Weber 5F2A

[daveh222]

I'm thinking of building a Weber 5F2A and would like to hear from anyone who has experience with a recent one. I notice MGWIT just built one in the Cap discharge thread, but thought a fresh thread migh be a good idea. I'd like opinions on the sound of this kit compared to a champ, or other low wattage amps. I wonder how people like the larger cab and speaker, as well as the tone control.

If for no other reason, it seems like a little extra room could make it easier to mod. My next question is whether anyone has added a VVR to one of these, and your opinion of the results. I've tried Lpad attenuators on similar amps and haven't been impressed.

Thanks!

dave

[G-log]

I built one from an old stereo amp using a 12 in speaker.It is a fun and satisfying project. The tone cicuit is a nice simple ,usable setup. I used the Dave Hunter 2 stroke design that incorporated the boost switch.I recently sold it to a friend who gigs regularly with it ( He sold his Swart 6V6 se after he got mine!)It's a very easily modded amp with more volume and girth than a Champ.I talked to Trinity amps about putting a VVR in it and they said that they have tried it on some of their low power amp designs and decided it wasn't a good fit. YMMV.

[JohnnyCrash]

I prefer BF/SF style Champs.

VVRs will not be a perfect attenuation. If you don't like L-Pads, attenuators, or Master Volumes - a VVR will have similar limitations. At lower volumes it will not sound so good.

[SnorkelMonkey]

I've built a 5F2a adding a switch to bypass the tone control. This mod basically makes it a Champ 5F1 or a 5F2a with a DPDT or SPST switch (depending on how bypassed you want it and the switches available to you). I also scaled the entire amp (VVR) with the cap mod (avoids DC on the pot aka no crackle) with excellent results. I'll disagree with JC. It sounds very good at lower volumes not in the MV/attenuators league IMO.

I would go with the 5F2a kit over a 5F1. The cab for the 5F2a is larger and provide a fuller range than the 5F1. There's also room to put a larger speaker in there if you decided to go that route down the road.

[JohnnyCrash]

Originally Posted by SnorkelMonkey

I've built a 5F2a adding a switch to bypass the tone control. This mod basically makes it a Champ 5F1 or a 5F2a with a DPDT or SPST switch (depending on how bypassed you want it and the switches available to you). I also scaled the entire amp (VVR) with the cap mod (avoids DC on the pot aka no crackle) with excellent results. I'll disagree with JC. It sounds very good at lower volumes not in the MV/attenuators league IMO.

I would go with the 5F2a kit over a 5F1. The cab for the 5F2a is larger and provide a fuller range than the 5F1. There's also room to put a larger speaker in there if you decided to go that route down the road.

As with everything musical - opinions vary

I've done the tweed Champ thing a million times. MVs (basically one resistor swapped for a pot on basic SE amps like the Champ), attenuators, and VVRs... so let me clarify:

I use (and love) a VVR on a few amps... they don't suck, but let's just say anything that limits volume will not sound the same (or 100% as good) as the amp cranked without attenuation... unless you like 2203/2204 JCM800 Marshalls for their MV sound (which I do), they're all compromises - some more than others and all most noticeable when really dialing down the db's.

It'll sound best if used sparingly. I did not mean to imply that VVR circuits are awful... some of my amps would be unuseable without one!

[winny pooh]

I directly compared a weber kit with my own silverface champ (with a 25watt 8") 3 months ago. The 5f2a was not as loud and broke up a fair bit quicker, even the sorta cleans had some hair on them, on full volume its pretty compressed and fun and fuzzy. My own champ stayed much cleaner and had more lows and I found it more versatile alone or with pedals and would be my preference. The 5F2a is a great blues amp and actually weighed a bit less than the smaller champ. You could also look at the ceriatone champ kit...

