Ep. 20: "It's a Big Tent"

Summary: Skip has never had sushi; Earl is not a fan of low-balling; and Fender Bassmans rock Twice a month, guitar amp guru Skip Simmons fields your questions on vintage tube amp buying, restoration and repair. Co-hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde. Submit your guitar amp questions to Skip here: [email protected] or by leaving us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848. Some of the topics discussed on this episode: 1:50 John Lennon in Sacramento 3:17 A quick story about Earl Yarrow 12:20 Western Electric hi-fi collecting 14:40 Music recommendations: The Originals; Skip Mahoney & the Casuals; Julie London; "On the Alamo" 17:28: This week's sponsors: Grez Guitars and Mono Cases 18:15 Skip addresses the critics (on grounded cords, replaced caps) 30:02 "Solder," revisited 31:39 Removing the ground hum of two amps running together 34:50 Making an amp out of a sushi platter; recommended needle nose pliers 38:27 6L6s in a Deluxe Reverb  42:41 Skip on your voicemail 45:20 President Skip?, practicalities of running an attenuator 50:33 Acoustic tube amps, revisited 54:45 A 1968 Princeton non-reverb lacking volume 57:47 Other vintage Gibson amps 1:03:00 The truth about unmodified Gibson Falcons and Silverface Champs 1:09:41 Vox Pacemakers overview 1:12:24 The unique properties of a Fender Bassman 1:15:38 Using pre-amp tube as a power tube 1:19:40 Learning soldering and circuits from simple pedal kits and the little Ruby: http://www.runoffgroove.com/ruby.html 1:24:58 Running a Champ through a Variac versus a Hammond 290AX power transformer 1:27:44 A 1963 Fender Vibrolux with treble hiss 1:35:14 Speakers for a 1965 Ampeg Reverberocket 2 GS-12R 1:39:44 Non-lead solder 1:43:54 Biasing a cathode bias amp 1:49:49 Measuring plate current 1:54:57 The Baffler returns!