Question for you 5E3 gurus

Darcy Hoover · June 8th, 2008, 09:23 PM

I have a Blues Deluxe Reissue I'm having trouble unloading, and was thinking there wouldn't be much involved with ripping those inards out and putting in a 5E3 circuit (dump the reverb too). New circuit board obviously, I probally have most of the resistors and caps required, may need a few things but same number of tubes so no chassis drilling (done it before but it's a pain) and I could make up a new top plate with just one input and a tone and volume, but do any of you learned fellows know if I can use the existing transformers? Just an idea and I'm weighing the cost involved.

emu! · June 8th, 2008, 10:26 PM

I'm no guru by far, but I did build a Mission 5E3 if that counts...

If I remember correctly, the PT needs to be 325-0-325v 3amp with attachments for tube recto and heaters.

The OT should be a 15 watt push-pull type. See if you can google your existing transformers to see their ratings.

JohnnyCrash · June 8th, 2008, 10:42 PM

A 6L6, 40w, fixed bias amp's output transformer will NOT work for a 5E3 (6V6, 14w, cathode biased). The biasing and tubes will mean an impedance mismatch.

The PT will likely not work as well. The Blues Deluxe RI has a SS rectifier and more tubes. This may mean a lot of extra current and a slight mismatch in voltage.

Chances are the pots and whatnot are PCB mounted as well. The major parts you can recycle are the transformers, chassis, cab, and speaker. Everything else will likely not be useable.

You'd be better off trying something like a BF Pro or Vibrolux or Vibroverb. All great amps. A 5E3 is great, but there are many other great amps out there.

"Guru" is for religious and spiritual dudes. Amps are not magic. Though, music is all of our religion :)

red57strat · June 8th, 2008, 10:43 PM

Ultimately, the cab should be solid pine as well.

Scott S · June 8th, 2008, 10:43 PM

A Blues Deluxe is 2x6L6 isn't it?

I'd use a 5E5A/5E7/5F4-type circuit -- closer wattage, keep the same iron, more of the controls will match.

- Scott

Darcy Hoover · June 8th, 2008, 11:41 PM

Thanks for the great feedback. I have a Marsh BF Deluxe Reverb kit on the go (and just rebuilt a beat-up SF Princeton (non-reverb) into a BFPR), and I got the amp building bug bad! And I can't seem to move my Blues Deluxe (been for sale locally for awhile) and thought it would be a fun thing to do with it. I was only planning on using the chassis and tube sockets, speaker and cabinet and doing the rest from scratch...5Y3GT rectifier, etc.. but I'm thinking I don't know enough about fixed bias output transformers, etc. to really make it work. If the transformers aren't compatable I may just leave it for sale. If I decide to build a 5E3 I'll go for a complete kit.

Thanks again.

sjhusting · June 9th, 2008, 03:09 AM

Due to the higher voltage, it's more suited to a 5f6 build. Here's how one guy did it:

http://www.thefenderforum.com/forum/...hlight=rebirth

though he rebuilt a deville.

steven

Darcy Hoover · June 9th, 2008, 08:06 AM

Yeah, thanks for the link but I don't really need the wattage (one of the main reasons for unloading it in the first place) and was going for something less powerful if at all.

JohnnyCrash · June 9th, 2008, 02:09 PM

Drop the price slightly to sell it... parts for a new build are cheap :)

June 8th, 2008, 09:23 PM	#1 (permalink)
Darcy Hoover Tele-Holic Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia Posts: 511	Question for you 5E3 gurus I have a Blues Deluxe Reissue I'm having trouble unloading, and was thinking there wouldn't be much involved with ripping those inards out and putting in a 5E3 circuit (dump the reverb too). New circuit board obviously, I probally have most of the resistors and caps required, may need a few things but same number of tubes so no chassis drilling (done it before but it's a pain) and I could make up a new top plate with just one input and a tone and volume, but do any of you learned fellows know if I can use the existing transformers? Just an idea and I'm weighing the cost involved. __________________ http://www.myspace.com/darcyhoover

June 8th, 2008, 10:43 PM	#4 (permalink)
red57strat Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 1,311	Ultimately, the cab should be solid pine as well. __________________ Don

June 8th, 2008, 11:41 PM	#6 (permalink)
Darcy Hoover Tele-Holic Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia Posts: 511	Thanks for the great feedback. I have a Marsh BF Deluxe Reverb kit on the go (and just rebuilt a beat-up SF Princeton (non-reverb) into a BFPR), and I got the amp building bug bad! And I can't seem to move my Blues Deluxe (been for sale locally for awhile) and thought it would be a fun thing to do with it. I was only planning on using the chassis and tube sockets, speaker and cabinet and doing the rest from scratch...5Y3GT rectifier, etc.. but I'm thinking I don't know enough about fixed bias output transformers, etc. to really make it work. If the transformers aren't compatable I may just leave it for sale. If I decide to build a 5E3 I'll go for a complete kit. Thanks again. __________________ http://www.myspace.com/darcyhoover

June 9th, 2008, 03:09 AM	#7 (permalink)
sjhusting Tele-Holic Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Germany Posts: 684 15 Photos	Due to the higher voltage, it's more suited to a 5f6 build. Here's how one guy did it: http://www.thefenderforum.com/forum/...hlight=rebirth though he rebuilt a deville. steven __________________ "When you have to kill a man it costs nothing to be polite" - WSC

June 9th, 2008, 08:06 AM	#8 (permalink)
Darcy Hoover Tele-Holic Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia Posts: 511	Yeah, thanks for the link but I don't really need the wattage (one of the main reasons for unloading it in the first place) and was going for something less powerful if at all. __________________ http://www.myspace.com/darcyhoover

June 8th, 2008, 10:26 PM	#2 (permalink)
emu! Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Location Location Posts: 1,292	I'm no guru by far, but I did build a Mission 5E3 if that counts... If I remember correctly, the PT needs to be 325-0-325v 3amp with attachments for tube recto and heaters. The OT should be a 15 watt push-pull type. See if you can google your existing transformers to see their ratings.

June 8th, 2008, 10:42 PM	#3 (permalink)
JohnnyCrash Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Lost Angeles and Orange County Posts: 7,128	A 6L6, 40w, fixed bias amp's output transformer will NOT work for a 5E3 (6V6, 14w, cathode biased). The biasing and tubes will mean an impedance mismatch. The PT will likely not work as well. The Blues Deluxe RI has a SS rectifier and more tubes. This may mean a lot of extra current and a slight mismatch in voltage. Chances are the pots and whatnot are PCB mounted as well. The major parts you can recycle are the transformers, chassis, cab, and speaker. Everything else will likely not be useable. You'd be better off trying something like a BF Pro or Vibrolux or Vibroverb. All great amps. A 5E3 is great, but there are many other great amps out there. "Guru" is for religious and spiritual dudes. Amps are not magic. Though, music is all of our religion :)

June 8th, 2008, 10:43 PM	#5 (permalink)
Scott S Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: SW CR IA US NA PE Age: 28 Posts: 1,922	A Blues Deluxe is 2x6L6 isn't it? I'd use a 5E5A/5E7/5F4-type circuit -- closer wattage, keep the same iron, more of the controls will match. - Scott

June 9th, 2008, 02:09 PM	#9 (permalink)
JohnnyCrash Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Lost Angeles and Orange County Posts: 7,128	Drop the price slightly to sell it... parts for a new build are cheap :)