Question for you smarties....

Ok, I'm thinking about ordering one of those tube amp kits and assembling myself, I think it would be a fun new something that may be a good learning experience. Hopefully I want to learn the basics with a kit, so I can maybe move up to schematic/parts/build my own ability. The kit I'm looking at is a power amp only, no pre-amp. 60-watt mono block.

Here's my question, since I'm new to assembling my own. Does a guitar processor like oh, say a Boss GT-8 put out enough signal to act as a pre-amp?

Thanks in advance for any and all responses. (well, unless someone tells me to STFU....)

What kit are you looking at? do you have a link? I would imagine that the Boss will have enough gain to produce a signal but I doubt it will give you what you are seeking. Why not just build a complete amp with a preamp as well or at least a seperate guitar pre-amp.

Dynakit Mark III. http://www.dynakitparts.com/store/product.aspx?id=3

The reason I'm leaning towards it is cost/wattage ratio. All the other kits with comparable output that include preamp are much more expensive....

I would recommend you to start with a pedal kit to get used with electronics if this is your first build. If it isn't, go ahead!

Build Your Own Clone

General Guitar Gadget

Thank you for your response, but that really wasn't my question. It's not a matter of if this is my first project, no stranger to the soldering iron am I. I was asking if a guitar effects processor puts out enough signal to replace a typical preamp. I hate to admit it, but I have a degree in Electronics Technology. (Computer) I know, I know, but all they taught me was one's and zero's, nothing analog.

I was just curious what the amp is for, guitar? keys? being a hi-fi amp, would you expect it to have the tone for guitar?

I'm by no means educated in electronics, but don't most hi-fi amps expect to see a 1 volt output from a pre-amp? I'd doubt that any sort of guitar pedal would put out that 'line level' voltage as they usually sit between something like an 'instrument level' guitar and the amp.

I still use a Dynaco ST-150 solid state stereo amp I built from a kit in the late 70s. Was a great company. A pair of those monoblocks looks like they would make a nice upgrade.

I think the answer is no.

The output on the Boss GT-8 is 0dBu, which I understand to be 0.775v. The MkIII needs 1.5 volts in to generate its full output. You'd be putting in about half the voltage. You'd get an audible output, but nowhere near full power.

Thanks all, I believe I should continue my search. I did see a cool kit called a Lite IIB. Copy of a 60's Marshall. But the guy that sells them is quitting and my bank account is currently Christmas-depleted. http://www.dockeryamps.com/web/Products/18-watt-lite-iib.php