Does anyone make a 5E3 "Deluxe" Tweed Head with Reverb?

[iim7v7im7]

Hi,

I have been considering a Tweed, 6V6 based 5E3 type circuit head recently. I have seen different combos rated at 12, 18, 20 or 25 watts. What is the minimum wattage where setting the amp at the sweet spot (clean when soft and overdriven when picked aggressively) for small club play (over drums)?

I more frequently see these small amps as combos (like the Fender Deluxe). I am also intersted in one with a reverb (I know originals don't have this)? Lastly, does anybody make an amp like this with front controls vs. the classic top (read it backwards!) configurations? Will the usual players like Clark, Victoria, Swart, Lil Dawg, Collins and Tungsten that I see mentioned on this forum make an amp like this?

Thanks,

Bob

[MeanGreenBlues]

I'm a fan of reverb, but when inserted into tweeds just doesn't sound right. Lots of people ask or try it, but no one has yet made one that sounded better than the amp without the reverb. Part of it has to do with the voicing of the amp, another is the topology of the amp, and lastly reverb just doesn't sound right when it gets dirty - something tweeds excel at.

[muchxs]

A 5E3 w/ 2x6V6 cathode biased is a 12 watt amp. A stock 5E3 at 15 watts or 18 watts is hype.

A couple companies manufacture "5E3"s with a satellite three knob reverb built into the case. It's a challenge to combine reverb with the bright channel of a tweed Deluxe and have it come out anything but splattery and raw.

[iim7v7im7]

Thanks guys...sounds like reverb is a no go. Interesting about power ratings. Mike Clark rates his Beaufort at 18 watts and Victoria rates a 20112 at 14 watts. Perhaps the higher rated models are 2 x 6L6? In any case are these loud enough to play in thye zone that I desire?

:-)

Bob

[muchxs]

Originally Posted by iim7v7im7

In any case are these loud enough to play in the zone that I desire?

It depends.

The tweed Deluxe is legendary for seething distortion tones, stock. A couple quick mods to a replica will gain substantial volume while simultaneously getting you on the edge between clean and distorted. A lot of replicas run 360-380 volts on the power tube plates, that works out to cleaner and louder if you swap to 6L6s.

A vintage style alnico speaker is authentic, a modern ceramic can be louder and tighter.

[esquire09]

I don't use any reverb with tweed type amps and on Richter amps, Sara mounts the control panel were you read it from the front

[Joe M]

Depends on how much reverb you want. I use Fender's stand alone reverb tank with both my 57 Deluxe RI and Tweed Twin RI and think it sounds great with both. I don't use a lot of reverb, just a little to add some depth to the sound. I have cranked the reverb with the Twin to play things like Pipeline and it sounded good there also. It's true that if you overdrive the Deluxe, which isn't hard to do, the reverb is kinda useless. That's probably true of any overdriven amp, not just the Deluxe.

[marshman]

So, what would it sound like, if, for example, one were to build a 5E3 in a tweed bassman-ish chassis, and have two of the inputs go through a built-in outboard 'verb circuit, which would then be mixed back in and adjusted with the vol knob?

A bassman chassis would probably have enough holes for the pots for the 'verb, and maybe enough for the tube sockets, as well. Of course, it'd probably weigh more than a Kia, so maybe not the best idea...

[marshman]

Oh, wait, forward facing controls...how about a BF Bassman style head cab, with the 5E3 on the 'normal' side, and a three knob reverb on the other side, and then link 'em like Plexi guys do, with a jumper cord?

[xjazzy]

Cornell has something similar with his Romany Plus.

[milocj]

I agree with most people here, in that if you want to do anything more than a little bit of light crunch the reverb will kind of mess the tone up. I have found with my 5E3 clone that when I do run my guitar through the outboard reverb unit I have to set the reverb level at about 1/3-1/2 of what I would set it to when using it with one of my blackface amps. Something about the circuit really magnifies the reverb and also sort of makes the amp sound like it has a hint of reverb all by itself.

I think the idea of using a slightly larger cabinet and using a built into the cabinet onboard reverb unit might be a good idea.

I kind of hesitate to post these, but it will give you an idea of what the 5E3 sounds like clean, with and without reverb. The reverb clip has just a touch added in. This is the 5E3 that I built (Alnico Blue Dog speaker) run through a Weber Revibe that I also built.

IGNORE the poor playing as these were single takes made two years ago and I never know what to play.
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/defa...?bandID=826683

[bluesjuke]

My Clark Beaufort with the added 3 knob reverb sounds great with or withouth it.
Of course you have to keep it adjusted lower when pushing it with a hard signal.

I keep mine low to begin with so it's not a problem.
The reverb in it doesn't sound "splattery and raw" at all but rather full and rich.

I am well pleased with it.
If I wasn't it would be gone.

It's nice to have that with the 'verb and a Vicky without it also.

[varakeef]

One idea is to use two amps, a reverbless 5E3 and another cleaner amp with a good spring reverb set up very "wet". Then just blend, adjust to taste so to speak.

You'll get a huge sound that way.

[marshman]

I guess this doesn't really help, but is another consideration...the MojoVerb!

http://www.mojotone.com/s.nl/it.A/id.2846/.f

Now in tweed!

http://www.mojotone.com/s.nl/it.A/id.2847/.f

[PhatTele]

The lead channel in the Toneking Imperial is voiced to be similar to the bright channel of a Tweed Deluxe. The rhythm channel sounds similar to the reverb/vibrato channel of a BF Deluxe Reverb. Both channels share reverb and a bias vary tremolo. This is about the only tweedy sounding amp I've heard that has nailed the reverb within the circuit. I've tried building and have heard other methods, but none really worked properly or sounded good (especially the add on reverb kits...yuck!)

Your best bet is to let the tweed circuit do it's thing unencumbered (no reverb) and put the reverb in front using a pedal or an outboard unit.

[ntasher]

Another option is a "poor man's" reverb - run the tank off the speaker (some resistor and capacitor in series between the speaker and the tank are needed - start with high resistance of 1K and work your way down) and connect the reverb tank output to the second deluxe input. This usually works enough to give you wet sound (careful not to make this thing feedback on you) even when you are driving the amp hard. Worth a try.