Mission 5E3 Kit...

[Telarkaster]

Thanks BBB, I'm watching this thread very carefully. I'm curious about everyone's infatuation with 5E3s and I'd like to try building a kit myself.

Keep posting those great photos and give us tips along the way, I'm taking notes!

[BritishBluesBoy]

OK, so I just made a stupid mistake. While connecting the neutral wires from the power supply I managed to break off one of the tabs on the 5Y3GT Power Tube socket. It's one that's unused (# 3) except for a connection for the neutral from the power cord and the Power Transformer. Does anyone know if I can use a different unused lug on the 5Y3GT or do I need to order a new socket...?? (What an idiot I am!!)

Thanks so much for your help guys...

[JohnnyCrash]

Originally Posted by BritishBluesBoy

OK, so I just made a stupid mistake. While connecting the neutral wires from the power supply I managed to break off one of the tabs on the 5Y3GT Power Tube socket. It's one that's unused (# 3) except for a connection for the neutral from the power cord and the Power Transformer. Does anyone know if I can use a different unused lug on the 5Y3GT or do I need to order a new socket...?? (What an idiot I am!!)

Thanks so much for your help guys...

I got your PM about this and replied... check your messages :)

[JohnnyCrash]

Originally Posted by Ricky D.

Soldering the ground wires to the plate: I drilled a small hole in the edge of the plate and made a mechanical connection to the ground wire. Then I only needed two hands.

This is a great idea!

Originally Posted by Ricky D.

I remember swearing that I would put the under-the-board connections on top of the board next time.

I strip a little extra, tin the ends, then once cooled I make a little hook with the tinned ends. I then hook the underboard wire in the eyelets and solder.

I think I got that tip from Gomez Amp's CancerLeoCam, but I don't remember.

[JohnnyCrash]

Originally Posted by Telarkaster

Thanks BBB, I'm watching this thread very carefully. I'm curious about everyone's infatuation with 5E3s and I'd like to try building a kit myself.

Keep posting those great photos and give us tips along the way, I'm taking notes!

You should build one!

The 5E3 is so primitive and basic it is a great first build. It sounds awesome too!

After you get that under your belt, you can then build more complex circuits. My favorite "Fender" builds I've done are my 5E3 and my 6L6 modded BF Princeton head. The Reverb is unreal and the tone (wet or dry) is ungodly... so I think my 5E3 is a close second place :)

Do it... it's fun, cheaper than a real vintage or RI, and sounds insanely good.

[BritishBluesBoy]

Originally Posted by JohnnyCrash

I got your PM about this and replied... check your messages :)

Super-Crash to the rescue!! You rock man...

Thanks...

(PS - another PM waiting for you...)

[JohnnyCrash]

Originally Posted by BritishBluesBoy

Super-Crash to the rescue!! You rock man...

Thanks...

(PS - another PM waiting for you...)

Got it, and replied.

Sorry if it was way too long... I am starting to get delirious. Must eat breakfast before I die of emaciation :)

You soldered that board up quick. 5E3's are small, fast builds... you may be done with this very soon!

[koen]

So I made some good progress today.

I finished the eyesocket board, but without most of the leads, and did the input jacks wiring. I also mounted the tube holders and the two transformers. I do need to find a tool to tighten the bolts for the power transformer, it's kinda tight in there.

Next I need to figure out the wire spaghetti for the transformers and tube sockets. Any tips are welcome

[JohnnyCrash]

Originally Posted by koen

So I made some good progress today.

I finished the eyesocket board, but without most of the leads, and did the input jacks wiring. I also mounted the tube holders and the two transformers. I do need to find a tool to tighten the bolts for the power transformer, it's kinda tight in there.

Next I need to figure out the wire spaghetti for the transformers and tube sockets. Any tips are welcome

Keep all AC wires tightly and neatly twisted, and away from the board. Try to keep them against the chassis and keep em in the corners.

Mount the fuse holder, lamp/jewel, and power switch(es). Then wire up the AC cord, fuse, power and rectifier socket. Then wire up the heaters and amp jewel.

This is fun... two new builds in one thread!

