Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Denis U on October 23, 2017 at 5:52am

I have a kids electric 6 string with built in amp and speaker and output for an external amplifier. I was going to try to get it playing, but it will never play in tune, so it's just gathering dust

I'll PM you

Denis

Permalink Reply by Holly Hodson on October 23, 2017 at 6:37am

Now that's a point, I forgot about those things! Guess that proves its possible!

Permalink Reply by Christopher G Daniels on April 21, 2019 at 9:07am

Shit, old thread.  In honor of our sponsor, I'll first suggest a (now) $37 speaker kit from CBGitty. "Great 2.5-watt Parts-Only Cigar Box Guitar Amplifier Kit". They also have 2 "cigar box" speaker kits for about $50 Maybe you can use the extra parts for builds.

I recently received a "TrashAmp" a mp3/guitar amp ($40). It's fun to experiment with different sized glass jars (just has to have a Mason/Ball jar type lid top)  It has two "headphone" outlets, one for input, another for output so they can be "daisy chained". I suppose with an adapter I could plug it into a full-sized amp, too. But I'm suggesting kits rather than tearing apart mini-amps because of capacitors and other circuitry in the amps. Personally I know a minimal amount about these components and on a pre-made amp, I'd have to worry about identifying them and/or diagnosing what including them and excluding them might do. A kit is going to at least identify these (you may have to do some searching for actual functions). worth a few extra bucks I think. 

There's now an article about capacitors on CBGitty https://www.cbgitty.com/news/electronics-pickup-harness-disk-piezo-...  I just found it and it's absolutely going to be put into a CBG or two I have that presently go straight from piezo to connector outlet.

Permalink Reply by Tim Pannabecker on May 13, 2019 at 2:41pm

You may want to checkout Guitar Fuel, they sell on EBay and sell a good product.  There are several 3watt and a 5watt option. They also include an effects knob, which offers gain, overdrive, music styles effects.

Gitty has a great 2.5 prewired amp harness.  And they sell an effects board called “psych knob”, which is an Artec QDD board, also prewired.  I’m sure there are more, but I haven’t used them so no Referal.

i have used all the above in amps or guitars.

last recommendation, get a bigger better speaker.  A good speaker will cost more than the Gitty amp.  But you could get a nice one for $20-$30.  

Permalink Reply by KOOL DOG HOOCH on September 22, 2019 at 3:16am

If you want bigger speakers go to thrift stores and buy old boom boxes.