I need a/some mentor/s over the phone

[dtdionne]

FWIW, I had never really picked up a soldering iron and I built the 100w kit in 11 days. The instructions are great.

[slashsound]

Nobody wants to talk to me?

[Toad]

Did you order one of Georges kits yet?
Todd

[slashsound]

Did you order one of Georges kits yet?
Todd

No not yet, I have some bills I need to take care of first... Im married

[demonufo]

Well, that's where you need to start before trying to get advice over the phone.
First things first, build an amp. Then once you've followed those cracking instructions, you'll have learned a few more terms (i.e. which cap/resistor is which).
Then carry out a few simple mods.
Read all the stickies as well, these have a wealth of information.
You'll learn that some components have to be changed in relation to another, for instance just changing the resistor in the tonestack doesn't work very nicely at all. You really need to change the capacitor with it.
http://forum.metroamp.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1876" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
This one for instance is a very important thread.


http://forum.metroamp.com/viewtopic.php ... g+rockstah" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
For anybody who might potentially build a 12??? EVH replica amp this is pretty essential reading as well. Not only 12 series builders though, this thread gives you a good understanding of many changes in the circuitry, and component upgrades. Sound clips all the way through help.


Read, read and read all the decent books you can get your hands on, then begin to apply the information now that you know all the terms of the components.

Then once you've built a few amps and know your stuff a little, might be the right time to start discussing things with those around here who have way more experience than tinkerers such as myself.

Patience grasshopper, the best things do not come easily, or quickly I'm afraid.

[bulatovic]

That's my suggestion as well. Go get a kit. It doesn't need to be a Metro, it doesn't need to be a Plexi. If you want to start from "scratch" maybe build a 5w Fender Champ. Just to introduce yourself to the game of ampbuilding slowly. Not that i don't recommend doing something like 100w for the first build ever, it's just my experience that it's maybe better to start from easier projects.
Also, talking to someone on the phone or asking questions on forums is helpful really, but it doesn't make much sence to talk about the difference in, say, shared vs split cathodes if you haven't heard it, or the difference in NFB resistor values and stuff...

Theory is good to know, but useless if you can't use it.

I know that from many things - maybe the best one is the university system in my country - Serbia - if you study electronics, you will need to pass ALLLL theory tests and it will be AGES since you do some "live" work making things, pracitising. Really helpful if you want to teach that later on, but crap if you are competing with someone who has studied in proper place where he's been building stuff while learning theory.

Honestly, choose a project that will suite your budget, read A LOT about it, make sure you know which wire goes where - almost without looking at the layout, and I guarantee that you'll really enjoy learning that stuff rather than just reading from the books.
I've built my first amp (5F2a clone) with literally no knowledge at all, and it turned out crap, but given time, and doing some homework, as well as some experience it all comes together nicely.

Everyone started from zero, so don't rush it, take your time, enjoy learning stuff but also building and playing these amps.
Good luck with it!

[bdc]

You don't need anybody on the phone, you just need to keep reading and post your questions one at a time......We're all learning at our own pace.......
If you want somebodys undivided attention, you'll have to sweeten the pot.....
I used to pay techs to work on my gear, and hang out and watch while making friends.....Buy the beer!
Meanwhile I carefully and respectfully asked questions.......Made good friends and learned a lot.....This soon enough had me diving inside of my own amps. I don't understand players who don't want to do this for themselves, unless they're loaded with cash. When you have friends like that it helps a lot, Most amp techs are players too.....Talk to them about playing! My tech became one of my best friends and jam buddies.......I miss that dude, and need to get back in touch..
When a guy explains something to you, you gotta do your best to show you understand it....When the guy likes you and knows your listening, he's more apt to teach you more......I've always found great mutual ground with techs in playing and talking about music........These relationships are give and take.....and you gotta bring something to the table bro.

[slashsound]

You don't need anybody on the phone, you just need to keep reading and post your questions one at a time......We're all learning at our own pace.......
If you want somebodys undivided attention, you'll have to sweeten the pot.....
I used to pay techs to work on my gear, and hang out and watch while making friends.....Buy the beer!
Meanwhile I carefully and respectfully asked questions.......Made good friends and learned a lot.....This soon enough had me diving inside of my own amps. I don't understand players who don't want to do this for themselves, unless they're loaded with cash. When you have friends like that it helps a lot, Most amp techs are players too.....Talk to them about playing! My tech became one of my best friends and jam buddies.......I miss that dude, and need to get back in touch..
When a guy explains something to you, you gotta do your best to show you understand it....When the guy likes you and knows your listening, he's more apt to teach you more......I've always found great mutual ground with techs in playing and talking about music........These relationships are give and take.....and you gotta bring something to the table bro.

