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Amp #002, I'm addicted...

OK, I think building amps is about as fun as building the guitars!! This was my second and it is bigger than the first one I did. This one uses the same ToneMonster MAH5 amp wire set but I used a 100watt speaker a friend gave me. This thing is seriously louder than the MAH5 with 5watt speaker!! The carcass is Maine cherry with a cherry ply face, baltic birch ply back, curly maple control board, 9volt battery door, and the sound hole is a barrel nut from an AR15 rifle I had from a rifle I rebuilt. I got the knobs from Radio Shack as the MAH5 didn't come with knobs when I ordered the kit without the speaker. Poo! Oh well, I like these ones better anyways.

Here is the first one I did...

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on September 25, 2015 at 7:22pm

Chrispy,

Beautiful woodwork! Questions: 1) is the cross on amp two a cosmetic statement? 2) what is the scale length on the git, and the dimensions of the box? There was a guy here recently who had a long box, and was struggling with keeping his scale length to 25.5", couldn't see how it was done. I want to point him to this pic, especially since you have 16 frets clear of the body, and a flush fretboard.

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Permalink Reply by Christopher Dudley on September 26, 2015 at 2:00pm

I think the box is 16" actually and the scale length was 25.5". I was a challenge figuring out how to get it all done!! The cross serves well, three purposes actually. One, it is cosmetic, two, it somewhat protects the speaker from damage, and third would be I am a Christian and it reminds me to focus on Jesus!

And thank you!

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on September 29, 2015 at 8:01am

Hmmm. Raises the question, "What Would Jesus Play?" ;-)

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Permalink Reply by Paul Craig on September 29, 2015 at 8:17am

Stairway to Heaven with a few lyrical changes obviously. ;-)

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Permalink Reply by Christopher Dudley on September 29, 2015 at 10:27pm

Ever hear that joke about there only being a Stairway to Heaven (the path being narrow) and there is a Highway to Hell? Lol!

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Permalink Reply by Paul Craig on September 30, 2015 at 8:17am

Oh yes, and the "There's always time to change the road your on" unless your time runs out first. 8(

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Permalink Reply by Christopher Dudley on October 2, 2015 at 9:12am

Took me 40yrs to take the right path!!

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Permalink Reply by Paul Craig on October 2, 2015 at 9:58am

Been on the right path now for 37 yrs. ODed when I was 16 and made a change for the better.

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Permalink Reply by Christopher Dudley on October 3, 2015 at 2:02pm

Praise the LORD!!!!

Permalink Reply by Paul Craig on September 25, 2015 at 9:10pm

Looks great. A good speaker makes a lot of difference.

I got a vintage 10" Utah guitar speaker for 5 dollars(usually found in Fender amps) from the Goodwill store couple of weeks ago.

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Permalink Reply by Sean on October 6, 2015 at 7:49am

Sweet amps! Nice woodgrain, and neat hole patterns on the lower one. I like building them as much or more than CBG's too! Another idea to try - make a mini amp head, then you can plug it into random speakers to see how they sound. I've got a 2 speaker cigar box cab w/ random drivers that is so raw sounding. Others I've made are really hi fi.

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Permalink Reply by Christopher Dudley on October 14, 2015 at 8:32am

I sold the amp above last week. Kind of a bummer, but it opens up the door to making new ones! Which of course I have parts on order for. Lol!! I think you are correct too, that making the amps is almost as fun as making CBG's! What I have been doing is using my first amp as the connection to speakers to see how they sound but they don't sound their best until in a cab with maybe a sound hole or whatever. That amp up above, using a 100watt speaker instead of the cheap 15watt that comes with the amp circuit I have been buying sounded WAY better and louder!!