Ive never had much use for the first half it glossy photos of classic guitar gear and a catalog of groove tubes product line. That established me as one of three nonhack tube amp guys in he philadelphia area and the other two were coming to me for tubes. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. A faulty, hissing preamp tube will be turned up this way very quickly. Click download or read online button to get inside tube amps book now. Inside tube amps download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. Tube amp book aspen and associates aspen and associates. However, a little common sense can go a long way when working around dangerous voltages.
Driving a marshall slant front 4x12 it was glorious. Get this book for the extensive collection of schematics and cool amp pictures, ignore the sales pitches and especially the tech info, as much of it is incorrect. Please visit my tube amplifier forum heres the place you can go to ask tube amplifier questions. It has one input along with volume levels, treble and bass controls. The tube amp book deluxe revised edition book and disk. The tube amp book by aspen pittman 2003, paperback. The rumors were confirmed when arc showed a blackandwhite photo of the sp9 at the 1987 winter ces.
His best selling tube amp book has sold over 140,000 copies. So, i got a job working on amps at a local tube amp repair shop. There are hundreds of pages of tube amp information on my library page. I am looking at 2 different boks to help me n the learning of tube amp building and mods. Already known as the bible of tubes and tube amps, the tube amp book is now. Aspen pittman did an excellent job on this book manual. Singleended tube amps arent very efficient and they tend to sound smallish. This is an excellent book, but it isnt geared for the novice.
Known as the bible of tubes and tube amps, with a comprehensive az section covering all the great tube amp manufacturers, with histories, photos and information. Experienced musicians may well be drooling just at the mention of the 57 custom champ. Z, fender, gibson, hiwatt, marshall, matchless, mesaboogie, orange, vox. Tubes were the first widespread method of controlling electrical signals without moving parts. The first computers were vacuum tube based and took up rooms while vacuum tubes are considered outdated by most of the world they are still used in several key areas. So ive decided i want a small tube amp, preferably vintage, preferably 510 watts maximum, to couple with my late 50s kay archtop, mostly for home use, recording, and the occasional jam with unamplified hornspianobass and no drummer or a terry clarke wannabe. Spice simulations, modification suggestions and some really great insight weve not seen anywhere else.
While a typical 2watt resistor used by many companies as an output tube screen grid resistor will function fine under most normal operating conditions, that resistor may be pushed past its capabilities by constantly playing the amp at very high volumes or by an output tube shorting. I have read mine over and over, gotten more troubleshooting technique from it than i picked up in the first 5 years of vintage amp service i was doing. Groove tubes aspen pitman tube amp reference guideand price. This flow chart is the work of aspen pittman, the author of the tube amp book and reproduced from the complete guide to guitar and amp maintenance by ritchie fliegler. Groove tubes tube amp book first edition aspen pittman. Jack darr tube amp book for free the steel guitar forum.
Backbeat the tube amp book technisches buch musik produktiv. Aspen pittman s designs have been coveted by legendary musicians and record producers for nearly 40 years. The tube amp book by aspen pittman, hardcover barnes. Apr 25, 2011 tube amps sound their best when pushed to some degreeand while playing a 100watt marshall half stack at home might look coolthe amp wont get to shine if you are limited to keeping the volume level at one. The truth about vintage amps skip simmons amp repair. The second half though is a good source of schematics which is what ive always valued it for.
Tube rolling is cheaper to modifyupgrade the sound performance, but only to a small margin. This amp has a spectacular, vintage appeal with modern features. An output section that is pushpull needs two tubes to operate correctly. The downside is that all but the best tube amplifiers rarely have the control and definition in the lower bass region that good solid state amplifiers do. Oct 27, 2003 voicing the amplifier would takes more time and cost more than solder the amp togather.
I still see the two tube output section or the four tube output section as a single stage. Ive narrowed my list of manufacturers down to four. When comparing a good tube amp to a good solid state amp, the tube amplifier will usually but not always have a bit more reach out and touchit or 3d like quality to the music. Nor, at 280lb in its flight case, is it likely to go walkin. A great guide to tone so much information and price list also. The fender 65 twin reverb combo is simply the best fender tube amp available at the moment. If i turn the volume on my amp a lot, the waveform on a scope looks bad, but it still sounds kinda ok somewhat different than at a lower volume but still ok. Pittman s the tube amp book has sold more than 140,000 copies worldwide which is a strong testament on the value of this book. The big and wide band performs live through the cps spacestation v. Opinions on best tube amp book discussion in ampscabs tech corner.
