Bandito Amps: The Online Mag for Tube Amp Lovers
Volume No. 10-3 March 2010
Volume No. 10-3 March 2010
Archives of tubisity and other fun crap. This is where we keep some of the more memorable articles from past Banditoamps issues. For starters, the all important interviews with the Tube Amp Heroes. You know, those eccentric billionaires that live in dark basements and hatch crazy tube amp ideas into real mojo blastin' amps. All of the tube amp contributors are top notch and you can bet the chicken coup and the hog pen that what they tell you will be the gospel truth. So, enjoy and be glad that these guys are happy to share their immense knowledge with a bunch of nerds.
An interview with Mark Baier of Victoria Amps:
Mark; Please answer the following questions for the readers of
Banditoamps on-line tube amp magazine:
1. How did you get started in the business of building specialty tube
guitar amps? Who were the amp builders that inspired you the most?
I wanted to buy a well made brand new Fender amp! The reissue of the “Bassman” ampin the late '80's by FMIC rekindled my love affair with those pre-vintage .used' old
amps..I remember the day when guys would paint tweed all black to make it look like aSuper Reverb or Deluxe Reverb..Before tweed amps were Tweed amps they were usedamps..Those were the days boys..When I compared my old one to the new late 80's RI,
I was disappointed with the RI.. After taking a few back panels off, there was no
stopping me. Anyone who knew me back then will attest. I was crazy.
There were no amp builders back then! “Lilly” I guess?? (“Lilly” is one of the morefrequent names encountered written on the masking tape inside old '50's Fenders) Dr.
Z was the first mad scientist guitar amp guy, but I never saw or heard one in person, justthe Joe Walsh review in Guitar Player. I will admit to reading that review 420 times in an
attempt to plug my guitar into it, but it was years later that I actually played one of Mikesamps. I think he's probably crazy too.
2. What are the three (3) most important parts or manufacturing
techniques that affect the tone of a tube amplifier?
Tubes, Transformers and Talent.
3. Your newest creation, the Victoria Electro King (a very cool
looking and sounding amp), is, according to your press release, a
take-off build of the early Gibson GA-40 amplifier. What made you
decide to tackle that particular amp?
At this point, I've been blessed to have played through thousands and thousands ofamps. This particular amp stopped me in my tracks upon throttling it up. Flipped my wig
in fact. Very rare occurrence. And when I say this partticular amp I mean it! The
aformentioned out of body experience (really) was courtesy of an original GA-40 LesPaul amp; a real closet classic, all electronic connections and parts were 100% stock.
Because the paper caps were shot and 20% resistors were 40%, we took care of that,
but when we did...the reward was the inspiration for the EK. We got to hear that amp
play right for the first time since Opie had hair, Man! Our pre repair reseach of the
patient revealed that it was different than the archival schematics available, including
the one pasted inside the amp (the plastic “Les Paul' logo was intact too folks), so our
amp was a rare find indeed. As such, the Electro King represents my good fortune's giftto Mankind. The Mank & Ind type.
4. What would you recommend to a person buying a tube amplifier
for the first time to help them pick the right amp?
Don’t have unreasonable expectations. The amp won’t make you play like
Carl Verheyen. The amp will make you sound like you louder, so if you
suck.....however, if you’re a player whose done his or her homework, the
amp will allow to grow artistically and technically. The more truthful an amp
is, the more difficult it is to play, the reward being obvious dominion over
time and space, so I say, go for it!! Ken Fisher, RIP, told me that he would
readily refuse a sale if he thought the buyer couldn’t or wouldn’t appreciate
the amp. He was sniffing out the assclowns, God Bless him. I haven’t
followed that business model as strictly as Ken did, but that advice has
come in handy a couple times.
5. Do your customers buy direct from your company or from a music
store outlet?
Both. Depends where you live for the most part. If I have a dealer in your area, you willbe directed to it.
