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06-23-2009, 03:23 AM
| #1 |
| Supporting Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Wellington NZ
Posts: 2,351
| Tube amp addiction, tube amp dyslexia and ECT
When you see me going off in some wrong direction (you know who 'you' are) I know you patiently say to yourself "it takes all kinds...", and I am thankful to the many diligent people on this BB who take the time to tirelessly correct the errors of my impetuous and foolhardy ways, when I get numbers mixed up and voltages mixed up. I'm thinking of starting a support group for sad addicts like myself. Not that I can see any point in personal reform (and even tho' I tend to need to learn the 'hard' way having gotten lucky with electro-convulsive therapy in the past (and I hope it stays in the past) and through repeated slip-ups). In lots of ways I blame music for making me dyslexic (or was it my dyslexia that made me infatuated with music? - I will probably never be able to work this out since I must be dyslexic). Whatever it was, it started me on the journey I am on, so in the best spirit of zen, it must be meant to be, so a-tube-amp-building we will go... If you need to talk about your addiction, please be my guest. (Now where is Oprah?)
__________________ Building a better world (one tube amp at a time) |
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06-23-2009, 02:02 PM
| #2 |
| Supporting Member  Join Date: May 2006 Location: Glasgow, Scotland
Posts: 2,413
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This is your support group. I'd like to humbly propose a 12-step program: 1. Admit you are powerless over amp tweaking. 2. Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves should restore us to sanity. 120 watts through a 4x12" should be enough power. 3. Made a decision to turn our will and lives over to excessive forum posting. 4. Made a searching and fearless inventory of our tube collection, and realised that there was still room for some more in the garage. Oh I give up, maybe someone else can think up some more.
__________________ "Transformerless is the way to go", said he, without a hint of irony. |
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06-23-2009, 02:54 PM
| #3 |
| Supporting Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Italy
Posts: 899
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That reminds me of an AA program  What about founding the TAAA ( Tube Amp Anonymous Addicts ) ? Uhm....I guess that wouldn't work.....the AA is made of people who want to QUIT something..... Cheers Bob
__________________ Foolproof equipment is hard to design, because fools are VERY ingenious... |
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06-24-2009, 12:41 AM
| #4 |
| Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Nashville TN
Posts: 31
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I've been trying to fight this thing by putting together yet another guitar (a thinline tele with a fat neck). I'm hoping it will be my Deluxe's new best friend. I'm not saying I've found a cure, but it does make feel better than buying yet another pedal did.
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06-24-2009, 07:00 AM
| #5 |
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have kids. then you won't be able to afford to build too many tube amps. ...but then you just turn to scrounging up parts at surplus stores and old hammond organ guts. I guess there is no cure.
__________________ Shiny package of rusted wreckage Fender Schematics Galore at http://ampedia.redbeartrading.com |
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06-24-2009, 09:31 AM
| #6 |
| Supporting Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Wellington NZ
Posts: 2,351
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Yep I've got 3 kids and I agree it sure doesn't make it any easier
__________________ Building a better world (one tube amp at a time) |
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06-24-2009, 10:48 AM
| #7 |
| Senior Member  Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Germany
Posts: 592
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I've tried that too (2 kids) and must say it's gotten worse since my time for the tube amps went to 'late at night' and the missing sleep don't make it better. Therefore and due to my eye circles I might look like an addict as well. And yes, Bob, I don't wanna QUIT either. BTW I still have 4 or 5 chassis' laying around. |
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06-24-2009, 03:06 PM
| #8 |
| Member  Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 69
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How can I quit? I haven't built one of everything yet.
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06-24-2009, 11:52 PM
| #9 |
| Member  Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: San Ramon, CA
Posts: 101
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Even the statement, "Coming to bed soon!" has an entirely new meaning as a result of my addiction.
