Oldie but newbie

[Sherlok Ohms]

Hi. I'm 71 years young and want to finally build a tube amp. I've owned many over the years and currently play through a '68 Deluxe Reverb Reissue which I love but after modding tube amps with kits and building a few guitars this has been on my list for a long time. I've decided on a Tweed Deluxe 5e3 and just received some zebra wood via a friend that just passed and want to build the case from it. Heading to the build area for many questions on kits, parts, how-to, etc. Thanks.

Hello Mr. Builder1950

I would say that 71 years is young, especially when you are that age. From my own experience and from discussions with friends, one never really feels "old" until enough of the vital or most enjoyable parts quit working. A lot of age-related issues are misdiagnosed and are often fixed by improving circulation - moving the red stuff around keeps everything happily functioning with the exuberance of youth. It is difficult to convince a 20-year old of these facts we know to be true.

Building a tube amp for guitar is jolly good fun. Might I suggest you look at Mr. O'Connor's TUT3, The Ultimate Tone volume 3, which is certainly the best reference for how to construct a tube amp one can find. It is most accessible as it has layout drawings that show how things should look when connected properly, so it appeals to novices and I believe KOC even refers to TUT3 as "the gateway into the TUT-series".

You may wish to build something simple, like the 5E3 you mention, but... is that truly suitable for your personal style? Building your dream amplifier may not be as intimidating as you might suppose.

Cheerio