DIY Guitar Practice Amp
Man, the little Footnote kit is so cool, you almost can’t afford not to buy one! We literally built this example in about an hour using scrap wood we had lying around the shop, and it rocks!
If You Can Dream It, You Can Build It.
First, you’ll want to envision what kind of form factor you want for your new practice amp. In this instance, we went with a simple open-back design, reminiscent of a classic amp cabinet. You could go smaller, larger, build it into a pedal board, any number of things. Whatever you choose, lay out your wood pieces, and cut them to build the box you have in mind.
Check and Double Check
Pre-fit to make sure everything works great. We used plain pine boards for the end pieces of our cabinet, to which the plywood sides attach.
Time to Make Room for the Components
Use your handy-dandy jigsaw (or router, or what have you) to make the cutouts for the speaker (5-9/16") and the amp module (11-9/16" x 2-5/8").
Finishing Up
Once this is done, it’s really just a matter of assembling the cabinet, finishing it however you choose, and installing the speaker and amp module. We selected basic black DuraTex for the end caps, and a nice tweed Tolex to stick with the classic amp theme.
Easy As That!
When you’re done, you’ll have a monster little 5W practice amp with 9V power outputs for up to eight (8) effects pedals. You’ll also enjoy a built-in cable tester, external speaker output and line out to feed a larger cabinet or PA, and Aux in so you can jam along with your iPod or smartphone. How cool is that?!
Parts List