6. Is it hard to find good, top of the line parts for building your amps?
Nope. I make them if I can't find what I want commonly available. I make a lot of stuff
anyway though. I have most of my caps custom made..all the coupling caps areproprietary.
Is there a particular transformer company that you like the best?
Do you hear that??!! That sound?? I think it's the elusive beat of one hand clapping...
Made in Chicagoland USA to exact vintage specs as it relates to the tweed stuff, and
the very best modern engineering and execution in the biz for the rest. USA.
7. Do you take special orders on amps? That is, can a customer call
and ask for a little more of this and a little less of that?
depends.. some ideas are more interesting than others. Getting too far on the limb isoften someone else's business, but I'll listen to about any nutty amp idea..
8. Do you make repairs or modifications on people's amps?
Old Fenders, Gibsons, stuff like that yeah..But what I like is restoring amps. Repairingthem is a pain in the ass. First off, your customer is a cheapskate to begin with! 9 times
out of ten, it's like, “Have you considered a new amp instead?..So restorations are moremeaningful and we concentrate on that repair wise. Take the Crate to Bob-tronics! (no
offense intended, Bob) We do get quite a few of these kit amps coming in.. People buy
them, or hire someone to put then together and I gotta tell ya, folks, you get what youpay for! Sometimes I just gotta laugh through my tears, when I hear the story..” I wanteda Victoria, but I couldn't afford one, so I had this tweed kit made by my buddy. Can you
fix it?”
9. Are any pedal steel guitar players using your amps?
Probably.. I don’t know! Are they? If they’re not, they should plug one in and
shift some gears!
An interview with Stephen Cohrs of Trinity Amps in Canada:
Stephen; Please answer the following questions for the readers of Bandito amps on-line tube amp magazine:
1. How did you get started in the business of building specialty tube guitar amps? Who were the amp builders that inspired you the most?
SC I have always had a keen interest in music. As a youngster, I learned brass instruments, playing in various bands. I initially learned to play the guitar using other people’s instruments because I couldn’t afford one of my own. Being a “lefty” that meant I had to learn by playing but I had to learn left-handed, upside down and backwards. (Wow! sounds like one of the after video shoot parties at the Banditos!)
My father was an inspiration to me because he made everything including his own mono-block tube amps and huge speaker cabinets for mono, and later stereo hi-fi. I began by building basic speakers and amps in the early 70’s, mostly for friends so I could make some money to afford my own equipment. In the 80’s, I graduated to building more sophisticated audio components including spectrum analyzers, power level indicators, hi power - low distortion MOSFET amps, Pre Amps and Active Filters. These were all built from “scratch,” etching circuit boards, fabricating chassis and building cabinets and audio racks. Many of these were sold to finance my the “next” project.
When my son, was a young teenager, he wanted an electric guitar and that’s where it all began for us. That guitar has never left his hands and he has become an accomplished player - his heroes include Hendrix, Page, Clapton and Gilmour (not bad Dad!). He clearly needed better gear so our first and last commercial purchase was a Marshall 2203 - 100W and matching 412. After we regained our hearing, and common sense, I decided to focus my attention on low power tube amps.
With the help of my father-in-law, a HAM operator who learned about tubes in the 40’s and 50’s and built the town’s first televisions, we set out to build a tube amp. After considerable research on the Internet, the Trinity Amps Deluxe was born - A true point-to-point effort using terminal strips that worked perfectly first time! The next amp was inspired by Mark Sampson’s early work on the Lightning built using a Hammond reverb amp that was successfully converted into our prototype by reusing the existing eyelet board. It was such a sonic success, that it was quickly sold and we started taking orders for more.
So, even though the first amp we owned was a classic Marshall design, the first one we built was a Fender Tweed. But the one that really kicked our company us off was the early Mark Sampson design.
2. What are the three (3) most important parts or manufacturing techniques that you believe affect the tone of a tube amplifier?
