Books

Have you ever wondered if there is a better way to build a Bassman, Champ, Plexi, an 800, AC-30, Bulldog or Portaflex? Or you wanted to build an SVT with off-the-shelf parts? How about a master-volume amp that doesn't change tone with the master setting? Everything you need to know is right here, including: proper grounding techniques, wiring methods, and mechanical considerations. Eighteen chapters cover the "iconic" amps everyone knows and loves, with schematics and layouts for each, along with the technical history of the product.

Every part of your system contributes to your Ultimate Tone, so every part is important. The Ultimate Tone, Volume 5 delineates, in clear language, the function of each electronic component in a circuit, and how alterations to the value of each part affect the final sound. Gain stage voicing, interstage attenuator optimization, sustain restoration for clean and distorted tones, power amp and preamp "tone generators", simple boost pedals, amp selectors and power conditioners are all covered, with designs using off-the-shelf parts. Like TUT3, this is a "project book" presenting design challenges and solutions, with a diversity of tube and solid-state circuits for bass, guitar and keyboards.

Gerald Weber, of Kendrick amplification fame, is the author of A Desktop Reference of Hip Vintage Guitar Amps and Tube Amp Talk for the Guitarists and tech. This is his third book, and works well as a companion to his previous books or on its own. 528 pages, softbound

The evolution of guitar amp circuits becomes a revolution! The Ultimate Tone, Volume 6 takes you through advanced DC Power Scaling methods; reveals the secrets of Dumble amps; explores the truth about high-gain preamps; demonstrates how to build Z-B-X push-pull power amps with a single power tube; simplifies the design of 400W+ tube amps - methods that can be applied to any power level; presents class-G tube amps where 100W of output has the same waste heat as a 25W amp; explores modern mains control and sustain circuitry.