Tweed Deluxe 5E3: kits vs clones

[OffYourFace]

I mean, it works well as a pedal platform and at a decent volume as well. I gigged mine for years, mostly as a pedal platform, with either a tele or an LP and very, very rarely ran it anywhere near overdrive, even with the LP.

That sounds a lot like the one I had back in 2006-2008. It was made by a small company in Colorado called Alpha Omega Amps. I also used it with a Les Paul and a variety of Fenders. I bought it from an apartment complex maintenance guy for $160 when I was living in Boston. A Berklee School Of Music student from Japan left it in his apartment because he couldn't take it back with him. Unfortunately I sold it along with all my other amps when I moved back to LA. I should've kept it.

But at the time, a friend of mine had a 5E3 clone (Clark amps?) that would overdrive really quickly. Another friend had a vintage one that would also overdrive pretty quickly. So I thought my AO amp was kind of special... as in modernized for more headroom. IDK. I haven't played a vintage one in ages.

[46346]

Anyone else remember the short lived fad of seemingly every tweed builder and and every Co that offered a tweed kit, also sold a Double Deluxe? It was really just a 5e3 with 4x6V6, bigger transformers, a bigger cab and 2x12 speakers. I thought they were really cool and wanted one. Now, just a few years later, nobody seems to offer one in any form and good luck finding one or even references to them.

Yes! i have a Victoria Double Deluxe from the aughts or late nineties, it is really something. i think they may have originated the idea.
i still thrill to mine, i mostly run it with the lower power rectifier, and that lovely cab and two twelves really bring the girth. yeah, i guess they never really caught on. which seems strange, because it was VERY popular in my studio among Fender players. i lent it to one of my guitar heroes after he really dug it, and i need to get it back! i haven't been playing much rock lately, but they are great for blues/rock tones on stage.

yeah the Victoria build quality and components are all aces. i bought that Double Deluxe used for $1200, in like new condition! maybe they're still a bargain?

[B.T.]

But at the time, a friend of mine had a 5E3 clone (Clark amps?) that would overdrive really quickly. Another friend had a vintage one that would also overdrive pretty quickly. So I thought my AO amp was kind of special... as in modernized for more headroom. IDK. I haven't played a vintage one in ages.

The originals do overdrive quickly but you can clearly hear an amp made for Fender guitars vs say plugging in a Les Paul. Instantly noticeable headroom differences. I always thought that was a pretty cool trait about them. Like Leo specifically tweaked his design for his own guitars like that. There’s a diy build that’s popular called the “Proluxe” that’s a quasi-Deluxe with more headroom that you might be interested in. Uses 6L6’s, could wire it up to host a number of popular big bottles. Or better a 5E5 Pro with the same cathode bias a personal favorite.

[OffYourFace]

If you go the DIY route I’ve had great experiences with this cab builder over the years. Really high quality stuff at fairly affordable rates. Real lacquer finishes, seals the insides.

https://reverb.com/item/10120169-tweed- ... e3-cabinet

You can drop him a line via the site.

I just wrote to this guy and all he said was "Sorry, I'm not taking orders."

[jthomas]

Weber VST has some cab builders who are not from Weber, but do build cabs.

[hulakatt]

I like the cabs from SorryCharlie on ebay but they're not tweed covered, they're raw, uncovered pine and need some finishing work. Still, well made cabs and I tend to like finished wood cabs vs covered cabs

[terminalvertigo]

Love my 5E3!

'55 small box tweed deluxe serial #143

[OffYourFace]

I just ordered one of those Barbeaux Chassis.
There's also a mojo cab with a speaker for sale for a good price online.
edit: Got it for $280

[B.T.]

If you go the DIY route I’ve had great experiences with this cab builder over the years. Really high quality stuff at fairly affordable rates. Real lacquer finishes, seals the insides.

https://reverb.com/item/10120169-tweed- ... e3-cabinet

You can drop him a line via the site.

I just wrote to this guy and all he said was "Sorry, I'm not taking orders."

Ouch!

I just ordered one of those Barbeaux Chassis.
There's also a mojo cab with a speaker for sale for a good price online.
edit: Got it for $280

Right on, looks like a good deal!

[hulakatt]

I remember going through a bunch pf speakers with my 5e3 looking for a good fit and just trying stuff out. The Celestion Greenback was a pretty solid, all around great speaker in there and the Gold has solid cleans but amazing dirty sounds. I tried a few Jensen types but most were kinda boring and rattled the cab in the bass freq range.

What ended up staying in the longest though was the Weber Sig12a (alnico mag, straight cone), it just had a beautiful, warm, woody voice that fit the 5e3 really well, it rolled off the bass at just the right freq to avoid the cab rattle and it overdrove so wonderfully with the amp. It really seemed like the speaker and the amp were made for each other and that speaker was the natural voice for that amp.

[OffYourFace]

I remember going through a bunch pf speakers with my 5e3 looking for a good fit and just trying stuff out. The Celestion Greenback was a pretty solid, all around great speaker in there

I had a greenback in my 5E3 copy too. It worked very well and I used it on large club gigs (600-900 cap). I remember one show show I turned it up to full and just used my volume knob. So good. I'll probably stick to a ceramic but I am curious about alnico in this ckt. All the old ones had them ofc but the amp i'm getting is a bit modernized.

I had a 4 ohm 75w Weber Silver Bell Alnico in a 1x12 cab that I used with a '68 bassman head right after the 5E3 and I loved that speaker.

[hulakatt]

I run a pair of Celestion Golds in my Bassman cab . Now that's heaven.

[spiffy chap]

I remember going through a bunch pf speakers with my 5e3 looking for a good fit and just trying stuff out. The Celestion Greenback was a pretty solid, all around great speaker in there

I had a greenback in my 5E3 copy too. It worked very well and I used it on large club gigs (600-900 cap). I remember one show show I turned it up to full and just used my volume knob. So good. I'll probably stick to a ceramic but I am curious about alnico in this ckt. All the old ones had them ofc but the amp i'm getting is a bit modernized.

I had a 4 ohm 75w Weber Silver Bell Alnico in a 1x12 cab that I used with a '68 bassman head right after the 5E3 and I loved that speaker.

I have a Celestion Blue in my ‘57, had a V30 before, but prefer the sound and volume with the Blue

[OffYourFace]

I have a Celestion Blue in my ‘57, had a V30 before, but prefer the sound and volume with the Blue

It's been a long time since I sold the amp but I'm pretty sure I blew the Greenback I had in my 5E3 clone. I cranked it up all the time. I'd be nervous to do that with a Blue. Do you crank it up or just use pedals with it?

[B.T.]

I have a Celestion Blue in my ‘57, had a V30 before, but prefer the sound and volume with the Blue

It's been a long time since I sold the amp but I'm pretty sure I blew the Greenback I had in my 5E3 clone. I cranked it up all the time. I'd be nervous to do that with a Blue. Do you crank it up or just use pedals with it?

I might up the ante and if going with a stock 5E3 build and choosing ceramic, my pick would be the G12H30. I've ran that one before in tweed and blackface Deluxe's and it's a loud solid performer that can take a serious beating. That said and maybe better if you set it up for big bottles with say a multi-tap output transformer at 90W the Celestion Cream alnico. I have not had the pleasure but it's a serious contender for my next 5E3/5E5 build.