missionamps
New member
I'm giving serious consideration to running a few two to three day, vacuum tube amp building classes again this spring, summer and fall.
I'd like to limit the classes to no more then 8-10 students in one session.
Why?
Over years of helping locals, teaching Novice, General and Advanced class HAM radio classes in Denver radio clubs, I have found having too many new students (some of who might need quite a bit of hands on help) can diminish the quality of learning to the others, ...so I think a smaller class structure would be easier to handle and better for everyone.
I'd just open more classes if needed.
This is the part where I hesitate ....
I suggested a novice/intermediate, tube amp learning/building class quite a few years ago and got virtually no national interest. (I don't know why.)
As a matter of fact, I actually got some negative email comments about trying to commercialize self help websites such as AMPAGE (which I have belonged to since 1993).... and a couple off the wall comments from negative nellie "odd balls" who asked such things as "who do I think I am" or "what makes me think I can do this" kinda stuff... ha ha...
Anyhow, back then I mentioned doing some of these classes to MOJO Musical Supply and asked them if they would be interested in participating in it.
I asked them for a little help where I would need some small advertising backing and probably some parts or kit discounts for the students in such a class, especially if using their kits.
They liked the idea and were willing to help as long as the kit qtys were large enough to allow a little discount, but I also got the impression my relatively small national reputation might not warrant them being involved much with it.
Needless to say, things also happened during the last three years on the home front too (prepped our home of 20 years to sell, sold it in 30 days, had to pack up and move to a condo and then pack up again and move to our new home when it was ready 4 months later and...also, moved the Mission Amps shop twice during that time span!!).... all of which precluded me from investing in this project and going on.
However, that was then and this is now.
Over the last year I see MOJO has taken to sponsoring others with my original "tube amp building" class ideas, such as Egnater, using the MOJO kits.
I have done a little research into two or three day hall rental costs, materials and other misc items and I think it could be done in two days with any number of simple amp builds such as a tweed 5F1 Champ, 5F2A Princeton, 5E3 Deluxe, Tweed Super 5F4, 18 watt Marshall or a Bassman-JTM45 type amp, etc, OR?
With enough participation, I believe the actual "class cost" could be done for MUCH less what I've seen others offer, (like some at $450.00 per person, plus the retail cost of an amp kit), and with the right kit(s), I think a little "student discount" for those participating in a kit build could be secured from a vendor.
Yes, I can see where hotel, food, travel costs to Colorful Colorado and nearby 14,000 foot mountains, plus the actual cost of a complete head or combo kit, could be pricey in these near recession times, but, not mentioning just the plain fun of it all, knowledge gained in a class like scenario might be very helpful to some of the novice or intermediate builders who would kike to move on from that point.
And, unlike some other's amp classes, if a builder chose to simply audit the class with no amp project, or partner up with another student and their kit, it could be quite affordable.
Truthfully, I'd even consider a "bring your own kit" if a builder has developed cold feet with a simple amp project they've already purchased... as long as it was not a complicated build that would take up too much time and make it impossible to give the time needed to others and or complete such a project.
I think Lew could be persuaded to participate with his guitar playing, pick-up knowledge and skill too.
Besides Colorado being a very cool place to come to for a few days, the other thing that would be fun to do after class, (time permitting)... is to have an open jam session too.
Besides my brother Lew, I can think of many pro, semi-pro, and weekender musician friends and customers here that could participate in the jam part and I doubt we'd have trouble filling all the missing instrumentation parts.
It might be fun to hear completed amp creations with others playing... etc etc...
So... although this is all De javu for me ... what do you all think and should I even be asking for comments here?
All feedback is welcome.... positive or negative... no pun intended.
I'd like to limit the classes to no more then 8-10 students in one session.
Why?
Over years of helping locals, teaching Novice, General and Advanced class HAM radio classes in Denver radio clubs, I have found having too many new students (some of who might need quite a bit of hands on help) can diminish the quality of learning to the others, ...so I think a smaller class structure would be easier to handle and better for everyone.
I'd just open more classes if needed.
This is the part where I hesitate ....
I suggested a novice/intermediate, tube amp learning/building class quite a few years ago and got virtually no national interest. (I don't know why.)
As a matter of fact, I actually got some negative email comments about trying to commercialize self help websites such as AMPAGE (which I have belonged to since 1993).... and a couple off the wall comments from negative nellie "odd balls" who asked such things as "who do I think I am" or "what makes me think I can do this" kinda stuff... ha ha...
Anyhow, back then I mentioned doing some of these classes to MOJO Musical Supply and asked them if they would be interested in participating in it.
I asked them for a little help where I would need some small advertising backing and probably some parts or kit discounts for the students in such a class, especially if using their kits.
They liked the idea and were willing to help as long as the kit qtys were large enough to allow a little discount, but I also got the impression my relatively small national reputation might not warrant them being involved much with it.
Needless to say, things also happened during the last three years on the home front too (prepped our home of 20 years to sell, sold it in 30 days, had to pack up and move to a condo and then pack up again and move to our new home when it was ready 4 months later and...also, moved the Mission Amps shop twice during that time span!!).... all of which precluded me from investing in this project and going on.
However, that was then and this is now.
Over the last year I see MOJO has taken to sponsoring others with my original "tube amp building" class ideas, such as Egnater, using the MOJO kits.
I have done a little research into two or three day hall rental costs, materials and other misc items and I think it could be done in two days with any number of simple amp builds such as a tweed 5F1 Champ, 5F2A Princeton, 5E3 Deluxe, Tweed Super 5F4, 18 watt Marshall or a Bassman-JTM45 type amp, etc, OR?
With enough participation, I believe the actual "class cost" could be done for MUCH less what I've seen others offer, (like some at $450.00 per person, plus the retail cost of an amp kit), and with the right kit(s), I think a little "student discount" for those participating in a kit build could be secured from a vendor.
Yes, I can see where hotel, food, travel costs to Colorful Colorado and nearby 14,000 foot mountains, plus the actual cost of a complete head or combo kit, could be pricey in these near recession times, but, not mentioning just the plain fun of it all, knowledge gained in a class like scenario might be very helpful to some of the novice or intermediate builders who would kike to move on from that point.
And, unlike some other's amp classes, if a builder chose to simply audit the class with no amp project, or partner up with another student and their kit, it could be quite affordable.
Truthfully, I'd even consider a "bring your own kit" if a builder has developed cold feet with a simple amp project they've already purchased... as long as it was not a complicated build that would take up too much time and make it impossible to give the time needed to others and or complete such a project.
I think Lew could be persuaded to participate with his guitar playing, pick-up knowledge and skill too.
Besides Colorado being a very cool place to come to for a few days, the other thing that would be fun to do after class, (time permitting)... is to have an open jam session too.
Besides my brother Lew, I can think of many pro, semi-pro, and weekender musician friends and customers here that could participate in the jam part and I doubt we'd have trouble filling all the missing instrumentation parts.
It might be fun to hear completed amp creations with others playing... etc etc...
So... although this is all De javu for me ... what do you all think and should I even be asking for comments here?
All feedback is welcome.... positive or negative... no pun intended.
But I'd love to make it out for that!
