How to wisen up a bit?

[oobs]

Sorry for the stupid title.

But yes, I feel like I am at a standoff with my amount of electronics and theoretic amp knowledge, and would appreciate any help. I have built a JTM45 from a kit succesfully, and after that I have been putting together maybe 15 or so guitar effects pedals, last five of them are strip board builds. I find I can reason myself around ready made instructions, and do some creative troubleshooting with the help of the internet and AI, but I would really like to take the next step and start properly understanding electronics, so I could understand schematics and properly scratch build amps, and also understand what people are talking about for example on this fine forum

So I guess I am looking for good info and resources, maybe in book form rather than interwebs, I find that internet mostly just makes things harder for me to focus and properly learn anything.

Thanks in advance for all and any tips!

[martin manning]

I am looking for good info and resources, maybe in book form rather than interwebs,...

I recommend M Blencowe's site: https://valvewizard.co.uk
It's free, and there are pages on a variety of topics. Start with the .pdf on triode gain stages. That is the first chapter of his preamps book, and it will give you most of the basic theory.
If that resonates, buy his book on preamp design for more depth. The rest of the pages on that site are shortened versions of the topics in his books.

You can also browse the FAQ pages here, especially the pinned threads.

[SamRE]

This Reco may be for a bit further down the line, but when you have somewhat of a handle on general electronics, there is no book better than the Art of Electronics by Horowitz and Hill. Just endless circuits tidbits.

[johnnyreece]

I am looking for good info and resources, maybe in book form rather than interwebs,...

I recommend M Blencowe's site: https://valvewizard.co.uk
It's free, and there are pages on a variety of topics. Start with the .pdf on triode gain stages. That is the first chapter of his preamps book, and it will give you most of the basic theory.
If that resonates, buy his book on preamp design for more depth. The rest of the pages on that site are shortened versions of the topics in his books.

You can also browse the FAQ pages here, especially the pinned threads.

This, for sure. Merlin has an updated book released somewhat recently. Plenty of technical speak, but written so that it can be understood by most.

[oobs]

Thanks everybody! I just ordered Mr Blencowe's new book. I am a bit afraid that it will be tough reading for me but that is how you learn I guess

[johnnyreece]

The great thing about books is, you can go back and re-read something if it isn't quite clicking the first time through. You can also highlight and otherwise mark important passages.

[TUBEDUDE]

This Reco may be for a bit further down the line, but when you have somewhat of a handle on general electronics, there is no book better than the Art of Electronics by Horowitz and Hill. Just endless circuits tidbits.

That is a solid read. In that same vein I'd recommend the Radiotron Designers Handbook vol 4. A solid reference that.covers all aspects of circuit operation. Many types of tone circuitry that will keep you busy for decades.

[SamRE]

This Reco may be for a bit further down the line, but when you have somewhat of a handle on general electronics, there is no book better than the Art of Electronics by Horowitz and Hill. Just endless circuits tidbits.

That is a solid read. In that same vein I'd recommend the Radiotron Designers Handbook vol 4. A solid reference that.covers all aspects of circuit operation. Many types of tone circuitry that will keep you busy for decades.

Yeah I found the formula for cathode bypass shelf-frequency in the Radiotron handbook, very helpful.

[chaccmgr]

a good source is the former "Navy Electricity and Electronics Training Series".
you will have to google it, my old link does not work anymore.
It is a "well matured" training series for Navy members to Electronics in general, but there is also a dedicated chapter for tube amps (at the time, when it was written, tube amps on ships were commonplace). Very good reading, it is intended for people woho don't have a formal education in electronics, so relatively easy to read.

[chaccmgr]

Ha, found a working link. http://compatt.com/Tutorials/NEETS/NEETS.html
seems to be a more modern version than I was aware of (around 2012)

[chaccmgr]

while the NEETS training can give you some basic understanding on how circuits work, it will not tell you how to design your own amplifiers and how to make em sound the way you intend them to sound

you should set priorities right:
1. build known designs, make them safe to use
2. mod existing designs to learn about the effects of modifications. Always change only one component at a time. Otherwise you have no clue what change caused what. There are tons of sources out there about "voicing an amplifier", little of them is written in a sort of cookbook. I found these two sources very helpful:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q ... i=89978449
https://robrobinette.com/Voicing_an_Amp.htm
3. Design your own amp from scratch

[chaccmgr]

another important support is, when things don't go as intended - Troubleshooting: http://www.geofex.com/ampdbug/ampdebug.htm

[TUBEDUDE]

Also http://aikenamps.com/
He has some nice tidbits on the design of circuit blocks phase inverters, cathode followers, oscillators etc.
See his white papers section.

[oobs]

Thanks again for all the tips!

I am thinking about picking some basic design and trying to get that built and working. A Fender Deluxe maybe, I would have more use for that than a Champ I think. Is the basic design available on Rob Robinette's page a valid starting point? Or what about the Dumbles or Trainwrecks, are any of them simple enough and well documented enough to start with them?

[martin manning]

Seeing as you’ve built a JTM and a dozen or more pedals, you should be capable of the assembly and soldering required for any of those options. I’d chose an amp that you will use. Many people have built a 5E3 as their fist amp project, but you have passed that milestone already. There is extensive documentation on this site for both the Dumble and the Trainwreck designs, so no problem there. Between the two, the Trainwreck is much simpler, but for me the Dumble ODS is a more interesting and versatile amp.