Amp Links...
Like most guitar players I've been chasing the elusive "perfect tone" from the time I first plugged in a guitar. The goal was to sound as good as my heroes. It doesn't exist. In fact if someone tells you they've found it...they're either lying or there's something wrong with them. You CAN, however, build your own amplifiers to get as close as possible. You need to heed a couple of warnings:
1). You will be working with very high voltages that can hurt you if you aren't carefull and...
2). This is a SERIOUSLY addictive hobby.
- Allen Amplification - Allen makes and sells some VERY nice amps and is a good source for kits, parts, and ideas.
- Amplates - Custom Faceplates for DIY Guitar Amps - One of the toughest parts for me is getting a good faceplate at a reasonable cost. Here's the place. These folks live and breath this stuff and work with you to get it right. What the heck...it may as well look as good as it sounds!
- Angela Instruments - a very good source for transformers and chassis parts. Angela has very high end resistors and capacitors for audiophile quality builds. Highly recommended.
- Antique Electronic Supply - a great source for virtually anything to do with tube amps. I order from these guys all the time and they have terrific service.
- Boozhound Laboratories - some interesting microphone tube preamps.
- Cliff Chappell - this guy has done some great layouts and schematics for the AX84 projects. This is a link to the Chappell Amps Site
- Duncan Amps - a great source for a wide variety of schematics, tube specs, and a host of other information.
- Guitar Tube Amp Schematics - a nice collection of bass and guitar tube amp schematics.
- Hammond Mfg. (Electronics Group) - for the DIY crowd Hammond is a standard for chassis pans as well as power transformers, output transformers, and chokes.
- Hoffman Amplifiers - a good source for parts, kits, schematics, and layouts. Great source for info and help (even for those just getting started).
- Parts is Parts - a HUGE selection of replacement parts for Marshall, Vox, Korg, and Vestax.
- Mojo Musical Supply - a huge assortment of parts for amps and guitars. They have their own line of speakers, transformers, cabinets, and kits. If you can't find it here, it probably isn't made.
- Protocase Incorporated - This is the place if you want any sort of enclosure made. It's not cheap but the quality is incredible. Want your name lazer cut as ventilation into a rack mount chassis with all the holes cut for you? This is the place.
- STF Electronics - Nicely done kits and a good source for parts of all kinds.
- Tales From The Tone Lounge - I get a kick out of this site. A nice reality check on the current state of boutique amps and effects. Self described as: Exploring the Vintage Myths and Voodoo Legends of Tube Guitar Amplifiers.
- The AX84 Project - The KING of the DIY amp world. Even Guitar Player Magazine plugs this one. Hands down the best source for building your own tube amp. These are original amp designs done as open-source/commitee input. A great source for support kits and parts as well (Doberman Amplifiers). If you already build or want to get started this is a must see site.
- Torres Engineering - The "World Famous" Dan Torres is one of the primary reasons I started building. Tons of kits and parts, repairs, and custom amps. He's very passionate about his work.
- Traynor Amplifier Schematic Archive - a wide variety of info on Traynor Amps.
- Triode Electronics - I LOVE this place. A terrific source for parts (especially Sprague caps) and a huge selection of top notch tubes. Great service and delivery.
- TubeDepot - Another monster source for all things tube.
- Viva Analog - Tube circuits, Guitar and Bass effects, and DIY pages. Pretty heady stuff here but very interesting.