Fender 5E3 Deluxe Build

makepeace · 2010-08-23T19:51:36+00:00

Hi guys ? Within the next few months I'm going to be building a tube amp based on the 5E3 circuit and layout, with a couple of mods. The pre-amps, phase inverter and power stage will be stock (with a 12AY7 and a 12AX7 in the pre-amp unlike the two 12AX7 in fenders '57 reissue). My aim is to substitute the single control Fender tone-stack with a two control James stack, and to use a 5Z4 rectifier to start off with (its a cheaper 5Y3 workalike). Due to the James stack, it will probably have a single channel. James Stack: For the speaker I plan to use a Celestion G12-K80 (glowing reviews from Alan and Karel) to start off with, with the prospect of upgrading to a Greenback in the future when the budget is bigger ?. I will be getting the components and speaker from Karel, who has been excellent so far with helping me out (thanks Karel ?). The cabinet I will be building myself out of laminated meranti or pine plywood board with joists on the insides of the corners (can't be assed with finger jointing..). I'm thinking about a TV/Narrow Panel cross. It'll have the TV front, but with the Narrow Panel width and height and the angled front. Either that or it'll end up as a Narrow Panel. I quite like the aesthetic of the TV, but the functionality of the Narrow Panel (angled speaker does wonders for tone) is tops. I'm afraid that an angled TV might look funny ?. Also thought about a normal TV with an angled speaker board.. Opinions on TV vs Narrow Panel vs TV Panel vs TV angled speaker board? ? I'm still debating in my mind whether to cover it in Tweed or with one of these nice imitation leather fabrics: http://www.ugfabrics.co.za/swatchBooks/hides/Default.html. I quite like that white alligator pleather :-[. I would like your guys opinions regarding the traditional tweed vs pleather. I'm quite a purist, and would never.. retro-cover, if you will - an old amp, but seeing as this is my own build, I think it could be a cool touch ? Grill cloth will be either Mojotone's Gold Striped Oxblood: or the old brown cloth (used on the TV): This will depend on what looks good with the ultimatum of the covering material story. Ok, now for my first objective question ?. Does anybody happen to know, or would anyone be able to measure for me, the inclination of the front of a Fender combo? First prize would be the '57 Deluxe (but I'm sure any angled Fender combo will do). I'm just looking for a rough measurement so I can get designing the cabinet. Cheers, Jono

makepeace

Something ELSE exciting arrived today ?

Possibly a tad presumptuous, and maybe cheesy ?

rikus

That gold speaker is SEXY!!!!! I love it!!

Please post or PM me the details of those name plates. I NEEEED some of those for my amp! I've been looking here and there, but I've not found something that looks that good!

Karel-Mars

The transformers have been wound!

makepeace

looking great! ?

singemonkey

makepeace wrote Something ELSE exciting arrived today ?

Possibly a tad presumptuous, and maybe cheesy ?

Anybody who recognises that possibility probably hasn't gone overboard. ? I think this was a great idea. Looking forward to the final pics.

makepeace

singemonkey wrote Anybody who recognises that possibility probably hasn't gone overboard. ? I think this was a great idea. Looking forward to the final pics.

I've been thinking that this could end up being an awesome inheritance for a prospective grand-child ?

nick

makepeace wrote Something ELSE exciting arrived today ?

Possibly a tad presumptuous, and maybe cheesy ?

I think thats a very nice touch 8)

makepeace

This build seems to have been somewhat slowed. I got back from my holiday the other day, and have finally received most of the electronic parts from Karel.

Built and partly populated the turret board last night, and have done a bit of the offboard wiring. Just waiting for a couple more things from Karel, and then I can finish ?

Will post pics soon.

makepeace

Turret board built and populated. I have since re-wired the BF tonestack, as I made a mistake with the layout which I luckily picked up soon enough.

To press the turrets, I made an anvil and stake out of threaded rod and some nuts. Its not completely easy to get the turrets to flare nicely on the other side :-\ Took a bit of patience.

Mostly finished chassis.

I had to remove the bell cover on the speaker in order for the tubes to fit. Was a very easy process, props to Weber.

At this stage just waiting on a pt from karel, and then I should be ready for the first start up, a process I am anticipating with mixed emotions ?

More pics soon!

MIKA-the-better-one

Dude It looks amazing..... I am super excited for you......

dee

makepeace wrote Something ELSE exciting arrived today ?

Possibly a tad presumptuous, and maybe cheesy ?

Not at all. Very very cool!

rikus

:applause:

That is looking brilliant! The end is in sight!

I'm really looking forward to seeing the final product!

guidothepimmp

man this is looking superb

singemonkey

Man. That is something to be hella proud of.

FenderBender

Looking great man! Can't wait for that PT to go in and for you to fire it up!

makepeace

Thanks guys ?

Hopefully the PT is waiting for me at the post office.. I'll either have very good or very bad news this evening ?

Dinosaur-Snr

Good luck makepeace!!!!

TomCat

Looking super duper uber..........if it sounds anything like it looks.......wow..... :applause:

makepeace

aaaaand. after a couple of trials, including the power switch having a mechanical failure (chances) and forgetting to ground the OT secondary ?. it half-works! tweed channel sounds absolutely amazing. no hum, clean as a whistle at the moment (too late to turn it up).. the blackface section doesn't work at all for some reason. will have to check it out.

MikeM

I blame the tonestack mate. Don't fret, tackle it fresh in the morning and just bask in the glory of the awesome amp you made.

Congrats!

« Previous Page Next Page »