Germanium, or other "left wing" transistors...

ash · Post by **ash** » Sun Aug 01, 2004 2:01 pm

All this talk of germanium and bottles has led me to start tinkering with one of my spare Yamaha amps. So far I've jumped the gain by ten and changed the silicon signal diodes for LEDs in the clipping stage. Sounds better and they light up when the grunt comes on too

I'm going to squeeze a 12AX7 in there next

B45-12 · Post by **B45-12** » Sun Aug 01, 2004 3:26 pm

Heck no Ash! go for some of the old copper oxide rectifiers for that authentic 'vintage' tone (the fins will keep you warm as well). 12AX7's are so passe as well - why not go for something from the early years say a number 46 or an 01A valve for the pre 30's 'Lloyd Loar' sound??

B45-12 · Post by **B45-12** » Sun Aug 01, 2004 3:31 pm

Actually that's led me to wonder what a pre 30's valve guitar amp would sound like. OK I know they built the first guitar amps in the 30's but they had radio audio amplifiers thanks to Mr Lee DeForest's triode in the late 20's. Wonder if I could knock one up (getting the original cotton covered square wire might be fun tho!)

Could that be the ultimate retro amp? and what would you plug into it - an L5 with DeArmand pickup??

ash · Post by **ash** » Sun Aug 01, 2004 4:38 pm

Surely the last word in vintage amplification would be to hold to your ear, a paper cup attached via a length of taut string to the bridge of the L5.
Very Playschool!

Polar Bear · Post by **Polar Bear** » Sun Aug 01, 2004 5:33 pm

hahahaha PLayschool, good call!

Rog · Post by **Rog** » Mon Aug 02, 2004 7:42 am

Speaking of transistors, I will be having an auction of a few hundred assorted transistors, ICs etc on trademe shortly, as soon as I can find them all in my cleanout...

Post by **GrantB** » Mon Aug 02, 2004 10:17 am

Ash, that's brilliant. Let's set up some eBay auctions with titles like "Last Word in Vinatge Tone", or maybe "Vintage Amplification Specialists" - then have thise photo of the string and cup...and starting bid of maybe US$1000...

B45-12 · Post by **B45-12** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 12:46 pm

ash wrote:Surely the last word in vintage amplification would be to hold to your ear, a paper cup attached via a length of taut string to the bridge of the L5.
Very Playschool!

No sorry Ash - that's allready been done in metal and called a 'dobro' (or 'national' depending on how partisan you are) and that postdates deforest's little valve and loyd loar's Vivi tone invention.

Of course we should also go the craftsman route - after all why buy gemanium transistors when we could craft our own point contact ones from germanium crystals at home in the domestic oven just as no doubt Mr Vox (a poor Czech immigrant) or Mr Dallas (no doubt a poor Dalmatian immigrant) did at home, hand wiring of course and hand finishing every wah pedal or fuzz box.

The funny thing is the guy that makes the hot cakes does do this bar making the trannies - talk about life outdoing art eh?