Amp Camp!

[getbent]

Several of us commented a year or so ago that it would be cool to have 'Amp Camp'.... Son of a gun, I just found someone who does just such a thing...

Gerald Weber, of Kendrick Amps puts on such events!

Check it out I have no affiliation, and the dates for this year have passed, but it might be fun to check out for a little vacation next spring or summer. His DVD is good, but I just seem to learn better when I am working with someone side by side where I can ask the minute questions that come up on a build.

[Larry F]

I was a little disappointed with his books and DVD (I bought them all at once, for a discount). His presentation methods are not very well organized. He tends to get side-tracked with his little tricks learned in the shop. These are fine, but they derail his presentations. So, I would be concerned about his amp camp, fearing that he would start telling little stories about the time that this amp came in and...

[JohnnyCrash]

I believe GDSAmps does that kind of thing all the time as well.

[getbent]

Ha ha! Larry, you are right in your description... I have a tendency to have several things going at once.... when I am in my shop (errr garage) working on stuff, I either have the music going or a dvd of stuff like Kendrick or lesson dvds or cds going and when something sifts through, I stop and go concentrate on that for a few minutes... so I kind of like how he does his stuff.

The most interesting teachers I have had 'birdwalk' sometimes and give some flavor to what they are talking about... Tedesco's columns were kind of like that... a bunch of stories kind of threaded to a sorta theme.

But, you are right, he is not sequential at all... my favorite part of his amp repair video is when he talks about the dangers of being shocked and being careful and he gets SHOCKED! A lot of guys would have cut that out... but he left it in... I can only guess why, but it made me like him more and see him as a human.

I think I'd be interested in the camp as much for meeting other guys who are doing the same thing and 'picking brains' in person and being 'holed up' for a period of time and just building amps etc. I'd actually prefer the stories to a more focused curriculum at the camp... one of my favorite singer/songwriters has a 'fantasy camp' every summer for 3 days. There are classes in songwriting, musicianship etc... with a jam/concert every night... The days are full and rewarding but the 'hang out' after hours is when the lessons are really taught and learned...

It may not be for everyone.


Johnny, that GDS thing looks like a blast!

[boneyguy]

There was this one time at amp camp..............

[psychotelepathic]

Originally Posted by getbent

Several of us commented a year or so ago that it would be cool to have 'Amp Camp'.... Son of a gun, I just found someone who does just such a thing...

Gerald Weber, of Kendrick Amps puts on such events!

Check it out I have no affiliation, and the dates for this year have passed, but it might be fun to check out for a little vacation next spring or summer. His DVD is good, but I just seem to learn better when I am working with someone side by side where I can ask the minute questions that come up on a build.

Bruce Egnater has been holding seminars where you actually build your own amp. The reviews have been glowing. No surprise, given what a nice guy Bruce is. I've exchanged emails with him on a number of occasions. Always willing to help.

http://www.egnater.com/ampseminars.html

And here's a video of an amp this guy built at the seminar:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=8QY3gfxTfTw

[getbent]

Dig it! Keep'em coming.. it will take a few months to explain to the family why we're going to michigan for vacation....

[Duke]

Originally Posted by getbent

Dig it! Keep'em coming.. it will take a few months to explain to the family why we're going to michigan for vacation....

Getbent. I've been in touch yesterday and today with Graydon from GDS Amps in Flint, Michigan. They just finished a seminar last week but he said he'd schedule one in October or November if I was a for sure. Depending on the number of people he holds his seminars in his home shop or the GDS shop. You build an 18 watt Marshall type amp from one of his high quality kits. It is a one-day seminar and costs about $1000. I believe I'll be going early November (Christmas gift from Mrs. Claus).

Read all about it at http://www.gdsamps.com/18wattmain.html

[GUITARmole]

Originally Posted by Larry F

I was a little disappointed with his books and DVD (I bought them all at once, for a discount). His presentation methods are not very well organized. He tends to get side-tracked with his little tricks learned in the shop. These are fine, but they derail his presentations. So, I would be concerned about his amp camp, fearing that he would start telling little stories about the time that this amp came in and...

So would you say the books were worth getting then, or are there better ones available?

I got the DVD (all 3 vids on one DVD) and although I found some useful info I felt like they were mostly aimed at beginners with no electronics knowledge or skill whatsoever. I also found them painful to watch when he goes through replacing EVERY filter cap in the amp one by one in real time...yawn. I've thought of going to his seminars (with the hope that he'd delve more into tube theory, design, and advanced repair) but I've been gun-shy after the vid experience.

Originally Posted by boneyguy

There was this one time at amp camp..............

Keeping with the 'family atmosphere' of TDPRI I wont complete your phrase by describing what was done with an EL34

[getbent]

you might like the thunderfunk book better if you don't have that one.