It's the 115th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps podcast, where legendary amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on guitar amps and their repair!  Want to be a part of the show? Keep the amp questions for Skip coming to podcast@fretboardjournal.com! Voice memos or emails are welcome. And don't forget we now have a Patreon. Some of the topics discussed this week: 2:07 This week's sponsors: Emerald City Guitars (check out the Jim Kelley prototype), Stringjoy Strings (use the code FRETBOARD to save off your first string order), Amplified Parts, and Grez Guitars. You can also use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase. 6:58 Listener Matt gets the Heathkit Stereo Signal Generator kit 9:27 Skip sees a Bald eagle  11:33 Waking up a 1980 Musicman 112 RD after a long hibernation 14:05 Acceptable DC leakage in capacitors, puppies attacking sprinklers  17:11 Epiphone Pacemaker desirability versus its Gibson Skylark counterpart 20:04 How to blow up an amp, heating tortillas, and Masco ME-27s 32:31  A Weber Proluxe 5E3 amp kit and reducing hum by changing coupling cap orientation; Leighton Amps/Jef Brown's blog post (link) 43:33 Octal 6F5 tubes  38:55 An Operadio Model 1030  45:34 An Orange AD-30 with an EL84s that run hot; Servisol Super 10 51:07 A late '80s Fender Vibroverb with a burning smell and a glowing 6L6  56:47 Thoughts on a Symphonic MA7-1? 1:00:51 Thoughts on modern reverb tanks   1:04:06 A really quiet Frenzel HBX-AC30  1:10:42 What to service on a recently-purchased 1968 Univox U235? 1:17:18 Changing values in the preamp of a SF Champ to reduce bass  1:26:09 Non-stick pans  Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal.  Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise and don't forget to get a subscription to the Fretboard Journal (link). Digital subscriptions start at just $30. Submit your amp questions, recipes, and life hacks to podcast@fretboardjournal.com and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media.

It's the 114th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps, where legendary amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on guitar amps and their repair.  Want to be a part of the show? Keep the amp questions for Skip coming to podcast@fretboardjournal.com! Voice memos or emails are welcome.  Some of the topics discussed this week: 3:49 Skip gets more gifts (thank you); Studio Slips (link); Dragonfly USB-stereo connection; Connie Converse (Bandcamp link) 9:41 The Truth About Vintage Amps Patreon (link) 9:54 Josh Scott (JHS) plays the El Pato Tone practice amp (Instagram link), which you can buy here on Reverb; the 2023 Fretboard Summit featuring Jeff Parker, Jorma Kaukonen, JHS, Tommy Emmanuel, vintage amps and much more! (register for the Summit today: fretboardsummit.org) 10:59 Electrolytic bypass capacitors in Marshalls? 15:58 Spicy popcorn; best speaker load for a Black panel Fender Dual Showman head 21:05 The return of Leo Quan? 21:53 Standel has a new owner, Owen Duffy 22:49 What to do with a Matchless DC30 that sounds great, but runs really hot 32:33 A Princeton Reverb with weak reverb 35:54 Why you shouldn't use a Variac as an isolation transformer 38:40 GZ34 rectifiers and standby switches 46:24 Grounding issues on a hand-wired Fender Tweed Twin reissue, redux 48:56 What to do with an Aireon Model 1221A juke box amp with 6SK7, 6J5, 2x 6L6, and 5U4G tubes? 51:10 Preferred plate voltages on a 5F2A build; 5F2A vs 5F2 circuits 55:05 How would you measure an output transformer to know its preferred speaker load? 59:54 I built a 5E3 clone but there's no volume until I get to 2 1/2 1:01:11 Why does my 1967 black panel Deluxe Reverb have a tube chart for an AB165 Bassman and why is it so gainy? A narrow panel 1952 Fender Deluxe 1:11:16 Pancakes with goat cheese 1:12:58 Tips on accessing the underside of a '40s Stromberg-Carlson AU-33 PA's terminal board; isolation transformers, redux 1:19:07 https://worldradiohistory.com/. 1:21:04 Repairing the plastic on an Ampeg footswitch; E6000 craft adhesive; http://schematicheaven.irridia.com/ 1:24:16 A 1950 Gibson GB-CB with a power cord touching a tube 1:29:23 1957 Fender factory tour, narrated by Richard Smith (YouTube link) 1:31:14 Skip's voice cloned via AI; a 5F2A with weak volume and much more...  Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal.  This week's episode is sponsored by Emerald City Guitars, Stringjoy Strings (use the code FRETBOARD to save off your first string order), Amplified Parts, and Grez Guitars. You can also use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase. Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise and don't forget to get a subscription to the Fretboard Journal (link). Digital subscriptions start at just $30. Submit your amp questions, recipes, and life hacks to podcast@fretboardjournal.com and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media.

