A new Tweed Deluxe build.

[Wyatt]

I've been collecting parts (some NOS) for a 5E3 Tweed Deluxe for a year or so now and finally decided to get this project off of my plate. I thought a MWGL-exclusive build thread would be a nice way to thank Mark for those giveaways he's been running to increase site traffic.

I sold my 1960 Deluxe about a year and a half ago because I wanted to sell it at a profit before parts started dying with age (or abuse), and partly because I wasn't comfortable having the damaged asbestos backing in the same house as my son. I made a lot of money on that amp (which I bought for $1000 + $200 for the speaker), all of which was eaten by a motorcycle accident on La Brea Blvd a month later.

Some of my stuff. The eyelet board was pre-wired...I can wire an eyelet board, but Mike Clark had the parts I wanted and offered to build it for me, so I let him. The little bottle of bourbon was from a rare run, one of my jobs is for a distillery, so things like this pop up from time to time.

These things are just super handy and reducing wear and tear on parts when bending leads...

Inputs wired...the wires in the silicon are grounds to go to the buss, though I am grounding them at the ground buss, I didn't isolate the inputs since they'll be close enough to where the buss joins the chassis. Note the burns on my Exacto mat, I have two more in the lacquer of my beat to hell bar. The tip slipped out of my Weller iron twice. I now have a nice Hakko. I like it, I don't think I'll ever go back to Weller.

Heaters wired. NOS USA tube sockets.

This pic was taken out of order, I didn't have a good shot of the sockets mounted. Like the original '50's amps, I isolated the sockets with grommets and then grounded them via a braid.I don't have a large enough iron to solder to the chassis, so I use self-drilling screws and tooth lock washers. Note the cartoon like Hakko.

 

[Wyatt]

After the tubes were wired in I put in the eyelet board and wired in the inputs, I have no idea why I didn't take any pictures at this point.

Pots...there was a false start with the pots as I flip-flopped on how I was going to ground them. In the end, I scrapped the original Bourns pots I was working with and rewired some PEC's. The OT is sitting in the chassis to hold it in place while soldering. Note my Hadji-esque finger in the pic.

Pots installed, you can see the ground buss being used. The buss does not touch the chassis under the pots, that's an optical illusion. I rewired the middle filter cap (power tube screens), so it will be grounded with the B+ filter cap at other end of the chassis.

Speaker jacks, as I prepare to mount the OT. The shunting jack from Switchcraft was defective, I had to remove it and am awaiting a replacement. You can see some of the preamp tube wiring as well.

The defective jack, the shunt bar wasn't heat treated or something, it just bent at will...

 

[Wyatt]

OT wired in, Mercury FTDO-59. I've had this OT for years (at least 5) bought it when I though the OT in my original '60 was died...turned out the original's Ground wire had just broken loose. Waiting on PT (was a birthday present...yeah...I'm 40!)

With my autographs from Les and Evel...(Bourbon still untouched)

As I wait for the PT, I add the lamp socket and my humdinger. I don't like heater CT's on the PT, they aren't very "centered" for a center tap. Traditionally, one would use two 100-ohm resistors to create an artificial center tap and you get even better hum reduction by connecting them to the Cathode Ground. I have a few old Allen Bradley 100-ohm resistors, but decided instead to us a Bourns multi-turn 200-ohm trimpot, it's overkill for a lo-gain amp like the 5E3 but it let's me correct for manually if I wired my wires too uneven.

PT arrived. Classictone 40-18078. It's a universal PT, so there are a lot of primary wires to cut, wrap and tie-off. Plus the primary wires that are used are doubled (brown and black to Hot, brown/white and black/white to Common). The Heater CT is also cut, wrapped and tied off.

 

[Wyatt]

Current state...waiting on that replacement Switchcraft speaker jack, some diodes to project the PT if a rectifier ever shorts out, and a couple of Keps nuts.

Belt and suspenders. Power cord is knotted to keep it from ever pulling loose, but the green ground wire will be twice as long as the black hot or white Common wire so that the ground stays connected even if the hot or Common get pulled and touch the chassis.

BTW, the pics look a little Crayola-esque because of the flash used down in my den. The colors aren't quite so vibrant in real life; I will photograph the final chassis with my DSLR in sunlight.

