Guitar Villa / DIAZ hosted, Vintage style TUBE amp building classes.
Hand wired – point to point – by you!
Long time Diaz Master Amp builder and company President, Peter McMahon, is partnering with Guitar Villa, to host 3 day, tube amp building classes, at our Bethlehem location. No previous electronics experience is necessary (for Class Level I), just the ability to watch, listen and learn, is required. This workshop will teach the fundamental construction skills necessary to assemble and properly wire a high quality tube amp kit. Students will build their own amp under the supervision of the instructor. What a GREAT opportunity to learn from one of the best!
Class Level II and Level III will require attendance and completion of Class Level I, or documented equivalent electronics experience with amp building or repair.
The selection of amp builds cover many sought after legendary vintage amps and are faithful period detailed recreations of the original builds, containing a select collection of high grade components, for maximum vintage tone, performance and longevity. These amps look, sound and perform, like the legends they are designed to reproduce.
What we are building is a reproduction vintage amp kit. You won’t find PC boards and cheap components that most current companies are using, as these amps are designed and assembled to go back to the truly legendary time in amp history, with both faithful detailed cosmetics and unmatched TONE! Countless recordings were produced with these style amps in the studios and this is a huge part of the musical heritage that made the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s and 80’s monumental. If you’ve ever played a vintage hand wired amp I’m sure you have noticed that they do have defined “magic” to their sound. We believe that this honest tube tone comes from the sum of the high quality components, a point to point hand wired board, and a solid pine cabinet.
Small components can make a big difference in tone. Everything that is provided in these kits is as close as possible to the original components that Fender or Marshall, for example, used in the 50′s and 60′s. All kits use vintage style cloth covered wire. We believe that these detailed representations are as close as you can get to a real vintage piece.
Pre-paid admission to the classes is on a first come / first served basis, is non-refundable, and will include the 3 day course and all the materials and hands on personal instruction needed. The point to point, hand wired, completed tube amp will be signed & is yours to keep and enjoy, at the end of the 3 day session. The sessions will be held on a Friday (10 to 6), Saturday (10 to 5) and Sunday (11 to 3) at Guitar Villa’s Bethlehem location. Space is very limited, for each class.
Class 1 (Level I build) – July 20, 21 & 22 – 2012 No previous experience necessary. Click HERE for information on tuition and amplifier selection!
Class 2 (Level II build) – August 17, 18 & 19 – 2012 Skill level 2 – some experience necessary. Click HERE for information on tuition and amplifier selection!
Class 3 (Level II build) – September 14, 15 & 16 – 2012 Skill level 3 – Experience necessary. Click HERE for information on tuition and amplifier selection!
These amps will look, sound and perform fantastically. You will proud to own, perform with and display your achievement, in your living room – if you can talk your wife into that!
What you will end the classes with, is your very own, signed, completely hand crafted testament to the best era in amp design and tone!
Thinking about attending and building one of our specialized Marshall reproduction heads from years gone by? Want to take it one step further?
We will also be offering some matching cabinets, if you like.
We will be offering the vintage Tall Boy 4×12, and the VERY tall boy 8X10 and 6×12 cabinets!
Want to take your vintage build ANOTHER step further? … how about the option of any color or tolex finish for your head and cabinet?
Please call with special requests … we will do our best to make your custom, hand wired build, even more seductive and exclusive!
