Guytronix Low Watt DIY Guitar Tube Amplifier Kits – Since 1999
DIY Tube Amp vs Tube Amp Kit
Ok, some might say that a tube amp kit is not 100% “DIY.” If you are an advanced builder, you could certainly source parts and build an amp based on a schematic alone. With Guytronix, however, you get amps that have been designed by a professional, and we provide support throughout the entire build. Read this unsolicited review from a Guytronix customer:
Richard Guy of Guytronix is dedicated to customer support and helping his customers have the best experience with their Guytronix amplfier kits. This man spent nearly 2 hours with me on phone debugging my mute guitar amplifier. Richard waited patiently on the phone while I performed the correction. His sense of humor was evident as he instructed me to plug in my guitar, put all the volume controls to maximum, and strike a giant full-volume E chord. “All part of the testing process.”
Why would I want a tube amp?
If you have never played through a tube (valve) amplifier – well, we think you’ve been missing out on a great deal of fun. We’re not here to put down Solid State amplifiers, we just happen to prefer the way a guitar sounds through a tube amp. Tube amplifiers are commonly described as being “more musical,” and “warmer.” From Wikipedia:
Tube amplifiers respond differently from transistor amplifiers when signal levels approach and reach the point of clipping. In a tube amplifier, the transition from linear amplification to limiting is less abrupt than in a solid state unit, resulting in a less grating form of distortion at the onset of clipping.
Huh? Let’s pretend for a moment that we have two nearly identical guitar amplifiers side by side, one solid state, one tube. Let’s also pretend that these two amps have an identical “fully clean” sound which represents 1% of all possible tones, and an identical “fully distorted” sound which represents another 1% of all possible tones. What about everything between fully clean to fully distorted? The difference in the way that a tube amplifier responds to being ‘pushed’ yields an incredible spectrum of sounds that are in-between fully clean and fully distorted. It’s here “in the middle” – where another 98% of tones exist – that a solid state amp cannot replicate the sound and feel of a tube amp. Many will also agree that a tube amp sounds better in the other 2% of the tones as well.
Tube amplifiers feel differently than solid state amps, because they respond to the softness or aggression of your picking, as well as your guitar’s volume control. You can go from clean to mean on a tube amplifier without clicking a pedal or changing channels. By now, you can tell that we love tube amps. To be very clear, we’re not trying to sell you Magical Unicorn Dust either. We just flat out prefer tube amps here, and we know we’re not alone.
Why Small, Low-Watt Tube Amp Kits?
“it is often better to choose a lower wattage amp over a higher wattage amp, depending on how and where you play.” – from “The Hub” (Musicians Friend)
What about DSP/Modeling Amps?
Modeling amps attempt to digitally emulate the sound of tube amplifiers. Hmm. Why would they want to emulate the sound of a tube amp? Because tube amps sound awesome. Opinions vary, and modeling technology has certainly come a long way. Emulation however will always be … emulation. As Walter White once said:
Yours is just some tepid, off-brand, generic cola. What I’m making is classic Coke. Do you really wanna live in a world without Coca-Cola?