 

[Modern Saint]

Way cool Wyatt

 

[Wyatt]

For reference for the DIY'er's out there I though I would post the pics I had of my original 1960.

I looked forever for a chassis with accurate labeling for my build, but no one makes one with the Mic and Inst labels.

The speaker was an original '60's Vox/Celestion Alnico Silver. Rare and now very expensive. I had ever intention of keeping this speaker when I sold the amp, but the '59 jensen P12Q I had as a spare had developed a rip. So, I left the Silver in and increased the price of the 5E3 by $500. I would still prefer to have the speaker, but I can buy a Scumnico or Weber 30-watt Blue Dog or Silver Bell for half of what I got for the '60's Vox.

The asbestos, one of the reasons I sold it after 12 years of owning it. Note it's not in great shape...asbestos killed my wife's father (who designed nuclear subs). It was OK to have around me, but not my son.

Leo had nice clean Tweed layouts because he used the chassis for everything...even his heater wiring. One heater wire goes to the lamp and the preamp and power tubes...the other heater wire and the other side of the tube filament go to Ground and the circuit is completed via the chassis.

 

[Wyatt]

More 1960 amp...

 

[Lerxst]

:thumbup:

 

[Wyatt]

1960 guts...

Once again...unbalanced heater wiring...6.3V to one side, the other connected to Ground along with the other side of the heater secondary winding on the PT.

I actually see something I'm going to change on mine looking at these. I already moved my cathode wires over to the edge, I'll move my screen wires as well.

Isolated sockets...

Old school snap-on tube shield sockets. You can get these sockets NOS today, but the shields are super-rare.

 

[Wyatt]

For the novices out there, I have to say...I had forgotten how damn cramped these tweed chassis are. Not only have I near bloodied my knuckles, but I did somehting I consider the most amateurish of amateur mistakes. I actually melted a bit of the filter cap cover with the soldering iron when connected the pot grounds to the Buss...even worse I did it when reflowing the solder for good measure (and therefore, was more casual about it). I've since touched it out with a little Testors paint (I'm not above it), but I just saying to those who might get discouraged when building a Tweed Champ or Deluxe...it's a bitch, no matter how many amps you've build. I guessing the companies like Clark, Victoria, etc, who turn them out on a regular basis has a template they wire everything into and then install it in the chassis when they are ready.

 

[Modern Saint]

Very cool Wyatt! I dig your Tweed pics. I was curious as to why the additional grounding strap from tube socket to the spot solder on the chassis? My thoughts are oxidation build up one the hardware.

Also it looks you recapped your old Tweed. I also found it interesting how one side of the heaters are set to chassis ground vs. isolating the filaments. Did you have any of the classic farting issues because your 1st stage coupling caps are still at the .1uF value.

 

[Wyatt]

Very cool Wyatt! I dig your Tweed pics. I was curious as to why the additional grounding strap from tube socket to the spot solder on the chassis? My thoughts are oxidation build up one the hardware.

I haven't a clue why they grounded the power tube socket plates, the preamp tube shields get grounded by the strap. The socket and its screws don't contact the chassis because they are isolated by grommets, hence the strap.

Also it looks you recapped your old Tweed. I also found it interesting how one side of the heaters are set to chassis ground vs. isolating the filaments. Did you have any of the classic farting issues because your 1st stage coupling caps are still at the .1uF value.

I had the electrolytics replaced for good measure when the three-prong cord was added; before the new caps went in, I thought it sounded fine, but there was a dramatic improvement with the new filter caps.

The coupling caps are all original, Fender went to the yellow Astrons in '59 or '60. No farting. Just general 5E3 boominess. But I don't play traditional humbuckers, just Fender and mini-HB's (which are brighter and tight like a Fender SC). The amp was perfectly balanced for a Strat -- not too bassy, not too dark, and certainly not shrill -- and it did very well pushed with the LP Deluxe. Of all things, I never liked it with my old Chandler Tele, it seemed aggressive and harsh.

 

[Modern Saint]

I haven't a clue why they grounded the power tube socket plates, the preamp tube shields get grounded by the strap. The socket and its screws don't contact the chassis because they are isolated by grommets, hence the strap.

The isolation grommets explain it all and why the straps are being used - odd though.

I had the electrolytics replaced for good measure when the three-prong cord was added; before the new caps went in, I thought it sounded fine, but there was a dramatic improvement with the new filter caps.

