The Truth About Vintage Amps, Ep. 118 (Special Guest: Ben Harper)

Joining us this week is the one and only Ben Harper with a few questions for Skip ahead of his concert in Lyon, France. Ben keeps us entertained with stories about a rare Weißenborn spotted on a Disneyland ride, Dumbles and skateboarding before the show (which Skip is a little concerned about). He also tells us about his new touring amp of choice: a Two-Rock.

Before Ben joins us, we have our usual assortment of listener-submitted questions about tremolo and speaker impedance, references to amp engineer Larry Chung, and a Tamale suggestion.

Would you like to be part of the show? Get the amp questions ready for Skip and come to Podcast@fretboardjournal.com! Voice notes or emails are welcome.

Don’t forget we now have a Patreon if you want to support the show.

Some of the topics covered in this episode:

:34 Special thanks to Shure for the MV7 that Skip is using; the Fretboard Summit (24-26 August in Chicago; www.fretboardsummit.org)

1:51 PSA: Skip is retired until September

2:23 A forthcoming Danelectro documentary on early Epiphone Model M amps built by Nat Daniel

15:32 This week’s sponsors: Emerald City Guitars, Stringjoy Strings (use code FRETBOARD to save 10% on your first string order), Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars.

19:05 Peter Jensen’s Magnavox 12″ speaker

20:54 Don Pepino canned tomato sauce (thanks, Rob), Remington Model 5 typewriters

22:27 A 1964 Fender Vibrolux Reverb with the power transformer replaced… but not really; Larry Chung visits Skip

29:46 The dangers of playing a bass through a small guitar amp; Versatone amplifier; Los Hernandez Tamales in Union Gap, Washington (https://www.loshernandeztamales.com); “Overhead at Darrington” by Bruce Harvie & the Sound Flea (Bandcamp link)

38:47 A humming Ampeg GS-12 Reverberocket: Did the speaker affect the reverb spring?

43:26 Changing the tremolo depth on an Ampeg Jet

46:12 Skip’s favorite Trem stretch; a massie that modulates the guitar signal; Chris Vincent (https://www.instagram.com/djlavalamp/)

51:03 Tube Amp Kits (Mod 102 and Mod 102+ from AmplifiedParts.com https://www.amplifiedparts.com/products/amp-kit-mod-electronics-mod102-guitar-amp); grilled asparagus; good old Grateful Deadcast

59:54 The rising cost of everything

1:02:17 Speaker impedance for a Gibson Falcon GR-19RVT Crestline

1:02:53 What to do with the reverb of a Silvertone 1484? JHD Audio Ice Cubes

1:06:09 Special guest: Ben Harper! Forestry; a vintage Weissenborn spotted on Disneyland’s Pirates of the Caribbean ride; Ben’s new Two-Rock Bloomfield Drive (Link); Marcus Eaton; Jimmy Page sees David Lindley’s kaleidoscope; guitars by Liuteria Guarnieri (https://www.liuteriaguarnieri.com/en/acoustic-guitars/); Dumbles are like Basquiats; skateboarding before a concert; stepping Princeton reverbs; technician Bill Webb; and vintage Gibson amps

Recorded on July 19, 2023.

Hosted by amp engineer Skip Simmons and co-host/producer Jason Verlinde of Fretboard Journal.

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Above: One of Ben’s Dumble Overdrive Specials. Photo: Doug Van Doren / Fretboard Journal