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| Dr._Ellwood | Hi Adam. Welcome to The String Network, and to this Sunday’s “Live Chat”. Before we start, I want to post the rules so members are reminded how this works!! -When you check into the chat, make one post saying “ I have a question” …I will log your name and make a list based on the order in which you logged in with your “ I have a question” post. If after your question is answered, you have another question, or follow up on your original question, I will give you an opportunity to ask it right away. . Please remember Adam will be doing allot of typing, give him time to respond and this will go very well |
| Dr._Ellwood | Adam I have a few questions submitted by people that could not be here --- here comes the first of those--- |
| Dr._Ellwood | How old were you when you first took up a musical instrument? When did you start playing guitar? Did you have any formal musical training? Do you play out these days? |
| TungstenAmp | I've always had a fascination with sound and tone. My parents sent to piano lessons for six months as a child, where I learned the fundamentals of music. I took up trombone in Jr. High for three years and started playing guitar around age 16. Most of what I do is by ear. I currently play out a few times a year with my experimental trio Black Android. |
| Dr._Ellwood | How did you get into electronics? How did you end up in the amp business? |
| ChatBot | /login Hard_Tail |
| TungstenAmp | I bought a 1965 Vibro Champ sometime around 1993 and also picked up Gerald Weber's first book. I stared at schematics and began to collect Blackface Fender amps. They were cheap on the west coast back then, so I ended up with many different models. I took one of them in for service, asked a few questions and began recapping my own amplifiers. When vintage amp prices began to skyrocket, I found the Hammond organ and LEslie speaker. I bought, repaired and sold those for five years until the availability of chassis, cabinets and speakers became what it is today. I was able to return to my true passion, tube guitar amplifiers. |
| Dr._Ellwood | How did you go about starting Tungsten Amps? did you do amps for locals only for awhile etc. |
| TungstenAmp | It started because I could not afford to purchase a real 5E3. Once I had built the first one, I made a few more for myself. My friends seemed to like them, so it just seemed natural to build a few more. I bought a booth at the Orlando Guitar Expo (2005) and it has slowly grown from there. |
| Dr._Ellwood | What can you tell us about your business? How many employees do you have? Where was your first “shop”? Do you have a different shop/plant now? |
| TungstenAmp | I am still a one man operation at this point. As cliched as it sounds, I really do build these amps on my kitchen table, one at a time. At some point, I will probably have to hire someone to handle the phones/email/website aspect of the business, but I intend to build every chassis that leaves here for the forseeable future. It is the only way I can be sure that my quality is where I want it to be. |
| Dr._Ellwood | We have noticed that your Tweed applications are of exceptional quality! do you do your own cabinets and Tweed coverings? |
| Craig | I have a question. |
| Dr._Ellwood | Adam some of these questions will overlap with some of you answers.. dont be concerned .. |
| TungstenAmp | Woodworking is one area where I have no talent, so I purchase my cabinets prebuilt with lacquered tweed. |
| Dr._Ellwood | Craig have you logged. |
| Dr._Ellwood | do you actually attend the shows where your amps are being used and are you backstage during performances, do you ever do on the spot setup |
| TungstenAmp | I do attend performances from some of my local customers when time allows. I haven't been to any of the "big name" shows yet, but am hoping to get to do the full court press soon. |
| Dr._Ellwood | Can you tell us about the speaker choices that are used in your combo amps? How did you make the decision to use your speakers? |
| ChatBot | /login Caevan_O'Shite |
| Dr._Ellwood | http://www.tungstenamp.com/ |
| TungstenAmp | During my Hammond/Leslie years, I ran into dozens of vintage Jensen P12Q and P12N speakers. These are my personal holy grail of tone, and I used several of these vintage examples in my early amps. When it came time to find a modern reproduction speaker, I tried most of the common brands on the shelf and could not find anything that really nailed the tone of the originals. I started mixing and matching components from Weber until I found the combinations that gavce me as accurate a reproduction of the originals as possible. I'm currently using proprietary speakers in all of my amps, with the exception of the 8" Mosaic where I use a Webere Alnico Signature Series 8". It has the perfect cheap tone of the originals. |
| TungstenAmp | The proprietary speakers are made for me by Weber. T12Q, T12N, T10Q, etc. |
| Dr._Ellwood | Thanks Adam..I will now open the interview to the members: |
| Dr._Ellwood | Craig go with your questions |
| Craig | Can you tell us about the variety of amps you carry? Do you try to mimic certain sounds from other amps or do you try to stick with a more unique sound? |
| Dr._Ellwood | http://www.tungstenamp.com/ |
