Show Notes
A throwback, lo-fi landline episode just for the purists! Caller waiting beeps, the state of the guitar show, an energized Skip, and more. Want to be a part of our show? Just email us a question or voice memo to [email protected]. Recorded on January 13, 2025. Some of the topics discussed this week: 1:31: The LA fires
3:34: A recap of the Bay Area Vintage Guitar Show; are guitar shows just for eating now? estuaries and prison proposals 34:00 Our sponsors: Grez Guitars; Emerald City Guitars and Amplified Parts! 36:56 The origins of goop; Standel amps and their little plastic boxes, Mark Sampson (aforementioned amp here) 43:24 Skip's death caps (not that kind) 44:56 The ideal workbench setup 50:36 Poetry corner: "The Girl Who Never Rained" by Cole Swensen 54:46 An all-original Setchel Carlson with Flechtheim 2uF British-made filter cap blocks, gas rectifiers
58:15 Can I use the second set of speaker lugs on this amp to use a test cabinet? 1:03:33 The "Larry Revival Process" and modding the standby switch on a Marshall JMP50 Plexi 1:07:52 Why is my 1971 Fender Champ making noise? 1:16:11 Randall Smith's YouTube channel (link); what happens when you pull the V1 12AX7 Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal. Don't forget, we have a Patreon page. Join us to get show updates and get to the front of the question line.
More from The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
Skip is back from a long-overdue road trip and has tales to tell and amps to fix. We also hear about the Fretboard Summit's vintage amp room (watch that baby Leslie video), Christopher Guest in the new Fretboard Journal and so much more.
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It's the 169th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps, the call-in show where amp tech Skip Simmons fields all of your tube amp and life questions. This week, returning guest Steve Soest joins us for a chat about the vintage days of vintage guitar buying; playing alongside Chuck Berry and Dick Dale; Leo Fender's dining habits; and more. Thank you to our sponsors: Grez Guitars; Emerald City Guitars; and Amplified Parts / Mod Electronics. Some of the topics discussed this week: :55 What's on Skip's Bench: A messed-up Masco MA-17
It's the long-awaited episode 168 of the Truth About Vintage Amps, the call-in show where amp tech Skip Simmons fields all of your tube amp and life questions. This week, we kick things off by interviewing one of Skip's clients, Sebastian from Vintage Inspired Pickups! Also: possessed Ampegs, shipping forecasts, and Fender repairs and so much more. Thank our sponsors: Grez Guitars; Emerald City Guitars; and Amplified Parts / Mod Electronics. Some of the topics discussed this week: :00 Special Guest: Sebastian Gruenberg of Vintage Inspired Pickups (link); molecular biology; winding pickups, making potentiometers; cryo-tuning magnets; Emerald City Guitars; Gibsonette input jack ground issues; and more!
It's the 167th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps, the call-in show where amp tech Skip Simmons fields all of your tube amp and life questions. Thank our sponsors: Grez Guitars; Emerald City Guitars; and Amplified Parts / Mod Electronics. Some of the topics discussed this week: :00 Skip's refrigerator dies (but lives!), taking the train to the Chicago Fretboard Summit, electronica band Chessie 10:09 The LA vintage guitar show 13:52 'The Angel's Share' movie 16:18 Our sponsors and a great 2026 Fretboard Summit amp giveaway (thanks, Andy!) 19:19 A non-tech tip: Silverface control panel amps with peeling film 21:59 What's on Skip's bench: Magnatone amps; an early Dickerson amp; using a Trace Elliot Velocette shell for a tube amp build 26:38 How long would it take Skip to build a tube amp (on a game show)? 28:31 Starting an amp repair business, redux (Ahuntsic Amplification https://amplificationahuntsic.ca/homepage-en) 32:45 Solder Smoke Absorber Remover (Amazon link: https://amzn.to/3QPSuv6) 36:16 Modding a Silvertone Powermaster PA for guitar, dogbone resistors, 6J7 tubes 45:21 Novak hybrid guitars; did I fry my transformer?; AI Skip; cooking with duck 53:51 What to do with my dad's 1959 Gretsch 6161 Electromatic Twin amp?; Uncle Doug on TAVA? 1:00:05 Serge Gainsbourg with a bunch of smoking kids (https://youtu.be/unYu22Ign1E?si=VkCNtOaDbloJqh63) 1:01:03 Warehouse speakers for a 1976 Silverface Vibro Champ (Instagram: @cwg_guitars)