[mgwhit]

Dave,

I haven't built anything except for the 5f2a, so I can't compare it to a Champ, but I can say:

a.) The 5f2a chassis is not very big. I had room to do what I needed, but I can't imagine working in something smaller.

b.) I like the tone control of the 5f2a. I keep mine rolled down to around 9, + or - depending on the guitar. The Weber schematic says linear pots for Volume and Tone, but my kit came with audio tapers. They work great.

c.) 5 watts through a 10" can be extremely loud, but I can still practice in the basement after my kid goes to bed if I don't go much over 2 on the volume. (I dial in a slight bit of fuzz face for grit). Depending on the guitar/pickups, I get tweed cleans up to about 3.5 and then it starts breaking up nicely until I have a full distortion sometime after 6. There's no point for me to go beyond there unless I want to scare the neighbors.

I got nervous halfway through my build thinking that the Princeton might be too loud for night-time practice in the house and that maybe I should have done a Champ. I have no regrets. I've played it every night since I built it (cranking it when I have a chance during the day) and I always come upstairs with a big stupid grin on my face.

Good luck!

[Dr.Ow!]

Opinions on 5F2a. I am planning a similar project and have many parts, esp the PT, but need the OT still. From my studying it seems important to get/invest in the best SE OT you can for the 5F2a. I am leaning to the Allen T-011. Angela has a write up for his 2x6v6 SE project describing the simple diff between the f1's and f2's being the added tone control, 10" speaker, and the larger 8watt OT! The key is the size. Don't be fooled into the many claims out there of 8watts from the tiny champ size OT offered by many. It will handle the current, but will not deliver the depth. Best to spend another 20-30$ here. Allen , MM, The Hammond 125cse/dse seem the better choices. I like the Allen as it is a Heyboer on a paper bobbin and nearest to original build.

Regards the tweed tone control you ask about-After many iterations on my P/P projects from 6G3-6G2-5E3- & various trials of some of the custom's @ the Hoffman site with various tmb tone stacks I have finally settled on the Princeton AA1164 with NO on board verb. It took some tweaking to get it to work-small bypass and coupling cap values and the correct voltages per the fender schematic, but now it is lush. Def different than the 2 gain stage and high volts of the AA964-which I tried as well. It takes processor/pedals at the front very well so why bother with the expense of the tank etc? I am going to try the same 3 stage into the SE 6v6 and see how it goes.

I found the BF tone stack- as Johnny Crash said above- is very nice and adaptable vs. the limitations of the Tweed. Not to denigrate the Tweed t.c., but it is limited and mid rangy(good for vintage single coils-not great w/ h/b's IMO) vs the BF/SF. Another advantage is that you can mess with the values involved in the BF/TMB and tweak it quite a bit. I now prefer the simple TB with no Mid pot as I found it always ended up near exact to the 6k8 of the BF anyway-funny that-Leo likely concluded same so eliminated it. But I am not a lead guitar player looking for a screaming metal marshall thing either.

So now that I have the P/P amp finally where I like it... and like you I am hankering for a small easy carry SE'er. Have the PT and other bits and planning a 6F2AA. The logical progession before Fender veered to the P/P. Also you can play with running the 6v6's at different voltages which have great influence from cleans to early break up bluesy, just by altering the rail resistors somewhat and adding to the dropping R before the A node-I use diode rectifier. With Tube rect set it up for a real 5Y3(not sovtek) for the lower end volts, then change to 5v4 etc to raise the voltages. I prefer the cheap reliable N5408 and 10watt cement resistors in an adjustable dropping chain before the A node.

Makes learning this stuff and building your own amp a real treat as with 20$ of spares you can you tweak your amps overall sound quite alot. And be sure to build a light bulb current limiter!...a must have item.

[G-log]

I used the Hammond 125 CSE in mine. 8 watt OT

[jchabalk]

Hi there, WRT the Weber 5F2A kit, does anyone know what the RCA plug and jack are for with this kit? It's on the parts list. The only thing i can think of is they're using it for the speaker connection. If so is there any reason not to use a 1/4" with it instead.

I'm going to order one soon and also revive my 5H15 reverb/trem build. Got caught up moving houses etc.. don't mean to hijack ;)