Does your Twed Deluxe sound like this?

[eksfiles]

I'm absolutely digging my tweed deluxe clone. I haven't really gotten a chance to open it up till tonight, and to my surprise, I found it really bright! I ended up plugging into the normal channel the whole time.

It has a Weber 12A125-A, and NOS tubes. Should it sound this bright? I don't have to turn the tone knob no higher then 5.

I use Fenders only.

Is this sound normal?

[Flat357]

Don't have one so can't say if it's normal , but once you start adding pedals and put it in the middle of a rhythm section , you'll be glad of the brightness .

[meyekel]

Mine was pretty bright at first running a Celestion Blue, EH preamp tubes and JJ power tubes. Using a tele I had the tone around 6-7 and couldn't really make use of the entire tone circuit (turning up the tone adds gain to the amp). I called Mike at KCA Tubes and he recommended some NOS that has it singing very nicely (GE 6072 and Brimar power tubes). I am sure that some of the brightness I had is from the speaker as well with that high end chime.

[zeeman]

Digging mine also. I'm playing with a celestion blue alnico, far too many effects, and yes, it can be bright. I prefer input 2 of the instrument channel. Time based effects sound really cool jumpered in between input 1 of the inst. channel and input 2 of the mic channel. You can then use the mic volume to mix in the amount of effect you want.

[woodman]

mine loses that sharp edge when i jumper the channels. it also gooses the gain a little. of course, YMMV! treble at 5 is no big deal then -- that happens with mine a lot (depending on size/shape/acoustics of room, etc.) ... good to have that headroom on the top end when ya need it (loud drummer, cavernous stage, shag carpet on the floor, etc.).

[red57strat]

Mine's not bright at all. It's just right to my ears. That's considering that I was using a '66 Vibrolux Reverb and '68 Princeton Reverb almost exclusively before getting my 5E3 clone. They're both capable of being considerably brighter than my 5E3 clone.

I use the bright channel with the tone up about halfway.

I have a Weber 12A125 speaker and a .047 coupling cap on the bright channel to brighten it up.

Others that I have played have sounded similar to mine.

Of course, everyone's idea of bright is different.

[bgood]

I just finished mine and will have it out tonight for the first time with a band. At home I've noticed it can be bright with the bridge pups on my tele and strat when plugged into the bright channel. Tone above 7.

I suspect, as someone else said, I am going to want that to cut through with a loud band but at home it sounds pretty "in your face" a beam blocker might help.

This amp does SO many sounds it's incredible. I had it sounding monstrously overdriven yesterday when nobody was home with my tele and the channels jumped. I couldn't believe it. I actually thought it might burst into flames. LOL

Mine is a Mission kit. Heres a pic

[tele-martini]

Originally Posted by zeeman

Digging mine also. I'm playing with a celestion blue alnico, far too many effects, and yes, it can be bright. I prefer input 2 of the instrument channel. Time based effects sound really cool jumpered in between input 1 of the inst. channel and input 2 of the mic channel. You can then use the mic volume to mix in the amount of effect you want.

zeeman,
On my 5E3 chassis I have a high and low for normal and bright channel. When you say mic channel which channel would that be ,bright or normal?

bgood,
What is the configuration your using for channel jumpers to get that OD sound?

[bgood]

One more thing, at the risk of Hijacking eksfiles thread.

I've noticed that the pine cabinet is as much a part of this amp as the speaker. On all the amps I've owned, the cab is pretty much just a container for the chassis and speakers, I'm sure it contributes to the sound but nothing like this. That pine box is vibrating and moving like I couldn't believe - it's like playing a semi-hollow guitar at stage volume when you feel it vibrating against your body. Very cool. Hope I'm not disappointed tonight. Worried about the volume a bit since I won't really be able to mic it. We'll see.

[bgood]

mic=normal

I had it jumped like this:

guitar in bright 2, bright 1 jumped to normal 2. Volumes cranked both around 7-9 IIRC. I did it the reverse also - guitar in 1 bright jumped 2 bright to 1 normal. All around killer sounds. You almost can't go wrong.

PS - mine is not that farty at all. Not using buckers though.

[tele-martini]

Originally Posted by bgood

One more thing, at the risk of Hijacking eksfiles thread.

I've noticed that the pine cabinet is as much a part of this amp as the speaker. On all the amps I've owned, the cab is pretty much just a container for the chassis and speakers, I'm sure it contributes to the sound but nothing like this. That pine box is vibrating and moving like I couldn't believe - it's like playing a semi-hollow guitar at stage volume when you feel it vibrating against your body. Very cool. Hope I'm not disappointed tonight. Worried about the volume a bit since I won't really be able to mic it. We'll see.

Originally Posted by bgood

mic=normal

+1 On the cabinet being part of the amps character. I've installed all keeper nuts and tube retainers in mine as it does really vibrate a lot.

I had it jumped like this:

guitar in bright 2, bright 1 jumped to normal 2. Volumes cranked both around 7-9 IIRC. I did it the reverse also - guitar in 1 bright jumped 2 bright to 1 normal. All around killer sounds. You almost can't go wrong.

PS - mine is not that farty at all. Not using buckers though.

Thanks I'll try that hook-up tonight!

[woodman]

every 5E3's got its own peculiarities, but i get the smoothest/least strident tone plugging the guitar into bright 1 and jumping normal 1 into bright 2. sounds counterintuitive, but these are mysterious lil amps!

[eksfiles]

Thanks for the posts guys.

