What are /r/ToobAmps' favorite Products & Services?

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mono price 15 watt amp with a 12” Celestion, it has an effects loop, reverb tank (probably could use an upgrade honestly) should run you about $200

https://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-611815-Amplifier-Celestion-Speaker/dp/B016JDJE9E

Are you properly grounding the amp and is your house properly grounded?

You can get something like this on amazon for pretty cheap to test your outlets.

You should check this book out:

https://www.amazon.com/Inside-Tube-Amps-Modification-Amplifiers-ebook/dp/B01M3PQR5M/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3QYSDT54HSISA&dchild=1&keywords=inside+tube+amps+dan+torres&qid=1619138853&sprefix=inside+tube+%2Caps%2C224&sr=8-3

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It's weirdly edited but really informative.

Please buy concert ear plugs for playing that loud. Yours and my hearing are not invincible. In 10 years you will probably have noticed your hearing change.

I recommend these. They are comfortable and are EQ balanced so they don't sound muffled. When I play loud I actually prefer wearing them. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VPRCS1S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_uE5cGb8SXHBM1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

It’s gonna have to be 50 feet then like this. I’m unsure of the lengths and specs. It would be plugging into my Furman directly to one grounded outlet from bedroom.

Thing is…is this too long for that and safe for the Furman with the devices plugged in. Mac mini, screen, usb adaptor to Mac, apogee Rosetta 200, api lunchbox with 4 modules, then one Fender Tube amp.

https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Heavy-Prong-Extension/dp/B077GFBGRS?th=1&psc=1

Thanks for this. Would this adapter work? I'm in the UK, so don't really want to order something from US

https://www.amazon.co.uk/female-coupler-adapter-Amplifier-Speaker/dp/B097CVGJ1Y/ref=sr\_1\_4?crid=2TRMY6SFZKJVX&keywords=TS+Female+to+Female+Coupler&qid=1660827681&sprefix=ts+female+to+female+coupler%2Caps%2C60&sr=8-4

make a spacer to ensure that the speaker surround is not banging into the baffle.

I cut out a circle from cork tile for one amp.

And bought spacers for a different one.

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The sound in your amp really sounds like the speaker travel is longer than the existing gasket. YMMV!!!

I use a Weller WS81 station, but it's been replaced by this digitally controlled model, close to $100. I love the analog version I've been using for almost 10 years: https://www.amazon.com/Weller-WE1010NA-Digital-Soldering-Station/dp/B077JDGY1J

I will always manually drain the filter caps, 100% of the time. I think I'll inline splice and cover with heat shrink--I'm watching videos on the good way to solder stranded wire.

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the screwdriver thing is this--https://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B00PXU3HPC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Is it not good?

I have the 1000v rated alligator clips and a 1000v rated multimeter. I just don't quite know how to find the hot on the power cable. I'm 90% sure it's the brown. Maybe I'll alligator clip the blue wire and then plug in the chord to the wall. I'm feeling a little less confident about measuring the power cable plugged into the wall, when the cables aren't connected to anything. I think I might just assume the blue is neutral and bring the amp up super slow on the variac.

and for when I take all the measurements, I will alligator clip to the ground star( can't I do it from the chassis too?) then one hand in the pocket, my running shoes, and use the red to take the measurements. That sounds about right no?

Thanks for taking the time to write!

So the chassis is a big piece of metal that can act sort of as a heat sink in this scenario.

You need to really hit it with a lot of heat and that heat needs a large surface area to actually melt that big blob. A standard thin pencil or chisel tip iron isn’t going to cut it. You’ll actually end up damaging the component attached to the blob by using an underpowered iron because you’ll hold that heat on for far longer trying to melt the blob and while the blob doesn’t melt, it’s still going to transfer the heat being applied through to anything connected to it. Which means the component is going to receive high heat for a long period of time and get roasted.

When you use an iron capable of actually throwing the heat needed to melt such a blob on a chassis it’s more heat but for a far shorter period of time so the solder blob melts before the damaging level of heat gets to the component. Think of it like searing a steak. You use high heat, the outside of the steak gets a nice crust quickly while the middle stays rare. If you were to keep it on lower heat for longer, you end up cooking all the way through.

