Building an amp

23 - First Power Up

Varistor

For the first power up, I use a varistor. This varistor gives a variable ac-voltage. Just to be careful and keep the currents low.

If you don't have a varistor, the light bulb method will work as well.

Manual

This power up manual I found on the internet:

Paul Ruby Amps.com

This is more or less the manual I followed.

Ready

In the shed, everything ready for the most exiting moment.

• Will it work?
• Will there be smoke?
• Will there be humm?
• Will there be noice?
• Where are my insurence papers?
• What else can happen?

And if the amp works, how will it sound?

Testing

Powering up and measuring all the voltages; are they what could be expected? Remember, hight voltages are present!

After some trouble with the filement wiring, everything seems oke. All voltages are oke.

At last, the tubes can be mounted.

Test Position

The test position.

Nice Glow

All the tubes glow. What a nice view. Now it's time to take a guitar and do some musical testing . . .

Tele

Here with my Tele, '52 reissue.

Results

Testresults:

• Both channels are oke, including the tonepots.
• Reverb works, but has a 50 Hz hum.
• Vibrato works fine.

So the reverb needs some attention. And I have to bias of course, see next page.