As seen in Guitar Girl Magazine Issue 17 – Fall 2021
The Bells & Whistles
It’s no surprise that the guitar industry is dominated by, well… guitars. Amplifiers are often a secondary priority for many guitar players despite most of their guitar tone coming from them. Even from the early days of amp development, women have played a large (but often overlooked) role in the building process. One modern-day builder is Colleen Fazio, founder of LA-based company Fazio Electric.
NOTE: This article originally appeared on our Fall 2021 edition which can be seen at the link above.
Fazio started her journey in Chicago as a young guitarist and eventually found her calling in amplification. Shortly after high school, she began building amps for fun and honing her skills at the legendary Chicago audio repair shop, Deltronics. Today, she is not only a versatile repair technician but a passionate builder of her own signature amps. While she’s busy in her workshop, she also makes amp tutorials for her Fazio Electric YouTube channel, both educational and fascinating. Her love for her craft is contagious and enough to make players appreciate their amps a little more. We sat down with Fazio to talk all about her story and the magic of amps.
When did you first start playing guitar?
I started playing guitar when I was about seven years old. My uncle had an acoustic guitar, and he saw that I was interested in it, so he bought me my own little acoustic. My parents set me up with some guitar lessons, and then I pretty much played guitar until middle school jazz band. I ended up switching to the bass and then played bass throughout high school jazz band, then I went on to play in rock bands into my adulthood.
How did you first get involved in amp repair?
After high school, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do. I knew that music was such a huge love in my life. My uncles actually built some guitar amps, and that’s how I found out that was something that you could do. I never really thought about amps; a lot of people don’t, especially when they’re younger. I saw that was a thing, and that’s kind of what got me into it. My uncle taught me how to use basic tools and how to solder and stuff like that. I went on to get a job at an audio repair shop, and that’s when I decided that I really enjoy fixing stuff.
Do you have a favorite type of amp that you like to work on?
Yes, definitely vintage amps. I love tube amps; that’s pretty much my specialty. Anything from around the thirties to the eighties, I really like. Most amp companies during that time period used really good quality parts, and the layout makes them pretty simple to fix and service. I love old Fender amps. Those are my favorite amps by far, especially when like an old tweed Fender amp comes in that has never been touched, and none of the parts have been changed. That always really excites me. A lot of the time, women wired up those amps, and they have their names written on little pieces of tape in there. That’s always really cool to see.
What do you enjoy most about repairing amps?
I definitely enjoy breathing new life into these amps. A lot of the time, they’ve been sitting around in a garage or a storage unit, and they haven’t been played in years and years. It’s so cool to be able to take an amp that hasn’t worked in so long and make it work as it was intended to from the factory. That is like the biggest satisfaction—getting an old amp working again. It feels like a time capsule, too, you know? You’re opening up this amp, and the last time it saw the light of day was during a totally different period of time in the world. It’s really crazy; it feels like time travel sometimes.
If any weird noises occur while you’re turning the controls, that’s a sign that your amp needs to be serviced.
What are some common amp issues that players should look out for?
When it comes to tube amps, the output (larger) tubes tend to need replacement about every three to five years or so, depending on how often the amp is used and how loud it’s being played. Signs that the tubes might be going bad include crackling, weird noises, and drops in volume. Another thing to look out for is scratchy controls. If any weird noises occur while you’re turning the controls, that’s a sign that your amp needs to be serviced.
What inspired you to begin building your own amps?
I was definitely inspired after seeing my uncle’s amps. I ended up taking some classes at this place called the Chicago School of Guitar Making. At that time, I actually wasn’t sure if I wanted to work with guitars or amps. I ended up building a tweed Deluxe from a kit through a class, and I thought, “oh my gosh, I am definitely more drawn to this!” I really love all the physical parts of building the amp; soldering and wiring things up is really satisfying to me. That is how I realized that I really loved building amps. Building is my first true love; repair is definitely a love of mine as well, but I really would like to be building more.
Is there a certain tone you aim for when building your amps?
The first amps that I built were modeled after Fender amps, particularly low-wattage Fender amps like Princetons and Deluxes and stuff like that because that is a tried and true classic sound. Once I kind of knew what it took to build that type of amp and get that sound, I started experimenting with changing up the tone a little bit. Sometimes I would add a little bit more gain in there with a master volume control, or even improve certain built-in effects, like the tremolo circuit. Sometimes, I’m able to improve that a little bit. I’m still working on my path. I’m still figuring out what my dream sound is, but it did start with the Fender design, and it has been evolving from there.
What advice do you have for women looking to get involved in the amp-building and repair industry?
I always tell people who are interested to get an amp kit or even like an effects pedal kit. They sell kits where you can build like a tweed Fender Champ. Just assemble that because you can work on basic skills like soldering and wiring, and you can learn about what the different parts are. That’s a great place to start, and that’s how I started. That was the thing that made me realize that I really enjoyed it.
I would recommend looking into local repair shops and asking if they offer apprenticeships or something similar. It’s one of those things where there’s really not much schooling for it, but you have to learn hands-on. If you’re able to find somebody local who’s willing to take you under their wing, that is super helpful. There are also like a lot of good books out there, such as The Guitar Amp Handbook or the Tube Amp Workbook. There are so many books out there that you can buy and just familiarize yourself with everything. YouTube is another great resource; it’s been so cool seeing all of the amp repair videos that are out there. That’s a great resource because there’s not a lot of information out there on fixing and building amps.
The Fazio Electric Woody 15
Fazio’s first prototype is based off of a Fender AA1164 Princeton Reverb. It features a 15-watt output, a 10” speaker, and built-in spring reverb and tremolo, all encased in an artistic solid walnut cabinet built by Madison Hansen. The Woody 15 has tons of headroom but can get nice and meaty when pushed. This amp is characterized by sparkling highs and sultry lows. Sound clips are available on the Fazio Electric website: www.fazioelectric.com. While this exact model has since been retired, Fazio plans to produce an updated version with similar specs and design.