It's the 113th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps, where legendary amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on guitar amps and their repair.  Want to be a part of the show? Keep the amp questions for Skip coming to podcast@fretboardjournal.com! Voice memos or emails are welcome.  Some of the topics discussed this week: 4:11 Announcement: The Truth About Vintage Amps at the 2023 Fretboard Summit (www.fretboardsummit.org); Chicago's Kale My Name (link) 14:14 Should you use better or same-quality replacement parts when your amp needs a repair? 18:52 A real rustic kegger; Skip's favorite amp 25:20 Beginner's corner: How many speakers can my amp run? Cast-iron griddle grilled cheese 32:50 B+, redux; benefits of a separate filament transformer; UTC transformers; HAM radio transmissions 38:17 6X5 rectifier tubes 41:48 A HiWatt clone that keeps blowing fuses 47:17 Thank you for the coffee, Kevin! 48:26 Running an acoustic guitar through a tube amp (Bogen Challenger); El Pato's neighbor; cleaning tube sockets 52:54 Mistakes made while swapping tube sockets on a Fender Bassman 50; frozen Arby's french fries 59:53 The tornado and 1967 Fender Deluxe Reverb story, redux 1:05:12 Convincing a store to ship you a Gibson EH-150; Carter Cutlery (link) 1:11:23 Special thanks: Max in Spain; Bill from California 1:13:00 Need your reverb coil rewound? Check out Tom Brantley (@tombrantleyrewinds) 1:15:39 Help me pick out speakers for my tweed Twin; parallel vs. in-series speaker wiring, sleeper vintage 12" speakers, Weber speaker's grades of doping and much more...  Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal.  This week's episode is sponsored by Stringjoy Strings, Amplified Parts (use the code TAVA10 to save 10% off of their Mod kits) and Grez Guitars. You can also use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase. Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise and don't forget to get a subscription to the Fretboard Journal (link). Digital subscriptions start at just $30. Want to register for our Fretboard Summit? Here's a link.  Submit your amp questions, recipes, and life hacks to podcast@fretboardjournal.com and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media.

