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The 5 watt single tube "Franken-Squawk" shop amp.

The Franken-Squawk! "IT'S ALIVE!"

And it's a whole "wall shakin" 5 watts! LMAO! I had fun making this one peeps! Needed a shop Amp that just sets on the shelve for testing guitars I make. even carved a hook into the handle to hang the rolled power and guitar cords when not in use as to not get in the way when working. This piece was from a rosewood tree that was ripped down during one of our many hurricanes. And it is also about the heaviest little 5 watt amp you would ever pickup as well. LOL!

The amp chassis you see on the left I jacked from a late 50s/early 60s suitcase phonograph.

The speaker box on the right is made from a cabinet drawer from an old "White" sewing machine that was made in 1873. The wood being so old gave it awesome acoustics. The speaker guard I fabricated from brass 3" drawer handles.. The speaker is a from a TV and though small in size it had a monster magnet and has a pleated bellows, likewise it has a very long throw and is quite surprising in the sound it produces.

The feet are made from brass pull knobs which I ground the ends flat so it sets more stable.

When I rang the thing out I found the audio transformer (The one on the right side of the chassis) had an open winding so I placed a modern multi-tap one inside the speaker box salvaged from an intercom system and left the old one in place for the cosmetics of it.

I used vintage 14 gauge twisted rag wire for the power cord and 18 gauge twisted rag wire for the speaker as well. The power cord was upgrade a modern 3 wire (Hot-Neutral-Ground) feed with a bonded chassis.

The green neon indicator light was from a launch panel from the old Apollo rocket program and installed all new Vitamin Q caps in it as they are common values.

The brass plaque on the front reads: "The Franken-Squawk" Output: 5 watts 120vac @ 60hz.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Harrison Withers on November 27, 2012 at 12:00pm

this is way cool. how does it sound? can you overdrive the amp before the speaker flutters out?

Permalink Reply by Ted Crocker on November 27, 2012 at 1:13pm

That's incredible Joe, good job!

Permalink Reply by Tom Caneschi aka TC on November 27, 2012 at 2:27pm

Very Cool lookin Joe ! Hope to hear it soon.

Permalink Reply by Joe Thomas on December 7, 2012 at 1:38pm

Had fun doing this one. Wanted it to look good, but still have the homemade/fabbed look to it. Sound is typical of any 5 watt amp as there is not a whole lot of lower tone to it. LOL Does have a good output for a 5 watt though as it's a vacuum tube as opposed to a solid state. Just a straight up amp and have yet to stick the overdrive pedal to it as it is just really made for audio testing. LOL Friend's that have seen it on my work shelve have freaked and want to steal it now. LOL

Looks cool as hell though and it has even inspired me to take a big scrap piece of rosewood slab to make a "Diddly Bow" with a tremolo. May have to get with Ted and get 1 or 2 of those single-pole "Stone Henge" pickups for it. LOL!