Re: Amp Sourcebook.

[Barry Schaede <barrys@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I wish there was.  To my knowledge there are no comprehensive amplifier 
books currently available.  The ones that do exist though good are 
somewhat piecemeal and lack indexes.  They also tend to be somewhat touch 
feely on the subject of amps.  Mystical if you will. Tjhe real problem 
with cataloguing Fender amps (this probably applies to others as well) is 
that Fender often mixed and matched their parts as they made transistions 
from one model to another.  They had no real year to year model changes.  
They made numerous one off custom models for people that wanted a 
configuration that wasn't available stock.  As for being able to converse 
on an even footing with salespeople I suggest buying several issues of 
Vintage Guitar Magazine and paging through the ads to get a feel for the 
top and bottom market prices for the amps you're interested in.  The last 
two amps I've bought I got through private party ads in Vintage Guitar 
and I payed way less than I would have payed locally.  Granted I knew 
exactly what I was looking for and both times the amps were uncommon.  
Opening up the search to ther entire nation made sense.  Still if I were 
looking for a silver face twin I'd still try VG because prices are 
surprisingly low.  A list of the amplifier books I know about follows.  
I'd be very interested in hearing of others that anyone else may Know 
about.  FJM

The Amp Book.  A guitarists introductory guide to tube amplifiers.  
Written by Donald Brosnac.  Published by The Bold Strummer Ltd.  20 
Turkey Hill Circle, Westport, CT 06880   Thin and black and white, lacking 
a useful table of contents or index this book is still worth having for 
the nit picky finish details found nowhere else.

Amps! The other half of Rock 'N' Roll.  By Ritchie Fliegler.  Published 
by HP books.  7777 West Bluemound Rd. PO Box 13819 Milwaukee, WI 53213
Again lacking an index but this time in colour.  The Pictures are worth 
the price of the book.  Poorly written and organized.  Way too little 
hard technical informationa and specifications.

The Tube Amp Book 4th Edition.  By Aspen Pittman.  Self published by 
Groove tubes.  12866 Foothill Blvd.  Sylmar, CA 91342, (818) 361-4500

This is the book considered by most to be the Bible when it comes to 
tubes.  Poorly bound and unprofessionaly published, this book still has 
the most information about the widest variety of amps opf any book 
currently available.  My main complaint about this book besides the lack 
of an index, is that Mr. Pittman is a name dropper and uses this book to 
sell Groove Tubes a product that he distributes. Extensive Tube Amp 
schematics in the back of the book.

A Desktop Reference of Hip Vintage Tube Amps.  By Gerald Weber.  Self 
Published by Kendrick Books.  PO Box 160, Pflugerville, TX 78660-0160
While somewhat limited in it's scope in terms of shear numbers of 
amplifiers dicussed this book is by far the most technicly masterful of 
all of the above mentioned books.  If you want a good start at learning 
about what makes your amp tick this is a good place to start.  Again 
lacking an index this book is less than ideal as an identification 
shopping guide but is a treasure trove of source addresses and technical 
advice.  The back of the book contains extensive schematics of the most 
common tube amplifier manufacturers.  They're larger than the Tube Amp 
book ones. While somewhat self promoting (Mr Weber owns Kendrick Amplifiers)
I was less offended by his approach than the Groove Tube path to 
electronic enlightenment. 

Vintage Guitar Magazine
(701) 255-1197
PO Box 7301 Bismark ND, 58507
Yeah I'm done!!