Ep. 162: "The Temple of Music"

Episode 162 of the Truth About Vintage Amps Podcast, where amp tech Skip Simmons tackles all of your questions about guitar tube amps! This week, we go deep on Canadian amps, tremolo tweaks, and tech tips. Plus: Rumors of a possible TAVA meetup at Skip's and a poetry slam!

Thank our sponsors: Grez Guitars; Emerald City Guitars; and Amplified Parts / Mod Electronics. Use the discount code TAVA10MOD for a one-time, 10% discount on Mod Electronics orders at https://www.modelectronics.com. Usable on speakers, amp kits, pedal kits, reverb tanks, etc. Offer ends April 11, 2026. 

Some of the topics discussed this week:

:00 Skip has a cold

 2:04 SF's The Fab Mab (Wikipedia), 1971 Guitar Player magazine advice; changing the vibrato speed on a Fender Super Reverb

8:42 The answer to last episode's baffler: The Canadian Standards Association; TAVA merch

11:30 Caveat emptor: A UTC output transformer; why is my reverb not working?

26:12 Lead dress 101

31:40 An amp sale/TAVA gathering at Skip's?

40:01 Harmony H410 and speaker impedance

44:10 Why is the tremolo on my 1969 Traynor YSR-1 Custom Reverb head not working and how can I slow it down?

50:38 Can you put variable capacitors in a guitar circuit?

53:11 Series filaments and a Berlant Concertone MCM-2; the Epiphone Rivoli EA-65 schematic

1:00:27 Gibson Falcon mods; whatever happened to the reissue Falcon?

1:07:24 Tech tip: Hammond 154M chokes (Amplified Parts link)

1:12:10 Guitarist Chuck Wayne

1:14:05 Spaghetti sauce with meat; getting Skip an iPhone; tremolo using bias modulation on the power tubes; the Ampeg Supereverb

1:22:21 Garnet amps and Kale; the Garnet Herzog

1:24:43 A listening room for Dynaco amps and Acoustic Research turntables

Want amp tech Skip Simmons' advice on your DIY guitar amp projects? Want to share your top secret family recipe? Need relationship advice? Join us by sending your voice memo or written questions to podcast@fretboardjournal.com! Include a photo, too.

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Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal.