The PBG-VA5 is here!

[adam]

More good news, we finally navigated the grueling testing process and our PBG-VA5 5 Watt Amps are available to buy @ $389.

Clearly there are cheaper 5 Watt Valve amps on the market, but we are confident that these will sell (slowly) once word gets out how great they sound.

FYI, the extra cost is in the point-to-point hand wiring and quality valves and speaker.

I haven't made a fuss of the amps yet, as I'm waiting to finish the video demo... as much I'm tempted, I don't think the one featuring my Ugg boots will sell many units.

They do look good... with PabloPepper's badges and all! (Pabs you still haven't invoiced me... does this mean I "owe you a favour"?)

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We only received 30 and I've already sold 5, just in Perth, from the first sample being used as the house demo amp in a mate's guitar shop.

Anyhoo, if you are looking for a practice/backstage/low-volume-rehearsal amp, I think you will be very happy with one of these.

Only available in Australia... apologies to our International friends.

Check them out here: https://www.pitbullguitars.com/shop/finished-guitars/pbv-5-5-watt-valve-amplifier/

[DrNomis_44]

Awesome!!!

I'm definitely going to order one of these next year Adam, even though I already have a little 5 watt amp, I can always do with another one, cheers for letting us all know.

I just checked out the link and the amp looks similar to a Fender Champ, looks like it should be a pretty tonefull little amp, the chassis insides look nice and neat, and it has a valve rectifier in it too....cool.

[WeirdBits]

Adam, maybe add it's a 6V6 in the store description and fix the 'deluxe spearker'.

They look good.

[Keith Walters]

Adam, maybe add it's a 6V6 in the store description and fix the 'deluxe spearker'.

They look good.




I spotted the same thing and emailed Adam about it.
I work in the head office a well-known large electrical retailer and you wouldn't believe how many samples of "Valve" HiFi amplifiers the poor audio buyers have proudly brought to me, only to be told: "That's NOT a valve amplifier. That's a fairly run-of-the-mill solid state amplifier with a couple of valves tacked on for decoration!"
Most of the time you can pull the bloody valves out and the thing still works!
When I read that the VA5 could magically get 5 Watts using a single 12AX7, I immediately went: "Here we go; a valve preamp driving a bog-standard transistor power amplifier!"
But when I looked more closely, I saw the 6V6 power pentode, which they'd neglected to mention!
So it is indeed a proper valve amp. Makes a nice change....
I've actually been making some "steampunk" USB flash drives. with a valve glued onto it and an orange LED underneath to simulate the valve heater. That way I can enjoy all the warmth and brilliance of the classic valve sound while playing MP3 files on mycar's sound system. (Or so I tell people....)
It's a sensible alternative to fitting a valve amplifier into the dash of your car, which is sure to be inconvenient and will probably void the car's warranty! (The orange LED glow tends to overload the camera; it actually looks a lot more realistic "in the flesh").
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[Sonic Mountain]

Hah ha Keith. Love it.

[DrNomis_44]

Just a quick note, the 6V6 Valve is basically a scaled-down version of the 6L6 Beam-Power Tetrode, they are both functionally and electrically the same except that the 6V6 has a lower maximum output-power capability compared to the 6L6, a Beam-Power Tetrode uses a pair of Beam-former plates to form the electrons boiling off the cathode, into a beam before they hit the anode, the reason why this is done is to correct a "kink" in the transfer-characteristics of the Beam-Power Tetrode, if you connect the Beam-former plates to the cathode, the "kink" disappears, but re-appears if the Beam-former plates are disconnected and the Valve operates as a Tetrode (four-element Valve).

A true power Pentode (five-element Valve) such as an EL34 or it's lower-power version, the EL84, contains a heater, and five extra elements called the Cathode, Control Grid, Screen-Grid, Suppressor-Grid, and Anode, the grids are actually made up of fine wire that's wound around a former, the Suppressor-Grid does the same job as the Beam-formers, to eliminate the "kink" in the transfer-characteristics of the Pentode, they're basically two different solutions to the same problem, to eliminate the "Kink" and to allow the Valve to amplify without excessive distortion caused by the "kink", apologies if that sounds a bit technical.

A Beam-Power Tetrode is also known as a Kinkless Tetrode, a couple of well-known examples are the KT66 and KT88, the KT in the type number denotes it as a Kinkless Tetrode.

[adam]

Thanks Weirdy and Keith, I have fixed the description. It was in the specs from the Factory, I just missed it last night.

[NKX]

That looks pretty neat. Any plans for a head-only version of this? I have a nice Marshall cab that I need a head for, and I've been thinking about 5w valve micro/lunchbox amps for that... so, something like this might work well.

[JohnH]

Hell yeah! I'm so down for one of those. You can never have too many amps, right?

[Mr.Drifter]

Out of curiosity, any plans to sell kit versions? Kit amps are always fun, though usually fairly complex

[Fretworn]

Out of curiosity, any plans to sell kit versions? Kit amps are always fun, though usually fairly complex

I know this was discussed, and nixed primarily due to WHS issues (mains voltage) and the related insurance complications. Adam, quite rightly, didn't want to feel responsible for any electricutions.

[Mr.Drifter]

I know this was discussed, and nixed primarily due to WHS issues (mains voltage) and the related insurance complications. Adam, quite rightly, didn't want to feel responsible for any electricutions.

Ah, that's fair. Good thinking there

[Andy123]

So what if, hypothetically speaking of course, bright red tolex wasn't your thing? What if you were the sort of mad tinkerer who did silly things like stain and assemble guitar kits and fancied your chances customising a cab? What if you wanted a 10" or 12" speaker instead of the 8" one?

Not that this isn't already a fantastic little unit, but if there was an option to buy just the amp, and choose between an 8, 10, 12 maybe even 15 inch speaker for around the $250-$300 mark I think you might get a few more bites from the tight-ass DIY crowd (that'd be us).

If you wanted to get into it you could sell tolex, tweed or vinyl coverings, speaker grills and maybe even a bare-bones cab.

You could have a customisable amp kit without the worry of people electrocuting themselves. The closest anyone would get to any sort of electrical/hot work would be soldering on speaker connections - no different to soldering up pick ups etc in the guitar kits.

[Dedman]

These are actually already on sale Andy, at a special price too, contact Adam for details.
There would be nothing stopping you taking the chassis out and either making a head from it or putting it into a larger cabinet.
I made my Vox VTX20 into a head and have a couple of different cabs I can run it into. Just remember never to switch a valve head on without a speaker connected

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[gordo350]

I went looking for this amp today and can't find it on the website. Have they all been sold ?

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

[gronk]

I went looking for this amp today and can't find it on the website. Have they all been sold ?

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

I ordered one today, so they are still available. Look in the 'Announcements ' thread for the special deal.