Wow, thanks Michael, that's immensely useful. Another project for this week then.

I already have piles of bosche (and bosche type) relays/sockets.

I picked up 4 1N4001s, 2 1N4004s and 3 "silicon rectifier" diodes that seem to have similar specs (no standard part number like the 1N400x series even though they just look like bigger ones), but even higher current handling and lower voltage drop (1V vs. 1.6V).

Got the last ones because I'm not sure how well the amp remote-sense might handle 1.6V off the top. I'll keep 'em around just in case.

This was all a handful of bucks at radio shack, and would have been pennies bought in bulk.

-brendan