The Truth About Vintage Amps, Ep. 159:

“TAVA, Again...Exclamation Point”
Fretboard Journal Podcast | January 17, 2026

Episode Overview

In this uniquely cozy and character-filled installment, amp guru Skip Simmons and Fretboard Journal’s Jason Verlinde field another wild assortment of listener questions on vintage tube amp repair, restoration, and collecting. The conversation meanders, in classic TAVA fashion, between deep technical amp topics, rustic cookware collecting, small-town weather chatter, and a barrage of listener-contributed recipes and domestic hacks. Several on-air voice memos add to the episode’s atmosphere—part technical helpline, part kitchen talk radio, and, at points, relatable amp therapy session.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Weather, History, and Life’s Pacing [00:35]

• Skip reflects on California’s historical weather disasters and the relentless pace of modern life, advocating for a return to slower communication.

  "This fast communication is wearing. I think we should go back to where you have to send a telegram ... wait six months to hear back." – Skip [02:22]

2. Collecting Cast Iron Cookware [03:04]

• Skip shares a recent acquisition: an antique ‘scotch bowl’ cast iron pot estimated to be from 1890 or earlier.
• Discusses the lack of straightforward reference books for cast iron (comparing it to "the vintage guitar price guide for pans") and appeals for listener book recommendations.
• Noted the appeal and history to identifying old cookware, especially impressed by the thinness and featherweight of the oldest pieces.

3. On the Amp Bench: Rare Fender Princeton Oddity [08:21]

• Skip describes having multiple early Fender Princetons in for work, including a 1948 model with never-before-seen factory wiring:
  • A cathode bypass cap routed to the positive speaker lug instead of ground.
  • Only two filter caps, unusual among small Fender amps.
• Musings on amp circuit oddities and the historical evolution of these designs.

4. Listener Q&A and Kitchen Insights

a. Transforming Hi-Fi Amps for Guitar Use [15:19]

• Franklin asks about modding BellSound 2122C hi-fi units:
  • Skip recommends keeping two as hi-fi, using the third for experimentation only if its cosmetic or collectible value is low.
  • Offers practical advice for keeping home hi-fi systems simple and family/partner friendly:

    "If you want people to get into it, got to make it so they just go over there and go click." – Skip [19:29]

b. Preserving Fender Amp Tube Charts [25:20]

• Creston Lee is replacing a warped baffle in a ‘70s Deluxe Reverb and doesn’t want to damage the paper tube chart under a new cleat.
  • Skip: Moving the cleat is preferable, as removing a glued tube chart without damage is virtually impossible; “meditate for a few hours and it'll be all right” if you have to cover a corner.

    "I don't know how you do that." – Skip [27:37]

c. Understanding Modern DIY Tweed Amp Kits [31:11]

• Danny from Chicago wonders why kit resistors & caps have higher current/voltage ratings than vintage Fender specs.
  • Skip: Extra voltage/wattage rating is harmless or beneficial and doesn’t audibly change amp tone.
• Speaker impedance question: Running 8 ohm speakers on a 4 ohm OT tap is non-critical for low-watt Fender circuits; tweak, listen, and don’t fret.

d. Cleaning and Maintaining Rusty Faceplates [47:48]

• Drew inquires about protecting the faceplate of a barn-find tweed Vibrolux.
  • Wax or a very thin clear plastic overlay (binder divider style) suggested to lock in patina without further damage.
  • Tips: Old car restoration communities use similar tricks.

