Anyone have any experience with L-Pad attenuators?
They seem a lot cheaper than other attenuators so I'm wondering how good they are and if they are safe to use or could cause damage to an amp?
Basically something similar to the one in this article
http://www.theguitarmagazine.com/diy/diy-workshop-build-your-own-attenuator/
I don't have experience with DIY attenuators but the circuit looks very similar to the Weber attenuators. Basically a Rheostat to soak-up the power. I have one of these and it works flawlessly
https://www.tedweber.com/gadgets/attenuators
All of the writings I have seen is that you need to load your amp. So don't simply unplug your speaker and use your line-out/headphones. **That** will harm your amp. Otherwise the most likely scenario is to blow-up the rheostat you are using.
The Weber attenuators have a "safe" wattage and a "complete attenuation" wattage. Here is the Weber attenuation FAQ.
https://www.tedweber.com/attenuator-faq
Another "basic" attenuator is the Dr. Z Brakelite. It is rated to 45 watts and actually fits into your combo. Per the downloadable manual: 0 = 0dB, 1 = 2dB, 2 = 5dB, 3 = 8dB, 4 = 11dB
http://drzamps.com/product/brake-lite/
Here is a video describing the brake-lite. Interestingly, the dealer who made this video says during the video that virtually ever Dr. Z amp they are shipping has the Brakelite installed.
https://youtu.be/EVPqHZLdruo
Sorry I don't have a direct answer to your question. I think investigating the Weber and the Brake-lite will give you a good grounding (ha! pun!) on how the DIY one will work. I think the biggest danger is overpowering the rheostat that will burn-out.
HTH,
