Would like to try some tubes!

[alparent]

OK I've just had a great idea!
Why doesn't somebody make a nice tutorial for the first time tube builder?
Something like Aron's Beginner Project.

In the meanwhile what would be a easy first tube project?
Some kind of fuzz?

Remember....first tube project.......easy..........I'm not that smart!  

Thanks.  

[frequencycentral]

Valvecaster is the obvious choice for a first venture into thermionic audio, built and loved by millions, plenty of support and troubleshooting information. Though some say "I don't believe this valvecaster would ever work with 12AU7."  

[oliphaunt]

I would love this also.  Having no tube experience (except for using them for 30 years) I could really use a carefully thought out nube level walkthrough of a tube project, including specifics about the parts needed, mounting, and basic working concepts.  It's a lot to ask of someone, but would it certainly be appreciated!

[Paul Marossy]

www.ax84.com is a good place to start if you want to learn to build your own tube amps. Tube stuff is a little more complex than solid state because there are more things to think about, but don't let that intimidate you. 

There's really not much to "starved plate" design, like the Shaka Tube or the Chandler Tube Driver. What you can do without high voltage being involved is very limited.

[JKowalski]

Tube stuff is a little more complex than solid state because there are more things to think about, but don't let that intimidate you. 

I wouldn't say it is necessarily "more difficult". Tubes are just like transistors in my eyes - they have a number of different types, and each one has certain properties that you need to keep in mind while designing with. It's just like learning how to use bipolar transistors and then expanding your knowledge by learning FET design next. A triode isn't much more difficult to understand then either one, it's just you have to learn some more 

I would say the only really unique problem for working with tube designs is the HV supply.

[GibsonGM]

Poke around this site, and then buy the book )  Great resources here for the seasoned and beginners alike!!  All you need to know to start, really, is SAFETY, power supply creation, and the basic triode gain stage.  A circuit simulator like LT Spice is a life-saver, and 'building' known circuits in it teaches as much, if not more, than a book!
http://www.freewebs.com/valvewizard/index.html

[petemoore]

  Wiring a tube circuit is a lot like wiring a Jfet circuit.
  Where they start to differ is in the power supply requirements, grounding, tubes tend to 'extra' requirements for lowest noise.

[Paul Marossy]

I wouldn't say it is necessarily "more difficult". Tubes are just like transistors in my eyes - they have a number of different types, and each one has certain properties that you need to keep in mind while designing with. It's just like learning how to use bipolar transistors and then expanding your knowledge by learning FET design next. A triode isn't much more difficult to understand then either one, it's just you have to learn some more 

I would say the only really unique problem for working with tube designs is the HV supply.

It is more difficult to design a tube amp that doesn't oscillate, hum like a son of a gun and has a sensible layout. On my second tube amp build I found out how critical lead dress can be and how one wire being too close to another can give you some major hum problems. In that respect, stompboxes are much less difficult to build. And far less expensive I might add. 

And like you point out, you also have a high voltage power supply to build and/or design. Although, that isn't as scary or hard as it sounds. But there is a lot more to think about when designing and building tube amps. Not necessarily more difficult to design, but very easy to mess something up if you don't cover all your bases. 

[JKowalski]

I wouldn't say it is necessarily "more difficult". Tubes are just like transistors in my eyes - they have a number of different types, and each one has certain properties that you need to keep in mind while designing with. It's just like learning how to use bipolar transistors and then expanding your knowledge by learning FET design next. A triode isn't much more difficult to understand then either one, it's just you have to learn some more 

I would say the only really unique problem for working with tube designs is the HV supply.

It is more difficult to design a tube amp that doesn't oscillate, hum like a son of a gun and has a sensible layout. On my second tube amp build I found out how critical lead dress can be and how one wire being too close to another can give you some major hum problems. In that respect, stompboxes are much less difficult to build. And far less expensive I might add. 

And like you point out, you also have a high voltage power supply to build and/or design. Although, that isn't as scary or hard as it sounds. But there is a lot more to think about when designing and building tube amps. Not necessarily more difficult to design, but very easy to mess something up if you don't cover all your bases. 

Alright, how about - not any more difficult to design, but more troublesome to lay out/actually construct? 

[Paul Marossy]

Alright, how about - not any more difficult to design, but more troublesome to lay out/actually construct? 

I guess that's closer to the truth. But as you pointed out, there is that tube power supply to deal with. That's definitely more complicated than just connecting a 9V battery to a stompbox circuit. 

[sean k]

Fred Nachbaur's site has the little single tube booster which is all well documented as a build from scratch and was my tube build from many years ago.
http://www.dogstar.dantimax.dk/tubestuf/mctube.htm

[Paul Marossy]

It's been several years since Fred passed away. Nice to see that his website is still going in spite of that.

[GibsonGM]

The McTube is a great way to get started!!