Tube Guitar Amplifiers Volume 2: How to Repair, Modify & Build Guitar Amps

The rubber meets the road here in volume two of Mr. Popvich’s series on ‘Tube Guitar Amplifiers’. It meets the road and gets moving fast, with 12 tube filled chapters of information, lots of good material to ponder.This volume is sub-titled ‘How To Repair, Modify & Build Guitar Amps’, and it definitely covers all this ground and so much more. The first chapter jumps right in and carries the heading: ‘Output and Interstage Transformers for Tube Guitar Amps’. Quite a mouthful in itself, and quite an array of output related topics:Output TransformersInterstage TransformersDesign Example: 5kΩ Push-Pull Output for Guitar AmpsAnalysis: Ordinary and Simul-Class Mesa Output TransformersTesting Audio TransformersLine-Matching Audio Transformers’ in Push-Pull Output ServiceDual Primary Power Transformers as Output TransformersThat’s enough of that.Other chapters include: Loudspeakers, Troubleshooting and Repairing, Wiring & Soldering, Power Supply Mods, Tone Tweaks, Push-Pull Amps, DIY Projects, Rebuilding Amps in Hardwired Fashion, DIY: Quirky & Unusual, Converting Vintage Tube Gear Into Guitar Amps.The first two chapters deal with final stages of amplification. Chapter three jumps into troubleshooting. Practical wiring, and soldering are covered in chapter four. Power supplies and tone changes are part of chapters five and six. Chapter seven reviews and analyzes some modern push-pull amps.The final four chapters are full of actual ‘hands on’ material that you may wish to attempt. Or, at the very least, learn about. The author takes the time to carefully number the areas of his photographs that are being discussed. The black and white photographs are clear and useful additions to his explanation, and those numbered additions aid the reader in locating the points of interest.I want to comment on the overall graphics in this book. The schematic diagrams, usually containing vacuum tube components, are clear, but more importantly they are rather handsome looking graphics. They are nicely presented. I just had to say that being the artist that I am.I got excited when on page 200 the author dives into a Heathkit A7-C amplifier from 1955! I just get excited about all things Heathkit.Later in the book the author investigates using some vintage EICO equipment for converting into amplifiers for guitar use. Signal Tracers, and Audio Generators are discussed and conversion options presented. A way of saving money for ‘novice’ amplifier engineers of the future, or all you DIY folks out there.The last five chapters will take the reader through at least a dozen unique amplifier designs that use quite an assortment of pre-amp and output tubes. Some commonly known tubes, and others less common are discussed. Something for everybody.I have not listed the names of the guitar amplifiers specifically discussed in the various chapters. All the names are new to me, not being a guitar amplifier person. However, I can’t say that I haven’t been exposed to those names now. I can easily see inside each of them by looking through this volume two book, I’m somebody now.So what I was looking for in Volume One of this series, I found here in volume two. That is why I titled this review as I did. If you want to seriously get inside some guitar amplifiers, this book will not disappoint you. It may, however, overwhelm you. Not sure.I now have a third book by Mr. Popovich staring me in the face as I type this. I am also looking forward to that tome titled, ‘How To Use, Calibrate, Repair And Upgrade Vacuum Tube Testers’. I guess I’m just a glutton for punishment when it comes to technical books.I see where the author has a series of books for audiophiles. I’ll guess that they are all equally as informative as his guitar amplifier books have been. I will not be buying those volumes myself. Someone else will have to review those beauties.Now, who should purchase this book? If you’ve read this far into my review, I’m guessing you’re seriously considering this purchase. Just buy it, you won’t regret it. You can use it as a resource throughout your adventures inside guitar amplifiers. It won’t be too many years from now when this area of expertise is lost to time. Then these books will become sought after treasures to possess. I’m very serious here.Who knows, eventually 3D printers will produce plastic versions of vacuum tubes, with carbon impregnated pins (if they even have pins), conductive films coating plastic grids and plates. I’m not sure how the plastic will take to heater filaments, but where there’s a will there’s a way. Of course, 3D printing doesn’t have to be limited to only plastic models now does it?Thank you Mr. Popovich for all your hard work.

