Amp Maker closed
For personal reasons, I am closing the Amp Maker shop. This will be for an indefinite period. No orders can be placed, but I will support existing customers for technical support by email.
Marshall amp forum
If you get bitten by the amp-building bug, there are many forums and other online resources to check out. For finding out about Marshall amplifier circuits and/or researching the finer details of vintage Marshall amplifiers, check out the Marshall Forum. There are vintage and modern sections, as well as the “Building the Classics” area. Click …
Summer 2023
I am taking a 14 day holiday from Sept 13th – 27th. The webiste will remain open for taking orders, and they will start shipping from the 27th. Note: some parts are still in short supply – especially valves – and some suppliers are working on much longer lead times than previously. So, from time …
Spring 2023 closure
Amp Maker is closed between the 17th March and 22nd May. I am taking a break for Spring (so apologies for late replies to any emails). I am also finalising the updates for the 18W amp kit which has been delayed while I found time to tweak the circuit. Ordering is suspended until the shop …
Status
Oct 5th: For personal reasons, I am closing Amp Maker indefinitely. Apologies for any inconvenience.
Parts shortages – valves
Due to the Russian war in Ukraine, and the sanctions that have followed, the global market for valves is disrupted. Unfortunately, I have had to temporarily remove the valves from sale with the kits. You can still buy the kits without valves and source valves yourself. Each type (ECC83, EL84 and 6V6) is interchangeable between …
Valve availability
April 2022: Due to the Russian war in Ukraine, and the sanctions that have followed, the global market for valves is disrupted. Unfortunately, I have had to temporarily remove the valves from sale with the kits. You can still buy the kits without valves and source valves yourself. Each type (ECC83, EL84 and 6V6) is …
New focus in 2021
I have decided to focus on amplifier kits from mid-2021. This means that the sale of components will end in the next few months. All components that are not used in the amp kits will be moved to the Clearance section, at a huge discount. Once they’re gone, they’re gone. Bear in mind that some …
April 2021 changes
After shutting down the web shop to make many changes to the workshop, I have reopened having made some important decisions about the direction of Amp Maker. From this point on, I will focus on amplifier kits and I will clear out all other small components and parts. Over the next few weeks, many …
The Brexit thing…
It eventually happened, and there are significant changes – and administration issues – for shipping amp parts and kits to customers in the EU and Northern Ireland. Courier companies are increasing their prices to cover their overheads and there’s also a postage costs update. If you are in the EU/NI you may want to …
Christmas 2020
As of 18th December, Amp Maker is closed for the Christmas holiday. All orders have shipped. Thanks to all customers for supporting Amp Maker this year, and I wish you all Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. New orders will be possible once the Web shop reopens in January. Please check this News section …
N5X and CV19 delays
I am happy to say that I have just put the N5X back on sale (14th November, for shipping from 1st December). However, this is a small batch using stock from previous suppliers. Some suppliers (new and old) are having trouble fulfilling orders promptly due to CV19-related staffing/etc. This means that the next batch of …
London Power
Kevin O’Connor has been building amps for ages and sharing his knowledge through his website and super-deep books. He developed PowerScaling – a similar technology to Halls’ VVR circuit and Amp Maker’s VCB. His books are super useful. They are not cheap, but they are very good value for money. Take time to look through …
Uncle Doug’s Youtube channel
Uncle Doug has been a HUGE contributor to many amp-building communities. In recent years he’s branched out with a wide-ranging Youtube channel that’s essential viewing for all amp builders. He looks at a lot of vintage amp circuits, but his videos are packed with practical ideas for building/fixing your own projects, too. Highly recommended! Click …
The Valve Wizard
Merlin is one of the best sources to learn more theory about guitar amp circuits and tone shaping. He has shared some of his excellent articles on his website and also publishes a number of books that are required reading if you want to build your own amplifiers from scratch. Click here: click to open …
Tibo’s retro-woody N5X stack
“I shared with you some pictures of the WF-55 I built last year. Great amp! I then built a N5X, made a custom head and a 2×10 cabinet. Good fun! Anyway, building these kits was a good fun for me thanks to your great explanations!”
Tibo generates a new amp
“Just a few photos of my final build with the WF-55 kit. I used an old generator and built a custom oak cabinet with a 8″ Weber. I’m really happy sound wise (power selector at the back, tone and switch for neg FB in front) and the look is kind of unique. Thanks again for …
Jean-Luc’s P1800
“As I promised to you, here is a link with my “P1800 story” and a little sample (not so good) with a Gibson Les Paul. There is also a French forum where some people talk about your excellent job :” French guitarists forum
Hackney Slim’s 18Wer
“I built your PP-18 about 18 months back, as you might recall from the thread below, and I am very impressed and happy with the results. Here’s a tune I did using it – great lead sound, even DI’d, even with my playing.”