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Availability:
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Arrives
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At a glance
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Dimensions
- 9.88 x 7.01 x 0.67 in
- Weight
- 10.7 oz
- Publisher
- TacTec Press
- Publication date
- September 1, 2009
- Edition
- 3rd
- Language
- English
Description
Written for musicians, amp builders, and tube audio enthusiasts, Design and Construction of Tube Guitar Amplifiers provides a complete yet easy-to- understand explanation of how to design, modify, construct, and test tube amps. It is intended as a companion to Design and Construction of Guitar and Bass Speaker Systems. Profusely illustrated, the book uses graphic aides and basic algebra and scientific principles to teach you everything you need to know to fully understand tube guitar amp technology from both technical and musical perspectives. Chapter 1 introduces basic audio engineering concepts used in tube amps, which are used throughout the book. Chapter 2 teaches you how to design and interconnect all of the five stages in a basic amplifier. You also learn how changes in the design of a stage affect its performance. Chapter 3 discusses distortion, overdrive, tremolo, reverberation, and effect loop design. Chapter 4 shows you how to select the components you need to build an amp, how to mount and interconnect the components, and how to test, adjust, and troubleshoot an amplifier. Read more
Specs 9
| Publisher | TacTec Press |
|---|---|
| Publication date | September 1, 2009 |
| Edition | 3rd |
| Language | English |
| Print length | 149 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 0615291805 |
| ISBN-13 | 02 |
| Item Weight | 10.7 ounces |
| Dimensions | 9.88 x 7.01 x 0.67 inches |
No specs match.
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Top Amazon Reviews
Excellent Overview of Tube Guitar Amps
Format: Paperback
I have been building tube guitar amps for the past few years, and have read most of the books that are already out there; at first to just figure out how it all worked, and now to further my understanding of how each section of the amp really works and get into tweaking designs to create my own homebrew builds. With that background I have to say this book is incredible. While no book will satisfy every reader, and every book will have some who think its too elementary and some who think its too advanced, I think this book has something for every level to learn. If you are a newbie I recommend it for the first section on basic electronics, the last section that has a short overview of actual building, and the great "start up testing" guide, which is a must read for all beginners. The main section of the book which goes in excellent detail about the workings and design of each part of a guitar amp, just blew me away. For the beginner this may be info overload, but you will still start to understand what each section does, and why that resister is over there. As you build more amps over the years, this will be a book you then "rediscover" as your knowledge base grows. For the more advanced builder, you will find the last section on construction a bit elementary and uninformative, but it wont matter because the design section will have already blown you away. Its all there in plain English and some easy math; no over opinionated speeches, no vague handwritten diagrams, no bogus untested circuits. The author is giving you real, true information that you can use, written in a professional manner, rather than just trying to impress you with "cocktail talk" that has no relevancy. I am also currently reading another new book, Designing Tube Preamps for Guitar and Bass, by Merlin Blencowe. I also recommend this book and will do a review when I am done, but looking it already has some great reviews. The Dan Torres book, Inside Tube Amps, although quirky, opinionated sometimes, and scatterbrained sometimes, is also to me a great book to pick up when you are starting out. He does a great job of going over each section of the amp in detail, and has some great charts to show differences in tubes, rectifiers, etc. Its also a book I kept discovering new info in every time I picked it up. The books I dont recommend,(hate to make this a bash session) are the Kevin O'connor series of overpriced books, and the Weber books. The O'connor series was almost ok, cause there wasnt anything else. Megantz' book does in one book what O'connor sort of does over 5 books at a total cost of over $400. Yes, I have some of them, and I got a little bit out of each of them, but most of each book was fluff, opinion, and less than worthwhile info. The whole series could be distilled down to one book with useable info. Having said that, maybe I'm the dummy and the really smart people out there get these books more than me. For this simpleton they didnt cut the "smell test". Another series to stay away from is the Gerald Weber set of "books", if you can call them that. Write enough magazine articles and I guess you too can put together your own book. Again, I am sure there is wonderful info you can sift through to find in there, and if you are rebuilding old Fender and Marshall amps they are the best to read. If you are doing your own builds and even designing something new, then keep your money. Having said all that, even the books I bash above have good info if money is no object, just trying to point out the books with most bang for the buck.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2010 by M. Adams