The tube amp book deluxe revised edition hal leonard online. It has a bassman grille cloth and a lacquered tweed covering. Reviews for the deluxe and revised edition mention that the image quality on schematics is poor. Back when i was in school in the earlymid 90s, the books we used for learningreference tube amp repair were aspen pittmans book and any old tube manuals we could get our hands on i have the rca reprint and an old ge manual and then gerald webers book came out and we used that, too. The tube amp book, deluxe revised edition antique electronic. In depth information about what tubes were in what amps and complete descriptions of tubes and what they should be used for. Theres a huge amount of hype and mythology surrounding tube. Raven audio blackhawkosprey, primaluna dialogue premium, ars sonum filarmonia and decware zen mystery amp. The foundamental charactor of the circuit is still there.
So there is more of free lunch sound coloring variations possible with different cabinets while ss amps stay steady in this regard. With our new shop by amp feature simply locate your amp, choose the tube upgrade package you are looking for, and add all the tubes you need to your shopping cart with a single click of an add to cart button if you want to modify a tube package you can. After adding a package to the shopping cart you can add or. I occasionally spoke with aspen, red rhoads, autumn pittman who answered the phones in the late 80s and of. The tube amp book with cdrom by aspen pittman overview already known as the bible of tubes and tube amps, the tube amp book is now even better this deluxe revised edition contains 40% new material, with a comprehensive az section covering all the great tube amp manufacturers, with histories, photos and information. The california tone research set5 guitar amp is a low priced 5w, a class, genuine all tube guitar amp.
He has designed dozens of tube guitar amps, stage and studio microphones, and has designed and built over a dozen unique electron vacuum tubes from scratch. Backbeat books the tube amp book musikhaus thomann. Getting the pair moved into my listening room required. Aspen pittman has produced various versions of the tube amp book over the years this is the 1991, a 703 page trade paperback weighting in at a little over two pounds. Already known as the bible of tubes and tube amps, the tube amp book by aspen pittman is now even better. Getting into tubes im thinking about getting my first tube integrated amp and been reading all i can about them. Pittmans the tube amp book has sold more than 140,000 copies worldwide which is a strong testament on the value of this book. Aspen pittman author of the tube amp book goodreads. Jun 05, 20 ime a tube pre with a solid state amp produces a more tubelike experience than does a solid state pre and a tube amp, so if youre after the lushness of tubes but still want the slam, grip and heft of solid state youre on the right track.
Inside fender and marshall tube amps pdf viva analog. The tube amp book aspen pittman download firefox 16s3p0. What are the characteristics of a tube preampsolid state. Another thing you can try if your preamp has a ton of gain, or your amp has a very low input sensitivity is a small inline device that attenuates the input to your power amp. This deluxe revised edition contains 40% new material, with a comprehensive az section covering all the great tube amp manufacturers, with histories, photos and information. Any of my customers will tell you that i tend to be blunt, but im just trying to save us all some time. But what really stands out, is the sound, its really incredible. Nice shape, and this was one of the first modern amp books published about the world of guitar amps and modifications. Safety tips for working on tube amplifiers aiken amps. For amp heads, we recommend a lot of the top orange amps, of which most are over 5w. Im extremely interested in learning to service tube amps, and one day design and build them. Conversely, if the volume control does not affect the hiss, the cause is somewhere after the volume control. The power section of the amp is of audiophile quality.
Think of the tube as a tone generator, not as an electronic device, says the informative pittman, owner and president of groove tubes and author of the 800page the tube amp book, recognized as the ultimate reference guide for tube technology. Like most retailers at this time, due to covid19, we may experience shipping delays on some orders. This is a somewhat hardtofind first edition of aspen pittmans selfpublished the tube amp book, long outofprint. The tube amp library of information click the link above for tube amp info, schematics, board building information, projects, mods, transformer diagrams, photos, sound clips. Z, fender, gibson, hiwatt, marshall, matchless, mesaboogie, orange, vox, watkins and. The ultimate tube amp uses a welldesigned circuit, with two ecl82 type tubes which are both power tubes and preamp tubes in one glass container and one 12ax7 type. Aspen pittman is the author of the tube amp book 4. This deluxe revised edition contains 40% new material, with a. Tube amp book 4th edition paperback january 1, 1993 by aspen pittman author. When you buy a pair of groove tubes and plug em in, youll hear a difference. See all 5 formats and editions hide other formats and. I believe the first printing was around 75,000 copies, and since then weve printed another 20,000 of the revised deluxe tube amp book. Already known as the bible of tubes and tube amps, the tube amp book is now even better. We saw similar power tubes in the old 1966 10watt marshall combo amps, but they were not being driven the same way.
