# Building a Basic Tube Amp - Costs



## THRobinson (Jun 29, 2014)

Hey guys, I was thinking it would be kinda fun to maybe build a good/basic tube amp... 15-25w range 2x12 type deal. Or a head but prefer combo. I looked at some kits that were around $900CAD and nope, that's not for me. 

Has anyone here ever build one off schematics from online? and sourced your own parts?

How much (how cheap) can a DIY amp cost to make?

Gain, Treble, Bass, Vol, Reverb... Gain, Tone, Vol, Reverb... something like the Bugera maybe? I like the Marshall/Vox stuff... something along those lines.

Excluding the wood/speakers... can it be done somewhat cheap? anyone have a good beginners diagram they recommend?


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## Latole (Aug 11, 2020)

I have a lot of experience building amps and I am an electronics technician by training.

For someone who has never built (small) electronics kits, I would advise against starting with an amp, especially a complex amp like the one mentioned.
Even a well made amp kit with good instructions does not make up for the lack of experience that will result in a poorly functioning amp.

The cost? In my opinion there is no saving compared to a comparable model found on kijiji for example.
And you can test the amp before.


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## Latole (Aug 11, 2020)

Hoffman Princeton Reverb
More here: 


https://el34world.com/Hoffman/files/Hoffman_PrincetonReverb.pdf


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## THRobinson (Jun 29, 2014)

Hmm... that doesn't look too bad... it's a shame, my Dad was building tube amps in the 60's as a hobby. By the time I was old enough to be interested in that stuff, he was too old to teach it anymore. 

Diagrams like that are nice... looking at the other diagrams, the black and white ones done in proper format, nope... not a clue what's happening. Spent yesterday scratching my head over some Hagstrom schematics because kinda a mess and 3 versions out there, but finally redrew that like above to make it easier.

Not finding anything yet for Marsall/Vox like that. No Bulgera diagrams at all. Big list though.


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## Latole (Aug 11, 2020)

Hoffman have Marshall like layouts.


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## THRobinson (Jun 29, 2014)

Latole said:


> Hoffman have Marshall like layouts.


I mean like the image you attached... easy to read, colour layout. Some of the ones on there are so low-res I doubt anyone can read them. 

I don't know amps very well... rare I ever use one. I know I like the sound of the UK stuff, which is why I say Marshall/Vox... but also know my nephew likes the same thing, and likely will end up with the amp some day.


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## THRobinson (Jun 29, 2014)

Oh hey... Orange Tiny Terror... 1 switch, 3 knobs, 20watts... schematic isn't the pretty colour one like you posted, but, it's clear and readable... would you think this is maybe decent for a beginner?



https://el34world.com/charts/Schematics/files/Orange/Orange_tiny_terror.pdf


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## Latole (Aug 11, 2020)

THRobinson said:


> would you think this is maybe decent for a beginner?



What is a beginner for you ?
To me, if you never solder AND never built electronical stuff like some small guitars effects, don't start with a amp.
Building a amp it's more than just putting pieces together . Wires layout / dress is very important and it is not show on the layout


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## RBlakeney (Mar 12, 2017)

It’s not a cheap hobby, the more you do yourself the cheaper it is.
if you haven’t built an amp start with an old tweed fender circuit.


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## THRobinson (Jun 29, 2014)

Latole said:


> What is a beginner for you ?
> To me, if you never solder AND never built electronical stuff like some small guitars effects, don't start with a amp.
> Building a amp it's more than just putting pieces together . Wires layout / dress is very important and it is not show on the layout


I think too pricey for me anyways... I can solder, and follow very basic blueprints. Self taught but also a skill I rarely used but always wish I knew more.

I have repaired a few monitors, an amp (solid state) and basics like that. I do have a good collection of parts I built up because I have about 3 pedals I wanted to build. I planned to start with those but, wanted to research now to see if amps were do-able and well, price... like that Orange Tiny Terror... does that look like $100, $300, $500? to build? that's more what I was looking for.


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## Paul Running (Apr 12, 2020)

Get a hold of a early-model PA amp like a Bogen CHB10, there's one on eBay for about $50. They convert well to a guitar amp. There's lots of info on the net from people who have done it.









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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

Get something from Trinity. They have color diagrams. If you can see the drawing you can make it. And Trinity has Steve who is the best guy to have for customer service. Ask him anything and he'll get back to you within 24 hours. But they are pricey.


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## Granny Gremlin (Jun 3, 2016)

THRobinson said:


> I think too pricey for me anyways... I can solder, and follow very basic blueprints. Self taught but also a skill I rarely used but always wish I knew more.
> 
> I have repaired a few monitors, an amp (solid state) and basics like that. I do have a good collection of parts I built up because I have about 3 pedals I wanted to build. I planned to start with those but, wanted to research now to see if amps were do-able and well, price... like that Orange Tiny Terror... does that look like $100, $300, $500? to build? that's more what I was looking for.