Very Informative
Format: Paperback
Just finished this book and found it perfect for me. I have an electronics background both professionally and academically, however, it is predominantly installation, calibration and repair all in the field - essentially no design and pretty much nothing to do with vacuum tubes, so this was my primary challenge. Considering all of this, the book was perfect for me. Even the basics regarding dB and impedance with respect to frequency and component value etc, etc,.. If you have absolutely no background in electronics at all - I really think you will struggle here. If you don't struggle with the concepts, you are a real quick study and way way smarter than most. But, even so, if you're serious about it and determined, even with a total lack of knowledge, you can still pull it through. The Author pretty much makes the basic system for you. If you weed through the book, take all of the stages he either designed or pulled from one of the various musical equipment vendors, and cluge it all together - you're 95% of the way there. It's that last 5% that will be the ultimate challenge - again, if you have zero prior knowledge in the subject. This book not only gives you design norms, but also points out common pitfalls, provides a bit of troubleshooting, gives ideas for chassis layout and provides information for component research and purchase. Data sheets for common tubes such as 12AX7, 6L6 etc, etc, are all included in the book for reference. Given my background, some of what I got out of this book was: - Vacuum Tube introduction. - Refresher of impedance/component response to frequency - tie into tone control.. - Tips on placement of transformers ie:Power vs. Output vs. Choke so they don't interfere with each other. Magnetic coupling and all of that.. Ridiculously important for noise and hum!! - Refresher on grounding design. Also, ridiculously important for noise and hum!! - Control (volume/gain/tone/etc) wire routing and when to use shielded cabling - again for noise control. - How reverb, tremelo and overdrive are created. - Refresher on different classes of operation and why (Class A for pre-amp / A/B for push-pull output, and so on). - Input and output impedance of stages and rules of thumb for making them appropriate for the prior and/or next stage. - Refresher on transformers, inductors and capacitors. - Introduction of rectifier tubes vs. solid state or diode based bridge rectifiers and how they contribute to HVDC power supply sag. Prior to this I would have assumed that one would want a regulated rock solid power supply, however, evidently, this is often not the case. Unregulated and soft/saggy supplies under load are often desirable depending on the application and characteristics. So much so that the Author gives a tip on adding a series resistor to the unregulated supply for the sole purpose of softening it under load. Who knew? Anyway, given my background and interests I could not have imagined a more appropriate book for me. Given your background and interests the book might be less applicable? Hopefully this review can help guide you in a proper purchasing decision.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2013 by Mike Abretske
Four Stars
Format: Paperback
If I had to take one book along on a long flight, this would be it. Mind you, if a math equation turns you off to this subject, and you are looking for a shade tree sort of book that describes basics and specific well-known classic amps circuits, all in easy-peezy laymen's terminology, you might not enjoy this book. I'm not saying this book isn't good, it's great! Specially for an intermediate to advanced study of guitar tube amps with enough math, graphs and circuit analysis to refresh what you ought to already know, short of making it tediously boring. In fact it's fun to read, and provides essential summary of basics of electronics for the novice in chapter 1, that's also a good refresher review for people with past experience in electronics who have been away and out of practice. Next sections articulate fundamentals of amp circuit. Concepts that everyone should know: impedance, gain, db, phase, power supply. Lastly, practical mechanical tips to building your own design from scratch. Now as I mentioned, if you're looking for the super easy cook-book approach to repair, hot-rodding, or building tube amps which replicate classic famous amps like the bassman, Vox, Marshall Plexi, and all that without a single equation, or log-graph, then you want to source "INSIDE-TUBE-AMPS" BY Dan Torres (if you can find one!). Dan published it with help of his wife and I bought a copy a decade ago from his repair shop near San Fran. Every now and then I get tempted to put mine up for sale, but then I come across another cool mod. There are other books like that, some right here on Amazon, none I can recommend specifically. So there, that's my two cents on the green book, and then some. Hope you can find what you're looking for and play it safe when you're trouble shooting the hi-voltage supply lines, and if you're not sure, ASK! before you hurt yourself. I hope you will find this review helpful.