[BritishBluesBoy]

I think I'm basically finished (of course I may have some trouble shooting to do though... Fingers crossed and all that!!) except that I'm missing bolts to mount the chassis to my cab. I just went to Home Despot but couldn't really find what I want. I did get some that will work until I find the correct ones though so I'm hopeful I'll attempt to fire this beauty up a little later this evening!!!

Wish me luck you guys!

A couple more pics...





And thanks a million to our own Johnny Crash for helping out with a dumb rookie question earlier today. Het get's a stack of drink tokens for his next NY visit for that!!!

Cool.

[JohnnyCrash]

Originally Posted by BritishBluesBoy

I think I'm basically finished (of course I may have some trouble shooting to do though... Fingers crossed and all that!!) except that I'm missing bolts to mount the chassis to my cab. I just went to Home Despot but couldn't really find what I want. I did get some that will work until I find the correct ones though so I'm hopeful I'll attempt to fire this beauty up a little later this evening!!!

Wish me luck you guys!

...

And thanks a million to our own Johnny Crash for helping out with a dumb rookie question earlier today. Het get's a stack of drink tokens for his next NY visit for that!!!

I've been watching this thread since it started... I can't wait... let us all know how it's going...

As far as the drinks - hell no... I'll buy YOU drinks :)

[Ricky D.]

Originally Posted by koen

So I made some good progress today.

I finished the eyesocket board, but without most of the leads, and did the input jacks wiring. I also mounted the tube holders and the two transformers. I do need to find a tool to tighten the bolts for the power transformer, it's kinda tight in there.

Next I need to figure out the wire spaghetti for the transformers and tube sockets. Any tips are welcome

You need a deep socket and an extension to get in that tight corner.

Originally Posted by Ricky D.
Soldering the ground wires to the plate: I drilled a small hole in the edge of the plate and made a mechanical connection to the ground wire. Then I only needed two hands.

As I recall one ground is on a corner of the plate and one is more towards the center of an edge. If you put those holes right on the edge and right in the corner, you substantially reduce the heat dissipation into the plate, maybe get by with a smaller iron.

[Ricky D.]

Originally Posted by JohnnyCrash

Originally Posted by Ricky D.
I remember swearing that I would put the under-the-board connections on top of the board next time.

I strip a little extra, tin the ends, then once cooled I make a little hook with the tinned ends. I then hook the underboard wire in the eyelets and solder.

I think I got that tip from Gomez Amp's CancerLeoCam, but I don't remember.

Johnny, I think that came up as I was trouble shooting and trying to check my work, hoping I wouldn't have to pull the board.

[BritishBluesBoy]

So.... I have power (pretty little red jewel light is glowing away nicely) but I ain't got no sound... Oh Jeez.... here we go...

[koen]

Originally Posted by JohnnyCrash

Keep all AC wires tightly and neatly twisted, and away from the board. Try to keep them against the chassis and keep em in the corners.

Mount the fuse holder, lamp/jewel, and power switch(es). Then wire up the AC cord, fuse, power and rectifier socket. Then wire up the heaters and amp jewel.

I will have some more time on Monday evening, and will work on the transformers, etc. Do you guys cut the wires coming out of the transformers, or leave them as is?

[Scott S]

Originally Posted by koen

I will have some more time on Monday evening, and will work on the transformers, etc. Do you guys cut the wires coming out of the transformers, or leave them as is?

I trim the ones I use to about the right length, but leave a little slack. The unused ones, I leave full length -- I bend the end over, wrap tape around it, then secure it so it can't contact anything else.

- Scott

[Ricky D.]

Originally Posted by BritishBluesBoy

So.... I have power (pretty little red jewel light is glowing away nicely) but I ain't got no sound... Oh Jeez.... here we go...

Same thing happened with mine, it's no big deal.

Double check your wiring, starting with the input jacks. Use your wiring diagram and a highlighter, check each tube socket pin and every eyelet - make sure each one is connected to the correct other nodes.

Post the voltages here for each pin of every tube. If you don't have a meter, you can get a cheap one under $10 if you want. Note: This is a one hand in the pocket exercise here. That's real lightning in that power supply.

With the amp on and again one hand in the pocket, use a chopstick and tap on every solder joint. Mark off the joint on your layout after you check it. A bad solder joint makes noise.

[JohnnyCrash]

CAREFULLY measure the voltages.