All I have is money, I dont know a damn thing about amps compared to most of you.

[Big Mike]

What you're missing here slashsound, is that it's not about money sir. There's a wealth of information, but you're going to need to start at the beginning, and need a frame of reference to understand it all.

Once you have at least a bit more understanding in PRACTICAL application, the other stuff will clarify a lot of itself for you. Especially once you start modding things and understanding what changes do what.

It's not going to do any good to pay someone to lecture you if you haven't or aren't willing to get your hands dirty at the same time.

it's all well and good to know how to run a marathon, but if you're not actually running, a lot of the tricks aren't going to make sense.

I hope that's helpful, I'm not trying to bag on you.

[slashsound]

What you're missing here slashsound, is that it's not about money sir. There's a wealth of information, but you're going to need to start at the beginning, and need a frame of reference to understand it all.

Once you have at least a bit more understanding in PRACTICAL application, the other stuff will clarify a lot of itself for you. Especially once you start modding things and understanding what changes do what.

It's not going to do any good to pay someone to lecture you if you haven't or aren't willing to get your hands dirty at the same time.

it's all well and good to know how to run a marathon, but if you're not actually running, a lot of the tricks aren't going to make sense.

I hope that's helpful, I'm not trying to bag on you.

To be honest, I'm a little worried about shocking myself to death and to burn the equipment, which is partly why I seem so ADD about learning everything I can before actually sticking my hands in there.

[Flames1950]

To be honest, I'm a little worried about shocking myself to death

You can't be completely scared of this and carry forward building an amp (although a little fear is healthy at the workbench.) Confidence in working with these amps and voltages comes from a routine of safety that you do not deviate from. It's the little things that you have to practice when building and testing -- things like always wearing good shoes instead of building barefoot in the basement, things like the "only-one-hand-near-the-live-chassis" rule, things like always putting a jumper wire on the filter cap line to help drain off any stored voltages.........

Burning something up? Well, everyone screws up sometimes for whatever reason, and that's how we learn something that we didn't know before in many cases. We've all watched something smoke, and the process of figuring out why it happened can be the best teacher, if not the cheapest.

[itsonlyadam]

To be honest, I'm a little worried about shocking myself to death and to burn the equipment, which is partly why I seem so ADD about learning everything I can before actually sticking my hands in there.

Dude, you can't learn how to ride a bike by reading a book. Albeit being reinforced in theory is great at times, there is really NO substitute for physical experience. Are you really going to try to learn everything about sex before actually having it? How lame would that be? My advice is to order a kit, follow the instructions and when you get stuck come to the forum for help. I mean you've had like 150+ posts in a span of 3 months without even building a MetroAmp kit. Trust me, man, all of your questions and worries will start fading once you start building a Metro kit.

The next topic I want to see you start is "I Think I Wired Something Wrong In My 100W Master Vol."

[bdc]

One awesome thing about tube amps is that some of the simplest circuits are often the ones that sound best........Like an 18w lite.....

If you post your questions one at a time, I'm sure some of us can help you.......
Baby steps bro........Or you can pay big bucks and go to a Gerald Weber seminar.....Personally I'd rather spend my money elsewhere..

[Big Mike]

Heck if you're that wigged, start with a used valve junior.

I skipped all that, went from a BYOC pedal and wiring guitars for years, straight into a JTM kit. I made mistakes, posted pictures, got some great help from guys, and I'm rockin the hell out of it.

If I can do it, anyone can. Just use caution, don't go past the fatigue point, only work on it while you're capable of being alert and you'll be fine.

[slashsound]

Heck if you're that wigged, start with a used valve junior.

I skipped all that, went from a BYOC pedal and wiring guitars for years, straight into a JTM kit. I made mistakes, posted pictures, got some great help from guys, and I'm rockin the hell out of it.

If I can do it, anyone can. Just use caution, don't go past the fatigue point, only work on it while you're capable of being alert and you'll be fine.

Some tech one told me that if you hold a super high ohm resistor between your left index finger and thumb and work with your right hand, that you can not get electrecuted because the voltage gets disapated by the resistor is this true or a bunch of croc?