Amp Review: Richter Tweed Deluxe (5E3) Clone.

Puckman

YOU SUCK!
Hard for me to write a good review since I'm kind of a beginner and home player with very little frames of references.

The Richter is your basic 5E3 clone (lots of different people are making these nowadays). Built by Sara Richter. Very good reputation and reviews on TGP, which is where I got wind of these. I'd been searching for a 5E3 clone that would be reasonably priced. Fender's reissue is pretty pricey ($1400ish I think).

I've never played an original 5E3, so I have no idea how it compares, but from everything i am told and heard, it's pretty dead on. Great build quality. Point to point assembly.

Compared to my DRRI it's obviously warmer and "spongier" as Tweed Deluxes are supposed to be. It's got basically no headroom and is a pretty loud bugger for being 15W.

It breaks up very nicely, in that typical Fender Tweed style. A bit loose on the bottom end (which is normal for these amps). Great amp, but it's also not very versatile. That's why I have the DRRI though. So this baby's a nice little one trick pony for when i'm a raunchy mood, so to speak.

Controls are typical 5E3. Two channels (normal and bright). Two volumes (which are somewhat interactive with each other) and a Tone control.

I have a Greenback in mine at the moment and that seems to work pretty well.

Some pics:

Richter001.jpg


Richter002.jpg


Richter005.jpg
 
I am fairly illiterate when it comes to the tweed amps...the 5e3 is what amp circuit?
 
Aha!

Was this the only circuit they used?

I know for Bassmans there were a few incarnations...
 
markwein said:
Aha!

Was this the only circuit they used?

I know for Bassmans there were a few incarnations...

To be honest, I'm not sure. I'm no amp historian. Fender is notorious for having different incarnations of different models, some more desirable than others ('65 Deluxe Reverb, for instance, why is it more "desirable" than say, a 66 or a 71?). Same with the Bassman. And there's a million variations of their Vibrochamps over the years.
The Tweed Deluxe that's "usually" used as reference (and the one currently reissued by Fender) is the '57, I believe.
 
I cringe at the thought of anyone listening to my clips. I can make any amp sound like complete ass. But here ya go.

http://soundclick.com/share?songid=6961386

If you can get past the poor timing and the out of tune moments (it's amazing how i notice out of tune guitars AFTER the fact when listening to recordings).

Here are some much better clips (also probably recorded quite a bit louder than I do in my bedroom):
This is more indicative of the 5E3 tone: Kinda spongey and a bit flubby.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LAJqkWnVxg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKCzlSQbyC8
 
I really like how chimey the amp is in your clip...clean but very rich in overtones...this was recorded with the Greenback?
 
I forget if i had the Greenback in there or the Jensen Tornado that it came with (which has since been plugged into my DRRI). The amp sounds roughly the same either way.

I agree about the chime. I find myself appreciating those clean tones and overtones more and more every day since I graduated to good amps (DRRI and Richter). It seems to factor in a lot more than the guitar and/or pickups.

I record dry. SM57 into the line-in of my PC. I use Audacity (free recording software) and just hit record and go. No outboard or software effects. Definitely not something I would do for REAL recording. But it does the job for my silly demo clips.

Speaking of which, I'll start another thread/poll based on 2 clips I did last night, trying to A/B two different strats....
 
Very cool. That is a great sound for just a 57 into the soundcard. The tone would actually work for an album session, I think.
 
Puckman said:
markwein said:
Aha!

Was this the only circuit they used?

I know for Bassmans there were a few incarnations...

To be honest, I'm not sure. I'm no amp historian. Fender is notorious for having different incarnations of different models, some more desirable than others ('65 Deluxe Reverb, for instance, why is it more "desirable" than say, a 66 or a 71?). Same with the Bassman. And there's a million variations of their Vibrochamps over the years.
The Tweed Deluxe that's "usually" used as reference (and the one currently reissued by Fender) is the '57, I believe.

Fender made several variations to their circuits throughout the 50s. Most of the variations are listed on this page:

http://www.schematicheaven.com/fender.htm

The Deluxe went through 5A3, 5B3, 5C3, 5D3, and 5E3 variations. There were some major and minor variations in the circuit.

Many of the circuits were just two or four speaker variations of the same one. It is very hard to keep straight.

The 5E3 is considered by many to be the ultimate variation of the Deluxe circuit.

Nice looking amp, I've heard good things about Richter amps.

tung
 
Puckman brought his Richter to class last night and I got to give it a spin....for the $800 or so its an incredible deal. It's definitely a "Tweed" sound...not as universally useful as a Blackface or Silverface Deluxe but it sounds awesome. If I had a regular blues gig I would get one of these and not bring any pedals. The guitar that sounded the best through it was my strat followed by the Tele. It really didn't like the Les Paul...
 
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