing (link) 16:15 Skip's speaker-driven reverb / speaker-driven line out schematic (see our Instagram for the image) 39:19 Figuring out the distortion profile in a scratch-built amplifier 43:39 Skip makes a tube fuzz; Rustoleum Hammered paint 45:12 Updates on Skip's model plane, gopher bait 47:37 Herniating amps via speaker changes 53:17 The mystery oil in a Standel echo unit 57:44 A 1967 Fender Bassman that keeps shattering tubes 1:05:05 Saving a cracked two-prong plug

Have a topic for a future episode? Email or send us a voice memo to: podcast@fretboardjournal.com or leave us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848.

Be sure to check out the ever-growing Big Index of Truth About Vintage Amp topics to see if your amp questions have already been covered.

Ep. 60: "10 and Up" Jan 03, 2021

Show notes

Once again, guitar amp tech Skip Simmons is fielding your questions on all things tube amp.

This week's sponsors: Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars. Want to support the show? Be a part of our Patreon page.

Some of the topics discussed on this week's episode:

2:35 Skip gets a new knife (Carter Cutlery)

6:21 Restoring a 1961 Mercury Comet

9:13 Mathew Fitzwilliam's book on Australia's Goldentone amps (link)

21:24 What to do with a Masco MA-35 PA head, 7-series loctal tubes

29:40 The Bogen RP-1 Mic Pre-Amp

35:39 Keith Cary's mic pre-amp / headphone hack

38:44 Early Fender Princeton GZ34 rectifier tube alternatives

45:11 Shielded wire vs. unshielded wire in the circuitry of old PA heads

50:23 Converting a Webcor reel-to-reel into a guitar amp

59:19 Keeping a vintage reverb tank alive (Gibson Maestro M216-RVT amp, MOD tank upgrade, shortening a vintage reverb spring)

1:08:51 Skip builds a Piper Cub model airplane

1:21:28 Speaker recone kits (link)

1:27:59 Proper tremolo speed / depth on a Fender 6G3

1:32:08 Klon pedals and outboard tube-driven overdrives

1:36:52 Is my Gibson GA-9 parallel single-ended?

1:44:01 Doing the Vibro Champ mod to a Stromberg Carlson Model 290, Doris Troy's "What'cha Gonna Do About It" (link), and stuffed eggplant with crispy beef (link)

1:45:40 Mike enjoys the podcast (Mike's band: the 6L6s)

2:06:16 The Art of Basque Cooking by Clara Salaverria Perkins

Recorded on the morning of January 1, 2021, which explains a couple of possibly inebriated callers.

Coming soon: The Truth About Recording & Mixing with Johnny Sangster (Apple Podcasts link)

Have a topic for a future episode? Email or send us a voice memo to: podcast@fretboardjournal.com or leave us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848.

Be sure to check out the ever-growing Big Index of Truth About Vintage Amp topics to see if your amp questions have already been covered.

Ep. 59: "Paper Airplanes and Some Soup" Dec 18, 2020

Show notes

Once again, guitar amp tech Skip Simmons is fielding your questions on all things tube amp.

This week's sponsors: Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars. Want to support the show? Be a part of our Patreon page.

Some of the topics discussed on this week's show:

5:13 The Truth About Recording & Mixing (launching January 2021!) 9:16 Building mic pre-amps 12:42 A "ripping" overdrive sound on a converted Vibro-Champ 17:51 A Red Bear amps service warning 21:36 Dr. Z Z-Air Brake, revisited; Joel Patterson; El Pato in Maryland 27:09 Jason ponders a new Patreon tier, tortillas on a cookie sheet, un-flavored Doritos 29:26 Safely packing amps for a cross-country (almost) move 35:05 Eau de Tweed 38:15 Traynor amp values 40:35 How long does the death stay in a death cap? 44:33 What to do with a Knight PA system? 50:30 Skip's (un-modified) PA liquidation 53:27 Oatmeal with jam 53:50 Crisped chickpeas in spiced brown butter 56:30: Book recommendations: 'A People and Their Music: The Story, Behind the Story, of Country Music'; 'Highway 99: A Literary Journey Through California's Central Valley' 1:02:18 A three-prong, ground loop question with a 5E3 and a 6G15 Reverb 1:09:22 The right goo to fix a cracked two-prong plug 1:15:07 The differences between the Deluxe V1 and V2 plate voltages, redux 1:18:03 A prototype Twin Reverb 1:20:25 The white powder on vintage amp parts

Have a topic for a future episode? Email or send us a voice memo to: podcast@fretboardjournal.com or leave us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848.