This book was an excellent source to start on my way to building guitar amplifiers. There is much information and a lot of different designs to study and learn from. Great information and very well written.

Item as described. Satisfactory/Adequate. Thank you.

Book was in great condition and is full of great information

A must have

great book,lots of info,very helpful

The best I have found for those wanting to learn about tube guitar amps! From theory to design to implementation this and the second volume will remain on my work bench for years to come.Use it as a primer, use it as DIY project list, use it as a repair guide or use it as a design guide - it's all here.If you think your theory and practical knowledge are sufficient to skip volume 1 and buy volume 2 only, you'll miss out on some great DIY projects in V1.

I've read both Vol One and Two, and being an electrical engineer and a post graduate IT engineer, these books are hard to review because they contain alot of really good information. Although they are marketed as maintenance and upgrade type books they run into masses of theory and especially in Vol 1 the maths describing the operational aspects of amp, tubes etc etc...so much so the general thread of the narrative gets a little more than lost on the maths. What Mr Popovitch doesnt know about tube amps and the associated maths theory and physics could be written on a very small postage stamp. This is then one of the major negatives about these volumes...Volume 1 is more than half filled with Maths and you could easily leave that book on the shelf if your just interested in low level maintenance and fixes for your amp/ home hobby. If your a serious repair/ designer then by all means dig in. The other aspects of both these volumes is that the narrative gets lost among "Case Study" examples which dont always have a complete narrative of their own. Your often left with the distinct impression the text was cut and or you missed something which wasnt there...Each chapter attempts to deal with specific key areas and ends with examples or contains framed highlights, many of which are useful and high relevant for all levels of study/ application, if you can forgive the erratic narrative structure and apparent " collected" together style then your ok, however Vol1 is a serious trek through Maths territory and you will need algebra and sin cos tan etc etc, along with a good knowledge of the variations and adaptations of Ohms Law. Without these you will be reading alot of numbers and symbols and gaining nothing. The latter part of Vol one calms down and develops the focus into more practical approaches and this is worth reading at any level.Vol 2 is much more practical and relevant to someone focussing on practical repair... there's lots of case studies again using lots of maths and good analysis of basics like transformers and power supplies...all very useful and practical stuff... there's good examples of modifications in Vol 2 which can be applied although some of these would never be realistic unless you were making a point as in writing a book...I feel Vol 2 is by far the easiest to digest although again its narrative structure and chapters styling are very lumpy making the whole thing less easy to read. The chapter introduction is an attempt to summarise, but often seems to be abandoned in an orgy of examples that say lots of useful things in themselves but as a chapter there is little if any concluding focus or definition for students / readers in working through the ideas...Vol two also hassome great insights and even comedy to be had....and this brings me to my final point....Spelling....whoever didn't proof read this book and basically typed it up without a basic spell check needs a kick in the rear. The publishers are either blind or careless...Career Professional Publishing from Aus....mmmm not really, these books have been thrown together by a student in printing terms and I get the distinct impression someone did a find and replace removing all the conjunctions and definite articles like The, a, an etc...some classic word replacement also litter the text....Mice Capacitor, Lover Voltage being two laughable ones...others are repeated sections, complete miss spelling and bad grammar. Although Mr Poppovitch is obviously an intelligent and genuine individual, he's let things slide on the English Grammar and Spelling front. He complains of people taking short cuts in amp building and making classic bad mistakes like wiring your heater circuits in loops...well I have to say you need to learn to Spell Check and perhaps pay for a higher word count if thats what the trick is when doing your own self publishing...removing all the The's comes out cheaper I presume. Anyway I paid my money and waded through it all ,enjoyed 75% and had to put up with the rest and attempted to work out what the sentence should have said etc. So I have to recommend these books because of the level of knowledge and passion etc, but they are a bit of a mess typographically and expensive for what you get.

If you have a load of old valve amps and you wish to modify them then the book is ok.For major make amps vox marshall peavy very little use. Every section seems incomplete. just not finished off

one of the few ewer books on tube amps.

brilliant book.