5E3 Amp kit Cost Questions

I am looking at options for building my first 5E3 amp. It seams like the Weber kit is the best value out there at $490 for everything (chassis kit, speaker, cabinet, transformers, and tubes). But, it does come with Chinese-made transformers.

Weber ordering allows you to not include the transformers for -$40 off of the kit. One could then buy the triode USA made transformer bundle from Triode for $87 Bringing the total cost of an ENTIRE 5E3 kit to $537.

This seams to be considerably less than other vendors I am looking at no matter which way I piece it together.

So:
Will the USA-made (classic tone) transformers fit/work with the Weber chassis/kit?

Is there something else about the Weber kit that is bad/poor quality?

What am I missing?

Thanks for everyone's insight!

There are many others with more knowledge than me here, but I've had my Weber 5E3 for a few years now, with no issues....other than a power surge that took out the PT. (The storm also did about $20k damage to my home :sad:). The biggest impact on tone would probably be the OT. You can find many threads that debate the benefits of different transformers. Though, they should all fit on the Weber chassis. If needed, Weber also sells upgraded transformers and caps.

I figured I could always upgrade my amp if necessary. I just never found it necessary. :lol: I am happy with my "Weber" stock amp.

The only thing I don't like about Weber is their website...It is disjointed and really needs upgraded and freshened up.

I recently built a Boothillamps 5E3 kit for me and a Weber 5F4 kit for my neighbor.

I found a nice cab for the 5E3 on ebay, got a Weber speaker and PT, and Classictone OT. I like building on a turret board. Amp works great.

The Weber cab was of much lesser quality (several knots in pine, really ugly corner joints, very thin plywood). I didn't like using the eyelet board. The chinese preamp tubes all arrived with bent pins - they were thrown away immediately. Amp works great.

I'd go back to Boothill again.

When i decided to build my tweed deluxe, I made a list of everyone I could find who was selling a 5e3 style kit. For just about every kit out there I could find I also found several people who loved that seller's kit, service, quality etc.
I came to the conclusion that I could buy most any of them and end up with a nice amp in the end. I think this market is too small for someone to survive very long with more than a few unhappy customers.
I went with Boothill because I really liked the way he came across in his videos and the idea of having the freedom to select my own tubes, trannies, speaker and cabinet let me feel like my finished amp would reflect what I wanted it to be. I have also found him to be true to his word about providing one on one help quickly and kindly. I was able to build an amp that worked beautifully the first time it was plugged in.
That said I am sure others have the same nice things to say about the different people they purchased from.
Just find the one that has something that appeals to you and go ahead and take the plunge, you'll love it.

I recently built a Boothillamps 5E3 kit for me and a Weber 5F4 kit for my neighbor.

I found a nice cab for the 5E3 on ebay, got a Weber speaker and PT, and Classictone OT. I like building on a turret board. Amp works great.

The Weber cab was of much lesser quality (several knots in pine, really ugly corner joints, very thin plywood). I didn't like using the eyelet board. The chinese preamp tubes all arrived with bent pins - they were thrown away immediately. Amp works great.

I'd go back to Boothill again.

my 5e3 head cab from weber was just fine -- all of the corner work was done very nicely. i had none of the issues bronto8 described. nothing fancy, just got the job done.

eyelet boards are traditional fender -- the weber ones are easy to work with and good quality. I can see why people prefer turrets, tho.

i have never gotten tubes from weber for the two kits I've done. have always bought them locally.

Buy the kit from Boothill, the trans from Classictone, the speaker from Weber, the Cab from Memphis Amps (http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230806803478+#ht_500wt_949)

Might not be the cheapest option, but it'll be the best quality bang for buck build....or...

Ceriatone is a fine start also, I've used them...

http://www.ceriatone.com/productSubPages/AC5E3/AC5E3Complete.htm

or....

http://www.missionamps.com/5E3kit.shtml


or...

http://www.trinityamps.com/Product_Trindel.htm


or..

http://www.mojotone.com/amp-parts/amp-kits-tweed-style/Tweed-Deluxe-Style-Amplifier-Kit

THanks for all the opinions. I actually took the plunge pretty much to what Telenut suggested with a Boothill 5e3 kit, memphis amps cab from ebay, and Classic tone transformer bundle and 5e3 JJ tube kit from triode.


I have not ordered a speaker yet. I am considering the Weber Signature 12s Alnico (only $45). Is this a good choice, at least as an initial speaker for the build?


If I go with this Weber speaker, my total cost of everything, including all shipping charges is $616.00! I can live with that :grin:

Sounds great. Good luck, I think you'll be happy.

Hmm.

Looking at speakers, it seams Weber calls the 12A125A "the 5E3 speaker"

I might go with this as it seams to be a pretty popular choice for tweed builds.

So the question is would I do the 20w or 30w version of this speaker?

Has anyone used the 12A125A in their 5E3 build? What watt version did you use?

12A125A 30watt version is fine, I found it a bit harsh on the trebles at first but once it had some miles it sounded pretty cool.

