Tweed 5F1 / 5E3 volume question

Darcy Hoover · December 31st, 2007, 06:31 PM

I'm considering getting myself either a 5F1 or a 5E3 DIY kit in the new year, but not sure which would better suit my needs as far as clean volume goes.

I had a Blues Junior that couldn't quite keep up with an overzealous drummer, so I replaced that with a 2005 Blues Deluxe that more than handles everything I need, but for around the house, it's set around 2 on the clean channel, at the point where it just sort of comes on.

Ideally I'm looking for something that will just start breaking up around that volume for house use (I'll keep the Blues Deluxe for playing out), as I prefer clean with a little crunch when I dig in. I figured that 5F1 would be perfect but all the clips I hear on utube are extremely buzzy and broken up.

I don't have access to either amp to give them a try, so any feedback from you learned fellows would be appreciated!

teleamp · December 31st, 2007, 07:04 PM

I think the 5E3 will give you what you want, but it might be a little on the loud side.

MikeY

DrewB · December 31st, 2007, 08:36 PM

My 5F1 breaks up with my Tele at about 7.5 or 8. You might be able to talk loudly over it, but it's not whisper-quiet at that point. I usually run a Les Paul through it on 10 or above. You have to yell over it at that point. My 5E3 is much louder at breakup.

BrianF · December 31st, 2007, 08:49 PM

5E3 is way louder overall than the 5F1. It's a bigger amp in every respect. The 5F1 is still pretty loud at home. The new Champion 600 might more what your looking for at home.

Darcy Hoover · December 31st, 2007, 09:06 PM

Thanks guys, sounding like the 5F1 might be better. I'm kind of worried about my ears lately (I wear ear plugs when I play out) and I want to keep to lower volumes at home, but still want abit of crunch. I just heard so many Tweed Champ Youtube clips that were really buzzy and heavily distorted, and that's not what I'm looking for. I want a little bit of headroom!

BrianF · December 31st, 2007, 09:18 PM

Don't forget the black and silverface Champs and Vibro Champs... They have a different tone than the tweed amps.... or for that matter the new Vibro and Super Champ XD amps. (if you weren't looking for a kit that is..)

Klaus Kemmerling · January 1st, 2008, 04:12 AM

Hello,
someone mentioned the Champion 600 before.
I got one some month ago and in my oionion it is fantastic for home use. It sounds warm and round und you can get nice breakup at relative low volumes. Since I got it, I don't use any of my other amps (Deluxe Rever RI, Custom Vibrolux, Peavey Classic 30) at home because for the needed volume the Champion simply sounds best for my taste.
And finally the Champion 600 is not expensive so it might be worth to give it a try.
Regards,
Klaus

Darcy Hoover · January 1st, 2008, 07:38 AM

Thanks again, but I kind of had a hankering for building my own hand-wired tone monster, bit of a project I've been wanting to do. But since the Champion 600 is similar in wattage, I imagine I'd get around the same results, so it's leaning more and more to a Tweed Champ.

I noticed I have some good footage of one on a Bob Margolin Muddy Water's How-to DVD, he uses what looks like a Champ clone exclusively, sounds great and crunchy, but if the Champion 600 has a nice clean tone......

sjhusting · January 1st, 2008, 08:15 AM

Build it if you are up for it. The champ is a great circuit, and a good testbed for learning stuff - the circuit is so simple, changing single components makes a noticible difference in the tone - good education effect. You can add/remove bypass or NFB, or put them on switches, add a tone control, change the coupling caps - it's just a great platform, and a great-sounding circuit. My prefence though is for a bigger-that-8" speaker in it - bigger speaker means bigger (not louder) sound; I use a ceramic 12" in mine.

I've got mine more or less in a 5f2 configuration now, with switches for the nfb and bypass on stage 2, and a parallel sockets for using a 12ax7 or 6sl7, or el84 or 6v6, and I'm putting in the trem circuit from a vibrochamp right now - plus playing with different single-knob tone circuits.

