Well, I’m thinking about building my first kit amp.
I’ve been watching several YouTube channels and learning tips. I have a background in electronics. Did service several years before switching to computer programming and pc support. I can read a tube circuit schematic and own a couple soldering irons.
The mojotone kit amps use a traditional eyelet board. Allowing point to point wiring. It’s much easier to install components compared to circuit boards. It’s easy to damage circuit boards with a hot soldering iron.
I’m looking at a Blackface Princeton Reverb Amp Head kit. Uses the original 1960’s tube circuit. Has the traditional spring tank for reverb. Kit is rated level 2 out of 5 difficultly. That seems like a good entry level kit.
They also have a three tube Princeton Tweed combo. Rated difficultly 1. Easier build, lower wattage and a good practice amp.
Lots of fun looking at the kits. Kit building is a great winter activity. Can’t get out and do much, so a inside project is appealing. https://www.mojotone.com/kits
In the past I’ve put vintage tubes in all my tube amps but I quit playing a few years ago. Later I was feeling an itch so I got me a Parker Guitar and a Vox VT40+ amp to noodle on.
My Vox amp uses a 12ax7 tube (Valvetronix) and it has a Sovtek in it. It’s a little harsh and I’ve thought what if I get a vintage tube for it? I found a ANOS British Mullard 12ax7 that was rebranded as RCA and it’s an RFT core.
I got it at half price ($40) and put it in. As a result the Vox sounded real mellow and creamy. I thought wow, it worked with it.
I’ve looked at those Mojotone kits, too. They aren’t cheap, but they are a cool way to get into building amps. Plus, as you noted, they’re all point-to-point… That’s not necessarily a better way to build an amp, but usually it’s the easier to repair method. When you compare it to the price of a modern hand-wired amp, the prices are quite nice, even if you buy it assembled by Mojotone. A hand-wired Marshall in mint condition for $1500 is hard to come by, and at least some people know the Mojotone name.
I’ve got some Silvertone branded RCA Black Plate 6L6s in my Silvertone 1484. I’ve still got the original preamp tubes, too. They sound awesome. Since I realized how expensive it would be to replace that particular set, it’s had plenty of other tubes in it as well, and they’ve sometimes sounded quite nice, too. Do the original tubes sound 10X as good as the nice sets of Tung-Sols, JJ’s and EHX tubes I’ve used in it? Not by a long shot. In fact, I doubt I could really tell them apart in a mix. Some of the newer sets sound better than others, even from the same manufacturer. With the price difference, you can sometimes get 20 very nice new tubes for the price of one of the fabled old tubes. Those 6L6s go for 5-10X the price of decent new 6L6s. I’d suggest buying several new ones and swapping them out till you get a set you like. Sometimes just moving the order of your current set of preamp tubes can make a lot of difference. A tube that sounds too gritty in the gain stage can sound fuller than the others in an EQ stage. Swapping them around is fun!
The 1484 is nice because the power tubes are self biasing, and you can swap those without any work, as well. On most amps you only want to go swapping the preamp tubes willy-nilly (yes, most people know this, but I thought I should mention it since i mentioned swapping the power tubes).
I’ve heard a lot of positive comments about that vintage 60’s amp. The Uncle Doug channel on YouTube just began restoration of a crusty barn find 1485.
I like your suggestion to try different preamp tubes. I understand there’s some good tubes being made today.
Yep, it’s the Jack White/Vampire Weekend/Brittany Howard of the Alabama Shakes amp. I’m not sad that it’s become popular, but it’s gone from an amp that I can pick up for $125 and pick the best one out of 50 at a guitar show (30 years ago), to one that’s harder to find and generally runs about $700 for a working one.
