Ultimate Bench Warrior: How to Design, Build, and Modify Custom Guitar and Bass Amps (Paperback)

by Jackson (Author), Lee (Author)
Key Phrases: heater requirements, input signal voltage, speaker outputs, Lee De Forest, Maximum Ratings, Maximum Circuit Values (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Amp guru Lee Jackson covers: tools of the trade; the basics of soldering; different tube types, with specs and histories; electronic symbols; amplifier modifications from gain stages to adding reverbs; schematics of solidstate circuits and power supplies; lists of parts suppliers; and more. Features 180+ photos and illustrations.

Product Details

• Paperback: 152 pages
• Publisher: Hal Leonard; 2 edition (November 28, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1575604450
• ISBN-13: 978-1575604459
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #469,177 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Where are the "Design" and "Build" sections?, January 6, 2009

By	A Reader (United States) - See all my reviews

The author begins with a cursory look at the tools used when building and servicing amps. Unfortunately, how to use the less common tools, such as an oscilloscope, in practice is not discussed. We do, however, find a few pages on how to make a guitar cable with a soldering iron.

Plenty of reprinted tube and solid state component data sheets made it into the final product--as did a guide to reading resistor color codes. A few vintage transformer data sheets are included as well. In light of the book's title, a section covering transformer selection along with power supply and output stage design would have been more useful.

The author does include schematics for some isolated circuits, but many are of little value or irrelevant to the subject matter expressed in the title. For example, one schematic shows how to wire a foot pedal to control three separate Fender amps. Other included circuits may have broader appeal, but there is little guidance as to how to implement them in original or existing designs. In some cases, component values are not included.

The "Extensive collection of top Amplifiers schematics, including all of Lee's equipment" and "A great collection of Effect Pedal Schematics, Vintage and New" promised on the author's website are not in the book.

The biggest issue, and the reason for the single star: this volume doesn't deliver what it promises in the title. There is nothing about designing or building amplifiers. Instead the reader is offered an eclectic collection of data sheets, isolated circuit mods, and rudimentary, yet incomplete, information. But there's no math! :| (When I pre-ordered this work, I was unaware of the diminutive page-count, which would have made me question the depth of material covered.)

The Guitar Amp Handbook by Dave Hunter would be a better choice. It's not an exhaustive treatment of the subject, but it covers two important areas that Jackson's book does not: how an amp works and how to build a vintage-modified amp. For those interested in the math, check out Richard Kuehnel's works. Tino Zottola has three volumes on building specific amps--all of which contain step-by-step instructions, component lists and schematics. For the well-funded, Kevin O'Connor's Ultimate Tone series would be another option.

1.0 out of 5 stars Not worth it, January 11, 2009

By	J. Mcspadden - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I agree completly with "A Reader"'s review. THe title is misleading and most of the book looks like it is xeroxed tube sheets and charts that are not explained in the text. Dave Hunter's book is much better. I wish I could get my money back.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great book considering its price..., January 23, 2009

By	E. W. J. Thoen "Ed's Custom Shop" (The Netherlands) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Personally I don't share all the bad talk written in the other two reviews. I agree in the sense that the title of the book doesn't entirely cover the pages that are inside but in general there's great info to be found. There are more books I could mention that don't cover the title in that regard on behalf of this subject. The designs that can be found in this book aren't allways entirely complete but this isn't a projects book in the true sense... It touches lots of aspects of amp-design, mods and more but how to implement them practically isn't covered. Again, this is not a projects book. Therefore it is evident that this book isn't suited for the novice on this subject (which leaves in question why a relative simple job like soldering a guitar cable is covered in such big detail...). But taken that into account, I think the book has great info and you can find great ideas and insights on how Lee Jackson does his work. Also, I think it is fair to say that you also have to take into account the price for this book which isn't much. There are other books on this subject for sure and I got them all, but bear in mind that allmost all of these books are substantially more expensive and have the same kind of "quircks" to more or less degree. This is also to be expected because the subject is very specific in it's practical application so writing a book more generally implies also loosing some of its specifics...