The Truth About Vintage Amps, Ep. 144

Episode 144 of the Truth About Vintage Amps: Flashing Flukes, reflections on NAMM, variable plate capacitors, hot buttered rum (and popcorn!), and more!

Need some help with your tube amps? Be a part of our show by sending your voice memo or written questions to podcast@fretboardjournal.com!

Some of the topics discussed this week: 

1:13 Jason goes to the NAMM Show, the Dumble relaunch (watch our Instagram video here); Grit Laskin’s ‘The Stradivari Formula’ (link); Wood Wire & Volts (link)

11:49 What’s on Skip’s bench: A late 1940s Danelectro Vibrovox; Wandre Guitars

20:57 Our sponsors: Grez Guitars; Emerald City Guitars and Amplified Parts!

25:14 A confused Fluke 26 Series III meter trying to measure coils and output transformer windings

33:07 The parallel between an acoustic guitar’s soundboard and an amp’s speaker; recommended reading: ‘And the Roots of Rhythm Remain’ by Joe Boyd (link)

39:17 A custom-made, single-ended 10-watt 800 JCM-style amp; variable voltage regulators vs. a variac

44:30 Keggers Got Talent: Walnut-maple cabinets from listener Niel F. (check our Instagram for pics)

47:42 Should I use the variable plate capacitors I pulled from a HAM radio?

51:25 Skip on the phone versus Skip on the mic

52:41 Breaking food news: Cuisinart Microwave Popcorn Maker (Amazon link)

57:19 Neko Case’s new memoir, ‘The Harder I Fight the More I Love You’ (Amazon link)

59:18 A Garnet Lifco “stencil” amp, the Garnet amp book (order link)

1:03:07 Taming a reissue Princeton Reverb, redux; the Joyo American Sound pedal (link)

1:07:31 An idea for the “pedal” room at the 2025 Fretboard Summit: https://fretboardsummit.org

1:11:15 Want to attend a Bay Area amp workshop with Skip this Spring? Email us!

1:11:47 Accidentally creating an arc with the probe when checking plate voltages on power tubes, hot buttered rum

1:17:17 Recommended reading: ‘Conquering the Electron’ (link); making a pre-amp out of a Silvertone Twin 12; Greenlee knockout punches

1:28:45 Who sent Skip a Skylark?; a Ampeg flip-top with a remote reverb speaker; Bustelo instant coffee; David Barrett’s harmonica courses (link); John Vanderslice

Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal.

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Above pic: Listener Niel’s handmade wooden cabinets. Below pic: Listener Drew’s 1484 Silvertone-as-preamp project.