You used yours as a hi-fi, SigMan? I don’t doubt it sounded awesome in that duty. I wish I still had the GE all-tube shelf console that I had as a kid. Since it was a phono/radio/amp/speakers all in one box, It was murder to move around, but my memories of its sound and bass response make modern systems pale. It sounded like a jukebox…but I’m getting off the subject. You shoulda plugged a guitar into your 1484, with a boost pedal if you like grind. The tremolo on a 1484 sounds completely awesome, it’s overdrive is so thick you can’t suck it through a straw, and the reverb is…totally unique and un-usable. My amp guy described it as “Sounds like a martian shaking a paint can”. It’s a neat effect, but not what one thinks of when one thinks of reverb. Get an external reverb tank or a pedal.
The reverb is ok as I only need a touch of it but I used an external spring reverb box. The tremolo is awesome alright and I used it during the drum solo of Ina Godda Da Vida. My friends really grooved on it.
ZakDaughter (12 going on 13) is finishing up her first half-year of school guitar classes. So far at least, she loves it. We were lucky enough that her aunt was able to loan us an apparently damn good acoustic for her to use at home. But now we’re at decision time.
So, if she wants to continue we need to shift to private lessons (school guitar ends at the Christmas break). I have no problem with this and would love to encourage her in the instrument.
She has seen a Fender Daphne Blue something-or-other (it’s around $270) at the local music shop and says she want to ‘switch to electric’. I have told her that it doesn’t work that way when you’re learning the instrument and that the techniques she’s learning (and will learn) with the acoustic will transfer.
But I could be full of shit. So, I figured I’d come ask the experts!
So, TLDR:
If she wants to go electric, should she switch now?
If the answer to 1 is yes, is that Fender a good buy for a starter electric?
If not, any recommendations on a good acoustic suitable for a 13-year old starting out?
Ouch. Losing your urge to play is a tough row to hoe. I don’t have any advice, but you do have my sympathies.
If she wants to play electric, then there’s no reason to not start now. Most of what she’s learning at this point will probably transfer to either.
I would need more information to be sure, but if it’s really a Fender and not a Squier, then $270 is most likely a deal. If it is a Squier, that’s probably the MSRP.
Just a general recommendation, but there’s probably a used Yamaha acoustic somewhere nearby for sale at a reasonable price.
The most important thing for a player is: do whatever keeps you playing. If electric is that thing, then that’s what she should do. If that excites her, she’ll keep practicing, practicing, practicing.
Fender is a great brand, but a bottom-price Fender/Squier can be dicey in my experience. See if you can get into a middle-range Squier or above, they can be very good instruments. I haven’t looked at them in a while, but a >= $350ish Squier can be quite nice.
That first link I provided is a very good deal. You won’t find many electric guitars with a hard shell case in that condition and price. I’d jump on that listing.
Otherwise plan to spend about $35 to $50 for a Gator electric guitar gig bag.
Used in excellent condition $39
It’s blue. The color you mentioned.
You can get a blue guitar. But limiting your search to a color will really cut down on your choices. I’d shop used, excellent or very good, and within a price range.
A cord is under $18. You want a 10 foot length. Don’t buy a cheap $7 cable. It will break quickly.
As you can see. Going electric comes with some extra costs for the amp and cable.
You could buy a nice acoustic in that same $400 to $500 range. You may still need a acoustic guitar gig bag.
I’ve had very good success recommending Alvarez acoustic electric to friends and family.
They are very nice student guitars that will meet their needs for several years of study.
Here’s a search with filter for price under $500.
As you can see, there’s a nice selection and some include a case.
Brand new Acoustic Electric. You can buy a amp next birthday or Christmas.
Excellent advice re looking at used guitars on Reverb, Aceplace. I agree, that $400 Telecaster is a steal. Although it’s stamped “made in China”, which makes me wonder. A Mexican Tele would be a better guitar. Since when are non-Squier Tele’s made in China?
Zakalwe re Aceplace’s other suggestions, be aware that an acoustic-electric does not sound at all like an electric guitar; it sounds like an amplified acoustic. If your daughter loves the sound of an electric guitar, an acoustic-electric might be a disappointment for her.