    "An old school way too, is wax. You know, a lot of those people put good quality wax over whatever patina ancient paint that they have." – Skip [55:10]

e. Two-Prong Cord Replacement in Europe [55:47]

• Yrne from Norway asks if he can just swap the plug, or needs to replace the whole cord.
  • Skip: If cord is safe, hardware store plug replacement is acceptable. If not, replace the whole cord. Offers to mail a plug if unavailable in Norway—“worth it for that.”
  • Call includes a charming, spa-like Norwegian instrumental performance.

f. Capsules of Wisdom: What Does Skip Instantly Throw Away? [40:33]

• Mark Pollock asks what Skip trashes upon arrival.
  • Junk ancient electrolytic and leaky wax caps go; odd unidentifiable tubes sometimes repurposed as boat anchors or sculpture material.

g. Rickenbacker Output Transformer Replacement [73:07]

• Richard from BC is snowed in and asks about replacing a Rickenbacker OT with a Fender unit.
  • The brand is secondary to voltage/spec match; recommends Hammond (available via Amplified Parts).
  • PS: WD-40, allegedly soothing for knee pain; “Just because you can do something doesn't mean that you should.” [76:50]

h. Summer Recipes and Food Chats Galore

• An unending stream of food hacks: pizza dough ball trick, Colombian bean stew, multicultural kielbasa mashups, and more.
  • The show’s unexpectedly robust exchange of food tips prompts Skip to reflect on making things at home, and buying thrift cookware ("Luster Craft" stainless steel: “Cadillac cookware,” [46:33]).

Notable Quotes & Moments

On the value of slow information:

• "People are getting so worn down because they can’t unplug from the daily. I think we should go back to where you have to send a telegram or get the pony express guy ..." – Skip [02:10]

On DIY kit parts ‘upgrades’:

• “What’s wrong with a little bit of headroom is what I say.” – Skip [32:39]

On emotional amp work—a recurring TAVA therapy theme:

• “Part of me will always wonder. Boy, we could just sit on that for a while.” – Skip [33:45]

On keeping home hi-fi simple:

• “Make it so they just go over there and go click. We don’t sit on the couch, Pink Floyd in the sweet spot of the stereo, very often. We just want some music that sounds good as we go about our lives.” – Skip [19:29]

On junk triage:

• “Some even not electronic, but like sculpture. I’ve seen robots and stuff made with tubes in them.” – Skip [43:34]

On foreign listener serenades:

• “It was like a going to a day spa. … We could have Yrne talk about his broken two-prong cord for hours and we'd make so much money. It'd be so soothing.” – Jason [59:01]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:04] Cast iron cookware collecting, history, and identification
• [08:21] Early Princeton amp discoveries and odd circuitry
• [15:19] BellSound hi-fi into guitar amp? Keeping convenience front and center in home audio
• [25:20] Fender amp baffle/tube chart OCD quandary
• [31:11] Modern DIY amp kit parts ratings and speaker impedance matching
• [40:33] “What do you throw away on sight?” Skip's repair shop triage
• [47:48] Protecting rusty vintage faceplates (tweed Vibrolux)
• [55:47] Norwegian two-prong cord blues (with live spa uke)
• [73:07] Rickenbacker power transformer replacement / WD-40 for joint pain
• [79:30] Pizza dough hack and post-guitar show social observations

Extra: Listener Recipes & Food Tips

(scattered liberally throughout)

• Pizza hack: Buy dough balls from a local pizzeria, subdivide and proof at home for convenience [79:30]
• Beans and kielbasa: Danny’s fast goya cargamonto bean stew with local Polish sausage [36:21]
• Cast iron restoration: Evapo-rust for ancient cookware [05:00]
• Luster Craft cookware: Thrift purchase recommendation [46:32]
• Vegetable TN ("Tian"): Bob’s ratatouille-style summer bake [70:20]

Tone & Final Impressions

The episode radiates warmth, patience, a tactile love of objects, and gentle, wisecracking humor. The technical advice is robust but ever practical; “Keep it simple, keep your hands and family safe, and don’t stress the small stuff unnecessarily.” Listeners are encouraged to embrace both DIY fearlessness and humility—whether troubleshooting rare amp circuits, modifying cherished gear, or simply making beans or pizza at home.

Closing Sentiment:

“As long as people keep asking us, we'll keep doing it.” – Skip [85:36]

Endnote:
As ever, TAVA remains one of the most idiosyncratic and community-driven podcasts in guitar culture—where a question about a 1948 Princeton might earn you a lesson in cast iron, a pizza recipe, and sincere advice, all in the same neighborly breath.