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Post by LTB on Sept 3, 2024 20:09:26 GMT -5
recommended books Gerald Weber’s books. One I am reading now is “A Desktop Reference of Hip Vintage Guitar amps” The best price I have found so far is $29 at Amplified Parts: www.amplifiedparts.com/search/node/A%20Desktop%20Reference%20of%20Hip%20Vintage%20Guitar%20AmpsI couldn’t believe Thriftbooks wanted $95 and another store $84 They are apparently going on the popularity of the book 🙄 Another book is Dave Funk’s Tube Amp Workbook “Complete guide to vintage Tube Amplifiers Volume 1-Fender If anyone has any others please post them here. |
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pdf64
Wholenote
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Post by pdf64 on Sept 4, 2024 18:29:52 GMT -5
I suggest to be somewhat wary of those type of books, they're generally not written / edited / reviewed by competent EEs. So whilst there's probably a lot of good stuff, there may also be a scattering of errors, duff info and nonsense. I posted some tech info links in another thread. A couple of the site authors linked there have published books, valvewizard (Merlin Blencowe) and err, the ampbooks guy  There's also Kevin O'Conner's series of books. |
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Post by Mfitz804 on Sept 5, 2024 8:07:56 GMT -5
Posts removed per House Rule #2, via a vis “ discuss what you want, but do it civilly”. Keep it on topic, please.
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pdf64
Wholenote
Posts: 659
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Post by pdf64 on Sept 5, 2024 9:02:27 GMT -5
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Post by LTB on Sept 5, 2024 13:17:13 GMT -5
I had forgot about Jack Darr. I read some of his book years ago when considering working on Tube (Valve is you will) Amps. It was out of production I believe at that time 2003-2004 and someone had posted a copy of it on the internet. I will see if it is still available as I have forgotten a lot of it but remember it seemed well written.
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pdf64
Wholenote
Posts: 659
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Post by pdf64 on Sept 5, 2024 13:39:22 GMT -5
All those schematics at the back of the Darr book was like finding the Dead Sea Scrolls back then (late 70s) Of course they're all readily available now, but the book may still be worth a read fhrough; circuit operation and fault finding hasn't changed any. |
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Post by LTB on Sept 5, 2024 14:11:15 GMT -5
Darr’s “Electric Guitar Handbook” appears to be in print now. Amazon has if “New” but for $48. I believe that is the one I read a long time ago.
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Post by Leftee on Sept 5, 2024 15:18:22 GMT -5
I’ve got a copy of Darr somewhere.
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Post by Seldom Seen on Sept 5, 2024 17:30:41 GMT -5
I have the Tube Amp Book by Aspen Pittman of Groove Tube fame and it’s autographed by Aspen.
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Post by LTB on Sept 5, 2024 17:50:26 GMT -5
I have the Tube Amp Book by Aspen Pittman of Groove Tube fame and it’s autographed by Aspen. I do also. Met him in Dallas at a Guitar and Amp show in 2004 I believe. Just haven’t read it in years. Nice man! Maybe I need to pull it down and revisit it. My only issue with him is Groove Tubes. They did not do well in a friends 1965 Super Reverb and we replaced them with JJ 6L6GC’s and vastly improved the tone. It was flat sounding with the Groove Tubes |
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Post by LTB on Sept 5, 2024 20:21:46 GMT -5
I’ve got a copy of Darr somewhere. I just ordered the new reprint from Amazon after using my accumulated points I got it for $26 W/free shipping. Some people criticized this book for it’s solid State transistor examples being out of date. They are missing the good this book does in information about tube amps that are still of value today! The transistor equivalents in my opinion are useful in explaining the tube. 1974 when I was just taking electronics in college tubes were on their way out but they touched on them. Ironically I was understanding how the tube worked better than the transistor as the transistor required the Emitter to base junction (base like the grid of a tube, emitter like Cathode and collector like the plate) is forward biased while the collector to base junction is reversed biased. This reverse bias of the Base to Collector just escaped my brain at the time. No longer an issue after 42 years 🤪