It's the 112th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps, where legendary amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on guitar amps and their repair.  Want to be a part of the show? Keep the amp questions for Skip coming to podcast@fretboardjournal.com! Voice memos or emails are welcome.  Some of the topics discussed this week: 7:42 David Lindely on Dumble: Audio interview on our Patreon (link) 8:07 Shoutout to August from Otis Amps 8:46 Rancho Gordo Beans, redux (link), Herdez Salsa Casera, Juantonio's chips 11:42 What's on Skip's workbench: A Stromberg PA head; a 1910 Hammond Multiplex typewriter 16:39 More on David Lindley 19:31 A muted Tweed Bassman with a hiss in V2, testing test equipment; a brownface Deluxe at the flea market 27:15 What's the difference between silverface '60s Fender Pro Reverbs (drip-edge or not); the Cars; is the Pro Reverb the beginning of "logging truck" status 33:53 Amps that use 2A3/6A3 triodes as power tubes 40:01 ChatGPT wrote a poem about TAVA 43:11 Rob Robinette's recommendation to put a 1N4007 diode in series after the Secondary AC High voltage and the plate of the rectifier tube; 'Junior Bonner' with Steve McQueen; Better Call Saul; Hollywood gossip 47:49 Lighting your workbench, a dedicated filter circuit for testing amps? 50:39 Waking up amps that have not been used in a long while; using multimeters for the first time; inconsistencies in the volt readout on a variac 56:12 Does a variac provide the same shock protection as an isolation transformer?, the Silvertone 1485 circuit, the Hillbilly Rueben recipe 1:02:52 Hearing Skip's voice in your head while you're at your day job; a 1940s Navy soundsystem with a dynamotor 1:06:15 Fixing the crack in a 1972 Fender Deluxe Reverb cabinet, troubleshooting amps that have been dropped, index pins 1:13:13 The sound of octal tubes; the Baxandall EQ circuit explained; why did my Ampeg start smoking with an acrid smell when turned on? 1:17:38 A Fender Hotrod Blues Deluxe that is muted until it has warmed up for 30 seconds, input jacks 1:22 Kenny Burrell’s ‘Soulero’, a 2006 Fender Tweed Twin (no reverb) with an intermittent volume drop 1:28:46 Balancing family life with amp projects, redux Recorded March 15, 2023. Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal.  This week's episode is sponsored by Stringjoy Strings, Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars. You can also use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase. Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise and don't forget to get a subscription to the Fretboard Journal (link). Digital subscriptions start at just $30. Want to register for our Fretboard Summit? Here's a link.  Submit your amp questions, recipes, and life hacks to podcast@fretboardjournal.com and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media.

We're back and episode 111 has it all: Deep thoughts, a tornado, fried eggs, and power tubes gone bad. Keep the questions coming to podcast@fretboardjournal.com and enjoy!  Some of the topics discussed this week: 1:59 The TAVA Big Index page (link) 3:26 A pro chef hack, Rancho Gordo beans redux (link to the beans)  4:34 A '64 Princeton Reverb clone with a switch that can convert it to a stock Princeton, redux (thanks Emcee Amps of Montreal); the Tweed Vibrolux tone control 7:44 What's on Skip's bench: A Stromberg-Carlson PA head 9:52 What did today's vintage amps sound like new? Pizza with an egg 19:00 A tornado-damaged 1967 Deluxe Reverb with a loose reverb wire 23:38 A 6G3 with a glowing power tube, when good power tubes go bad 28:41 Why does my hand-wired Vox AC4 hum more than my PCB version of the exact same amp? 32:18 Making a '63 Vibroverb reissue quieter; the Crazy Tube Circuit's White Whale reverb pedal (link) 42:13 Baffler: The usefulness of a 6AT6 preamp tube in old radios 46:16 What Skip's reading: Garrett Hongo's 'The Perfect Sound: A Memoir in Stereo' (Amazon link), a 12-volt powered dynamotor  51:57 A psychologist chimes in; B+ voltage Recorded Feb. 14, 2023. This week's episode is sponsored by Stringjoy Strings, Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars. You can also use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase. Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise and don't forget to get a subscription to the Fretboard Journal (link). Digital subscriptions start at just $30. Want to register for our Fretboard Summit? Here's a link.  Submit your amp questions, recipes, and life hacks to  podcast@fretboardjournal.com and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media.