Be sure to check out the ever-growing Big Index of Truth About Vintage Amp topics to see if your amp questions have already been covered.

Ep. 58: "Beards and Flattops" Dec 04, 2020

Show notes

Once again, guitar amp tech Skip Simmons is fielding your questions on all things tube amp.

This week's sponsors: Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars. Want to support the show? Be a part of our Patreon page.

3:57 Skip announces his retirement (not really) 10:50 The Roxy Theater's "Wall" sound system finds a new owner 23:20 Preserving an all-original Fender 5F10 Harvard 29:05 The non-Fender amps Skip sees the most 31:05 Salvaging a submerged Red Bear amp 37:18 Special Guest: Barry Grzebik of Grez Guitars! 1:01:57 A smelly Silvertone 1484 thanks to an attenuator, hardshell taco tips 1:06:20 Decade boxes 1:10:03 Skip's movie picks: Straight Story, Dual 1:12:45 The hum balance pot in a 100-watt Fender Quad Reverb 1:15:29 Buying a 1952 TV panel Fender Deluxe with a replaced output transformer 1:21:06 Music recommendations: Bing Crosby with Eddie Lang; Cindy Cashdollar with Arlen Roth; Carla Bley's "O Holy Night"

Have a topic for a future episode? Email or send us a voice memo to: podcast@fretboardjournal.com or leave us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848.

Be sure to check out the ever-growing Big Index of Truth About Vintage Amp topics to see if your amp questions have already been covered.

Ep. 57: "Turn That Baby Down to Zero" Nov 17, 2020

Show notes

Once again, guitar amp tech Skip Simmons is fielding your questions on all things tube amp.

This week's sponsors: Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars. Want to support the show? Be a part of our Patreon page.

2:15 Baffler Corner: The power tubes on a transitional 1963 Fender Showman head; enchiladas without breaking tortillas; last week's noisy Marshall 9:22 What's on Skip's Bench: A Gibsonette 14:35 The entire 1996 Angela Catalog, now available as a download! (link here, proceeds go directly to Steve Melkisethian) 17:29 Reversing the tube pin order in a Princeton 5F2A 19:53 Removing paint from Tolex 21:45 Recommended reading: 'Antique Radio Restoration Guide'; shimming a speaker with a rubbing dust cap 25:00 Watkins Dominators, using a Variac in front of a step-up transformer 30:41 Plate voltages on a Deluxe Reverb AB763 32:24 Modulus Music's free 5E3 cabinet plans; Skip's tomato sauce; Fender Harvards 38:55 A/B box updates; HAB hot sauce 41:06 Lectrolab S600s 43:42 Modding the first channel of a silverface Fender Super Reverb 46:43 Changing the cap value on a 5F2A tone control 48:38 Wall voltage variabilities and using a Variac 54:55 Song recommendation: "Call Me" by Aretha Franklin 55:48 Enchilada talk, fast pumpkin Thai curry soup 1:01:03 Are forums useful?

Have a topic for a future episode? Email or send us a voice memo to: podcast@fretboardjournal.com or leave us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848.

Be sure to check out the ever-growing Big Index of Truth About Vintage Amp topics to see if your amp questions have already been covered.

Ep. 56: "I Want People to Dream" Nov 03, 2020

Show notes

Once again, guitar amp tech Skip Simmons is fielding your questions on all things tube amp.

This week's sponsors: Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars.

