Factory Tour

Pritchard Amps are built mostly from basic materials with machine-assisted manual processes that are divided into three parts: Wood, Metal, and Electronics. Each part is marked by specialized machines and fixtures to help make the great Pritchard amps. Special consideration is given in each of the following 53 steps to insure the finest amplifiers available at any price.

The wood operations build the combo cabinets that enclose the amplifiers and speakers. The cabinets are lightweight because their design uses advanced structural design techniques.

1. Rough cut cabinet parts from 12-millimeter Baltic Birch plywood with a panel saw.
2. Rough cut grill boards from 9-millimeter Baltic Birch plywood with a panel saw.
3. Precision rout the cabinet parts using the tracing router that Pritchard built for PRS Guitars in the early 80's and then upgraded with cabinet masters and vacuum chucks.
4. Saw the "finger" or box joints as required by the sides, top, bottom, back and shelf with a Pritchard designed and custom built Box Joint Saw. At this point the cabinet can be put together and will stand without any fasteners or glue – a testament to the strength of its design.
   
   
   

1. Notice extensive bracing for I-Beam like strength



1. Glue the back and shelf together with a square-corner gluing fixture with a high-quality cabinet glue.
2. Glue the cabinet together with a high-quality cabinet glue.
3. Clamp in a perfectly square and straight box gluing fixture – we don't make twisted cabinets.
4. Wipe off excess glue.
5. After the glue has thoroughly set, clean the dried glue.
6. Corner-round the edges with a customized shaper.
7. Fill any breakouts in the wood.
8. Sand smooth for perfect vinyl covering.
9. Paint the cabinet inside and out with two coats of flat black.
10. Spray the grill cane with toner/sealer.
11. Cover the cabinet with the vinyl – usually two-tone green and black (specials available) – using a super-high quality spray hot-melt glue.
12. Cover the grill board with vinyl using a super-high quality spray hot-melt glue.
13. Staple the grill cane on the grill board.
14. Spray the cabinet and vinyl with two coats of clear to bring out color and grain.
15. Spray the finished grill board with two coats of clear.

The metal operations build the chassis, logo, foot switch plate, internal components, and the external patent notice. The complex chassis manufacture produces a rugged chassis to protect the superbly artistic circuitry:

1. Place a partial sheet of 1/8-inch thick aluminum in the custom fixture on the computer controlled milling machine, tighten the clamps down one edge, and turn on the vacuum pump to hold the aluminum flat.
2. Start the machine to do all of the engraving, drilling all of the holes, tapping holes, and milling the periphery.
3. Precision bend the flat sheet into the chassis shape with a custom modified press brake.
4. Clamp and adjust the chassis in a welding fixture.
5. TIG weld (Heliarc) the chassis corners.
6. Finish the surface of the chassis.
   
7. Send the chassis to the plating shop for black anodizing.
8. Fill the engraving with gold paint.

The logo, patent notice, heat spreader, power semiconductor clamps, primary wiring shields, and foot switch plates are done similarly:

1. Fasten a sheet of metal in the appropriate custom fixture on the computer controlled milling machine.
2. Start the machine to drill holes, tap holes, cut the periphery, and engrave.
   
3. Finish the part with a vibratory polisher, etc.

The electronic operations assemble the various components to produce the most artistic amplifiers available at any price:

1. Assemble the chassis components.
2. Hand-wire the primary power components.
3. Test the primary power wiring against strict standards for safe operation.
4. Hand-assemble the proprietary voice switches.
5. Test the voice switches for tonality.
6. Hand-assemble the custom, patented printed circuit boards with reliable, artistic circuitry.
7. Place the potentiometers and the printed circuit boards in the appropriate fixtures and solder.
8. Point-to-point wire the printed circuit boards in the chassis.
9. Extensively test the amplifier against exacting artistic standards for tone and character.

The reverb tanks are also semi-custom:

1. Cut custom tank shield blanks for the magnetic shielding of the reverb tank from tubular steel.
2. Put blanks into special fixture on the computer controlled milling machine and drill the holes.
3. Hand-assemble the reverb tank into the shield with mounting springs.
4. Hand-wire to phono jacks.
   The cabinet final assembly steps:
5. Install reverb tank.
6. Install and wire the speaker(s) to phone plug

The foot switch is similarly assembled:

1. Drill the foot switch box for the phone jack.
2. Hand-assemble the printed circuit board with all of the components.
3. Mount the printed circuit board to the foot switch plate.
4. Screw the plate on the box.

The final assembly joins the amplifier with the cabinet:

1. Connect the reverb, mount the chassis, and connect the speaker.
2. Test the combo and foot switch for operation and tone.
3. Run the amplifier at a worst-case heat producing condition.
4. Carefully package the world's greatest amp for shipment to you.