Design aside, the number one component in my mind is the iron (transformers). When we developed our 18 Watt, we tried out auditioned many Output Transformers; and after several test sessions we picked the best sounding one out of several manufacturers. Yes, in this case, it happened to be the most expensive one, but this is really not an area you want to scrimp on. All the designs utilize interleaved windings to optimize frequency response, special grades of steel laminates are sound tested by professional musicians before we choose the final design. Interestingly, it is not always the most expensive design/build that proves to be the best sounding item.
Number two is tubes - the difference in sound is very noticeable and one of the great things about tube amps is that you can move them around and replace them to find the sound you like best. Some new tubes just sound brittle and grainy (?) whereas and others are smooth and clean. Fortunately, we have seen the quality and sound of new tubes improving over the years so the tube renaissance is a real bonus for all of us. Again, you tend to get what you pay for so some of our amps do use NOS tubes - but they have to be real authentic NOS to be reliable. For example, we use Amperex Bugle Boy EF86 (Holly Pepperoni Bat Boy!)
Third is lead dressing. Noise, feedback and hum are not only annoying, but the resulting harmonics can kill the sound of a good amp. Poor lead dress contributes to this as well as long-term reliability so we build very clean, well dressed amps closely following our tried and tested layouts. Every design is based on has a prototype build that we work on with the professional musicians and studios such as bgroupmusic.com until we get the sound exactly right. Then we send it out on a gig or two and listen to it in a live setting. Larry Bethune has been a formidable tester for all or our products and is featured on the majority of our web site clips. His detailed feedback and input on tone has been invaluable to us. Plus he’s an awesome player too! (Amen to that brother)
As a last point, and not to be overlooked, coupling capacitors can make a sonic difference as well. We So for example, we do like to use the SOZO mustard caps in certain applications such as the 18 watt where we use and supply them as standard issue.
3. I see from visiting your website, that you use the term "low wattage" designs in the description of your amps. What is it about the low wattage designs that you prefer?
Typical musicians we work with are gigging in small venues, recording studios or mike their gear, so working with low power amps allows them to get the tone they want without hearing loss! The highest power amp we make is less than 40 watts; our amps are and typically in the 15 -25 amp range. Only on one occasion have we have been asked to double the power. Wattage (more power) does not necessarily translate into volume,. and you also need to multiply power output tenfold, for a doubling of volume level. For example, our TRIWATT design is almost as loud as our 40 watt amp even in its 20 watt base configuration with 6V6 power tubes. So don’t underestimate a "low power" amp - you can still get a lot of volume from a good one.
4. What would you recommend to a person buying a tube amplifier for the first time to help them pick the right amp?
Ignore the bells and whistles and get a good quality low power, 5-15 watt tube amp. Get one that can handle pedals well as there are plenty of effects like overdrive that you can add on if you really need them. Do some internet research and “You Tube” a little as well. If I was going to recommend an amp you wanted to spring for one option feature it would probably be , I would recommend either a usable Master volume control or Reverb. And besides, I expect you will be practicing a lot and having a high power amp is not much use for that. Over time, you will find you can make even the simplest amp sound great, but it takes a lot of work and practice which is where my company has already done the R and D for the players.
When you do get that first amp, turn those little knobs on the amp and guitar without any regard to what you think looks normal and judge only based on tone. Use your ears, not your eyes and expect to:
* spend some time finding the sweet spot where you can make it distort or play clean using playing technique alone.
* use the volume and tone on your guitar to shape the sound.
* spend some time finding pedals that work with the amp inputs....or maybe not.
5. Do your customers buy direct from your company or from a music store outlet?
All of our business is currently through by word- of- mouth and and through the internet with minimal advertising. We have been fortunate to have some very notable customers who have commented on Trinity Amps in books, publications and liner notes of CDs. A lot of business comes from these and the many recommendations on many open forums - the best kind. We have looked into retail channels but to keep our products affordable, we’ve opted to for now we avoid skip the middle man and sell direct to our customers. (Stop the presses. Trinity can now proudly say they made the pages of the wildly popular Banditoamps too!)
6. Is it hard to find good, top of the line parts for building your amps? Is there a particular transformer company that you like the best?