| TungstenAmp | I'm primarily building clones of the late 1950's Fender amplifiers. The tweed topology just has a rawness and presence that to me, is the sound I was seeking for quite some time. My Mosaic is based off of the 5F1, the Cortez is based off of the 5E3. I also build the 5E7. My 25 Watt Cortez and Blue Point amplifiers are not clones of anything in particular and combine aspects of a few different great amps. |
| Dr._Ellwood | We have read that your amps are copies (a good thing) of vintage Fender designs... have you found improvements of your own design that you integrated into your amps: if so what are they, how do you test each combo before it is released to the buying public... |
| TungstenAmp | I incorporate a few minor changes to improve the reliability. I prefer using G10 fiberglass boards instead of the old style fiberboard. I fully expect these amps to last 50+ years. Each amp is slow charged on a Variac and then I burn them in for 24-48 hours. During that time, they sit at idle and I listen for any component or tube issues. I walk by a few times per day, plug in my Stratocaster and give them a go for 20 minutes. I don't worry about breaking in the speakers, and at this time am not doing any artificial speaker breakin. |
| Dr._Ellwood | Do you think you will eventually get into the separate head configuration with 4X12 cabinet |
| TungstenAmp | I have a few ideas on the back burner for a more British tone. I'll likely have a non master volume 50 watt head coming out sometime in the second half of 2009. I'm still experimenting with speaker choices for this amp, but have been very impressed with the Scumbacks so far. |
| Dr._Ellwood | Do you think the popularity of the single 15 inch speaker combo will come back... like my 1962 Fender Pro Amp? |
| TungstenAmp | I don't know it it will ever be popular, but it should be! A 15" speaker has a sound all of its' own. I've done a few 5E5-A Pro amps and almost hate to part with them when they sell! |
| Dr._Ellwood | I know!! I keep telling guys!!! |
| Dr._Ellwood | Ok... do we have any follow up questions for Adam guys?? |
| TungstenAmp | I think that because most of the rock recording were done with 12" speakers, that guys tend to gravitate towards that. |
| Craig | Do you find that there is a trend to return to the British sound? |
| Caevan_O'Shite | I've got a few... |
| Dr._Ellwood | Gotcha Caevan" |
| TungstenAmp | I think that the popularity of the 18 Watt Marshall has really generated renewed interest in all things Marshall over the last several years. I know it has for me, personally. |
| Dr._Ellwood | CAEV you question for Adam |
| Caevan_O'Shite | Hah! I was gonna ask you what kind of eyelet-board you're using, but you covered that here already; so, what kind of solder do you prefer? Do you ever use extra liquid flux when soldering? (I used to love what that would do for sweet, shiny, uniform, textbook-perfect looking solder-joints when I used to do mil-spec PCB and wiring work in a factory years ago.) |
| ChatBot | /login Rampdog |
| TungstenAmp | Don't laugh, but when given the choice I will take Radio Shack solder over Kester anyday due to less flux in the RS. I use the standard Rosin Core. |
| Caevan_O'Shite | I wouldn't laugh. What are your thoughts on attenuators and reactive-load speaker-emulators? Similar to the way you went with proprietary speakers after some R&D, do you think you might ever design and market your own attenuators/speaker-emulators that best mirror your favorite speakers and best suit your "tweed"-style amps? Also, what about tube rectifiers and Weber Copper Cap stylees? Any smarts to impart? |
| TungstenAmp | I'm using Kester at the moment because I have a couple rolls to burn. :D |
| Dr._Ellwood | more CAEV |
| Caevan_O'Shite | (above already);) |
| Dr._Ellwood | yep |
| TungstenAmp | I've tried a few budget attenuators that I won't mention and hated them all due to loss of dynamics. I know that there are some new products on the market and have heard great soundclips, but do not have first hand experience with any of them. |
| Dr._Ellwood | more Caev? |
| Caevan_O'Shite | I'll defer the floor for now... |
| TungstenAmp | I've been a proponent of the Weber Copper Cap for a few years. The thing I like about them is that they draw no filament current which keeps the Power Xformer running cooler. It also allows use of a 5U4 style rectifier in applications where it would stress the poweer transformer, such as a 5E3 or 5F1 circuit. |
| Dr._Ellwood | ok and thanks Caev |
| Dr._Ellwood | Adam, we will post a separate thread in the regular forum for follow up questions, our members can ask you and you can respond at your leisure. |
| TungstenAmp | I've done A/B testing with the CCap and NOS glass. There is a difference, but it is slight. |
| Dr._Ellwood | Are there any more questions for Adam at this point? |
| Dr._Ellwood | Ok guys, well I would like to thank 'Adam for being with us today and dont forget about the follow up tread |
| Caevan_O'Shite | There would be but I've got to go cook spaghetti sauce right now! Thanks, Adam, can't wait to try some of your amps, and thanks, Lee and Craig! |
| TungstenAmp | Thanks, guys! I'll check the follow up thread this week. |
| Dr._Ellwood | I will open the chat up for general chat with Adam and thanks again Adam ... good job !!!!B) |
| Craig | Thanks again for you time Adam. |
| TungstenAmp | My pleasure. |
| Dr._Ellwood | Adam the follow up thread can be found in the DOC'S PUB part of the general forum |
| Dr._Ellwood | OK... the Forum Chat will remain open guys ..and thanks to all!!! |
