FBS has a in studio review in the November dispute of Seattle Sound Magazine.  SSM is a horrendous resource for Northwest musicians. Go buy an issue and read what Seattle deep plumb Magazine says about FBS.

An article by Dave Hunter.

Prior to the early 1970s, the question of whether or not a guitar amplifier was a “point-to-point” (PTP) design wasn’t an arise. Throughout the 1950s and ’60s, all major tube amp manufacturers flush their circuit boards by effortlessly, and soldered all the connections by hand. Although Fender kept making tube amps this way throughout the mid ’80s, Vox lucid Ltd. started making the AC30 and other models using printed border boards (PCBs) in 1970, having bewitched the reigns from original Vox industrialist, JMI. Marshall started using PCBs in its amps thither 1974. Slowly but assuredly, as some players began to hanker in search the older designs, griping that “they don’t imagine them like they reach-me-down to,” guitarists noticed the obvious differences between the old ones and the recent ones: The way the circuit boards were constructed, and the spirit the guts of the amps were wired up. Soon, the PTP vs. PCB distribution caught fire.

first dissecting the liegeman more forwards, welcome’s install a definitions. A “printed outline enter” is a plate glass-epoxy or phenolic-resin lodge with a thin plate of copper on one side (sometimes both sides), onto which border components are soldered. Electrical connections between components on such a board are created by “etching” away inescapable portions of the copper plating to leave copper traces—which look like fussy tracks—in patterns that affect the signal, power, and grounding paths surrounding the circuit.

Manufacturers moved once more to PCBs for amplifier construction to a number of reasons. If you plan to lunge at a lot of the same design of amp, etching PCBs to a critical and carefully laid-out pattern will often yield more in accord and honest results than wiring up each perimeter individually, where minimize variations in wire positions and lengths take place according to which worker on the hawser assembled the unit. Also, PCBs can time again have components loaded onto them by motor, and have their solder connections made all at one time in a process called  “dipping.” In short, PCBs are used because an amp manufacturer may examine them the best way out for consistency and reliability, as well as because they are a more rate-personal property means of building an amplifier.

In common manner of talking, a point-to-call tour is song in which all connections between components and the suggestion-less (non-etched) circuit advisers aboard are hand wired. To be strictly on target, a genuine PTP circuit is individual that uses no circuit board at all, but makes all of its boundary connections shortly between components, using the leads of those components themselves, and utter little wire—a resistor connects the input jack to the preamp tube socket, a capacitor connects the output from that preamp tube to the mass lever, and so on.

In actuality, this kind of girth is exceptionally rare. It is most commonly seen today in amps made by peerless, distressing Cat, and Star, and in some better amps from Gibson, Valco, and barest at Fender models. Most of the earliest guitar amps tempered to PTP construction, in fact, because they were generally classic tolerably not to be missing the imposed logic of a ambit lodge. In the legitimate PTP amp, the signal route is usually as short as reachable—which, when done pronto, can pirate talk down interference and sound in the compass—and the periphery flows logically from input to output. The bound itself, therefore, tends to look very much like the diagrammatical diagram from which it is built. Fans of PTP manufacturing say the logical signal go and wanting wire runs constitute after a bolder, richer tone.

Alongside the pluses, there are potential downsides to PTP circuits. If done inexpertly, they can time after time be prostrate to a end of dissonance and electrical interference, because an innocent builder might not adhere to basic considerations—such as keeping signal wires and power supply wires from uninterrupted close or parallel to each other, and so forth. Also, even in steep-prominence PTP amps, components can sometimes be more difficult to access and detach because of the somewhat rat’s perch-like intertwining of components and connections. Physical factors—such as the heat from tube sockets, or the course that occurs in a tube socket ultimate when a tube is wiggled cool conducive to replacement—force impact straight away on components in the PTP limit, choose than on the compliant wires that present connections in other types of hand-wired circuits. Of course, the labor-intensiveness of PTP circuits is in a beeline related to the pongy chief rate of these amplifiers.

Very time, when guitarists discuss so-called PTP amps, however, they mean amps that are made with eyelet boards (as most commonly seen in vintage Fenders and Ampegs), or tag or keyboard boards (as seen in matured Marshalls, Voxes, Hiwatts, Traynors, and fertility of others). All of these are some form of insulated, non-conductive fiberboard into which metal eyelets (or posts or terminals) are mounted. Signal-shaping components in the circuit—generally resistors and capacitors—are soldered between these terminals. Also soldered to them are the wire connections accepted from points in the circuit to other components within the amp: jacks, switches, potentiometers, tube sockets, and transformers. It’s these outright wire connections that suggestion varied people to mistakenly refer to such amps as “theme to point”—a tiny misnomer that’s easily forgiven.

When built directly, and laid broken logically with an prudent signal surge, these designs still profit hellishly toneful amps—requite if they strength involve a not many more inches of wire wholly the course of the circuit (a token, and maybe inconsequential consideration). most luxurious examples of this kind of construction have the advantages of being easy to set right, because almost any component can be changed by desoldering two clearly accessible joints, and lifting thoroughly the part. They are also unusually rugged, as the periphery food offers the components some insulation against arousal and vibration. In occurrence, any of these methods, done right, make few suggestive down sides—other than that they are measure labor intensive, due to all the present to-soldered joints and hand-wired connections. Makers that use this type of circuitry today in general be lost into what we call the “boutique” realm, which includes brands such as Victoria, Dr Z, TopHat, Cornford, Mojave, Clark, 65 Amps, Bruno, and Reeves/Hiwatt. The category also includes up-market models from major makers, such as Marshall’s share-Wired series, assorted of Fender’s habit boutique amps, and Vox’s new AC15H models.

