Here’s a quick post with additional information about the Amp Maker WF-55 guitar amplifier kit that featured in one of my YouTube videos recently.

You can get the Amp Maker WF-55 kit here: https://www.ampmaker.com/shop/wf-55/

Easy to build but safety first

This is about the easiest guitar amplifier kit to build. In fact, I’ve made effect pedals that were a lot harder to build than this. However, the stakes are higher with potentially lethal internal voltages in the circuit when running. So, if you’re new to amplifier building make sure you’re up-to-speed on the necessary safety precautions including how to discharge filter caps. That said, the WF-55 filter caps should discharge automatically once the amp is switched off but you certainly need to know how to check that.

Construction guide

If you are worried about building this kit you can always checkout the WF-55 Construction Guide. It’s a downloadable PDF on the Amp Maker site and it’s excellent. It not only tells you how to build the kit but also explains the schematic and includes safety instructions. Other amplifier kit suppliers could learn a lesson from this.

Build your own cabinet

Note that the kit does not come with a cabinet/enclosure. You can buy them but most people opt to build their own. I guess that’s part of the fun of building your own amp. Here are few pictures of my effort, a sort of distressed Tweed look complete with coffee stains and cigarette burns: