Ep. 140: "Tiny Bits of Tingle"

The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons

It's the 140th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps podcast, where amp tech Skip Simmons eventually fields your questions on all-things-tube amps! As always, use all advice at your own risk.

Want to be a part of our show? Just email us a question or voice memo to [email protected].

Some of the topics discussed this week:

2:35 What's on Skip's Bench: A modified ES-150 Charlie Christian amp with a non-field coil speaker 4:22 Smilin' Skip's: Stuff for Sale 5:15 Loma Rica's Aztec Recording Studio; the Ralph Shine Blues Band; Skip's new guitar; Sylvia Massy (Sylvia's shop); Weed, California; the Fretboard Summit 2025 (register here) 18:01 Our sponsors (and baby goats): Grez Guitars; Emerald City Guitars and Amplified Parts (Jensen speakers are currently on sale!) 23:42: Alamo and other budget amplifiers; the COVID gear boost has deflated 25:35 Amp bargains (look for two transformers); a black panel Super Reverb; Silvertone Twin-Twelve and optocouplers 28:53 The Alembic Pre-Amp in a pedal (or two): Frog Pedals (link); Sushi Box FX (link); Mexican Pizza with Boboli pizza crust; starved plate loads

35:41 PSA: You can buy WD-40 by the gallon

38:22 Should I put the original transformer back in my 1966 Fender Princeton?

44:07 Preferred replacement 12AT7 reverb driver tubes 47:26 Two-prong shock in the studio 50:35 A converted Stromberg-Carlson; speaker-driven effects channel? Rudy Van Gelder; the usable range of a bright cap 57:55 A Plush 3000G tubes and tremolo with a mystery rectifier tube 1:03:08 What's with the lettering on my 1950s Rauland Lyric transformer 1:06:47 Putting a JBL in an Ampeg Rocket 2; a Traynor Studio Mate

Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal.

Don't forget, we have a Patreon page. Join us to get show updates and get to the front of the question line.