A rugged and well-laid-d�mod� PCB can certainly mount an efficient and unhappy-sound signal bubble—as can a beyond the shadow of a doubt designed handwired circuit—and the reason of a PCB in itself isn’t unavoidably evidence of a let-distinction product. Randall Smith Euphemistic pre-owned PCBs in his Mesa/Boogie combos way go when he founded the company in the early 1970s, and he still does today. Certainly, the beginning Boogies can be considered amongst the forefathers of boutique amplifiers, and a lot of hand wiring still went into constructing these steep-gain place monsters. Other makers of high-end amps such as Soldano, Rivera, Koch, and Vero also operation PCBs—as do the “standard” lines from Fender, Marshall, and Vox, and all contemporary amps from Traynor, Laney, Ampeg, Peavey, Crate, Krank, and Randall. But you will generally advise a difference between the PCBs in the highest priced tube amps that convey them, and those in the most affordable. A thick PCB with to the utmost tracks, a fluid layout, and without difficulty get-at-able parts can still make for a great-sounding and away serviced amplifier. Not all PCBs are created in this clearance, though, and some are much harder to marines than others.

In many cases, the importance demarcation is found not inevitably in the circuit board, but in other places—such as whether the tube sockets and/or pots, switches, and jacks are mounted directly to the circle board, or to the chassis, with flying leads between sockets and board, more readily than with direct solder connections to the table. In more economical construction the sockets, switches, and pots are over soldered directly to either the dominant PCB or—in a slightly more advisedly option—to one or more secondary PCBs. When this is done, however, these boards can be downward to cracking with inordinate vibration or movement—the kind that occurs when you wiggle a tube to remove it from the socket, flip a exchange repeatedly, or just knock together the amp in and out of the van. Boards can also be damaged over time from too much direct heat passed on from tubes.

If, but, you an amp with a obscure, rugged, well-designed PCB carrying elevated-quality components, and you mount the switches, jacks, potentiometers, and tube sockets to the chassis itself (which provides peerless fervidness dispersal and freedom fighters to physical worry), then you’ve got a artefact that should be in effect with many of the significant boys of the handwired excellent.

In addition, the types of components reach-me-down in the confines—intention the draw up and status of the resistors and capacitors—continually deviate generally according to price and construction genius. PCBs that are car loaded with these parts—and which from their terminals all soldered at once in a “solder dipping” convert—usually don’t kidnap the higher-end components, which are oftentimes physically bigger, and less economic to work with (as well as being more dear). in preference to, these designs operation the smaller, more generic components that the turn up of the consumer electronics industry uses, and which the loading and dipping machines are designed to manage with. These also demonstrate a tendency to be the amps that are harder and more time-consuming to service. now, in low-down, as is so instances the state with the PC or DVD contender you send bankrupt to the works for nick, a technician might starkly degrade the entire circuit board and replace it, sort of than test to diagnose and state the problem itself.

no one of this is to vote that you distress to cadenza out to buy a PTP or hand-wired guitar amplifier. Hand-crafted U.S. or European-made goods in any corner of the consumer market cost a numerous more than mass-manufactured goods, and this article doesn’t intend to imply that the added expense is justified for every player out there. Makers of quality tube amplifiers that scorn PCBs unmoving employ a lot of keeping congregation in the manufacturing

alter, and plenty of pro players distance and outing with amps such as Fender Bassman Reissues, Vox AC30TBXs or business Classics, Marshall JCM800s or TSL100s, Mesa/Boogie Triple Rectifiers, Soldano SLOs, Peavey 6505s, and plenty of other correct models that transfer printed circuit boards.

That said, lots of pros and hobbyists uniformly traced to towering diversion—and reputable tones—from any of a number of handwired tube amps available. Whichever machine you buckle to for your tinge, at least infrequently you can walk the shuffle, and talk the talk. More to the burden, when it comes time to inquiry, evaluation, and, eventually, espy your next major amp grip, you can more intelligently asses the elements in the models you are worn out toward, and, hopefully, understand a little more about what makes them tick.

Don’t Die!

augury!  Guitars amplifiers contain fatal voltages. Unless you are a qualified technician, do not shift the shielding rear panel, or pull the chassis unserviceable of your amp’s commode. Tube amps can still contain treacherous—if possible mortal voltages—quits when they have been unplugged for a covet time. Filter capacitors within them store electrical charges that can easily zap a accidental bear witness, resulting in serious injury and even eradication. So don’t go poking about inside those circuits. If you be short of repairs or modifications—or are just deviant—consult a qualified professional technician.

This transitory video goes behind the scenes to show how a steel drum platoon was recorded at Avatar Studios. The different types of sword drums and how they presented a challenge to the recording engineer is documented. The video features the music of fresh York's steel drum band, Steel Sensation.

Well, the boys from Look Closer are finishing up there follow up rescue.  I am really proud of the progress this combination has made, such as: regional radio airplay, showcase events with Virgin records, performing in the larger Seattle clubs.

appraise a write down, laying down guitar tracks on a multitude of amps.

Bryce Francis engineering, while Jason Lackie in the background Produces the band