There are a lot of low quality, low price parts out there. Even though imitations are available, we use only name brand, genuine parts like SOZO, Mallory, Cliff, Switchcraft, Alpha, JJ, Belton, Carling, Lorlin, Belden and we now use 600V rated 20 gauge solid core wire. What we can’t buy off the shelf, we contract or make, such as the custom chassis and cabinets.
Transformers account for a large percentage of the total cost of parts so this is an cost area where some companies can cut corners - but we don’t. We have found that the such low cost parts transformers generally result in are also low sonic quality - especially true when it comes to iron. We have a great relationship with Heyboer who provides us with prototypes to our specifications using their manufacturing expertise and experience of over 50 years. Working with them has been a pleasure. They are located in Michigan and are our exclusive supplier for all our iron. (Wonder if you can get a steal on a Chrysler along with that Heyboer tranny?)
7. Do you take special orders on amps? That is, can a customer call and ask for a little more of this and a little less of that when ordering an amp from Trinity Amps?
Ideally, customers take them as built but yes, to a degree we do tweak amps to match customers’ requests and we have a number of recipes! For One example, we mix and & match channels in the 18 watt design. The Normal channel can be original normal, original tremolo voice or Plexi voice, and we also will clean up or dirty down the amp as desired, thicken or thin- out the sound as well. Some of this can also be achieved using our various boost options we already include and of course swapping tubes with different gain ratings and tone where it makes sense. We also have made design modifications to simplify a build but it’s a challenge to keep costs down and have a professional looking one-off product so we can only go so far.
8. Do you make repairs or modifications on amps at your shop? Where is your company located? What is the best way to contact Trinity Amps?
We rarely need to, but we do service our own amps. We have helped out gigging musicians from time to time on an emergency basis. We are located in Toronto, Canada and the best way to initially contact us is by email. We are happy to talk to prospective customers following an initial contact by email stating their desires and we do get out and meet musicians on a regular basis. Sometimes we get players coming in to try out some of our amps and speaker cabs. When you run a small company, you tend to spend a lot of time building and designing, and you don’t get out as much as you would like to. (Just ask my wife!)
9. I see that you offer the Do-It-Yourself crowd the choice of buying an amp kit from you. Do you get a lot of people wanting to build their own amp?
In fact, DIY amp building is has become quite popular these days as an affordable way for guitarists to own their dream amp. So it does account for a significant portion of our sales. In this business, to keep the cost of parts low, you need to make volume purchases. One way to accomplish that is to offer kits. Many first time builders have successfully built even the complicated kits like the TC-15. It does take patience and the ability to follow instructions - and not rush the home build. What differentiates our kits from others is parts quality, fit, extensive documentation and support - plus the competitive pricing. We have email support and an active forum with almost 800 members for helping customers. We found that past builders are great for helping out new builders and we found we can count on them for a lot of help on the forum.
10. What is the recommended "safe" distance a do-it-yourselfer should stand back from a home built amp the first time they turn it on?! Ouch!!
If after diligently following the 60 plus pages of the builders manual, customers still feel uncomfortable, we recommend a 1 meter physical separation from the amp as well as goggles and hearing protection! Just Kidding! (pie to the 3rd power equals nuclear meltdown Banito!)
11. If you have any other comments for the Bandito readers, go for it.........
Trinity Amps has been building Amps, supplying kits and finishing custom cabinets since 2004. Our hand built amps are enjoyed by some very notable musicians. We received credit on the Tragically Hip CDs "World Container” and “We Are the Same” and we were honorably mentioned by Billy Gibbons (of ZZTop) in his book "Rock & Roll Gearhead" and also in Tone Quest Magazine. We were the first Canadian distributor of Tone Tubby loudspeakers and we have our own custom transformers built in the USA by Heyboer to Vintage specifications. At the same time we pride ourselves on providing the highest quality products at very affordable prices.