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Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2014 by Mr. Fixit
Comprehensive and Concise
Format: Paperback
This book is a gem. Literally. It packs a lot of valuable information into a small package. I have bought many tube amp "design" books lately but this one really has a lot more real design theory embedded in it that any other book I've read. The author knows how to explain complex concepts in small logical pieces and how to lay them out in order so your knowledge builds in smoothly. Cons: 1) This book could be a lot more accessible. The prose style is spare and strictly "technical" and a lot of the material is pretty dry. The author lays out the facts and formulas, works one example problem, and that's it--he's on to the next topic. More examples, using some "in other words" recaps for the more difficult parts, etc. and this would be a much stronger book. Even a few real-world anecdotes could go a long way to relieve the "just the facts" dryness. 2) The book needs a better layout design, so each section is visibly separate. In many places new topics are introduced by the start of a new paragraph. 3) The book's index is the bare minimum, nowhere near detailed enough considering the density and complexity of the material. Yes, it does use some math to show how electronics work and how to select components. If you want to make tube amps, you can't get away from working a few problems. But the reader doesn't needs anything more than simple arithmetic, some algebra and some very basic trig in order to work the equations. This book is a valuable addition to my library but I look forward to a new edition that addresses some of the structural weaknesses.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2020 by Elrond
EXCELLENT RESOURCE!
Format: Paperback
I am not a tube amplifier designer by any means but I do have a deep affinity for the technology and the tone of a vintage amp. Unfortunately I am unwilling to shell out the cash required to buy an amp like a 1940's Fender Super, or something similar. So, I collect old amps from things like vintage movie projectors and re-purpose them as guitar amps. You would be amazed at the vintage tones these simple circuits can produce... Anyway, I have recently acquired a 1939 RCA/Victor amplifier that is (unfortunately) not repairable without replacing most of the original circuitry... so, I purchased this book with the intention of using it to help design the perfect amplifier for me by allowing me to re-purpose every part that I can from that amplifier. I found this book to be perfect for me as a beginner and was pleasantly surprised to find that it literally described the exact front-end circuit that I have always wanted in a tube amplifier; a preamp section with a switchable overdrive! That schematic alone was worth the price of the book to me. I have a good friend that is a very knowledgeable amp technician and I have had to clarify a few things about this technology that I didn't find in the book, so it won't teach you everything - but it certainly does answer most of a beginners questions. This is a great book. Definitely worth the money.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 19, 2014 by KT
Good place to start for guitar amp fundamentals
Format: Paperback
Robert Megantz gives an excellent presentation about the fundamentals of guitar amplifier circuits in this book. Whether you're new to guitar amps or like me someone who grew up with tube (valve) amps and want to get familiar again with the theory and fundamentals this is a good place to work from. The 149-page book consists of 4 chapters, 2 Appendices and Bibliography. Chapter 1 titled Electronic Fundamentals deals with many aspects of voltage, current, Ohms Law, capacitance, inductance, transformers, Tubes (Valves), AC and DC, distortion etc. Chapter 2 deals with Basic Amplifier Design including Input and Output stages, triodes, pentodes, push-pull circuits etc. Chapter 3 deals with Effects such as distortion, overdrive, reverb loops while Chapter 4 goes into Amp construction, testing and troubleshooting. There are many diagrams to illustrate the text including basic valve circuits, tube characteristic figures including example calculations. The Appendices list sources for components and tube data. This background for me provided a good grounding in working with the Amp modelling package Revalver MkIII to get to understand the circuits that produced the famous British barking amplifier sound of the Shadows and the early Beatles. A second book also available at Amazon by Gerald Weber "Tube Guitar Amplifier Essentials" is a good companion to Megantz's book, that fills the practical gap with tips and tricks about how different parts of a amp's circuit affect the guitar sound quality - both are recommended if you dabble or intend to dabble in either real tube amps or those of the modelling kind.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2010 by Franky K
Most concise tube amp book I've seen
Format: Paperback
If you want a very good fundamental understanding of each circuit in your tube amp and how it all interacts this is the book for you. Very concise, no filler it just covers what the title says it does and does it very well. I read all of Gerald Weber's books, and while those certainly have some great information, they are very hit and miss and not very well organized. This book is worth all of those and then some. I just completed my third amp build and this book was instrumental in understanding the circuitry and troubleshooting the inevitable (for me anyway) errors in the builds. It also in a great help in tweaking amps and getting them to sound exactly like you want them to. If you build tube amps or just want to understand on a core level how it all works then buy this book.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2018 by homeboy
highly recommend
Format: Paperback
This is a very good book very well written and explains a lot and helps you educate yourself on wiring amplifiers
Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2025 by Jack Anthony