DIY Discrete Solid State Guitar Amp

[branko_76]

I'm relatively new to electronics so would like to use this as a learning project. I've restored a number of early transistor & tube audio amps and one SS guitar amp. Have dmm, oscilloscope, sg, soldering station, etc.

Are there any amps out there I can clone or are there any tried and true schematics available that I can use?

My goals are:

all discrete circuit (no op-amps, IC's, etc.)

10-20 watts (+-)

treble & bass controls

capacitor coupled output

thanks in advance

[aquataur]

From your words I deduce that you want to build a musical instrument amplifier, not a HiFi unit.
10 Watts is nothing for a MI amplifier. Although the power itself is not the restriction, it is the lack of headroom.

SS amps clipped sound awful. A 10W tube amp can create the appearance of being of much higher wattage due to the compression and benign clipping, which most of the time goes unnoticed.

Your description fits SS amplifiers from the past, such as early John Linsley-Hood class-A designs. He was designing for HiFi, and even he, at a later time, went to higher wattage push-pull designs.

You create the impression of believing that discrete design is less demanding - it is not. In fact the contrary is the case, worsened by the fact that op-amp design is better understood today than discrete.

Schematics are around, but be aware that this is only half the story. PCB and other layout is ultra critical with power amps. The components reach up into the MHz range, and they can and will oscillate vigorously if you are not experienced, most time leading to immediate self-destruction. This can hinge on simple things like two tracks running in parallel for a length. This reaches deeply into HF design, where other rules apply, and they are not forgiving.

For a newcomer into that field, this is a very ambitious endeavor.
If you are determined, be at least prepared for harsh set-backs.

[branko_76]

Thanks for the response.

Yes, I would like to build a guitar amp. What inspired me was an old Univox SS amp I found recently, it has all of the attributes I mentioned except it has a "tone" control and I would like separate bass and treble. I suppose I could build a clone of it (I have the schematic) but would like some options.