Books, Education and DIY Guides
There are dozens of valuable resources online to help you become educated in the art of musical instrument repair, design and building. However, I highly encourage you to start by taking an introductory electronics course and learn electronic basics before attempting to do any work on your electronic equipment. More importantly, you must learn to take proper safety precautions when working on guitar amplifiers. Guitar amplifiers contain very high voltages that can KILL YOU if you are not using proper safety techniques. PLEASE READ THIS!
That being said, there are also some excellent books you can buy to educate yourself on all things electronic inside amplifiers and guitars (and pedals too).
Tube Guitar Amplifier Essentials (by Gerald Weber)
If you haven’t heard of Gerald Weber, now is the time to learn. Gerald is an invaluable resource for learning how to work on and build old vintage style amplifiers. Check out his website to learn more about Gerald, his history, and his infamous guitar tube work shops around the country. I have a few of his books and I find them not only informational but entertaining. The Tube Guitar Amplifier Essentials book is his latest work and offers thousands of tips on modifications and repairs. He also offers an excellent DVD package on servicing and overhauling tube amplifiers. Gerald also writes a monthly column in Vintage Guitar Magazine. He is very knowledgeable and seems to enjoy sharing his years of experience in tube amp building and repair. Also, check out Gerald’s website, Kendrick Amplifiers.
Inside Tube Amps (by Dan Torres)
This book is actually my favorite tube amp education book. It is easy to read and comprehend. Dan Torres does an first rate job at describing how tube amp electronics work, how the electron flows through the amp, and the basic compartments of a guitar tube amplifier. This book also gives you easy diagrams to read and offers a variety of DIY modifications. Check out the Torres Engineering Web Site. It is full of DIY modification kits and other useful equipment and electronics. I have purchased and tried many of the modification kits on my Fender Deluxe Reverb and they work really well.
The Ultimate Tone (by Kevin O’Connor)
And finally, here is a more in depth book on modifying and custom building tube guitar amplifiers. The author, Kevin O’Connor, is an expert at this trade and offers several books on this subject alone. This first volume explains the design, operation and modification of musical instrument amplifiers. He also explores basic tube function, concepts of distortion generation, sustain and preamp gain structures. Power amp principles are covered with an eye to improving reliability.
It is a great book in my reference library and I refer to it over and over again.
Guitar Player Repair Guide (by Dan Erlewine)
Dan Erlewine wrote many articles on guitars for Guitar Player magazine. This books is the 2nd edition in his series on set up, maintaining and repair of electric and acoustic guitars. It is very well laid out and takes you step-by-step through some basic set up and repair techniques. I used to be afraid to work on my own guitars until I got this book. I still think working on guitars is an art form but for basic repairs and set up, I can now do a decent job (at least I think so).
Click HERE to see my links page on DIY resources and other helpful information sites.