For this purpose I use something like this tip mated to a body that can deliver higher wattage like this

This setup has a nice big surface area and can get up to around 1300deg F if I remember correctly. Makes short work of the job without damaging your components.

You need a bit more than 40 watts, but the tip is the most important. The big tip will ensure the chassis doesn't suck all the heat out of it immediately. You want something like this with the large chisel tip pictured.
https://www.amazon.com/Weller-SP80NUS-80-Watts-Soldering-Iron/dp/B00B3SG796/ref=sr\_1\_1?adgrpid=1338106214272055&hvadid=83631877537453&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=97257&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvtargid=kwd-83631978748039%3Aloc-...

They're really not. I do all my chassis work with this. Works like a breeze with the large chisel tip pictured, and it's under $30. Way more maneuverable than a gun. Not every amp is going to be as spacious as an old Fender. Also, you won't need anything close to 200 Watts if you use the right tip.
https://www.amazon.com/Weller-SP80NUS-80-Watts-Soldering-Iron/dp/B00B3SG796

You can do this, if you're going to use your amp as a clean pedal platform. Create the split with a JHS ABY or JHS Buffered Splitter and then bring them back together with a JHS Summing Amp.

So, just find an amp with a tone stack you like, which is loud enough for your venue. Then, spend another $200 for the utility pedals from JHS.

Cheap answer: Ehh... it be it's fine....

Less-Cheap answer: Get yourself an LRC meter and measure the primary inductance from the center tap to each end. It should be the same for each side, and probably around 100-1000mH.

https://www.amazon.com/Proster-Multimeter-Capacitance-Resistance-Inductance/dp/B071WNNYQT/ref=sr_1_4?crid=30VBQWB986LPZ&keywords=LCR+meter&qid=1647492225&sprefix=lcr+meter%2Caps%2C59&sr=8-4

I have this coupler plus a speaker cable and it’s never failed me. Clicks in good and strong.

I got a 4-pack of these barrel couplers on amazon a few years ago, I’ve been happy with them.

Not sure what the shipping situation is for Germany with those, but worth checking.

I used to use one of these powersoaks! For you amp it looks like you pretty much could use any of the amp Inputs on the PS, you just need to match the impedance on the amp with the same one on the PS. Either plug 16 to 16, 8 to 8, or 4 to 4. You can just use 16 to simplify since that’s what you’re already using.

And the amp speaker plug goes to the speaker Jack on the top right of the PS.

For my amp I needed to get an extension speaker cable because my amp speakers plug was not long enough to reach. I ended up buying a few couplers like these to connect 1/4” speaker cables together. Or Weber sells a female-to-male speaker cable

Raise the amp up off of the floor when micing for recording. When the amp is on the floor, half of your sound is bouncing off of the floor and causing phase cancellation in the microphone that makes your amp sound small. Raising the amp up off of the floor-like up on a chair-eliminates this. You will get a bigger, fatter tone.

Use less distortion than you think you need. Distortion is the enemy of clarity.

Get good quality headphones, bring them to the session, and trust what you hear. Microphones don’t lie or care about hype. If you need a really good pair of headphones that don’t cost too much, look at these.

Use less bass EQ than you think you need. Your band already has a bassist with more low end on tap than you ever will, trust him to do his job. Your band mix will thank you, as will the producer on the session

I have guitars with both. I have an HS tele with a humbucker that's really dark, and I'd been using an EQ pedal with the lows cut a bit and the midrange frequencies boosted to dial that out. After the amp upgrades I don't need to use my EQ for that anymore, which is nice.

When I was researching, the Jensen kept coming up. I ended up going with Green after reading some reviews from people who'd installed it in their Bugs. I wanted a bit more headroom so I went with the 8ohm over the 4. It upped the breakup point on the gain from 4 to 5 dry. Not alot, but better for me since I use OD pedals. Celestions are supposed to pair really well with this amp too, and I may pick one up at some point. The tubes I got were these.

For around $80 or less I'd say it's worth upgrading. Another option is to use the speaker out to run the amp into a cab with compatible impedence.

