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Where to begin?

Started by joecool85, January 31, 2011, 02:15:10 PM

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joecool85

So you're new to electronics and want to start building your own effects, amplifiers, guitars or repairing your old gear...where do you start?

Here of course!

If you don't have much prior electronics experience, I recommend reading this before you get too into things: http://sound.westhost.com/beginners.htm

If you do know basic electronics (how capacitors, resistors and diodes work at least), I recommend getting your feet wet with a basic project like RunoffGroove.com's Little Gem.  It is a 1/2w amp that runs on a 9v battery.  It's simple to put together and also makes an excellent "pocket amp."  I built one into a small clip-on radio that I got for $1 USD - now I can rock all around the house!

After you feel comfortable with that if you want to pursue a "real" amp I would highly recommend building a chip amp kit.  These are offered from several places, are easy to build, are normally very well designed and aren't too expensive either.

MusicPCB.com offers a TDA7240A kit called the Tiny Giant (20watts RMS) that includes a built-in preamp so you can run your guitar straight into it.  For $18 this is the best deal I've ever seen for a quality kit like this.

Chipamp.com offers LM1875 (20watts RMS) and LM3886 (50wRMS) stereo and dual mono kits.  Stereo kits have two amplifier boards that share a single power supply board.  Dual mono kits have two amplifier boards and two power supply boards, this allows you to build two separate amps if you so choose.
Life is what you make it.
Still rockin' the Dean Markley K-20X
thatraymond.com

crowhue

Thanks for the help. Im a guitar player of 20+ years but a total dimbo when it comes to electrics. Ive done a bit of soldering to do basic repairs but mostly by copying whats there already without really understanding the logic of circuits. It would be great to get a better understanding of guitar and amp electrics to repair with confidence!  :)
What's the future of your local Guitar Shop? Good article on why you should support it.

DiverDown

LOL if i didn't already have 6 none working amps i would get one of those 20watt chip amps. i work at a music store moving pianos, but what i want to do is take over the guitar side when our current guy retires. he's a guitar repair tech, and i'm learning what i can from him in that side of my goal. but he know squat about amps past the tubes and transformers and so do i. so i get the warranty repair amps that the company doesn't want us to bother shipping to them. they'll just send a replacement. but i usually don't know where to start. lol

lurkalot

Quote from: joecool85 on January 31, 2011, 02:15:10 PM

After you feel comfortable with that if you want to pursue a "real" amp I would highly recommend building a chip amp kit.  These are offered from several places, are easy to build, are normally very well designed and aren't too expensive either.


Just to add to this, hope it's ok to post a link?  These any good? http://www.ampmaker.com/store/

Estomagado

Quote from: joecool85 on January 31, 2011, 02:15:10 PM
So you're new to electronics and want to start building your own effects, amplifiers, guitars or repairing your old gear...where do you start?

Here of course!

If you don't have much prior electronics experience, I recommend reading this before you get too into things: http://sound.westhost.com/beginners.htm

If you do know basic electronics (how capacitors, resistors and diodes work at least), I recommend getting your feet wet with a basic project like RunoffGroove.com's Little Gem.  It is a 1/2w amp that runs on a 9v battery.  It's simple to put together and also makes an excellent "pocket amp."  I built one into a small clip-on radio that I got for $1 USD - now I can rock all around the house!

After you feel comfortable with that if you want to pursue a "real" amp I would highly recommend building a chip amp kit.  These are offered from several places, are easy to build, are normally very well designed and aren't too expensive either.

MusicPCB.com offers a TDA7240A kit called the Tiny Giant (20watts RMS) that includes a built-in preamp so you can run your guitar straight into it.  For $18 this is the best deal I've ever seen for a quality kit like this.

Chipamp.com offers LM1875 (20watts RMS) and LM3886 (50wRMS) stereo and dual mono kits.  Stereo kits have two amplifier boards that share a single power supply board.  Dual mono kits have two amplifier boards and two power supply boards, this allows you to build two separate amps if you so choose.
Rod Elliot's site is on a new location:

http://sound.whsites.net/beginners.htm

Tubes suck!