Customer Reviews

Circuit Analysis of a Legendary Tube Amplifier: The Fender Bassman 5F6-A, Second Edition

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This is a book for anyone serious about circuit analysis.

Why is this book important? The 5F6-A circuit is important pedigree of most great tube amps. The techniques (if not the direct analytic results and conclusions) can be applied to almost any guitar tube amp design. If you are serious about designing or building guitar amps then you need to get this book, you won't be disappointed.

Important in Kuehnel's approach "understanding" not just cold analytic analysis (although that is there as well, and it is superb). In most cases he presents and analyzes a simplified equivalent circuits to provide insight and intuitive understanding, then he follows with a complete soup-to-nuts analysis.

Each stage of the 5F6-A circuit is rigorously considered as a separate subsystem and the results are eventually integrated and summarized. This allows one to skip around and explore the book in the order of topics that interest them.

As engineering books go this one is very readable, but it might be difficult for anyone that does not have formal training in electrical engineering (or the like) or is not otherwise a serious student of analytic techniques.

The Bassman amplifier produces one of the most revered and sought-after guitar sounds in modern musical history. This book delves into good detail explaining many of the subleties of the operation of this circuit. For small-signal analysis, you will not find much missing here. My only gripe is that it's a bit vague on non-linear operation, allowing that there is some good detail on power supply sag effects and power-amp non-linearity. I'd like to see more on distortion in all stages under overdrive conditions (e.g., positive grid bias), specifics on output transformer effects at various drive levels, and analysis of speaker breakup. After all, much of the Bassman's magic occurs when it's pushed, and there is only an appetizer's worth of detail addressing that. Otherwise, a must-own book for anyone interested in the clever design decisions - and happy design accidents - that make this amplifier the launching pad for zillions of "classic amps" to follow.

This book deals in facts, just the facts,ma'am. That said, the book gives a very insightful circuit analysis of this legendary amplifier from Leo's venerable stable of amplifiers. It also has a section of the book devoted to the most famous Bassman clone from across the Pond and illustrates similarities and differences.All in all a great starting point for anyone interested in designing an amplifier or someone who wants to get a better understanding of how circuit analysis can be applied to any vacuum tube amplifier. Very good book, many useful formulas, but if math frightened you as a child this may cause nightmares! Definitely aimed at technical people, engineers primarily and not the average weekend warrior guitarslinger who is not up on electronics.Definitely not beyond the average person's comprehension by any means, but probably a little better understanding of electronics would make it a more valuable resource as well as easier to read. All in all a very good book to read and study-highly recommended !

This book gives enough background that if you are a little bit rusty on your circuit analysis (as I was), you can still get the maximum value from the book. I have only completed the 1st chapter, but if the rest of the book is as good as the 1st chapter, then this book will prove to be the most valuable of the numerous books I have on tube amps. Duplicating the techniques outlined in this book I will be able perform a similar circuit analysis of my Marshall 50w Plexi and Cornford Hellcat, and then hopefully, fully understand why each sounds the way it does. I just wish it was available in hard copy because I think it will become a reference book for me moving forward.

The 5F6-A is considered the mother of all guitar/bass amps from past till present. It took me to read this book before I understood why.
This book reveils the genius/craftmanship of Leo Fender and doesn't stop there. As most tube amps are altered copies of this particular one, the information is usefull for everybody who wants to keep their amps in good shape with respect to great tone...