Kits, Weber or Mission or ?

I want to get started building a new amp. Something along the lines of a 5e3. What kits do you guys like? What kits are no good? It will be my first build, looking forward to it.

Thanks.

Definitely Mission amps

A la carte. Start with a chassis kit including the circuit board (Mojo or Weber), then just buy all the parts you see in the layout drawing.

You need transformers. Weber's are perfect for your first build.

Weber's chassis accepts NOS sockets. Belton or Omron require a 30mm knockout. Mojo comes prepunched for Belton. NOS fits mojo but with an air gap around the socket. I've never seen a gap that big in vintage gear.

I like the a la carte idea. I have The Guitar Amp Handbook by Dave Hunter and in that he has plans, part list. So this might be a first build for me.

The Weber kits are very nice for what they cost. Just upgrade the pots and pilot light.

Mojo [mojotone.com] reportedly supplies components to several kit manufacturers, including Mission and Marsh, but doesn't supply instructions with their own kits - only layout and wiring diagrams. I've enjoyed my Mojo 5e3 build so far, but having some wiring experience and electrical knowledge is a definite plus.
ST

I like the a la carte idea. I have The Guitar Amp Handbook by Dave Hunter and in that he has plans, part list. So this might be a first build for me.

That is a fine start! Weber makes a nice chassis... like Much says go ala carte. Ask questions and have fun :)

fyi .. tedweber.com

Beginning May 1st, 2010, all amp kits will be on sale.
10% off the final retail price in the shopping cart. The price will be adjusted manually and WILL NOT APPEAR IN THE SHOPPING CART but will be reflected on your final paper invoice you receive with the package. No further discounts apply. Thanks for choosing Weber and have a great summer!

If your on a budget, the Weber kit will yield a useful amp as well.

For my last 5E3, I ordered a kit from Weber, minus transformers, pots, switches, jacks, capacitors and resistors. I used a cheapie "Made in USA" DR replacement OT and various parts I had on hand. Those DR replacement OT's work great in the 5E3 circuit.

If your going to scratch build (can of worms opening) go for Sozo caps instead of the Orange or yellow ones everyone else uses. Some say that you can't hear any difference, but, I know that everyone that has played this last amp that I built have really liked the tone.

No matter which route you choose, take your time, good solder joints are key to a good build, parts are parts. The 5E3 is one of the best amp circuits ever for guitar (they work well as a stand alone PA for a vocal mic too), everyone should own one.


Mission... Mojo
Mojo [mojotone.com] reportedly supplies components to several kit manufacturers, including Mission and Marsh, but doesn't supply instructions with their own kits - only layout and wiring diagrams. I've enjoyed my Mojo 5e3 build so far, but having some wiring experience and electrical knowledge is a definite plus.
ST

The Mission transformers are not the same as the Mojo, but are the same as Clark or Victoria, I can't remember which. Missions chassis are fantastic and have PEM nuts for most fasteners. And, the chrome plating is super nice, Bruce does substitute Mojo chassis when his chassis are out of stock and the customer can't wait (his chassis are worth the wait). I would imagine that there are several thousand Mission kits that have been assembled by now. And, probably half those were sold before Mojo ever offered a 5E3 kit.

If you go the Weber kit route, I do suggest finding some NOS Amphenol sockets, I don't care for ceramic sockets in combo amps.

I would imagine that there are several thousand Mission kits that have been assembled by now. And, probably half those were sold before Mojo ever offered a 5E3 kit.

4000 last I heard.

There was quite a bit of collaboration between manufacturers in the beginning. Everyone wanted good availability of chassis and transformers.

I still want to see a quality chrome U.S. made chassis that accepts NOS sockets.

Weber's is stainless. Their chrome shop (outsourced) were a bunch of hacks. Stainless doesn't require chrome to be shiny, problem solved.

Mission is stainless.

Mojo is chrome w/ 30mm knockouts.

I'm tempted to tap locally available manufacturing resources and make them here. I work too hard already. Not much point in building the best when everyone wants the least expensive.

