Want to build AA1164D circuit need advice

[mford]

I am just learning about tube amps and would like to build a Princeton AA1164 circuit. I have some transformers from a Hammond organ from 1968 and an old RCA radio from 1939. Should I sell these trannies and use the money toward a kit build?

[TUBEDUDE]

Do you have any soldering experience?

[Stevem]

You should save up and by a Champ type kit from one of the many suppliers who have them as a start.

[mford]

Yes I have soldering experience, and a rudimentary understanding of tube amps, but I don't have all the electronic test equipment. I have done commercial and residential electrical work for many years and have an ohm meter. Other than that I am just getting in to this as a hobby in my retired years. It seems very difficult to get good responses from people on these forums. Everyone seems to think you need to be beyond the beginner stage, but you have to start somewhere, and that is when you really need help. If I buy a kit amp, do I really get an understanding of what is happening in tube amps, or just have a paint buy numbers experience. I really need to know how to use old transformers from vintage equipment, so I know what kind of circuit I should look for.

[sluckey]

I really need to know how to use old transformers from vintage equipment, so I know what kind of circuit I should look for.

A good way to do that is look at the circuit the old transformer came from. What kind of power tubes does it have? What are the voltages on the schematic? How many tubes are operating on the filament winding? What is the voltage on the high voltage winding?

[martin manning]

I have done commercial and residential electrical work for many years and have an ohm meter.

You can get along fine with just a DMM.

Other than that I am just getting in to this as a hobby in my retired years. It seems very difficult to get good responses from people on these forums. Everyone seems to think you need to be beyond the beginner stage, but you have to start somewhere, and that is when you really need help. If I buy a kit amp, do I really get an understanding of what is happening in tube amps, or just have a paint buy numbers experience.

That's really up to you. There are people who have built a dozen complex amps and learned next to nothing about electronics, while others will take the time to understand what they are doing and why, and be far ahead after the first one. There are plenty of on-line resources, such as the Valve Wizard site, that can help you to understand each part of the circuit.

I really need to know how to use old transformers from vintage equipment, so I know what kind of circuit I should look for.

Adapting a circuit to use salvaged components takes some skill, and in the end you might have to settle for something that is a bit different from the target. If you want a Princeton Reverb, the quickest and easiest path is to buy a kit. The same is true if you want it to look like a Fender, and you are without the skills and equipment to make the chassis and cabinet. There are a couple of things to say against kits, like you won't get the experience of sourcing the components, and the selections in the kit might not be exactly what you prefer. Some of the construction techniques might not be the best, either. On a positive note, you can often download the build instructions and read through them. Here's an example: https://www.stewmac.com/electronics/amp ... 5w-amp-kit This one looks pretty good, and they're offering it at a discount at the moment. I don't have any affiliation with Stewart Macdonald. They have been selling guitar kits for many years, only recently pedal and amp kits. It looks like these are sourced from Mojo Musical, but StewMac has rewritten the assembly instructions.

[mford]

Thank you for the responses. I'll look into these the valve wizard site.