The iron and chassis alone will cost you over 100. From there it largely depends on component selection and finishing details. You can save a lot by using a chassis donor or buying a plain chassis and machining/labeling it yourself, not insisting on orange drops/mustards/etc everywhere, same with resistors - not insisting on carbon comps everywhere and getting no name metal film/metal oxides (for higher power ratings) from Tayda (I've used them; they're fine - carbon comps are 'dirtier' in a cool way, but can also be noisy especially in some positions - not sure I'd ever use them again as metal film is more reliable with tighter tolerances and quieter). Not using tolex but stain/paint (truck bed liner is cool and rugged), or alt fabrics (what's on sale at yer local Fabricland - I used a heavy canvas type stuff on an 8x10 I built years ago) even if laquered, building your own cabinet, etc. I've even fabricated my own chassis from alu sheet before (not for a tube amp - smaller solid state amp for a boom box I made). The tradeoff is time. A lot more time. Sourcing, deciding etc, but ostensibly that would be an enjoyable part of the process to you or you'd just get a kit, because otherwise time is money anyway.

I've been building pedals and other things for years, my fist tube amp was a scratch build (and not a straight up copy of anything to boot) and it took me 4 years to troubleshoot it. That was a mistake but I learned a lot in the end. So definitely build up those pedals you have in the project queue first; you can research and plan in the mean time. You're going to need the confidence and primer/refresher on basic troubleshooting skills. Then build a signal probe and a cap drain tool and a current limiter before you start with a high voltage tube amp.

A 5F1 champ is the classic place to start - doesn't get simpler than that. There are also a number of well documented simple enhancements and plenty of circuit analyses so you can really learn what's going on in there.

Examples: ditch the tube rectifier for sand (there's not much cool 'sag' to be had in such a low power single ended amp anyway; also cheaper), better filtering (just bigger filter caps - like a standard JJ 20/20/40 can vs the original Champ values, which will actually save you some money in the bargain - those values cost more because we can do better now vs all they had back then - the only people who use them still are people building 'authentic' 5F1s; multi cap cans are also neater and take up less space), upping the cathode resistor bypass caps from 22/25 to 50 (same price). All of those things are improvements Gar Gillies used in Garnets. Those all apply to bigger/more complex amps as well and just changing for bigger values won't make things weird like adding whole new features can/probably will. Then there's this guy who did most of the above but then went to town: Building a tube amp Fender Champ 5f1 model copy (do resist going off the beaten path like I did - you can always add/change things later - get it up and running first or you'll end up like I did... I mean sure it works now but damn that was troublesome).

You can learn a lot from this pic alone:









Go through it even if you're not building a 5F1; everything applies to other amps as well.


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## Granny Gremlin (Jun 3, 2016)

Paul Running said:


> Get a hold of a early-model PA amp like a Bogen CHB10, there's one on eBay for about $50. They convert well to a guitar amp. There's lots of info on the net from people who have done it.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I have a Bogen CH-33. Great amp and I haven't modified it at all besides 1/4" jacks for the inputs (they are LoZ inputs, but I have a couple instruments with LoZ pickups and I can still run mics through it). Sometimes I even run a regular HiZ intrsument through it and its cool - everything after 1 on the gain knob is dirt, and very cool dirt too.


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## Lincoln (Jun 2, 2008)

I've done what you want to do, and like others have said, it's not cheap. Even a 5F1 Champ will set you back about $300 in materials. Your Princeton Reverb will cost you between $400 & $500 depending on how resourceful you are. 

Although I've never used a kit, I can see the advantage of a kit is having everything you need in one box. Otherwise you build up or accumulate a large supply of parts. Are you going to build one amp or 20 amps? If you only want to do it once, probably better off with a kit.

Do your homework, get a complete material list for the amp you want to build to shop from. Feel free to start a conversation with me on the subject. I love PR's and I have all sorts of links and sellers I can supply you with.


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## Lincoln (Jun 2, 2008)

THRobinson said:


> Hmm... that doesn't look too bad... it's a shame, my Dad was building tube amps in the 60's as a hobby. By the time I was old enough to be interested in that stuff, he was too old to teach it anymore.
> 
> Diagrams like that are nice... looking at the other diagrams, the black and white ones done in proper format, nope... not a clue what's happening. Spent yesterday scratching my head over some Hagstrom schematics because kinda a mess and 3 versions out there, but finally redrew that like above to make it easier.
> 
> Not finding anything yet for Marsall/Vox like that. No Bulgera diagrams at all. Big list though.


check this link out
Rob Robinette


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## Latole (Aug 11, 2020)

Rob Robinette have great information. 
Too much for a beginner ?


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## Paul Running (Apr 12, 2020)

Bogen Chalenger tubes' amp $40, Cornwall


It is a tubes amp seller said to me Log into Facebook




www.guitarscanada.com


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## Mutant_Guitar (Oct 24, 2021)

I don't know hand from foot in this field, but try working out this stuff in MultiSim, even when you do have all the parts ready to go. That's the only money saving tip I can give you. At least this way you may be able to better keep track of what might happen if you apply your thinking/strategy without having to blow anything up.


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## telle-tom (Nov 8, 2021)

When I started off working on amps, I purchased a used tube amp. It was only $300 and I thought I could modify it and tinker around with it. I ended up installing and trying out many different mods over several years. I even swapped out power transformer and tried different OT, different tone stacks, speakers etc. In the end, I sold the amp (original chassis) and a different cab for $800. The amp I bought back then was a 65 BF Princeton.

I later took the original power and output transformer and original cabinet and got a princeton turret board from hoffman and rebuilt the princeton. I use it regularly and its a great sounding amp.


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