Oh trust me, it doesn't work out as cheap or cheaper, not if you want it to LOOK and feel like the real thing, which means having custom wound transformers, US made of course, Sprague Atom's, Mallory or Orange drops, or something more exotic like the Sozo's etc... my little 5W Fender 5F1 Champ ended up costing me around R7,500 in parts alone... then I built it, which if I charged someone my regular bench fee would be +- R10,000, still that is HALF the price of the current custom shop '57 Champ, and in many ways more authentic... but it ain't cheap by any means! The kits LOOK cheap, but add the shipping, customs and VAT and they are literally double the price, if not more.
Best value still is to buy 2nd hand of Gumtree, through there are very few low wattage vintage amps around, 2nd would be to buy a Chinese made amp and upgrade, the 5F1 conversion I do on the Fender Champion 600, even with mods works out to half of what a custom built 5F1 like the above would cost you.
Probably some of the most modable Chinese amps are the Blackheart and Epiphone Valve Jnrs, and I prefer them because the speaker cabinet in the combos fits and 8" or 10" speaker, the 6" in the Champion 600 and Gretch combo is just too small to get a nice bassy breakup.
Cheers
Matt
makepeace wrote:
i've been doing some pondering, and i'm warming to the idea of building my own small tube amp. i have an interest in electronics, and i'm studying electro-mechanical engineering, so its definitely something i'd enjoy doing. how easy would it be to accomplish something like that? i've read MikeM and TomCat's topics re amp building and it looks like a jam. from what i've looked at re kits and prices, it works out to be not much more expensive than buying a solid amp like the ac4/marshall class 5 etc, and then of course i'll have absolute control over what i want to get out of it. good idea? bad idea?
cool.