__________________ Mandopicker |
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06-25-2009, 02:58 AM
| #10 | |
| Supporting Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Wellington NZ
Posts: 2,351
| Quote:
__________________ Building a better world (one tube amp at a time) | |
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06-25-2009, 03:20 AM
| #11 |
| Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: pacific north west
Posts: 1,224
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Thank goodness for this thread. I feel like I have kindred spirits all around the world. Just today I was at the dump. Where I live there is no garbage pickup so EVERYONE has to haul the trash to the dump. That means anyone from town could possibly have been there when THIS happened... I backed my van up to one of two enormous dumpsters where everyone throws in their garbage. I got out to unload and saw a five foot long piece of four fin aluminum channel about two inches wide. MY mind instantly registered "FREE HEAT SINK" and I began to twitch. It was just out of reach so I would have to step INTO the dumpster to retrieve it. It's not bad enough I'm going to take someone elses trash out of the dumpster in front of people I see every day, no, I'm going to have to get in the dumpster and take it out. This thought lasted about a nanosecond before I stepped in and retrieved my prize. It was perfect for a project I'm working on and I gleefully looked it over right there, shook off the odd liquid and goo and stuck it in my van. To make matters worse I was wearing my "work around the yard" rags. The overall appearance of myself dressed in stained tattered clothing and getting into a dumpster to take garbage for my own use in front of people in a small town HAD occured to me... But it took a backseat to my addiction. This kind of behavior is not at all unlike things I've seen crack heads and junkies do. Maybe it's time I admit I have a problem. Hi, My name is Chuck... |
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06-25-2009, 07:04 AM
| #12 | |
| Senior Member  Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Van Nuys, CA
Posts: 204
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__________________ "I'm quite serious when I say I don't think I ever remember being sane." - Marc Bolan http://www.detempleguitars.com | |
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06-25-2009, 08:13 AM
| #13 | |
| Supporting Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Italy
Posts: 899
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__________________ Foolproof equipment is hard to design, because fools are VERY ingenious... | |
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06-25-2009, 08:57 AM
| #14 | ||
| Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Germany
Posts: 592
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And BTW I've already built three strats. Quote:
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06-26-2009, 06:56 AM
| #15 |
| Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Nashville TN
Posts: 31
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You guys are so right about the guitars being part of the problem. Fiesta Red's got her eye on a SF Princeton Reverb and the little hardtail wants to kanoodle with Dan Huff's Bassman!
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06-26-2009, 08:52 PM
| #16 | |
| Supporting Member  Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 602
| Quote:
 Steve Ahola | |
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06-26-2009, 10:54 PM
| #17 |
| Member  Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Prince Edward County Ontario Canada
Posts: 42
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My wife told me I was getting too many guitars (there is no such thing) so I taught her how to play lap steel for an excuse to buy a half dozen more. Along the way I switched to amps. I have about twenty or so now. Two are solid state - a little Marshall stack that is just too cool looking and a tiny Vox Brian May - but all the rest are tubed and I have messed around to varying degrees with all of them. even built a Mojo 5E3. I got a 52 Gibsonette today and had to clear two ongoing projects ( a custom Kraft and a home brew) off my bench to check it out. I have it sounding pretty darn good already. I am just about out of room so I am not sure about ongoing treatment. Maybe a house addition?? |
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07-28-2009, 08:17 AM
| #18 |
| Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Germany
Posts: 592
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Sometimes I think it's getting worse. Cause everywhere I go I'm somehow reminded of this forum and therefore tube amps too (think of Lt. Frank Drebin). Look at the pic I took in southern France last week.
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07-29-2009, 02:15 AM
| #19 |
| Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Lansing, Michigan, USA
Posts: 9,266
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EEEEEK!! He's on to me... And don;t call me "Shirley."
__________________ Education is what you're left with after you have forgotten what you have learned. |
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07-29-2009, 02:37 AM
| #20 |
| Senior Member  Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: York Pa
Posts: 492
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It took me a solid minute of staring at that picture to get it. Here I am thinking "where the _____'s the tube?!". 
__________________ -Mike |
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