It’s the 85th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps featuring special guest, Calvin McCormick (HiWatt, @ampfreek).

This week’s episode is sponsored by Jupiter Condenser Co., Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars.

Support us on Patreon.com for added content, bonus episodes, and the occasional surprise.

Download the free 2021 TAVA Cookbook here! It features over 80 pages of recipes and food hacks mentioned on our show, along with some family favorites you’ll be hearing about for the first time.

Some of the topics discussed this week:

1:59 El Pato hot sauce in a bottle

3:13 Nothing but cans: Skip’s recent meal

9:58 Update on the amp that lost the majority of its volume during shipping (ep. 84)

11:24 You think this gig is easy, part 7: A Fender Reverb unit with nearly every part replaced

17:42 The tone of the Fender Twins in the Beatles’ ‘Get Back’ documentary

23:41 Special guest: Calvin McCormick (McCormick Analog / Hiwatt / @ampfreek): Meeting Hy Bloom, founder of Soundmaster; Hiwatt today; a new Hiwatt fuzz pedal announcement, Grand Funk Railroad, Garnet Herzog, MTI tube stompboxes and lots more.

1:03:23 Laurens Hammond, inventor of the Hammond organ

1:08:02 Fender 5F2 vs 5F2A fuse specification

1:11:37 The input pre-amp on tube PAs, 12AX7 versus 12AT7

1:14:58 What makes a good steel amp; Steelin’ Home by Noel Boggs (YouTube link)

1:22:12 Reforming NOS capacitor cans: Trash or Treasure?

1:24:39 Fitting a reverb tank with space constraints, cooked salsa

1:27:53 Skip needs an Ampeg Gemini II trem module (TM-1), running an old rotary phone into a computer

1:29:45 Skip’s new name

1:30:38 Adding a cut control to a single-ended Vox style amp; cheese dip; Pat Martino’s ‘Live at Keystone Korner’

1:39:47 Replacing the V1 on a two 12AX7, two 6V6 amp to a 12AU7

Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons. Co-hosted and produced by the Fretboard Journal’s Jason Verlinde.

Email or send us a voice memo to: podcast@fretboardjournal.com or leave us a voicemail or text at 509-557-0848. And don’t forget to share the show with friends.

Want to see all the former topics discussed on the TAVA Podcast? Click here for all the show notes on one page.

Above: Can caps pic submitted by listener Sevan.