An episode that almost went off the rails (a missing special guest, talk of tragic balloon heroes, street tacos) but somehow gets back to amp basics. Some of the topics discussed this week: 3:56 Skip's decision to quit being a drawbridge operator, Skip visits Eminence   8:58 Austin Ribbon Mics, the Hot Holder Pro (link); book recommendation: 'How to Read Schematic Diagrams' by Donald Herrington 11:36 The Man in the Flying Lawn Chair, by George Plimpton (New Yorker link)  12:22  Roqsolid amp covers (link); Vengeance 13:52 New to our Patreon: Listener Nick reads the Jack Darr (link) 15:30 The use of ferrite beads, redux; inductors versus capacitors  18:20 A love for logging trucks; the Gretsch Fury, a not-quite-stereo-amplifier 24:00 The amp-related plotline on the fourth episode of Poker Face on Peacock  25:10 Polarized electrolytic caps; using a dual-shaft concentric pot on a '65 Gibson Scout GA-17RVT to avoid drilling a new hole; musician Seth Walker    30:21 Installing a switch to bypass the whole reverb circuit on a clone 1965 Princeton Reverb clone 34:12 Ampeg VT-40 60 cycle hum, even in standby 39:40 Skip's steak street tacos; Tortillaland tortillas; Rancho Gordo beans (link) 46:19 SOLVED: James' 1967 Twin Reverb with diminished volume, could this mistake be a desired mod? 53:38 Whacking a transformer with a hammer 55:40 Could you build an extension cab with a field coil speaker that has its own power supply so you can use it with any amp? 1:01:31 Seeking a budget hi-fi rig for classic country; Mezzetta garlic-stuffed olives; cream cheese-filled eggrolls, Granzella's Restaurant in California 1:08:08 Dutch kale in heavy cream; using a thermal camera to diagnose faulty amp parts, puppies as relationship testers; thermometer guns This week's episode is sponsored by Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars. You can also use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase. Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise and don't forget to get a subscription to the Fretboard Journal (link). Digital subscriptions start at just $30. Want to register for our Fretboard Summit? Here's a link.  There's a giant index page with nearly all the former topics we've discussed in our first 100+ episodes found here.  Submit your amp questions, recipes, and life hacks to  podcast@fretboardjournal.com and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media.

Episode 109: A long build-up to the amp troubleshooting, but plenty to discuss, including a new puppy, the realities of vintage guitar shows, grandmothers getting run over by reindeer, and ferrite beads. Some of the topics discussed this week: :34 Meet Junior 5:59 Skip's report from the 2023 Bay Area Amigos Guitar Show; Dr. Elmo buys a Grez (Wikipedia link); the dangers of parking at a produce stand 23:26 This week's sponsors: Grez Guitars; Amplified Parts (Hammond products are currently on sale!); Iztotope (use Fret10 as your discount code); and our Patreon patrons. 24:38 Listener Nate sends Skip an autographed copy of the Jack Darr book 26:01 Why do we twist lead wires?, a 5U4 rectifier in a 1965 Deluxe Reverb, 'Heartworn Highways' 35:02 Fixing a broken, grounded plug 37:49 Seamless Joe from Italy, "Nature Boy" (Wikipedia link) 44:39 A Super Reverb with dying tremolo 48:20 5G cell tower interference and ferrite beads 52:14 Getting the sticker back on a vintage Fender footswitch 53:51 Improving the tone stack on a Harmony 420 59:42 Transformers for a 5C1 Champ build; to choke or not to choke 1:06:53 An EL84 Filmosound with a buzzing transformer 1:09:08 Junior has an accident 1:09:45 Why doesn't my Knight 93-320 PA head have a fuse? 1:11:32 Actual logging truck tales on 'Odd Lots' (Apple Podcasts link) 1:12:06 A Teisco/Checkmate/Northland Baffin III 1:15:35 Why is there an angry crackle on my Magnasync Moviola 1800 whenever I touch my guitar? 1:18:29 Toots & the Maytals cover "Country Roads Take Me Home" (YouTube link) 1:20:06 Why is my Bassman's plate voltage so high with this GZ34 tube? 1:22:33 Dolly Sinatra's pasta sauce (Edit: Duquesne is a town in PA, not a PA...stupid autocorrect!) Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise and don't forget to get a subscription to the Fretboard Journal (link). Digital subscriptions start at just $30. There's a giant index page with nearly all the former topics we've discussed in our first 108 episodes found here.  Submit your amp questions, recipes, and life hacks to  podcast@fretboardjournal.com and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media.

