These are questions regarding sources for parts, services and whatnot that seem to crop up repeatedly within the AGA newsgroup. Some of the answers are clear facts, others contain opinions. We've tried to carefully differentiate between the two, but if you think we missed that boat on a question, please send email to <agaATrru.com> (replace the AT with "@" in your email!) with the details.
If your question isn't answered in any of these FAQs, ask it on alt.guitar.amps !
Note: Mojo and New Sensor are primarily wholesale supply houses, but they will do retail online orders as well... at a considerable markup.
-Mike Schway
(We've made some additions to Mike's original list. -ed)
Here are detailed sources of information on some older amps:
And here are some for newer amps:
There are also a number of manufacturer web sites. (See below.)
MIA - If you have a newer link, please let me know.
Here are the ones we know of (only manufacturers currently producing guitar amps or providing amp material are listed) (if you are not familiar with a given manufacturer, please check the AGA archives at deja.com or ask in the group; listing here does not imply anything other than "hey! they build guitar amps!"). Only guitar amp, preamp, or speaker cabinet manufacturers are listed here. Sites which we cannot reach, or which do not display when we go there are not listed (Korg, Digitech). This is not a list of effects, guitar, or bass amp manufacturers. We list all known, good sites, whether the amps are tube or solid state, analog or digital.
MIA - If you have a newer link, please let me know.
Deceased - These web sites, like their namesakes, are sorely missed.
Thanks to all who've sent links to these, but especially to Wayne (TubeBlaster, tucquan) Reno, who has sent in a TON of links.
Besides the obvious (news.alt.guitar.amps) there are some excellent resources on the web.
There are many collections on the web; these are just a few of the better ones:
Angela Instruments usually has some Fender owners manuals at
You can also try contacting the original manufacturer, if they are still around. Most will send them to you for free or at a very reasonable price.
Check the fan sites and vendor siets above, as well.
There are several books out with quite a few schematics in them. The ones I'm aware of are:
Finally, Groove Tubes maintains a huge library of schematics, and will generally send them to you for free. If you wanted more than one or two, there might be a charge - I have no idea.
There are several places online; the ones I can think of of the top of my head are:
Additionally, you can look for copies of the tube handbooks by various tube manufactureres at your favorite used book places on the web, or at many of the shops listed above in the Where can I find parts? question.
If it's not covered in any of the AGA FAQs, Weber VST has an excellent Speaker Q & A page at http://www.webervst.com/sptalk.html. They also have speaker glossary at http://www.webervst.com/spterm.html. Finally, they have a speaker code page at http://www.webervst.com/codes.html to help with speaker identification.
Michael Hoffman maintains a monster web site on this information at http://www.amptone.com/ . Michael spends a lot of time and energy pursuing tone at low volumes. Before emailing Michael about this subject, though, please read his notes on his schedule and priorities at http://www.amptone.com/contact.htm .
I've seen negative reviews ... well but there seems to be an overwhelming majority of glowing reviews. I always get a laugh when I read an absolutely GLOWING review of a piece of gear and then the guy says that he just brought the thing home that day. He probably had an hour or so on it and then wrote the review. I trust more in the reviews where the reviewer states that he's had the gear for a few months now and wanted to live with it a bit before writing the review. Regardless, I only use those reviews as my STARTING point, just to gather some initial information. If several people mention the same or similar problem with a piece of gear, I will take notice and check it out. If 87 people review the same piece and they all love it, then I take notice of that too. The more reviews, the better. If a ton of people are all saying the same thing, then I figure at least that the item is worth checking out. But then again, I've read glowing reviews on equipment that I thought was crap, and I've read negative reviews on gear that I really liked. To each their own I guess, but it is a personal thing. There's no substitute for checking out the gear yourself.
-Mikey Makk
The dealers listed on the AGA web site Businesses page generally ship anywhere, but there's also a dealer in the UK who has been recommended by a number of European amp users - Watford Valves. Their web site is http://www.watfordvalves.com/.
Pete (PMG) made one up with four of the most common tubes (12A?7), EL84/6BQ5, EL34, and 6L6/6V6/5881/etc. Youc an download it from http://avoga.home.attbi.com/pinout/pinout.htm.
John King (Rockin' John) has some tips on his POD Review page at http://www.angelfire.com/blues/rockinjohn/pod_review.html.
At http://www.vacuumtubes.com/manuals.html. (Courtesy Steve Cowell)
At http://fliptops.com/ELECTRONICS.html#CAPACITOR KITS. (courtesy dr wow)