Some of the topics discussed on this episode: 2:05 Skip checks out a Paul Bigsby-built tenor guitar, free stuff sent to your favorite podcast hosts 14:06 Revisiting Grez Guitars' pickle jar hack 15:13 Grounding 101 22:27 Antique Electronics Supply/Amplified Parts' Tolex sample packs 26:13 Advice on Ampeg M-12 / Mercury amps 29:16 Drawing a schematic from scratch 33:30 "Two Words:" A vintage Marshall baffler 35:34 Mis-drawn schematics revisited: The UREI 1176 Compressor 39:10 A 1960s Honda 305 Scrambler project 42:42 6L6G tubes in a 5E6 Fender Bassman? 47:29 RIP: Classic Tone transformers 48:32 Adding an isolation transformer to a Harmony H400A 52:44 Meatloaf on a grill 56:23 Cleaning grill cloth or Tolex 59:07 Stokes and Paul C mods on a Fender Princeton 1:03:29 Converting a Masco MA-50 and MA-17; Skip has a Gibson Falcon for sale 1:08:28 Guitarists versus harmonica players 1:09:12 Functional differences between spade connectors and soldering for speaker leads? 1:13:36 Turning a Conn ST-6 strobe turner into an amp... or something 1:18:02 Keeping corn tortillas intact while rolling enchiladas

Recorded November 2, 2020.

Have a question or topic for a future episode? Email or send us a voice memo to: podcast@fretboardjournal.com or leave us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848.

And be sure to check out the ever-growing Big Index of Truth About Vintage Amp topics to see if your amp questions have already been covered.

Ep. 55: "Surfeit of Stuff" Oct 22, 2020

Show notes

Once again, guitar amp tech Skip Simmons is fielding your questions on all things tube amp.

This week's sponsors: Amplified Parts (use the discount code TAVA10 when you check out to save 10% off your order!) and Grez Guitars.

Some of the topics discussed on this episode:

6:50 The Truth About Vintage Amps Patreon Page: New contributions from Jesse at Acme Instruments 10:00 Trusting a repair tech and what to do with old, removed parts 12:40 A driver for a horn speaker; dogs chasing golf balls, Specimen Audio 19:10 Ceramic fast-acting versus glass fuses 25:56 Putting two single-ended output transformers in series to make a larger single-ended output transformer 36:56 Solid state watts versus tube watts 39:07 A Garnet G15T Gnome with a 6V6 that fluctuates in time; the Garnet Herzog 42:56 Fender Super Reverb tremolo disconnect mods 48:09 Employing a Cetron CE-25C photocell tube to make a Theremin (or something like it) 51:40 More bean talk: Teasdale beans; Instant Pot revisited 56:57 Using two lower-value pre-amp plate load resistors in series 58:53 Pete Millett's online tube book reference library (link) 1:04:34 Skip's book picks: Patrick O'Brian, Tony Hillerman, James Lee Burke, Martin Cruz Smith 1:09:43 Gary Gulman's "The Hierarchy of Cookies" (link) 1:10:13 Getting a Gibson "Charlie Christian" EH-150 amp serviced properly; Orange Drop caps 1:21:30 "Sodder" versus "solder," yet again

Have a question or topic for a future episode? Email or send us a voice memo to: podcast@fretboardjournal.com or leave us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848.

And be sure to check out the ever-growing Big Index of Truth About Vintage Amp topics to see if your amp questions have already been covered.

Ep. 54: "A Great Big Tent" Oct 14, 2020

Show notes

Support the Truth About Vintage Amps through our brand new Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/vintageamps

Once again, Skip Simmons is fielding guitar amp questions from around the world.

Some of the topics discussed on this episode:

4:12 A new Tony's: Pappa Earle's (link) 6:03 This week's sponsors: Grez Guitars and Amplified Parts 7:43 Eddie Van Halen (link to Zocala Public Square video mentioned) 14:45 The answer to Ep. 53's Baffler 18:30 A cabinet conundrum 20:23 Another Baffler! 21:36 Cleaning chrome Gibson faceplates, Metal Rescue 24:00 A Vibroverb reissue with ringing reverb... fixed 27:42 Restoring amps that have been underwater 34:17 The harmonic tremolo and pre-amp tubes in a brownface 1960 Fender Super 40:47 Hammond organ amp conversions 45:21 Taming a Super Reverb clone; Instant Pots 40:49 Skip's traveling coffee rig 51:15 Mat's Skip-inspired iPhone to guitar amp interface 57:08 Getting analog warmth into a digital recording chain 1:00:11 Brian's protein-packed smoothie; Rasta Kevin; homemade tomato sauce; Burning Spear 1:03:35 Supro tube tremolo 1:08:13 "Sodder" versus "solder," the final word

Have a question or topic for a future episode? Email or send us a voice memo to: podcast@fretboardjournal.com or leave us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848.

This episode is brought to you by Grez Guitars and Amplified Parts. Use the discount code

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