Check out this 12AX7 Vacuum Tube Preamp for Guitar that I made! Overview, soldering, sound and more!

Thanks for watching!

#homestudio #guitar #tube #preamp #audio

[z-]

Nice little preamp! Are you gonna share the schematics or general inspiration/design philosophy? Bill of Materials, project files, anything like that? I'm all about copy left... I have some ideas for optional add-on circuit modules... TMB tone stack, extra gain stages, perhaps a 12AU7 as a ~1W power tube setup... if you were interested in a "stone soup' thing where people could contribute ideas it might be cool to collaborate. It could be a design with multiple optional modules, where one could choose the modules they prefer & they could stack like Legos. Or there could be an all-inclusive 'Tonicus Maximus' version. Modular is more practical but some people might like to build a NASA-control-panel-lookin' all-the-knobs, switches & buttons version.

[joelabbott]

Yes this is a great video. I would love to spend hours and hours watching you deep dive into the component choice and other minutiae of this and other projects.

[Fl_Music_Producer]

I really want to build one of these! Do you have a video of you building this? If not, could you make one? I like how you turned a negative (the amp not working) into a positive repairing the amp. That was a nice touch. I think most would have edited that out. I cool video.

[ReflectiveTones]

Man that's sick. I'd love to try it sometime.

[MrBeblis]

Very nice, do you have the schematics and willing to share?

[michaelinglis]

Ive been building pedals, guitar, amps (tube and solid state) and restoring vintage radios/receivers (when i get the chance) for years. My last project was a Fender Champ type amp with solid state rectification and optional output tubes. I used a cathode lift switch to select either the stock 6V6 or and EL84 for the output. Each of the power tubes pins are basically in parallel except the cathodes whicn go to a ground lift switch and each tube has its own grid resistor. I got the idea from the Mesa Blue Angel line of amps. I had to work out how to do it on my own from a few similar schematics but none were available for a Champ circuit. The EL84 needs less input signal so its quite a bit louder all other thing being equal compared to the 6V6 especially when the negitive feedback loop is bypassed, it also brakes up quicker than the 6V6. Both tubes work great in that circuit. Its also got a handful more mods. Anyways point was that this would be a great project for anyone wanting to build their first tube circuit. The power section is where things get a bit more dicey but by building a preamp first you learn about biasing and bypass caps etc. This would also be a great project for someone who wants tube tone without the cost of having to buy expensive power tubes about once a year. You could pair this preamp with a solid state power amp and an eq pedal and youd be set. Or ecen better you could add a FMV tone stack to the preamp (or banxandall if you want more shapeability). Building your own equipment is incredibly satisfying and i cant recommend it enough. Now that you got me thinking about it i just might build a vavlestate amp next. My Marahalls powertubes are starting to go again and thats another $140 for a new quad (which needs replacing every year to year and a half) so having a valvestate would give me the benefits of my solid state amps while having a warmer more pleasing tube preamp response. And if i did my daily practice with that amp i could seriously extend the life of my powertube in my all tube amps.

[wormdunkers]

I'd love to see an explanation of picking component values, etc!

[CigarDadPGH]

Would it be possible to have this powered by 9v DC as opposed to needing the AC power supply?

[BenPrevo]

5F1 with extra bypass cap on stage 2 ?

[timwood]

I have built a number of audio devices, including tube preamps based on Paia Electronics kits. Those were starved tube designs, so this preamp was interesting because it uses higher voltage. Did you design this preamp to generate tube distortion within the preamp, to overdrive a tube amp, or perhaps some of both? I might attempt building a preamp like this if I am confident that I can avoid the dangers of high voltage. Thanks for doing this video.

[justinj]

Do you have a schematic you would share by chance..? Was actually working on a single gain stage with a 12av6 (half a 12ax7) right now as well 😊 thanks
Justin

[Old-Skull.]

Broter you need to show the whole thing, the signal since it comes out of your guitar to the speaker bc if you show only a piece of gear with a red light, well you know how it is, I'm not saying that your little thing is not working or even that it is what you say it is, but it would be a better show watching the whole thing working . Sadly there is a lot of ppl trolling just for content and you know that is true, so whatever it is what is sounding in your video I think it sounds great .

[Rhythmicons]

Except for the lack of a dummy load, this is just like the MTI Tubes preamp.

[DetroitMicroSound]

Tell me how much to pay you, to build me one just like it, but that has a lot of gain, to push the input into pretty strong distortion. I mean, really pile it on hard, with a 12AX7 in, and in/cranked....that way I have lots of variation in sound character across various makes of 12AX, AU, Edit: Oh, and tell me how to pay you. I'm trying to get exactly what you just built, to experiment with my 12AX, 12AU, 12AT collection, RIGHT HOW!!!! My new studio REALLY NEEDS what you just built! 😁

[okayestguitar]

Can't imagine why it would leak out all over the place, I mean, a gallon of cleaner should fit quite well into a pint container! 😂

[EasyHeat]

Bitchin'!
What's the ballpark input impedance roughly?
Damn, I want one! Ha!