Today we’d like to introduce you to Carl Hartman.
Carl is a software developer by day, and an electronics guru by night. Focusing on building and repairing vintage stereo tube amplifiers and guitar amplifiers, Carl has turned his passion for electronics into a successful small business that helps others to ensure that these classic tube amplifiers are operated within their original intended design parameters.
Many professional and amateur guitarists consider vintage tube amplifiers from the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s to be the Holy Grail of tone when it comes to pairing them with guitars from the same era. One of the obstacles of getting the most out of these vintage amplifiers, aside from using ‘New Old Stock’, (NOS) tubes and replacement parts, is the fact that these precious gems were designed to run on power line voltage between 110 and 115 volts. Unfortunately, the power supplied by most power companies today is usually 120 volts and higher.
When vintage amplifiers are connected to today’s higher voltage, several unpleasant results can and often do occur. The components, including expensive NOS tubes run hotter and thus have a shorter life span. But more importantly, the amplifier oftentimes simply does not sound the same as it did when it was first introduced decades ago.
The two products, the TONE PRESERVER and the AMP MANIAC, which are available from www.VintageSoundWorkbench.com are designed to remedy the excessive line voltage problem. The TONE PRESERVER lowers the line voltage by either 6 or 12 volts. The AMP MANIAC has a variable output so any voltage up to line voltage can easily be set.
Both products are hand-built and assembled by him in his workshop in Lincolnshire. This way he can be sure that each one meets his own personal expectations and standards. All are guaranteed for life. He try to keep finished products in stock and ready to ship, but quite often he is busy just keeping up with orders as they are received.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I built the first TONE PRESERVER at the request of a guitar playing friend who owned several vintage guitar amplifiers. It was an instant success with him, and he encouraged me to make a few more units to sell on eBay.
Anytime you take a ‘one off’ device and start to build it in quantity for sale to the public, it is a learning experience. You have learn where to source individual components, judge their overall quality, establish quantity pricing with vendors, and be aware of lead times.
Since starting the company in 2008, I have made improvements to the designs, and incorporated new features as they became viable. For example, the original models used an analog voltmeter, which was fragile and often difficult to read from a distance. Today I use a back-lighted digital meter which is more robust and easy to read from across the room.
Another obstacle was determining how to market and advertise my product.
I started out by selling them on eBay, but the results were less than I expected, so I built my own website, www.VintageSoundWorkbench.com. Then one of my eBay buyers referred the TONE PRESERVER to David Wilson, the publisher of a high-end guitar/amplifier magazine called the ‘ToneQuest Report’. David conducted a phone interview with me, and subsequently did an in-depth review of the Tone Preserver in the ‘ToneQuest Report’.
The rest, as they say, is history. About a year later, Dave Westin of ‘Premier Guitar’ magazine also did a great product review and recommendation in his magazine. All of the magazine reviews are available on my website and provide in-depth reviews and recommendations of my “Made in the USA” products. I have always considered the TONE PRESERVER to be the working musician’s tool, and you don’t have to be a rock star to afford one.
Please tell us about Vintage Sound Workbench.
My customers consist of a wide range of professional and amateur guitarists, musicians, and collectors. The most noteworthy include a famous former band member from Saturday Night Live, another is a noted record producer that has produced many billboard hits, and another is a Chicago based jazz saxophonist.
Many customers are repeat customers, and often request custom designs or features which I am happy to accommodate. It’s especially gratifying when customers send me photos of one of my products in use with one of their classic vintage amplifiers.
Contact Info:
- Address: Vintage Sound Workbench, Inc.
14 Sherwood Dr.
Lincolnshire, Il
60069 - Website: www.VintageSoundWorkbench.com
- Phone: 708-609-4050
- Email: carl_hartman@hotmail.com
Image Credit:
Rocky Yera, Steve Farnell, Steve Knippenberg
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