Episode 108: It's like a best-of episode, but totally new! Pre-amps, typewriters, too many kitchen hacks, transformer talk, Jason reads the tubes wrong, and we even get a little artsy!  Some of the topics discussed this week:  2:53 Does Skip want to see your amps right now? See Skip at the January 14-15, 2023 Amigo Bay Area Guitar Show 4:59 A Tweed Pro with a variable inverse feedback control knob  5:45 Lee Jeffriess in the Fretboard Journal's 51st issue (link); check out Jeffriess and John Munnerlyn performing "Blues for Earl" 11:22 The December 31 TAVA Seattle meetup (thanks for organizing, @liquidnyo); YouTube's jgflyback shows off his tube-powered clock (shaky Instagram Live footage) 13:50 This week's sponsors: Grez Guitars has a new long-scale bass!; Amplified Parts (Hammond products are currently on sale!); Iztotope (use Fret10!); AND Stringjoy Strings. Plus...Josh Scott (JHS) is coming to TAVA, the TAVA El Pato-Tone Practice amp (Reverb link), and our Patreon page 20:56 The resonance of a fully loaded turret board; mounting components in a head vs. combo; goop 28:25 Microphonics in a tube amp (the good kind); David Lindley (support him via t-shirt sales here) 30:04 Why were so many power transformers changed in the '70s and '80s?; Spokane, Washington; Jason's favorite noodle place in Spokane, Washington (link); a very-modified Gibson Les Paul Junior with a cooling fan 36:03 Typewriter keyboards; '80s Scottish cop show, 'Taggart' 39:58 Should I change the transformer on my Bruce Zinky Fender Prosonic head? the effect of an output transformer on tone 45:46 What's the deal with the Fender Bantam bass amp?; the oven instead of the range; ham and bacon end pieces 50:39 Reincarnating a dead Peavey Deuce II; putting a Vox-style preamp circuit on an amp with 6L6s; cheese quesadilla hacks 54:06 Fixing the uneven distortion on my Dad's Gibson GA-9 56:53 Why isn't my 1967 Fender Twin Reverb as loud as my other Twin Reverb? 1:00:05 Arts & Humanities corner: The Albert Barnes collection of post-modern art, 'Art of the Steal,' (link); Skip goes to Harvard, again; RIP poet Charles Simic (read "Stub of a Red Pencil" here)   1:04:06 Chopped onion, chickpeas, and black beans sauteed in a pan 1:06:18 What would you do with my Bogen CHA-33 PA head? coffee-roasted carrots (link) 1:12:13 Changing the pre-amp tube (and speaker) in an Epiphone Model 101  1:19:47 What to do with this 1953 Revere T-100 reel-to-reel?  1:31:48 Skip likes the new Fretboard Journal (issue 51, link)  Recorded January 10, 2023.  Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise and don't forget to get a subscription to the Fretboard Journal (link). Digital subscriptions start at just $30. There's a giant index page with nearly all the former topics we've discussed in our first 107 episodes found here.  Submit your amp questions, recipes and life hacks to the podcast via podcast@fretboardjournal.com and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media. 

Episode 107: The genius of Garnet founder "Gar Gillies," Fender reverb controls, fixing Magnatones, and more.  **Want to meet Skip? He'll be at the January 14-15, 2023 Amigo Bay Area Guitar Show with stuff to sell (and also picking up amps that need to be serviced).**  Some of the topics discussed this week:  3:00 Deluxe Amplification's El Pato Tone Amp (Reverb link)  7:19 El Pato, cottage cheese with salsa, Sacramento's music instrument lending library "MusicLandria" (link) 11:09 Silverface Champs: Change just the tone stock or also increase the value of the plate resistors, the Garnet book (link) 17:23 Speaker load revisited 21:25 A 12AU7 instead of a 12AT7 in a Princeton Reverb; gochujang Korean pepper paste, kimchi 26:45 Fender reverb unit controls, explained; hybrid Vox 7-series amps; the Aclam Dr. Robert pedal (link); impedance redux; the life of a vacuum tube 34:45 What's oozing out of Magnatone M-9's wires? 42:29 Why does my Pepco (Garnet! Canada!) amp use two 6AV6 tubes and only half a 12AX7, instead of a whole 12AX7 and a 6AV6? 46:18 Vintage bass amps for actual bass players? 56:01 16 or 18-gauge zip cord for speaker wire? heat shrink for splicing  This week's episode is sponsored by Calton Cases, Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars. You can also use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase. Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise and don't forget to get a subscription to the Fretboard Journal (link). Digital subscriptions start at just $30. There's a giant index page for nearly all the former topics we've discussed in our first 100 episodes found here.  Submit your amp questions, recipes and life hacks to the podcast via podcast@fretboardjournal.com and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media. 

Episode 106: No special guests, but plenty of amp questions answered and some recipes!  Some of the topics discussed:  1:01 It's good to be anxious 3:59 Our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/vintageamps 4:18 Any interest in a Seattle amp swap meet / hang on December 31? Message me at podcast@fretboardjournal.com. 4:49 Deluxe's TAVA-tribute El Pato-Tone 9-volt practice amp: Now available in the green El Pato can! (Reverb link) 7:51 Music recommendation: Thee Sinseers (NPR Tiny Desk concert link); The "5" Royales (YouTube link) 9:23 How is amp output affected by adding speakers? 12:39 Impedance vs resistance, revisited; phaser analysis; chicken curry 17:27 The Soursound transformers episode (link); when does the speaker deep dive happen?; amps with hybrid circuits; harpist Emily Hopkins (YouTube link), 8417 tubes 27:38 Netflix's new documentary, 'Travelin' Band: Creedence Clearwater Revival at the Royal Albert Hall' 30:45 Harp player Paul Oscher; Jontavious Willis' interview with Oscher on the Diddie Wah Diddie podcast (link) 33:34 Tips on extending wiring; a Western Electric Slice 37:06 Safe long-term storage of vintage amps; a Falcon discovered in the trunk of a car 40:23 What's the simplest tube reverb circuit? the Boss FRV-1 '63 Fender Reverb pedal, vintage Premier 90 Reverb tanks 45:38 'The How & Why of Guitar Tube Amps' by Gar Gillies (order: http://www.garnetamps.com/order_b.htm) 50:57 Now you have a third salad dressing 51:31 Is the speaker switch I made safe to use? Grits with smoked gouda 1:00:07 Buying a second-hand Mesa Boogie amp 1:04:02 What's the CSA Thermal Protector on a Fender Musicmaster Bass amp? 1:06:52 An Australian Philips PA conversion that won't stop popping and crackling; cathode resistors and plate load resistors 1:09:17 Three Marshall Super Lead heads, one that has ghosting; filter capacitance 1:18:35 Soup with kale and white beans 1:21:01 Yank magazine; a fancy tube tester (and a Heathkit signal generator) still available at Skip's; Rabbit Hole bourbon (link); Sherwood (British TV show); see Skip at the Marin Guitar Show (January 2023, link) This week's episode is sponsored by Calton Cases, Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars. You can also use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase. Support us on Patreon.com for added content and the occasional surprise and don't forget to get a subscription to the Fretboard Journal (link). Digital subscriptions start at just $30. There's a giant index page for nearly all the former topics we've discussed in our first 100 episodes found here.  Submit your amp questions, recipes and life hacks to the podcast via podcast@fretboardjournal.com and don't forget to share the show with friends on social media.