I have to agree, the tones are endless. I for one, don't jumper the channels. Too much hum IMO. I usually use the 2nd input of the bright channel when playing at home, at low volumes.

Yesterday, at band practice, I did get a chance to turn it up a bit, and while I liked the tone out of the bright inputs, I found that turning the tone knob any higher then 2 for the bridge pickup, was too much treble.

However, on the normal channel, I could turn the tone up a bit more.

It is nice to have treble on tap.

I suspect my speaker isn't broken in yet.

That being said, I'm sure it will mellow out. I noticed a little farting on the bass side when turned up.

The tone is greatly improved by putting a 5751 in the V1 spot.

[bgood]

definitely could be speaker breakin - at least from what I've read. I can get the treble up to 7-8 before it gets annoying on the bridge. When I say mines not farty, I don't mean the bottom is tight. It's loose but not flabby loose - better than I expected. I wouldn't do any drop D stuff though, that's for sure.

What speaker is it? I have a C12Q in mine. I am expecting to switch it out to a more sensitive speaker like a Red Fang or maybe a neo for more overall volume.

I'll have to post a gig report tomorrow on how it hangs.

[woodman]

Originally Posted by eksfiles

I for one, don't jumper the channels. Too much hum IMO.

that shouldn't be happening -- maybe you should get someone to check it out.

again, the amount of treble you dial in will vary greatly from room to room.

[WrapAround]

Originally Posted by eksfiles

It has a Weber 12A125-A, and NOS tubes. Should it sound this bright? I don't have to turn the tone knob no higher then 5.

I use Fenders only.

Is this sound normal?

12A125A would be brighter and "tighter" in lowend than 12A125. So considering that, there's a very good chance that the sound you are getting is "as expected".

[meyekel]

I am have been jumping the channels the same as Woodman and that works very well for me. No excess hum either, that shouldn't be happening. I find that I set the bright/instrument volume for an overall level and then use the mic/normal volume to dial in thicker midrange to beef up the sound.

That's what makes these amps so amazing, start tweaking those knobs/inputs and you can get any sound you like.

I just added an Eminence ALP 12 speaker from the classifieds to swap out the Blue and it has brought the amp closer to the old school flavor. If there are any left I highly recommend these great sounding speakers, nice warm round sound and not as efficient so I can turn up the volume/s as well.

[eksfiles]

Ok, its not a hum, but you can definitely hear something. Its like turning the volume all the way up on an amp, and turning off your guitar volume. Its that hiss sort of sound.


I was led to believe that the Weber 12A125-A was darker then the 12A125. I don't know.....

FWIW, I do like to tones I'm getting, I just wondered why the treble was so quick to jump on the tone knob.

[Joe K]

Eksfiles,

I see from this thread and your posts on the gear page (while looking up the diffs between the 12A125 and the 12A125A) that you don't like a bright amp. You remind me of a friend who just played an important gig with my 5E3 and used the normal channel all night.

Like many here, I use the bright channel. It is super excellent with my Tele and a little too dark with my noiseless pickup Strat.

What happens when you use the normal channel on your amp? Is it still too bright? or too dark? Maybe you can find a setting in Normal that is just right to your ears. If so, leave it there and you're good to go.

[4 Strings]

Originally Posted by bgood

mic=normal

I had it jumped like this:

guitar in bright 2, bright 1 jumped to normal 2. Volumes cranked both around 7-9 IIRC. I did it the reverse also - guitar in 1 bright jumped 2 bright to 1 normal. All around killer sounds. You almost can't go wrong.

PS - mine is not that farty at all. Not using buckers though.

I may be wrong, but doesn't jumpering the channels mean that inputs 1 and 2 (on the same channel) sound the same, i.e. plugging into input 1 on ch. 1 and going from input 2 to the next channel is the same as plugging into input 2 on ch. 1 and going from input 1 to the next channel?

I have not checked my 5E3 out close enough to say this for sure, but my experience with the 5F1 is that using both inputs makes the high and low designation irrelevant. Also plugging into Champ input 1 and slaving the amp from input 2 sounds the same as plugging into Champ input 2 and slaving it from input 1.

Whichever way, they are both great amps!

[eksfiles]

Ok, hold the phones!

I just moved into a new place, and hopefully my neighbours won't mind, but I just finished cranking the amp up, and trying once more to jumper the channels. HOLY COW!!!!


I think I'm in tweed heaven!

I think my speaker is starting to breakup a bit more, and while the treble is plenty, I can manipulate it using both channels. I also noticed that the treble differences are only marginal between bright and normal.

I'm a bit ashamed that I didn't spend more time with volume levels and playing with the channles more.

Where I used to live, I couldn't turn it up as much in order to enjoy the deluxes REAL benefits.

I think the weber 12A125-A will work out perfectly.

Thanks fellas, I no longer consider myself a tweed rookie.....lol.

Ok, maybe a rookie, but no longer a virgin.

[eksfiles]

Stupid rookie question....?

Does jumpering the channels burn the tubes up more quicker?

[woodman]

nah, your tubes will be OK. i've never burned out a preamp tube in the seven years i've had my 5E3.

[Wally]

I have never jumpered the channels on a Deluxe, but I do use the 'off' channel volume control to affect tonality and gain. The two channels are interactive to some extent without the jumper. I usually run the 'off' channel soemwhere between 6 and 8. I am not afraid to run the tone up, either.
I'll give the jumper a try.

[bgood]

ahhh discovery. Isn't it great! Enjoy it.