Amp Builders--Spare a Minute to give me info

[relva2]

After reading the other thread about a guy doing clones or whatnot and building stuff I became interested again in building my own amp. I have the time and money to do it, (more time than money) and want to know not only where is a good place to start, but what I can/shouldn't do. I noticed there is considerable hostility in simply cloning an amp already out there, so I'd like to know where i can start.

 

I'd prefer to do either a Fendery or British Gain amp, and I'm serious about the project. So tell me, where do i go for info, parts, and what can I (legally) do? I'm not selling this crap, i just want a good design that i can hopefully mod.

[RupertB]

The place to start on-line is www.ax84.com. Read the documents on the P1 page (Theory & Construction guides especially). As you have questions, do searches on their BBS. Nearly everything you could ask has been asked before & answered in minute detail.

If you don't have a good grasp of basic electronics & schematic reading, get a used textbook or go here: http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~elec201/Book/basic_elec.html

Check out the Tech Info at www.aikenamps.com

When deciding on an amp to build, pick something SIMPLE. Building a high-gain channel-switcher right out of the gates is not a good idea. Also, bear in mind that rarely will building an amp save you money over buying the same amp.

As for building clones of other amps: Very few amp designs are patented, so in most cases there is nothing illegal about cloning them. However, the idea of taking business away (even one amp at a time) from builders, especially small-scale builders who have done the work of creating a uniquely designed & voiced amp, even if it is a variation on a classic design, is not a line I'm willing to cross. Generally speaking, if the amp is still in production, I won't knock it off.

BTW, I built a Matchless Lightning clone a couple of years after Matchless went under. I even found the original surplus transformers from the outfit (Westlabs) that built them for Matchless. Not long after I'd finished my amp, someone bought the company and re-started production of Matchless amps, including the Lightning.

[HGainiac]

Originally posted by relva2 After reading the other thread about a guy doing clones or whatnot and building stuff I became interested again in building my own amp. I have the time and money to do it, (more time than money) and want to know not only where is a good place to start, but what I can/shouldn't do. I noticed there is considerable hostility in simply cloning an amp already out there, so I'd like to know where i can start. I'd prefer to do either a Fendery or British Gain amp, and I'm serious about the project. So tell me, where do i go for info, parts, and what can I (legally) do? I'm not selling this crap, i just want a good design that i can hopefully mod.

Hey, for what it's worth, do you have any building xperience at all?
It might be easier to start out with some simple mods on an existing amp you care little about before tackling a task of that magnitude. Also would give you a frame of reference as to what modifications will sound like, before an' after.

Just a thought.

[Guttermouth]

Originally posted by HGainiac It might be easier to start out with some simple mods on an existing amp you care little about before tackling a task of that magnitude. Also would give you a frame of reference as to what modifications will sound like, before an' after. Just a thought.

+1. buy a silverface fender bassman and mod it out before you go building one.there's lots of mods out there for bassmans and the silverface versions go for less money than you can buy the parts to build one.

[Pepi]

Might want to try one of these kits first. I built one and I'm very happy with it. I know it's PCB but it is built very good and is quite.

http://www.ironsounds.com/