What is Reddit's opinion of Building Valve Amplifiers?

From 3.5 billion Reddit comments

I actually took a distance learning course in the foundations of electronics from Oxford Uni. From there I bought a few books - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0080966381/ and some more electronics for dummies style books.

Then I built some basic pedals with build-your-own kits, fuzzes and whatnot with low voltages, working with advice from a friendly amp tech where I live.

Then, you deviate from 99% of electronic engineering material out there by working with valve circuits (ludicrously obsolete for anything but this and a few very specific other applications.) I built a really simple valve pre-amp / pedal with a single 12AX7. Then I built a Bassman clone from Weber (where I fucked it by badly reading a circuit diagram, blew a transformer, and had to start again with a new one.) Then I started trying to futz with broken amps again with the help of a friendly amp tech to aid me in diagnosing shit. I still only really attempt pretty basic repairs (simpler recaps, revalves, part swaps etc.) after understanding what's wrong, I don't do very heavy mods like some people want (like sticking mega gain on a JMP / a Zener drop to reduce plate voltages on vintage amps and increase valve life) or full restorations. Anything above my level goes to my mentor dude.

It took me a long time to get safely competent, and I'm still not what I would consider good; you really need to know your fundamentals and how to safely test shit before you start fucking with valve amps, there are voltages in there that can very easily kill you. I am, however, totally obsessed with really loud amps and would do this for no money, so that helps. I'd love to be the next Ben Verellen one day.

The other side of it is I know sludge/doom/noise/post-metal stuff really well and the brands those players and bands go for, even for their "look at me playing cheap gear" irony value (I should note that the inverse is true and most people buy mega expensive amps that just make them sound like every other boring Joe Bonamassa worshipping Blues Dad, ugh), and sell those. I look for the less prestigious brands - Crate, Peavey, Laney etc., and fix those because it's easy to buy a busted ValveKing for £40 and sell it to some doom / noise nerd for £250. Or, sometimes you're just insanely lucky and find a Sunn Beta Lead or a lovely Hiwatt DR103 clone going for £40 / £100 on gumtree (my best two scores respectively.)

It's a lot of work for not a great amount of money, honestly. There are much easier hustles, but if you love guitars and loud amps, it's fucking great.