Trinity Amps started as a family operation and the name “Trinity” comes from Father (me), Son (whose guitar started it all) and the “Holy Ghost” of tubes - Gramps! We’ve had a lot of help from friends along the way (hello banditoheads) and we have recently expanded our roster to include design, build, and shop and kit packaging help while still maintaining the family approach.
Our current products include custom-built amps and kits for a Tweed Deluxe Fender type amp; four different 18 Watt Marshall type models; the TC-15 two Two Cchannel VOX/Matchless type amp based on our original 15 watt amp; and the new TRIWATT which delivers vintage HIWATT tone at less than ear- splitting sound levels. We cover a lot of sound stages with those models and we are now working on the Tramp - a versatile but basic, small practice amp in the 2-5 watt range. It would be the one we’d recommend to a person buying a tube amplifier for the first time or for an easy first build or to "get to know" what playing a tubie is all about. Cheers to all the great Bandito readers!!
Trinity Amps
Toronto, Canada
Web site: www.trinityamps.com
Email: stephen@trinityamps.com
Fax 416-763-5289
Andy; would you mind answering a few questions from some tube amp admirers? You will! Good, please answer the following questions for the readers of Banditoamps on-line tube amp magazine:
1. How did you get started in the business of building specialty tube guitar amps? Who were the amp builders and/or tube amplifier designs that inspired you the most?
AF It started as a hobby. I basically started trying to build things I could not afford, or that were not being made. For example: I took the first channel on a Fender Pro I owned, and used it to overdrive the second channel, and make my own Boogie/Dumble style amp. I was lucky enough to work in a local TV store, and owner was a retired Electrical Engineer, so he took me under his wing, taught me basic electronics, tubes especially, and got me going. Leo Fender, Jim Marshall, Randy Smith (Mesa Boogie), and Howard Dumble we’re influences for sure.
2. What are the three (3) most important parts or manufacturing techniques that you believe affect the tone of a tube amplifier?
AF Proper attention to the actual circuit designs, proper layout (circuit board, chassis, grounding etc) and premium parts, especially transformers.
3. I see from visiting your website (www.fuchsaudiotechnology.com), that you offer not only an impressive line of first class tube amps, but you also offer repairs of other companies' tube amps, and a complete modified re-build of quite a lineup of vintage amplifiers. What is your favorite part of the tube amplifier business and why?
AF I’d say money, but that’s not it…lol. My favorite parts of the business is the creative design process, but perhaps the most fulfilling part is seeing my products as a creative vehicle for musicians to express themselves in so many genres !
4. Could you explain briefly what a new customer should do if, for an example, they purchased a vintage Vox, Marshall or Fender tube amp and they want to contact your company and send it in for an overhaul? How long would they expect to wait for their tone "queen" to come back home?
AF Well, that would depend on exactly what we would be doing. We mostly do everything by appointment, to minimize any delays in getting things through our shop. If it’s basic repairs/overhauling, not more than a week or ten days, assuming we have (or can obtain) parts quickly. The repairs are the smallest part of the time, because we usually burn amps in (shake and bake), which is a few days cycled. We run them on the same burn racks our production amps go on, when done. 4 hours on 4 hours off, for at least a couple of days. If a tube or a part fails, we want it to happen at our shop, not anyone’s gig or home. We have a less than 3% return rate on amps, pedals and repairs, for that reason. Modifications (rebuilding) is usually about 30 days. We often “bunch up” amps, so we can line up a series of the same (or similar) models. We can then do them assembly-line style. I still check out and tune each one, no matter who built it in our shop.
5. What would you recommend to a person buying a tube amplifier for the first time to help them pick the right amp?
AF Well, consider how it fits you ! It’s like “mommy who should I marry ?”. The amp has to be the right power rating for the kind of gig you do. Sound the way you need it to sound, and be the right logistic for you meaning: head or combo, 112 or 212 etc. No fun if it breaks your back or won’t fit your car. Also consider the company who made it. Check their reputation on line, and the warranty. The last few years, there have been tons of new companies, not saying any are better or worse than others, but who knows how long they will be around. This is especially true of the influx of imported amps from China, Malaysia, and elsewhere. You have no idea of who made their components (especially transformers), and good luck trying to get support and service data. Also, pick an amp that you can use for a long time, to maximize value TO YOU ! Used musical instruments often lose value quickly, like a car. No fun losing money, if you only keep it a year.
