So I just came across this little/big project amp to build that I thought I would share for anyone busking / playing little gigs. 100 Watts stereo at 2 ohm that works on 11-24 volts. Build yourself a LiFePo battery and have a couple hours of playtime with no AC power. Link is: https://www.instructables.com/DIY-200-Watt-Portable-Amplifier/ Couple of mics and speakers, 2-4 channel USB AD device, laptop with a DAW, your ready to hit the street.
100 watts? Are you busking next to a heavy hitting drummer playing a full drumset in a large club without a PA?
That's 100 watts at 2 ohm. Most people have 8 ohm speakers, which then the amp provides 25 watts per channel. Just right for a busker.
Why bother trying to build a kit project when you can find tons of good used small powered mixers, guitar amps and equipment at music stores, pawn shops and garage sales etc. for practically nothing. I picked up a lightweight Line6 Spider IV 30 for $35. It's an ideal for basement and backyard jam sessions.
I think the point here is that you can build this yourself, there is something tangible about building a project yourself rather than buying off the shelf.
For sure, I've built some fuzzboxes and such and it's good fun and the results are yours esp. if you're like me and misread the component values on the regular. For this amp though I'd need to built more confidence in my electronic skills since we're not talking about something that runs on a 9V battery. You know, fire risk and all.
I have repaired and modded amps and effects and even built a few custom amps for other musicians from the 60s till mid 70s, but all parts that were required were readily available and inexpensive at almost all electronic shops, which have now all but disappeared and many parts are hard to get and are way overpriced, add in the exhorbitant S&H rates and you have to reflect if it's worth the time, effort and expense.
Here in the UK we used to have a catalogue for mail order electronic parts from Farnell or Maplin, then came the Maplin shops which made buying components east. Now even these have started to disappear, I miss those days of looking through a component catalogue to dream up my next idea
I completely agree! When I was kid (in the 60s), I bought my 2nd electric guitar, a used and beat-up Fender Jaguar, which I initially thought was a big step up from my old beat-up SG Junior. I loved the Fender neck, but missed the sound of the P90 pickup on my Gibson, so I went to the legendary store Manny's in NYC, and they were kind enough to help me figure out how to clean up the electronics, and switch the pickups to P90s. They sold me the parts, and I did the work myself, and even stripped & refinished it. Very satisfying. I loved that ax, and wish I still had it!
Manny's was where I bought my Steinberger guitar, Ovation acoustic and a bunch of pedals, cables and accessories. I miss 48th Street.
