Design and Construction of Tube Guitar Amplifiers

Written for musicians, amp builders, and tube audio enthusiasts, Design and Construction of Tube Guitar Amplifiers provides a complete yet easy-to-understand explanation of how to design, modify, construct, and test tube amps. It is intended as a companion to Design and Construction of Guitar and Bass Speaker Systems. Profusely illustrated, the book uses graphic aides and basic algebra and scientific principles to teach you everything you need to know to fully understand tube guitar amp technology from both technical and musical perspectives. Chapter 1 introduces basic audio engineering concepts used in tube amps, which are used throughout the book. Chapter 2 teaches you how to design and interconnect all of the five stages in a basic amplifier. You also learn how changes in the design of a stage affect its performance. Chapter 3 discusses distortion, overdrive, tremolo, reverberation, and effect loop design. Chapter 4 shows you how to select the components you need to build an amp, how to mount and interconnect the components, and how to test, adjust, and troubleshoot an amplifier.