The coupling caps are all original, Fender went to the yellow Astrons in '59 or '60. No farting. Just general 5E3 boominess. But I don't play traditional humbuckers, just Fender and mini-HB's (which are brighter and tight like a Fender SC). The amp was perfectly balanced for a Strat -- not too bassy, not too dark, and certainly not shrill -- and it did very well pushed with the LP Deluxe. Of all things, I never liked it with my old Chandler Tele, it seemed aggressive and harsh.

You are right though in regards to a strat as tradintional output voltage is not very high. I don't use humbuckers much with mine either but with my Tele it boomed (ie: farted) on certain notes. I changed first stage caps to .022uF and it did the trick. Because of the change, all of my guitars work with no problem.

Out of curiosity, what value caps were being used in the main filter section? Looks to be the standard 16uF caps.

 

[Wyatt]

Out of curiosity, what value caps were being used in the main filter section? Looks to be the standard 16uF caps.

Yep, I've never had to deviate from 16uF. I would think I would just be replacing loose, boomy bass with punchy, overbearing bass. My low end is so punchy with my Allen Accomplice, it can be hard to dial it out.

Heck, I might have the originals around here, I was thinking maybe I should gut them and use the outer wrapper around the Spragues or something. I know I hauled the around for years, but not sure where they ended up, I probably tossed them eventually, otherwise I'm sure I would have shipped them with the amp when I sold it.

People have to remember the Deluxe was primary marketed to go with the Deluxe Lap Steel, which by then used a Strat PU.

 

[Denverdave]

Awesome pics of both amps! I will be interested in how the Weber sounds being that you owned the real thing....

 

[Mark Wein]

This is killer, and something I eventually want to do myself in the future. I love seeing the 1960 version to compare, too.

 

[Chad]

very nice work. I think you and Saint should start an amp company and give us all a huge discount on the amps you build

 

[Wyatt]

Awesome pics of both amps! I will be interested in how the Weber sounds being that you owned the real thing....

For the time being, I patched the '59 P12Q up to use, assuming the voice coil is still good...it was when I got it, but then the cone was intact then too. I never ran a vitnage Jensen in my Deluxe, it has a Oxford Alnico when I got it and I put the Vox in shortly thereafter (sp?).

A little wrapping tissue, Elmer's and water and Voilà! There are four pieces of tissue on each side and it feels exactly like the rest of the cone. Bourbon still untouched; I must admit that I drink rarely anymore, I had half a brandy on my 40th.

Almost put another hole in it flipping it over for this pic. The speaker is out of a Lowery Organ by the serial number. It has the N-style frame, I've never seen another P12Q like it.

We'll see how it holds up in the amp.

 

[Mark Wein]

I know you don't post in the other forums much but working for a distillery will make you a forum hero in the lounge

 

[Modern Saint]

As I wait for the PT, I add the lamp socket and my humdinger. I don't like heater CT's on the PT, they aren't very "centered" for a center tap. Traditionally, one would use two 100-ohm resistors to create an artificial center tap and you get even better hum reduction by connecting them to the Cathode Ground. I have a few old Allen Bradley 100-ohm resistors, but decided instead to us a Bourns multi-turn 200-ohm trimpot, it's overkill for a lo-gain amp like the 5E3 but it let's me correct for manually if I wired my wires too uneven.

You caught my interest on this. Just the balancing of the 6.3 outer taps. I am rebuilding my old SF VibroChamp and noticed the 100 ohm resistors for the heaters as well. The trimpot reminds me of the later SF changes in the higher powered amps.

Yep, I've never had to deviate from 16uF. I would think I would just be replacing loose, boomy bass with punchy, overbearing bass. My low end is so punchy with my Allen Accomplice, it can be hard to dial it out.

People have to remember the Deluxe was primary marketed to go with the Deluxe Lap Steel, which by then used a Strat PU.

I couldn't dial it out so I had to make the change. It makes sense in marketing it with the Deluxe Lap Steel. Meanwhile it was always open to buyers choice.

For the time being, I patched the '59 P12Q up to use, assuming the voice coil is still good...it was when I got it, but then the cone was intact then too. I never ran a vitnage Jensen in my Deluxe, it has a Oxford Alnico when I got it and I put the Vox in shortly thereafter (sp?).

That is very cool, never seen it done before.