Ep. 170: "I Only Have a Minute"
Ep. 170: "I Only Have a Minute"  
Podcast: The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
Published On: Mon Aug 31 2026
Description: New Truth About Vintage Amps discount from Amplified Parts on all Apex matched-tube products: TAVAAPEX10 gets you a one-time discount of 10% off Apex products now through October 31. So stock up! https://www.apexmatching.com It's the 170th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps, the call-in show where amp tech Skip Simmons fields all of your guitar amplification questions (or at least the ones involving tubes).    Thank you to our sponsors: Grez Guitars; Emerald City Guitars; and Amplified Parts / Mod Electronics.  Some of the topics discussed this week: :32 What's on Skip's Bench: A Voice of Music 8810 2:40 Jason's Fretboard Summit 2026 report (thanks, https://vintagetubeamplifiers.com!!) 10:13 Recommended reading: Willie Dixon's 'I Am the Blues,' 'Bo Diddley: Living Legend,' and 'Buzz Busby: Father of Washington DC Bluegrass'  12:35 Is this Fender Super Champ safe to use? 20:06  Aotearoa New Zealand Amplifier History Project (support it here); New Zealand pop and punk; building guitars in the Congo (Fretboard Journal #56) 25:19 MusicMan HD130; Sun O))); a typewriter at the 2027 Summit? 33:34 Who made Rickenbacker amps? Talk to me about my Rickenbacker M11 41:14 Bix Beiderbecke's birthday (August 6); conversing with your amp heroes; frozen udon noodles and mushroom stock powder; Red Norvo's "In a Mist"; Donald Brosnac's 'Guitar Electronics for Musicians' 50:06 Warming up a two-pronged amp through a Variac; if a Jenson speaker has been reconed, can I stop worrying about its value?  55:35 Listener recommendation: A cheap Amazon wall outlet meter (link) 57:36 Mark Bartel's prototype line-out interface (see Instagram pic!)  58:24 The magic of purslane  1:00:29 Why a vibrator? (on old DC amps/PAs) 1:04:19 The Savage Croaker amp; Bloodstone's "Natural High;" Mesa Boogie Mark I repairs and Jim Washburn Want to be a part of the show? Join us by sending your voice memo or written questions to podcast@fretboardjournal.com! Include a photo, too. Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal.