Banana Jack Amp Kit - No-solder Amplifier Kit on Kickstarter

[g1]

My point about the safety was not so much in agreement with him, just wondering about the legal issues. The diy amp kits meet UL or appropriate approval don't they? Or do they get around that somehow?

[dai h.]

seems a bit cynical and insulting to general human intelligence. Sort of says, "you are dummies, but *I* can help interface between the weirdo nerds and their convoluted technology for 'X' $$$". (How much would they actually be? And would they actually be inexpensive as implied/promised?)

Personally I think he either is mad or (probably) a Con man, who knows what a lot of Musicians would love to do so he solicits money.
Already U$1500 or so (not bad) and he mightn meet his much higher goal.

Will he actually make them commercially?

Doubt so.

(Maybe I'm being cynical, but those would be some of my suspicions as well. Does he need $39,000 for something else?)

(from the web page: )

Which means you can not only build your own amp

so these plastic modules(put together successfully) is actually going to be some guitar player's idea of a "dream amp"? And they are going to do what? Carry them around like this? (Anyway, probably more holes in the logic on that page.)

[g1]

He needs the money to come up with the $64,000 he's going to pay Dawkins .
(https://fivepublicopinions.wordpress...rzeppas-money/)

[The Dude]

My point about the safety was not so much in agreement with him, just wondering about the legal issues. The diy amp kits meet UL or appropriate approval don't they? Or do they get around that somehow?

I've not seen any kit UL listed. I have only a tiny bit of experience dealing with UL when I was putting up a sign for my business years ago. I was told at that time that the sign had to be inspected and approved by UL after it was assembled by the sign shop (at a hefty fee of course). Using that criteria, I don't see how any sort of kit could be approved pre assembly. My assumption (and it's only an assumption) is that, when a kit is sold, it is sold as a pile of parts and not a working piece of electronic equipment, therefore not requiring any sort of compliance with anything.

[Enzo]

UL listing is not a rquirement. Not in the USA. It is something you can get for your product, but it is not necessary. People look for it though, so it would help sales, but really, how many kids wandering into Guitar Center amp shopping look for UL certification.

Now if the thing burns your house down, the insurance people might beef that you did not have an approved appliance. But that is up to you.

[The Dude]

Unless your talking lighted business signs! My city requires it............and of course makes you pay for it!

[g1]

In the US retailers can sell amps that do not meet some kind of safety certification?
We have CSA and I don't think you can sell stuff that does not meet that or some equivalent. At least not new stuff. Don't the manufacturers have to meet UL or something?

[Enzo]

No. But it makes sense to get it. it is very expensive. Small manufacturers could never afford it.

If someone complains and they can show your product is dangerous, they can take you off the market. Like auto recalls. But that isn;t the same thing. A product is not inherently dangerous just because it lacks a rating.

[Alan0354]

I think this is more dangerous than the amp kits. People look at the amp kit, they know it's not for the weak of heart and it's not going to be for kids to learn electronics. This product looks like lego!!! My first thought was that might be fun to learn for kids, but then I think about it, the banana plugs carry HV. Also, if you plug in wrong holes, sparks might fly also.

This make HV looks to like child's play and it's not good.

Speaking of HV and danger, Some times when a new member come and ask for help, we really need to find out what level of electronic knowledge the person has before giving them advice. It's common sense for us is not at all common sense for some people. I don't know the liability thing on this forum. In another Strat talk forum, people really careful in giving advice. For regulars here, it's no problem. But for new member, we better be careful, don't cause the forum to shut down!!! there's not too many of this kind of technical forums.

[g1]

No. But it makes sense to get it. it is very expensive. Small manufacturers could never afford it.

If someone complains and they can show your product is dangerous, they can take you off the market. Like auto recalls. But that isn;t the same thing. A product is not inherently dangerous just because it lacks a rating.

Wow. Did not know that. When I worked in a retail store shop, we sometimes had to bring a shipment of imports up to spec, then the inspectors would come to check and put the sticker on. Thorough checks too. Otherwise we could not sell them.
The separate screw for AC ground wire kind of stuff, foil in the cab top where the chassis was, etc.

[Enzo]

But that is Canada. We ain't there here.

I used to work in the arcade industry Wall outlets were often at a premium, and I appreciated certain brands of game with long power cords. A 15 foot cord would usually reach an outlet. But the Atari games all came with 6 foot cords. At a service seminar I asked about that. They told me that in Canada, arcade games could not have a power cord longer than 6 feet, so they met that spec in all their games. If I recall, not only could the power cord be no longer than 6 feet, but it had to plug directly into the wall outlet, no extension cords.

[g1]

And in spite of all that, we still probably pay way more for fire insurance than you .

[Gerry Rzeppa]

Just curious. What do you think of this?

I think it's a great idea. But then I would.

[Gerry Rzeppa]

I see the same kind of trend in all the kids' "building" toys. The pieces are so specialized and large thay t you can only use it for the purpose it was intended for i the origonal set. In other words, there's not a whole lot of creativity and "building whatever your imagination gives you" anymore. Hell, I'll take wood blocks or Tinker Toyz over any modern Lego set...

That trend bothers me as well. It's much better to make many different things from a few basic components than to have specialized components for everything. I've tried (and continue to try) to make our Banana Jack modules as few in number and as generic as possible (like using identical modules for both pre- and intermediate amps; using identical modules for both volume and gain controls; etc). But there are practical limits with valve circuits.

Is this amp configurable in more than one way?

It is intended to be so, yes. We're hoping to produce different tone stacks that can be placed in different places in the circuit, different plug-compatible power amp modules, etc.

Nifty idea, but finish the product BEFORE putting it on the market and issuing updates later!

That's exactly what we're hoping to do. Kickstarter is not a place to market finished products; it's a place to raise funds for the further development of concepts and prototypes.

Edit: I'm a nerd? ... I prefer the title Mad Scientist myself. Nerds have no sense of adventure. MY creations help guys go out and get chicks! Just kidding on that last part...

I wouldn't joke about nerds if I wasn't one myself. One has to be careful that way with N-words...

[Gerry Rzeppa]

Oh, wait a sec, is this the same Gerry Rzeppa I found on the Google?
I liked the "most helpful customer review" of his book on amazon: "painfully obtuse"

Yes, one and the same.