recommend me a tube amp kit

muttonchopsrule

muttonchopsrule

New member
i've been looking into buying one of those gilmore jr. 1/2 watt amp kits because i think it would be fun to build and cool to have. i'm about this close >--< to ordering one when i get my next check, but i want to keep my options open to anything else out there.

i like the idea of the gilmore jr. because of all the mods they have available for it for a pretty good price. but if there's anything you'd recommend, let me know!

i'm looking for something tube, very low wattage, and in the $200-400 price range. i'm after something that can sound decent pushed, with a little bit of dirt in there.
 
Re: recommend me a tube amp kit

Check out ax84.com, they have a few low watters that are easy to build, and lots of folks to help you. Good luck and have fun!
 
Re: recommend me a tube amp kit

thanks man!

another question for anyone who has experience. i know there can be lethal voltages in tube amps due to the caps holding a big ol' charge, but does this occur to the same extent in amps with a power rating as low as 1/2 watt? obviously i'd want to be cautious with anything when it's plugged into the wall, but when i'm tinkering around in there when it's unplugged is there anything i need to watch out for?
 
Re: recommend me a tube amp kit

check out bruce at mission amps .. he is our very own lew's brother and a knowledgable and friendly guy .. high quality, easy to follow kits

and yeah, be careful pokin around in there

t4d
 
Re: recommend me a tube amp kit

Mission for sure if you want to go tweed. But, if you're not a tweed fender fan, you'll end up building a nice one, not liking it long term and selling it. If you are looking for something more marshall in flavor, 18 watter is the way to go. Lots of good kits out there. If you don't mind changing out some of the less desirable parts, Weber offers excellent bang for the buck for their kits. Probably more bang for the buck than anywhere. Mojo makes nice kits as well, but they're a bit pricier. Good luck, lots of options, lots of fun to be had.
 
Re: recommend me a tube amp kit

That Marshall thing: http://www.ax84.com/
Kits: http://dobermanamps.com/newshop/ind...Path=1&zenid=56d77f09b0968bdd486dc6a0830604b7

http://www.18watt.com
Kits: http://elektro.cmhnet.org/~graydon/18wsite/18wkitpage.html
http://www.gdsamps.com/18wattbuyparts.html

Fender 6L6 variant: http://www.backbeatuk.com/ampkit/ampkit.htm
I ordered this kit as a head and should be getting it soon. It's being put together by Ted Webers company for Dave Hunter and Backbeat Books.

Ted Weber kits:
https://taweber.powweb.com/store/kits.htm

Guytronix kits:
http://www.guytronix.com/contactordering.html

Mission kits:
http://www.missionamps.com/kits.shtml

Kits and parts:
http://www.stf-electronics.com/

Probably too expensive:
http://www.mojomusicalsupply.com/cgi-bin/mojotone/search.html
http://www.torresengineering.com/maktubam.html
http://www.ceriatone.com/
http://www.allenamps.com/kits.html

Amp kit parts:
http://www.hoffmanamps.com/

Speaker cabinets:
http://avatarspeakers.com/

Good luck.
MM
 
Re: recommend me a tube amp kit

I would recommend www.tedweber.com as Scott and MojoM mentioned. Their prices are very good. I have talked to Ted about his kits, although I haven't tried one, yet. He does use some imported parts, but all of them do, even the beloved CTS pots are made in Mexico IIRC. His trannies are made in Asia, but are direct clones of original Marshall and Fender trannies.

*edit* Oh yeah, use the link MojoM posted for the Weber kits, the links to the kits from his main page (that I posted) seem to be broken.

<$0.02
 
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Re: recommend me a tube amp kit

thanks guys. lots of great links there.

those weber kits look pretty sweet, but a little out of my price range.

the P1 extreme kit from the AX84 site looks like it'd be right up my alley...pretty low power, huge selection of output tubes to use, and it appears to have the voicing that i'm after. think i might order it later this week.
 
Re: recommend me a tube amp kit

Cool on the p1-ex! I've been eyeing building an AX84 November, but there are no premade parts. So, before I tackle that, I'd like to get my feet wet on a simpler project, like one of the simpler AX84 kits that Doberman sells. Tell us how it turns out!
 
Re: recommend me a tube amp kit

I've considered the AX.84 kits many times. Anyone ever actually build one? How's the quality of the parts?
 
Re: recommend me a tube amp kit

The P1 kit from Doberman (AX84.com) or a tweed Champ kit from Weber is really the best ones to start off with, and cool little amps to boost. You can even build the Champ and sell it on ebay and probably make your money back.
 
Re: recommend me a tube amp kit

therizzla said:
The P1 kit from Doberman (AX84.com) or a tweed Champ kit from Weber is really the best ones to start off with, and cool little amps to boost. You can even build the Champ and sell it on ebay and probably make your money back.
Click to expand...

glad to hear that it's a good buy. i only read one review about it, but i listened to some of the clips on the site and it sounds pretty wicked. i'm gonna see how it sounds with the tubes that it comes with, but i'll probably end up poppping an EL34 in there and a GT 12ax7. i'm pretty pumped about getting it, and it was good timing too... i just got a multimeter from my electronics class, so i get to put that to good use!
 
Re: recommend me a tube amp kit

I have been lurking at ax84 for some time. I have been gathering the parts needed over a few months. (I'm on the other side of the world)

Things to note about the P1 project (from what I've learned)... :

1. Unless you're electronics savy, you have to do some fairly stiff reading.
2. There are quite a number of potential pitfalls in the process of building it, especially the stuff one assumes. They call it "counter-intuitive" over there
3. Safety is very seriously addressed, which is good.
4. It seems quite "journey is the destination", in that the whole project is more about understanding the reasons/principles/theories, and NOT purely a "i want a mojo amp, cheap n easy"
5. It has a very very good forum, but you best read your theory document very well first. It's a build-bible. Go read it until you are sick of it.
6. It leaves you with a deep understanding of valve amps, and therefore allows you a lifetime of joyous building/fiddling/tweaking/building-for-your-mate etc. Rightly so, it is not really a build by colour thing.
7. I am still struggling to truely "get" all the theory, but maaaan, i am looking forward to building the thing!
8. You do electronics, so you have a major leg up on me.... Boo-Hisss!
9. Take it slow, do it right.

Hope to see you there..
 
Re: recommend me a tube amp kit

More-Gear-Than-Skill said:
I have been lurking at ax84 for some time. I have been gathering the parts needed over a few months. (I'm on the other side of the world)

Things to note about the P1 project (from what I've learned)... :

1. Unless you're electronics savy, you have to do some fairly stiff reading.
2. There are quite a number of potential pitfalls in the process of building it, especially the stuff one assumes. They call it "counter-intuitive" over there
3. Safety is very seriously addressed, which is good.
4. It seems quite "journey is the destination", in that the whole project is more about understanding the reasons/principles/theories, and NOT purely a "i want a mojo amp, cheap n easy"
5. It has a very very good forum, but you best read your theory document very well first. It's a build-bible. Go read it until you are sick of it.
6. It leaves you with a deep understanding of valve amps, and therefore allows you a lifetime of joyous building/fiddling/tweaking/building-for-your-mate etc. Rightly so, it is not really a build by colour thing.
7. I am still struggling to truely "get" all the theory, but maaaan, i am looking forward to building the thing!
8. You do electronics, so you have a major leg up on me.... Boo-Hisss!
9. Take it slow, do it right.

Hope to see you there..
Click to expand...

cool man....well thats good knowing i have someone to discuss it with throughout the process of building it. i'm hoping that i can get it right on the first attempt (we'll see :rolleyes: ) haha. we'll see how it goes!
 
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