The Howler Monkey Push Pull 6AQ5 Guitar Amp

Published:2013/3/10 21:57:00 Author:Ecco | Keyword: Howler Monkey , Push Pull , Guitar Amp | From:SeekIC

This amplifier is a push-pull design which features a pair of 6AQ5 beam power tubes driven by a 6J6 dual triode, all of which are 7 pin miniature tubes. It is the higher power successor to the the Squirrel Monkey amp project. In fact, the only thing this amp has in common with the Squirrel Monkey amp is the choice of an electrical wiring box for the chassis and a monkey in the name. The 6AQ5 tubes were commonly used as single ended audio output amplifiers in radios and televisions, they are plentiful and inexpensive on the surplus market. The 6AQ5 output tubes are described in the RCA receiving tube manual as being lower voltage versions of the larger 6V6 beam power pentodes. The maximum undistorted power output from this amplifier is about 5 watts, which is plenty loud for a practice amp. The amp works well driving either a 10 or 12 guitar speaker. A big advantage of the lower power 6AQ5 output tubes is their ability to reach plate starvation, with it's inherently pleasant sounding distortion, at much lower volume levels. This can be an advantage for recording, and for those who wish to preserve their hearing. There are several military versions of the 6AQ5 including the 6005 and the 6094, the latter is a 10K-hour tube with ceramic spacers and thick glass. The 6J6 dual triode is ideally suited for use as a long-tailed pair phase inverter since the two cathodes are tied together internally. The preamp and tone control recovery amps use a common 12AU7 dual triode, higher gain 12AT7 and 12AX7 tubes can be substituted for the 12AU7 if more gain is desired. The 12AU7 produces a cleaner and softer sound than the higher gain tubes. If one wishes to build the amp entirely with 7 pin tubes, two common 6C4 triodes can be substituted for the 12AU7.



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