Where to start? Cheap, simple SS amp kits with walkthrough?

[sanooke]

There are many expensive tube amplifier kits online, but I'm looking for something VERY simple, and hopefully cheap. I'm not wanting to build a Deluxe Reverb clone or anything, but a simple low wattage solid state practice amplifier. I have my own speaker cabinets, so I only need a "head" of some sort. I'm not trying to build an amplifier to last ages, but something that will guide me through the building process and explain how each component is affecting the guitar signal. I have rudimentary understanding of transistors, capacitors, etc, but not how to apply them or how they change an audio signal.

Thanks to poster Steve Conner's suggestion from another thread, this amplifier looks simple and cheap enough to build:

Beavis Audio Research

But, how do I get started with building the Noisy Cricket based on this schematic? It looks simple enough but I don't know where to really start.

Perhaps it would be easier to start with guitar pedals, but the kits available form BYOC and other companies are basically instructions on where to solder included components, and don't look they'd do much for actually learning fundamental electrical theory and application of each component.

Any guidance on where to start tinkering and one day, building my own amplifiers and audio electronics (DIs, mic preamps, etc) would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[Enzo]

Kits are good for learning about circuit assembly, they are not the best thing to learn how the circuits work, at least in my opinion. Most kits don't include any theory of operation. But circuits are circuits, and all amps pretty much work the same way, so circuit explanations for one amp often apply to other amps. Oh within limits of course.

Just hop in and start doing stuff. There is tutorial material available to learn about circuits, and kit building or repairing existi9ng stuff helps learn about how things are made and helps learn to identify components.

[sanooke]

Kits are good for learning about circuit assembly, they are not the best thing to learn how the circuits work, at least in my opinion. Most kits don't include any theory of operation. But circuits are circuits, and all amps pretty much work the same way, so circuit explanations for one amp often apply to other amps. Oh within limits of course.

Just hop in and start doing stuff. There is tutorial material available to learn about circuits, and kit building or repairing existi9ng stuff helps learn about how things are made and helps learn to identify components.

Thanks for the response. Would you have any suggestions on cheaper, low-wattage solid state kits? I mostly see 50+ watt tube amplifiers, and for my first project, that seems excessive as well as very expensive. Perhaps tube amplifiers would be fine, but something with around 5-10 watts to keep down cost and size would be perfect.

[Enzo]

I am sure there are various small solid state kits, I myself am not aware of them though. That is outside my area.

n looking through the Cricket article, I saw a wiring layout for a small experimenters circuit board from Radio Shack. That might be a place to start, the amps there were prtty basic, shouldn;t be hard to build.

[loudthud]

I don't think there are any solid state amp kits available. The closest you can come are circuit boards, some with parts kits, but nothing on the level of the tube amp kits from Mojo and Weber. Those "Vintage Style" kits usually have a nice professionally done chassis, a nice Tolex or tweed covered case and good speakers. One exception is the "Mod" kit available from TubesandMore.com. It is just a metal chassis, still nicely done however.

I think the reason for no solid state kits is that they would be as expensive as a finished product. Things can be manufactured in large quantites and with low offshore labor cost. A tube amp kit can be sold for less than a hand wired amp could be manufactured. Fender still tries to compete with their vintage look PCB tube amps. These don't have the appeal of true vintage amps, but are marketed as low cost alternatives. Peavey and Marshall tube amps are similar with some up-market offerings. Fender Custom Shop models are up-market.

So, where do you start? The best option is to find an old solid state guitar amp and rip the guts out. You may be able to salvage the power transformer if it is about the same power as what you want to build. Then you need a solid state kit for the power amp and one for the preamp. Short of that, you have to improvise the chassis. There are some offerings for empty boxes that can be found, many are made from light gauge metal that is too flimsy. A rack mount chassis might make a good alternative. Kevin O'Connor suggests this in his TUT books.