6. Do your customers buy direct from your company or from a music store outlet?
AF We do service and mods direct but our amp and pedal products are sold through a worldwide dealer network. We deal mostly with small independent stores, although we do have Long and McQuade in Canada, and recently Musicians Friend in the states, now handling some of our products.
7. Is it hard to find good, top of the line parts for building and repairing amps? Is there a particular transformer company that you like the best?
AF It’s actually become easier the last few years. When I first started (and this is true of Dumble and Boogie) the only choices were buying “replacement” power, output and chokes from Fender or Marshall, to make your own amp. Today we have Mercury Magnetics, Heyboer, Hammond, and others. The DIY market has grown through the knowledge people can get online, and the industry fed off it. We’ve been committed to Heyboer for almost all the ten years we’ve been making amps. We tried others, and found their products to be outstanding. These guys know their engineering backwards and forwards.
8. Do you take special orders on amps? That is, can a customer call you and ask you to voice an amp a special way, or ask you to make it run an uncommon set of power tubes or ???
AF We do a limited amount of custom work. I learned early on, that some of the best jobs we have done, were the ones we walked away from…lol. You need to know your limits. We’ve gotten some requests that were simply impractical: How far do you go in terms of custom work, before the hours and dollars become silly. We will do custom foot-switching, half power, triode/pentode switches, perhaps a particular tube type, as long as it’s something a guy will be able to buy, ten years from now. We also do special colors of panels, tolex, grille cloth, knobs etc. We also do custom voicing. If a guy is a jazz guy and wants an amp voiced along the lines of Wes Montgomery, or a rock or jazz guy wants a Robben Ford or Joe Bonamassa tone, we can do that.
9. When I first visited your website, I was very impressed with the professional layout and the ease of use. Do you oversee the website yourself or does your support staff manage that aspect of the business?
AF We did in the beginning. My son and I bought a digital camera, went to an online “build your own website” site, and “pitched our tent” on the internet. Eventually, we were approached by a web designer, who didn’t mind bartering for work against gear. Most recently, we hired an artist relations gal (Debra Muller) who not only goes to shows and talks to talent, but supports studios, TV shows, and touring companies. She overseas an independent web design company, who does monthly site maintenance.
We add and delete products, upgrade text, add customer content like sound files, videos from our professional users, and product demos that I do, from time to time.
10. Do you take Fuchs amps to trade shows and mix it up with the other amp builders on the scene right now? Do you ever attend shows in the midwest or western U.S.?
AF We do take things “on the road”. We usually do Loni Spector’s Amp Shows www.ampshow.com as well as the NAMM show in California in January. I am blessed that I have developed a number of friendships with other builders. I consider Andy Marshall at THD a good friend, I actually spent an hour or so on the phone with Hartley Peavey recently. Randall Smith is a nice guy as well. I’m humbled at the level of respect I’ve (apparently) developed. We recently had a trademark issue come up, and Hartley was nice enough to say “hey man, it can happen, just change it, I wouldn’t want to get lawyers involved, and I’m sure you wouldn’t either”. Nice guy. I talk to Allan Philips at Carol-Ann, Brandon at Bludotone, Paul Reed Smith on occasion. It’s a surprisingly small industry, despite how big it is…
11. If you have any other comments for the Bandito readers, go for it.........
AF Practice your instrument, leave amp building to trained professionals, and “don’t try this at home”. J Thanks for the opportunity to chat Editor's note: Thanks Mr. Andy for taking time to talk with us. It's great to get the "inside" scoop from a true Tube Amp Hero. All you readers be sure to visit Fuchs' website listed in the Links page.
