I remember when US made Fender guitars SUCKED...from the late 60's until the late 70's...you had to look at 10 Telecasters until you found one put together correctly. Now they're mostly fine, even when made in Mexico or wherever. I understand that some Chinese component weirdness can trickle in, but I have some Chinese built gear that is amazing...a Kavent preamp, Jolida amp, and an original Reverend Goblin guitar amp (now made in the US by somebody who bought the designs) are 3 examples of "imports done right", likely due to a "lookout" posted at the gate (send him a sandwich).
Amp design logic
I hope you'll excuse my absolute and obvious ignorance...but this is a sincere question.
I don't get why one company is selling a new tube amp for ~$1000, and another is selling one for ~$50,000. What is one paying for? The proprietary circuit design?
Surely if one adds up the cost of the parts, trannies, chassis, etc. it's not worth $50K.
I accept that the more expensive one sounds lots, lots better. But what makes the price so high? Demand?
I think given a circuit diagram from a repair manual, I could eventually build most tube amps from scratch, using the absolute best of each part available. After I learn to solder. For less than $50K, just buying the best cap, resistor, wire, etc. made, for each part, I could slowly build an amp equal to the best in the world. So I don't get it.
What makes an amp worth $50K? It can only be the proprietary tube amp design.
Maybe another factor is the transformers. Each company seems to have their own iron, but that can't be a significant part of $50K?
Thanks, just really wondering about this. And wondering why don't I just make my own? If I buy one part at a time, eventually I can have the best amp there can be.
Jim
I don't get why one company is selling a new tube amp for ~$1000, and another is selling one for ~$50,000. What is one paying for? The proprietary circuit design?
Surely if one adds up the cost of the parts, trannies, chassis, etc. it's not worth $50K.
I accept that the more expensive one sounds lots, lots better. But what makes the price so high? Demand?
I think given a circuit diagram from a repair manual, I could eventually build most tube amps from scratch, using the absolute best of each part available. After I learn to solder. For less than $50K, just buying the best cap, resistor, wire, etc. made, for each part, I could slowly build an amp equal to the best in the world. So I don't get it.
What makes an amp worth $50K? It can only be the proprietary tube amp design.
Maybe another factor is the transformers. Each company seems to have their own iron, but that can't be a significant part of $50K?
Thanks, just really wondering about this. And wondering why don't I just make my own? If I buy one part at a time, eventually I can have the best amp there can be.
Jim
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- 40 posts total
- 40 posts total