I Googled the manual, looks like any standard 2 channel foot switch with a 1/4” jack should work. Something like this https://smile.amazon.com/Hosa-FSC-385-Footswitch-Guitar-style-Dual-latching/dp/B000VXKUL0/ref=sr_1_5?crid=22OGI0K1NRX0V&keywords=2+channel+foot+switch&qid=1640318966&sprefix=2+channel+foot+switch%2Caps%2C80&sr=8-5 plus a cable.

Sure, three feet out. Wherever. It's more or less depending on positioning, but from anywhere. Even that close miced speaker will pick up something from the next speaker, and will hence have some phase cancellation.

From the Tube Amp Book

I could find you more sources too. This isn't some esoteric thing. Phase cancellation occurs when we hear any two or more sounds from different sources. It is especially noticeable from guitar speakers, because both (or more) speakers are producing either the same sound (if they're the same speakers) or very similar sounds (if they're different speakers), leading to much more potential phase cancellation than if you were listening to, say, a flute and a cello (where the phase cancellation would be totally irrelevant and meaningless).

Here's the thing. You can go ahead and call bullshit all you want, or you can stop and learn something. I'm not here to convince you of anything. If you wanna just call me an idiot and move on, that's fine with me, but phase cancellation is a real thing that is absolutely crucial to what makes a 2x12 sound like a 2x12 instead of a 1x12s. This isn't some outlandish claim I'm making. This is a basic principle about how sound waves work. There are some good explanations out there that show why it happens. It's interesting stuff, and I highly suggest you read up on it.

Solid advice. Over the past year I got a wild hair and bought multiple backups for every amp I use, either NOS stuff or tested/matched new sets from Tube Amp Doctor or TubeDepot. For what it's worth I've had good luck finding reasonable NOS RCA and GE rectifier tubes (5Y3 and 5U4) and 6V6 power tubes locally, but I'm in a large metro area. Good NOS 6L6 and EL34 tubes are crazy expensive though so I mostly have new tubes for those. I don't own any EL84 amps but my impression is that you might have to go new with those too. Also I highly recommend Soviet-era 6N2P tubes, which work as an 12AX7 substitute - you have to get a 9 pin "socket saver" adapter and carefully reroute a couple of pins to use them as the heater is 6.3V instead of 12V. The 6B2P-EV is the military grade version of that tube. I bought a box of 20 from some dude in Ukraine and whipped up some adapters for them, good stuff.

So here's the topo: I had a Line 6 M13 I loved very much in front of my amp when I thought I'd give it a go in the effects loop. I wasn't able to get enough volume from the fx loop so I just put it back in front of the amp until I eventually sold it.

Then I got a Source Audio Collider that I really wanted to run in the effects loop. Providing it has output level control (contrary to the M13) I thought volume output would be no biggie. That did not go this way.

Every time I tried to mix in a little effect it started (trying to find the right words here) rolling over itself until window-breaking feedback, even with the amp running at 1w. Also everytime I plugged in the Collider, overall amp volume dropped down by almost 25%.

Then I got some buffers, put one before and one after the Collider, even though it has a Buffered Bypass mode. Signal is now very strong coming in the effects loop.

Finally, I stumbled upon this thread: ?t=31979

Thinking a simple boost would fix my problem I got a TC Spark Mini for cheap. Then this happens now.

I've tried different cables, different power supplies, different ac outlet, different everything.

Please help. :(

I used shears like these and this brake.

Tough one, the condos i've lived in/been inthe walls were paper thin, you could hear neighbors do anything. But where i am each condo development has a dedicated rec area/meeting room which is basically a basement condo that people can use for parties, watching movies etc at reasonable volume. For me it was too far to haul my stuff tho.

Also did you know there Mavericks w/built in volume control https://www.amazon.com/EMINENCE-MAVERICK-12-Inch-Speakers-Control/dp/B003OUFEJA/

First off, I LOVE my AC4 - I think it's the best small tube amp around and I've owned a bunch of them. It sounds killer through a bigger cab/speaker and can pump out some serious volume. I have both an Avatar 212 with a V30 and a Greenback and recently found the actual Vox AC4 extension cab that matches. Those can be had pretty cheap if you can find one, but you don't see them come up used too often. I agree with some of the below posters that say buy an empty cab and put a speaker, assuming you want a 112. For whatever reason in my market 112's are rarely for sale, 212's a little more, 412's are cheap as dirt and a dime a dozen. I think a lot of folks are trying to downsize. Another point - if you can find a 212 that you like that isn't the right Ohms this is your ticket https://www.amazon.com/Jack-plate-Mono-Stereo-Plug/dp/B00E1P4LGE . I'm shocked that I never see anyone bring this up but it's game changer. Makes your 212 a swiss army knife - 4/16/and Stereo 8Ohm inputs. It's brilliant!

I'm okay with taking voltages with the amp on, if that method is best. Keep a hand in my pocket, dont short anything etc . Thisis the multimeter I have.

Fender Hot Rod Deluxe 112 80-Watt 1x12-Inch Guitar Extension Cabinet https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003HFF1CW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_usBLFbZQDQXSA

This is a pretty good deal. It already comes with a Celestion speaker. :) if U don’t mind using a 1x12. It’s a lot easier to lug around too!

Lots of good information here, I appreciate it.

I'll check outside tomorrow and see if i can find anything leading to the ground. The only thing I saw last time was two metal cables which were bolted down to the pipe system near the water heater/furnace, and that's in the basement, but I didn't look outside.

The isolation transformer I've been using is this Tripp Lite IS250. It did literally nothing, or if it is, it's not discernible to me.

I've tried plugging just the amp, sans cables/pedals/guitars into the power outlets and it still makes the noise. It's relative to the master/gain/volume switches, so when you turn them up the noise gets worse. And worse again on the dirty channel. Strangely enough I did attempt to lift the ground just to test it on one of the amps and it made a slight difference, the other two it made no difference.

I remember you. A man after my own heart. You can also use a cheap nibbler to make any cutouts you need. But I generally avoid them and use standup transformers and hard mounted power cords with strain relief.

You can get deoxit in a needle applicator package. For tube sockets I usually just use the spray stuff and spray it onto a pointy medical type cotton swab. For really scrubbing the sockets or small preamp tube sockets you can use a small interdental brush and scrub the surfaces. When cleaning the sockets you don't want to just spray it on there, you need to scrub a bit to really clean the contacts. It can be fairly difficult to retension preamp tube sockets depending on the type of socket and if you have small enough tools. You should be sure the caps are discharged before you stick any metal objects near the tube sockets.

edit - /u/TheHarshCarpets already answered most of the rest of the questions, I'd just add that you don't need to bias the preamp tubes because they're cathode biased, the voltage difference between the cathode and plate/grid connections sets the bias. The power tubes on your amp are fixed bias, meaning the bias point is fixed by an external supply source. You need to adjust the fixed source to your tubes, but in a cathode biased tube it will adjust bias automatically.

My recommendation would be to take it to get serviced by an amp tech at a local shop that works on amps (some just work on guitars). They will be able to look it over and see what is needed to make it fully playable. My guess is the pots are dirty and the amp needs to be cleaned up. When my power tubes were about dead the amp had a little crackle noise as well.

I play a Musicman 100RD head that I replaced the power tubes and had the pots cleaned up and it cost about $100.

The reverb was an issue with mine as well for what its worth. Mine was buzzing when it was turned up. I bought some Deoxit and sprayed the connections and the buzzing went away completely. If its the cable maybe they can replace it or repair it.

Personally, I am not saavy enough to feel comfortable doing repairs myself either. It was worth it to me to have an amp tech look it over and do the repairs. They will run you through what is needed and it can be educational. Hope this helps you! Its nice to see another Musicman player out there.

I was looking for one of these too, a few years back…and instead of spending a lot of money for a small boutique tube amp w/ reverb, I got one of those little epiphone tube amps ($99), swapped out the tubes, and got a good new speaker. I was planning on doing a mod (and still might) and there are a ton of options out there for that specific amp, including reverb. But I ended up just getting a cool little boutique reverb pedal, which imho is just-as-good-or-better than most mechanical reverbs on small amps.

That said, as I was writing this, there seem to be several newer little tube amps with reverb out there, for not much money. …as long as the wiring is solid, you can always upgrade tubes and speakers!

EDIT: like this one http://www.amazon.com/Bugera-V5-5-Watt-Amplifier-Attenuator/dp/B002GHBZ4U/ref=sr_1_2?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1435322341&sr=1-2&keywords=Bugera+V5