I have the Weber Sig12s alnico speaker in mine. I'm happy with it.

We have a LOUD drummer. The amp keeps up very easily with the band.

pryde's kit shipped today as promised.

Thanks to pryde, bronto8, SFenn and my favorite Telenut from down under. Good discussion.

I bought the 20 watt 12a125a Weber with light dope for my 5e3 and had it in for the first few days. I really loved the way it sounds but I took it out to save it for my next 5e3 build.
I have a spare "Texas Heat" speaker I bought new on ebay for $70 in it now and it sounds really good too.
If you do decide to go with a Weber speaker buy it now cause they build it just for you. I got mine 4 weeks after I ordered it.

pryde's kit shipped today as promised.

Thanks to pryde, bronto8, SFenn and my favorite Telenut from down under. Good discussion.

Thanks Dave! got the e-mail. I am really looking forward to the build.

Corresponding with Dave, He recommended the ceramic Weber Sig 12S over the alnico version. I have read a few places that the ceramic helps tightnen up the bass a bit. For $35 not out much picking one up to complete the build initially. I could then order a better quality speaker from Weber at some point.

Has anyone used a cheap ceramic Weber in their 5e3? What do you think?

Thanks again to everyone, great forum.

Well I found the basic diff with a ceramic is more mids and with the Alnico there's that lovely bottom end and a sweeter high end. Changing the 0.1 pre-amp coupling caps to 0.02 will lessen the flab, recommended if your going to play the amp loud.......and don't use a LP

Telecaster + 5e3 = :)
It's a mathematical truth.

Les Pauls sound GREAT through my amp.... maybe not some crappy mass produced Gibson, but the ones I make do.:mrgreen:

Hmmm,

I guess I need an "all around" speaker. I will def, be playing my tele and of course what a tweedy sound, BUT I also have a dual P-90 tele and a LP I play often as well.

With that in mind, I am not sure wether to go with the alnico or ceramic Weber? Obviously got a bad case of paralysis by analysis here :lol:

Haha...happens to us all, just build it first then mod to suit your needs. Sounds like you'll prefer the ceramic though.

'nother vote for the Weber 12A125A 30watt version. A pretty unbeatable 5E3 spec speaker. I doubt that you'd be disappointed with this speaker.

Has anyone used a cheap ceramic Weber in their 5e3? What do you think?

I've used hand me down Fender Special Designs removed from Blues Juniors. They're like an Eminence Legend and I like Legends. Pretty sure Victoria ships their tweed Deluxe with a Legend.

You can change the speaker to match the amp. The advanced program is changing the amp to match the speaker.

Well for what it's worth I ordered a Weber 12A125A 30W light dope. I listened to a lot of clips and if Weber says it is "the 5E3 speaker" well then thats good enough for me.

I already got the classictone PT/OT and tubes delivered today! Let the goods start rollin in :grin:

Thanks again to everyone for their insight and help with this. I am sure I will be begging for more help as soon as the building process starts :confused:

I use Weber Sig 12 Alnicos and Sig 12 B ceramic speakers all of the time. they are my favorites and they are reasonably lightweight. Weight is important to me. The ceramic speakers do have a higher output per watt in addition to the other attributes mentioned above. They treat me well there at Weber. BTW, let us know about the Classic tone transformer. I do use the Heyboer from Weber output transformers and they are terrific. they may not be a standard Heyboer transformer as I think Ted did spec what he wanted.

I originally intended to buy a 5E3 combo kit from Mission, but I must have caught Bruce on a bad day. I sent him an email asking about a price for the kit without speaker and with matched tube upgrades he advertises on his website, he told me to go buy a Weber VST kit and source the tubes myself on eBay. He's reputed to provide great customer service, unfortunately my experience proved to be the opposite - my new Trinity Tweed Deluxe kit is on the way.

Dave over at Boothill have provided me great customer service. I'm still building my kit, but he has timely responded to every email (no matter how stupid they were, or how OCD!) if I build another kit, I will use him again.

I originally intended to buy a 5E3 combo kit from Mission, but I must have caught Bruce on a bad day. I sent him an email asking about a price for the kit without speaker and with matched tube upgrades he advertises on his website, he told me to go buy a Weber VST kit and source the tubes myself on eBay. He's reputed to provide great customer service, unfortunately my experience proved to be the opposite - my new Trinity Tweed Deluxe kit is on the way.

Stephen at Trinity is great to deal with and their kits are second to none, you did good I reckon.

Snowy

+1 on excellent customer support from Dave at Boothill! I will definitely get my next build from boothill

I originally had a ceramic Jensen in it, but it was farty.

I quickly put a 12" alnico blue in it. I love it, esp after some mod's to the amp, lowered the gain on V1 and put in a larger bypass cap on the both V1 & output tubes 50V/100uF.

No more flub, grind is still there and it sounds tweedy and compressed.

With a Strat, it get's glassy SRV clean tones at lower volumes, winds up to a wicked marshal meltdown at full volume, and with a tele it's twangy, just what the doc ordered.