Still refer to and make use of the tube amp book my daughter got for me some years ago, a valuable resource in a binder. Best amp buildingmoddingrepair books telecaster guitar. At 85 watts, it can easily tackle any task, looks great, and is exquisitely built. Aspen pittmans designs have been coveted by legendary musicians and record producers for nearly 40 years. I invested and stocked a few local music stores and made a little money, but more so in the repairs i did. A fascinating deconstruction of the classic fender and marshall circuits. This amp will also create an authentic sound as the sound wave is travelling through a valve tube, because this amp contains 60watts, 6l6 tubes, a 4ohm extension speaker, and an all12ax7 tube preamp. Every package here is an upgrade from the factoryinstalled tubes. Personally, id create another identical leg to eliminate inphase feedbackcrosstalk issues. Skip simmons amp repair loma rica, ca, usa repairsinfo. Various 6v6 tube brands sound more 6l6ish or el34ish and are low wattage. Analog channel strip with 610 tube microphone preamp and 1176ln compressor. We are happy to accept your order at and also through our call center. Both books are available online and both of these book are highly recommended for the guitarist.
Consider biamping with a audio research ss amp for the bass panels and keep the vt60 for the highs. It can be a backup for a vintage amp needing service, or used in place of anemic backline gear on your travel gig. Improper matching will cause severe tube wear and is a common cause of early tube failure. Circuit analysis of a legendary tube amplifier the fender bassman 5f6a, 3rd edition by richard kuehnel foreword by dave hunter fender bassman 5f6a tube amp book a comprehensive list of book recommedations with informative appraisal by randal aiken a qualified electronics engineer and valve amp builder. If 60 watts of tube power for full range isnt cutting the mustard then merely doubling. It is beteween the dave hunter the guitar amp handbook. This, our february issue, is the first stereophile issue to arrive during the year 2020, which marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of audio researchin my view one of the key events in the history of highend audio. Bookalready known as the bible of tubes and tube amps, the tube amp book is now even better this deluxe revised edition contains 40% new material, with a comprehensive az section covering all the great tube amp manufacturers, with histories, photos and information. The tube amp book by aspen pittman the tube amp book has always been a sort of infomercial for groove tubes. I do recommend this book to all who repair tube amps. The amp can drive the input of an amplifier as an extra tube gain stage. I find it difficult to learn from a book or dvd without handson experience and being able to ask questions and be warned of pitfalls by an experienced amp master. See all 5 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. A great book on tube amp repair and it is a free pdf download.
The tube amp book deluxe revised edition book and disk package hardcover kindle edition by aspen pittman. But a noisy tube sounds very different from idle hiss, and you typically wont get a noisy tube in both channels at the same time. Mint vintage yamaha stereo system ca810 amp ct810 tuner tc511s cassette deck. Aspen pittman groove tubes tone talk for tube amps. An amp head is just the brains running the amp, and needs to be attached to a cabinet to produce sound. Please, follow these basic instructions to place your order. Okay, you want to work on your own amps, but youve heard various horror stories about things inside amps that can store a charge and kill you. With easytoread explanations, minimal math and over 250 diagrams and figures, it is the essential handbook for any tube amp enthusiast. And the cover shows aspens famous collection, which he sold off awhile back at a big warehouse sale. This one is really more of a bible, with anything and everything about tube amps all rolled into one large factfilled volume.
Aspen pittman, passed away august 10, 2019 from injuries suffered from an automobile crash in southern california the day before. Powered by a single 12ax7 valve in the preamp and a pair of 6v6 valves in the power section. Many thanks to the writer aspen pittman can take a bow on a well written manual book. If the hiss changes levels as you do this, then the source of the hiss is something that affects the stages of the amp before the volume control.
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