If you go the Weber kit route, I do suggest finding some NOS Amphenol sockets, I don't care for ceramic sockets in combo amps.

ANY NOS socket beats new ceramic. NOS typically uses spring brass for the contacts and comes silver plated, that's vintage mil-spec. I've got mil-spec Eby right here, they're marked TS101P02. Mil-spec 9 pin mini is marlked TS103P01. Eby used very sturdy full ring contacts, they're silver plated brass. They tend to tarnish black in storage, Cinch stays a little cleaner.

Mil-spec mini shield bases are nickel plated brass. Nice stuff!

Your choices in NOS include Amphenol, Cinch, Eby, and Elco. Availability is getting thin on the surplus market.

The cheapo imported sockets have plated steel contacts. I have NOS ceramic Cinch octals that look just like the imports. NOS Cinch bakelites sell for around $10.00 each, I wonder what the ceramics are worth?! Doesn't matter, they're not for sale.

You guys are a great help here! Just knowing what brand of caps and sockets is a huge help. Thank you one and all. I think for me building this a la carte will be the best thing, so I can experience every part of the build, from getting all the right parts, picking the cab, speakers and then the assembly.
any and all comments and suggestions are welcome.

Definitely Sozos or Mojo Dijons on the caps. On a 5E3 go with 30-20-10 or 30-10-10 on the filter caps. Bumping the first cap up to 30uf makes for a huge improvement in the amp's ability to handle bass without farting out.

I built my amp partially from a kit, and partially with my own selections. Going a la carte will cost more, but it may yield happier results (either tonal or simply by feeling good) depending on your own personal tastes and sense of accomplishment. I had already sourced an output transformer and a few other parts before I purchased the rest of my kit and SDG let me opt out of those parts. It looks like Steve no longer sells kits, though.

I have a quick question about the blue Sozo's. Have any of you compared them directly to a Mallory or Orange Drop in the 5E3 circuit and was there a noticeable difference? I built a nice 5E3 clone a few years ago, using all top notch components and have been thinking about doing a little cap swapping in the interest of seeing if I can notice any difference since there are so few caps in this circuit.

I notice that they only have the Blues in 400V ratings and that the .02 cap in the 5E3 schematic is rated at 600V. Was that due to parts availability in the '50s or does this cap need to be rated at higher than 400V? I don't have a schematic with voltages on it.

I built my amp partially from a kit, and partially with my own selections. Going a la carte will cost more, but it may yield happier results (either tonal or simply by feeling good) depending on your own personal tastes and sense of accomplishment. I had already sourced an output transformer and a few other parts before I purchased the rest of my kit and SDG let me opt out of those parts. It looks like Steve no longer sells kits, though.

I have a quick question about the blue Sozo's. Have any of you compared them directly to a Mallory or Orange Drop in the 5E3 circuit and was there a noticeable difference? I built a nice 5E3 clone a few years ago, using all top notch components and have been thinking about doing a little cap swapping in the interest of seeing if I can notice any difference since there are so few caps in this circuit.

I notice that they only have the Blues in 400V ratings and that the .02 cap in the 5E3 schematic is rated at 600V. Was that due to parts availability in the '50s or does this cap need to be rated at higher than 400V? I don't have a schematic with voltages on it.

I don't have any experience with the blue Sozos, I had some of the Sozo mustard caps that I used in my 5E3.

I think the 400 volt ones will be fine in a guitar amp.

Thanks for the input everyone!
I ordered the bulk of my parts yesterday so now I can get going on the build. Haven't decided on the speaker and combo cab yet. I may go with 1 12, or possibly an eight and a 10 inch together. Should be fun.

I strongly recommend the Mission kit; lots of good resources and then there's Bruce if you need him! My first build was the Mission "Tweedy Deluxe"; still have it and no plans to ever give it up...

I've used STF Electronics and can't recommend them high enough. Great kit and very thorough directions with clear pictures. Very good for a first build.

My first build was their Super Charged Champ Combo....turned out great...worked right from the first moment I turned it on and it sounded great too.

http://www.stf-electronics.com/

*No affiliation.