steven

December 31st, 2007, 06:31 PM	#1 (permalink)
Darcy Hoover Tele-Meister Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia Posts: 250	Tweed 5F1 / 5E3 volume question I'm considering getting myself either a 5F1 or a 5E3 DIY kit in the new year, but not sure which would better suit my needs as far as clean volume goes. I had a Blues Junior that couldn't quite keep up with an overzealous drummer, so I replaced that with a 2005 Blues Deluxe that more than handles everything I need, but for around the house, it's set around 2 on the clean channel, at the point where it just sort of comes on. Ideally I'm looking for something that will just start breaking up around that volume for house use (I'll keep the Blues Deluxe for playing out), as I prefer clean with a little crunch when I dig in. I figured that 5F1 would be perfect but all the clips I hear on utube are extremely buzzy and broken up. I don't have access to either amp to give them a try, so any feedback from you learned fellows would be appreciated! __________________ http://www.soundclick.com/darcyhoover

December 31st, 2007, 08:36 PM	#3 (permalink)
DrewB Tele-Holic Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Independence, MO Posts: 847	My 5F1 breaks up with my Tele at about 7.5 or 8. You might be able to talk loudly over it, but it's not whisper-quiet at that point. I usually run a Les Paul through it on 10 or above. You have to yell over it at that point. My 5E3 is much louder at breakup. __________________ There is no substitute for Sound Pressure Level

December 31st, 2007, 09:06 PM	#5 (permalink)
Darcy Hoover Tele-Meister Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia Posts: 250	Thanks guys, sounding like the 5F1 might be better. I'm kind of worried about my ears lately (I wear ear plugs when I play out) and I want to keep to lower volumes at home, but still want abit of crunch. I just heard so many Tweed Champ Youtube clips that were really buzzy and heavily distorted, and that's not what I'm looking for. I want a little bit of headroom! __________________ http://www.soundclick.com/darcyhoover

January 1st, 2008, 07:38 AM	#8 (permalink)
Darcy Hoover Tele-Meister Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia Posts: 250	Thanks again, but I kind of had a hankering for building my own hand-wired tone monster, bit of a project I've been wanting to do. But since the Champion 600 is similar in wattage, I imagine I'd get around the same results, so it's leaning more and more to a Tweed Champ. I noticed I have some good footage of one on a Bob Margolin Muddy Water's How-to DVD, he uses what looks like a Champ clone exclusively, sounds great and crunchy, but if the Champion 600 has a nice clean tone...... __________________ http://www.soundclick.com/darcyhoover

December 31st, 2007, 07:04 PM	#2 (permalink)
teleamp Tele-Meister Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Central TX Age: 49 Posts: 341	I think the 5E3 will give you what you want, but it might be a little on the loud side. MikeY

December 31st, 2007, 08:49 PM	#4 (permalink)
BrianF Friend of Leo's Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Carlsbad, Ca Posts: 2,077 7 Photos	5E3 is way louder overall than the 5F1. It's a bigger amp in every respect. The 5F1 is still pretty loud at home. The new Champion 600 might more what your looking for at home.

December 31st, 2007, 09:18 PM	#6 (permalink)
BrianF Friend of Leo's Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Carlsbad, Ca Posts: 2,077 7 Photos	Don't forget the black and silverface Champs and Vibro Champs... They have a different tone than the tweed amps.... or for that matter the new Vibro and Super Champ XD amps. (if you weren't looking for a kit that is..)

January 1st, 2008, 04:12 AM	#7 (permalink)
Klaus Kemmerling Tele-Meister Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Cologne/Germany Age: 44 Posts: 183	Hello, someone mentioned the Champion 600 before. I got one some month ago and in my oionion it is fantastic for home use. It sounds warm and round und you can get nice breakup at relative low volumes. Since I got it, I don't use any of my other amps (Deluxe Rever RI, Custom Vibrolux, Peavey Classic 30) at home because for the needed volume the Champion simply sounds best for my taste. And finally the Champion 600 is not expensive so it might be worth to give it a try. Regards, Klaus

January 1st, 2008, 08:15 AM	#9 (permalink)
sjhusting Tele-Meister Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Germany Posts: 477 11 Photos	Build it if you are up for it. The champ is a great circuit, and a good testbed for learning stuff - the circuit is so simple, changing single components makes a noticible difference in the tone - good education effect. You can add/remove bypass or NFB, or put them on switches, add a tone control, change the coupling caps - it's just a great platform, and a great-sounding circuit. My prefence though is for a bigger-that-8" speaker in it - bigger speaker means bigger (not louder) sound; I use a ceramic 12" in mine. I've got mine more or less in a 5f2 configuration now, with switches for the nfb and bypass on stage 2, and a parallel sockets for using a 12ax7 or 6sl7, or el84 or 6v6, and I'm putting in the trem circuit from a vibrochamp right now - plus playing with different single-knob tone circuits. steven