Also, Engineers like my dad learned “Conventional” current flow while Electronic Techs like me learned “Electron Current flow” theory. Once I was talking to dad about some stuff I was working on and made the mistake of stating the Diode’s cathode was negative and it’s anode positive. He went off on me and said “I have worked on this stuff 38 years and that is not how I learned it.” I told him he learned Conventional Flow while I learned Electron flow (two different methods of the way to look at things). What made me remember this was when on another site that Pete sometimes frequents I saw a circuit in the tube amp’s power supply showing the diodes connected to the Power transformer were labeled + on the side with the line (cathode) and - on the Anode. At first I thought “whaaaattttt?” then remembered back on the conversation with Dad. But in retrospect it is only saying negative is going through the diode and present on the output (Anode) of that diode. Of coarse we want get into positive “hole flow” going the other direction. For years I had trouble with the concept of holes moving LOL. While neither are easily proven my brain would rather think the holes are just providing a place for the electron to fall into like playing pool |
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Post by LTB on Sept 10, 2024 1:21:00 GMT -5
Just received and started to read the Jack Darr book. This should be interesting!
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pdf64
Wholenote
Posts: 659
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Post by pdf64 on Sept 12, 2024 14:47:45 GMT -5
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Post by LTB on Sept 12, 2024 15:09:15 GMT -5
The solid state guitar amplifier should be a very good read on transistors and operational amplifiers (OPAMPS). I will also check out the other when I get time. Right now I am reading Jack Darr’s book. |
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Post by LTB on Sept 12, 2024 16:41:13 GMT -5
Well Pete you have done it now! I am finding the “Solid State Guitar Amplifiers by Teemu Kytala” a much better read as Darr is a little dry reading for me. |
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Post by LTB on Sept 14, 2024 3:03:01 GMT -5
In reading Solid State Guitar Amplifiers by Kytala brought back memories of the Standell, Baldwin, Kustom, Sun, Jordan and Gemini amps of the 60’s. I remember wanting a Standell amp and loved the Roll N Tuck Kustom Amps and Cabs. I also had no clue that Seth Lover designer of the PAF Humbucker for Gibson went to work for Fender and Designed the Super Showman amp! This so far is an absolute good read!
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Post by LTB on Sept 19, 2024 18:57:36 GMT -5
Concerning the Kytala Solid State book. The 1st few pages are basic but by the time you get to page 54 you need to have at least an intermediate knowledge of electronic Technology. So if looking for a basic understanding you need to look elsewhere. The Dave Funk Volume 1 Fender amps book is recommended.
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Post by LTB on Sept 22, 2024 7:01:41 GMT -5
I would be remiss if I didn’t also recommend Jack Darr’s Electric Guitar Amplifier Handbook.
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Post by LTB on Oct 14, 2024 20:43:50 GMT -5
This is a good website. In reading a small portion of the book “Designing Preamps for Guitar and Bass” I can say this is the best, easy to understand book I have read. It is found on Lulu.com. www.valvewizard.co.uk/ |
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Post by LTB on Nov 24, 2024 8:06:13 GMT -5
I have ordered
Audiophile Vacuum Tube Amplifiers - Design, Construction, Testing, Repairing & Upgrading, Volume 1 by Igor S Popovich
There are 3 volumes and based on reviews I think I will like this book. We’ll see how it is and if a good one I will continue with the
Other two volumes as I get through with each one.
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Post by K4 on Dec 21, 2024 12:48:12 GMT -5
If you haven't yet Kevin O'connors series of books are pretty good too. Especially the power scaling.
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Post by LTB on Dec 22, 2024 0:09:47 GMT -5
If you haven't yet Kevin O'connors series of books are pretty good too. Especially the power scaling. Thanks K4 I have one but only read a portion. I will check out the power scaling section. |
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