Is there any noise at all (hum, buzz, etc)?

Did you wire the inputs and the OT correctly?

Almost there... you're in the home stretch.

[emu!]

Originally Posted by BritishBluesBoy

So.... I have power (pretty little red jewel light is glowing away nicely) but I ain't got no sound... Oh Jeez.... here we go...

are the tubes getting warm to the touch? is the speaker plugged in? is the guitar and guitar cable known to be good?

[stevedenver]

very tidy board-
if you havent already ordered your pseaker-
i heartily recommend a weber blue dog -way over a jenson-youll be glad you popped for teh extra cost

[BritishBluesBoy]

Originally Posted by JohnnyCrash

CAREFULLY measure the voltages.

Is there any noise at all (hum, buzz, etc)?

Did you wire the inputs and the OT correctly?

Almost there... you're in the home stretch.

If I knew how to measure the voltages... I would... (I know, I know... Rookie basics...!) I just got a meter (I got an analog one coz stupidy I like the dial better than a digital one... (Yeah, yeah... I know how stupid that is too...) so working out what to set the darned thing to is more confusing than I thought it would be...

There's no sound at all... The tubes are all glowing so I know the power section is working OK... It's something after that. Have just had it all apart again but for the life of me I can't see anything wrong...

Checked the inputs - they look good. At least I think they do (?). Will double check the OT...

Here's a thing... Am afraid of shocking myself now that it's been plugged in again today. What's the best way to dissipate any charge that's left in there? (Dumbass Rookie Question # 100000).

This stuff ain't easy is it...?

Thanks again guys!

[sjhusting]

Don't panic, this is where you learn stuff. Up to now, you were just painting by numbers.

First: if you hook it up right, it will work. If it doesn't work, you didn't hook it up right.

Recheck that you wired the sockets correctly. Make a copy of the layout and check off connection by connection, being really sure each time.

Second: listen for hiss. Hiss is good. move the volume knobs to see if the hiss changes volume. This is a clue that the problem is in the preamp, not the power amp. You should be hearing a little hum, too.

Third: recheck those bloody input jacks. I've been bit more than once because I didn't pay attention and wired the switched jacks backwards, and all my signal went to ground.

Fourth: learn to measure voltages. This is your most powerful weapon. If something is wrong, you will likely see it in the tube voltages. Voltages tell you the health of your amp.

Measuring voltages is a not-undangerous thing, so be careful. Get some alligator clips that fit on the end of your test leads. The black one is for the more-negative side, usually but not always ground.

To measure preamp voltages, clip the black lead to the tube end of the cathode resistor for the first half of the first preamp tube. That is connected to either pin 3 or 8, depending on how you wired the socket up. Clip the red to the tube side of the 100K plate resistor which is connected either to pin 1 or 8. Put your left hand in your pocket. Turn on the power, let it warm up, take it off standby, watch until the voltage settles, then write it down - Plate voltage V1a. I put the amp on standby again before moving the red lead, others leave it live, your choice. Move the red lead to the other side of the cathode resistor. A negative voltage will be shown (because the leads are backwards). Write this down, without the minus sign - cathode voltage v1a. Repeat for the other 3 triode halves; disconnect both leads, move the black, make the two measurements. Three of the triode halves should be kinda close, the forth (the phase inverter) will look a lot different.

Do the same for the power tubes. Now the cathode is pin 8, the plate is pin 3, and the screen is pin 4 (preamp tubes don't usually have screens). Write it all down. Way high voltages here!

Once you have measured all that post it here.

Be careful, you will be working on a live amp and it can do more than just shock the bejeezus out of you. The first few times I did this, I shut the amp completely down before moving the leads, until I was confident enough to proceed. And I still usually put it on standby anyway (I always install bleeders and wire the standby switch so the caps discharge when on standby).

steven

[BritishBluesBoy]

Originally Posted by sjhusting

Don't panic, this is where you learn stuff. Up to now, you were just painting by numbers.

First: if you hook it up right, it will work. If it doesn't work, you didn't hook it up right.

steven

Thanks man... I'll go through it all again. You're right - up until now it was just painting by numbers... I guess it's time to learn now. Cool. I'll have some time a little later to have another go...

Guys - I REALLY appreciate all your help and encouragement!!

Cheers!