NAD - Tweed amp deal of the year?

[Blue David]

I just got A 5E3 very possible 57 custom deluxe from the local big box for $650.

it says th3 serial is D-04307- pics attached.

It sounds awesome through the normal channel. but no sound through the bright channel
If I jumper the 2; the is some change in tone as I rotate the knob, but not alot.

For the price I can afford to have it looked at and fixed.

Any clues if its a true Fender 57 RI or whose; and what could be wrong with the bright side?

I figure the cab and speaker are worth what I paid for it at worst, but it does sound great
and its cheaper than a Blues Junior tweed!

 

[Paul G.]

Not a Fender, but it should be good.

First thing to do is check all voltages.

 

[__HKGuns__]

My money is on a kit build. Still a decent deal, I wouldn't sell you my 5E3 kit for that price. But I've never seen the insides of a Fender 57 RI, so I may be wrong.

 

[mabinogeon]

Definitely a kit build. Weber speaker, and the wire sure looks like Weber's too. But the resistors and caps aren't from Weber. (Though the yellow coupling caps look like the ones that came with a Weber kit I built years ago). Tranny info would help. $650 is a fair price for a used kit build that works. Bummer about the dead channel, I'd check for an accidental ground connection somewhere at the jacks. One stray wire can do it.

What's a good price for a partially-working kit build? I dunno, $300? Hard to say. Getting it up and running properly could be an expensive endeavor. Or it could be one loose wire or bad solder joint. You'll be paying someone by the hour to figure it out though. Have them twist the pairs of wires from the PT whilst they're in there.

Maybe post a close up shot of the trannies, the jacks, and the preamp tube sockets?

My guess is someone bought the cab, speaker, and chassis from Weber and sourced the other parts from elsewhere.

Here's the inside of a '57 Deluxe RI, note the fuses and stuff

It came from a big box? I'd return it. I can't believe they'd sell a broken amp.

 

[Lowspeid]

Great score, but like the others have said, it’s not a Fender. But it looks to have quality components, and any competent amp tech should be able to sort out any issues really quickly.

 

[__HKGuns__]

If you have a tech fix the broken input channel, I'd also have him run those filament wires in parallel and twist them to reduce the noise floor. Based on your pictures the builder is using the chassis for the second filament connection, which isn't optimal IMHO.

 

[Blue David]

I'll get some pics of the PT and OT.

One more pic attached before I go to the shop.
With the sticker is it a fender cab?

I don't understand why anyone would take the fender amp out of the cab and put in a kit?

I will say the Weber speaker could go for 150 and the cab for 300 on Reverb - new the pair could fetch 600 bucks.

The worst I figure is get the Mojotone kit, build it and install in the cab with an Alnico speaker!

more to come soon.

 

[mabinogeon]

I figure the cab and speaker are worth what I paid for it at worst,

Incidentally, the Weber cab is $300 and the speaker is $150. They often have sales and free shipping.

 

[mabinogeon]

I'll get some pics of the PT and OT.

One more pic attached before I go to the shop.
With the sticker is it a fender cab?

I don't understand why anyone would take the fender amp out of the cab and put in a kit?

I will say the Weber speaker could go for 150 and the cab for 300 on Reverb - new the pair could fetch 600 bucks.

The worst I figure is get the Mojotone kit, build it and install in the cab with an Alnico speaker!

more to come soon.

It's not a Fender cab. Whoever built the amp printed that and pasted it in. I do the same thing in my builds, but I coat it with a couple coats of amber shellac to make the label look older.

 

[schmee]

I'll get some pics of the PT and OT.

One more pic attached before I go to the shop.
With the sticker is it a fender cab?

I don't understand why anyone would take the fender amp out of the cab and put in a kit?

I will say the Weber speaker could go for 150 and the cab for 300 on Reverb - new the pair could fetch 600 bucks.

The worst I figure is get the Mojotone kit, build it and install in the cab with an Alnico speaker!

more to come soon.

"Replacement" tube charts are a dime a dozen. It could be a RI cab someone bought, but just likely a Weber or other maker's cab.
Most of the work in that looks good. You just need to figure out why the one channel isn't working. Cetainly no need to look for a mojo kit or anything.
There have been issues with people wiring the 4 input jacks wrong and revisions to what Fender has on the layout wrong also! (IIRC???) I would look there first.
The numbers off the Power transformer and Output transformer will tell if it's Weber trannies or whose. That may help.

Pay attention to the wire details on the jacks here:

Also, if it is multi strand wire, look for tiny stray wires near the tube sockets that may not have got soldered and are grounding out on something. Looks like the yellow is 'push back' solid wire though.

 

[mabinogeon]

I will say the Weber speaker could go for 150 and the cab for 300 on Reverb - new the pair could fetch 600 bucks.

Not sure where you're coming up with $600 for a $155 speaker and a $290 cab, direct from the manufacturer.

12A125A – Weber Speakers

www.tedweber.com

5E3 Cabinet – Weber Speakers

www.tedweber.com

I'd still say return it, your big box store sold you a broken home-brew kit amp.

 

[schmee]

It's not the "deal of the year" but if the problem is a simple thing not a bad deal either. The parts would cost your $650 and then you'd have to build the whole thing which takes quite a few hours!
The speaker is an upgrade for sure.

 

[__HKGuns__]

I'd keep it. It has good components, better than the stuff Fender uses in their real amps and the kit would cost more than what he paid just for all the components.

Cab looks decent, speaker should be good in that amp. Heck, he even has a tube chart! That can run you $25.

Hell, I put a piece of tape in my chassis with LUPE written on it for authenticity! Doesn't mean she built it.....

I didn't post any help on fixing as he doesn't seem comfortable sticking his fingers in the amp.

Please don't electrocute yourself trying to suss out your input channel problem. Look, don't touch anything, unless you know what you are doing.

 

[Jared Purdy]

Definitely a kit build. Weber speaker, and the wire sure looks like Weber's too. But the resistors and caps aren't from Weber. (Though the yellow coupling caps look like the ones that came with a Weber kit I built years ago). Tranny info would help. $650 is a fair price for a used kit build that works. Bummer about the dead channel, I'd check for an accidental ground connection somewhere at the jacks. One stray wire can do it. What's a good price for a partially-working kit build? I dunno, $300? Hard to say. Getting it up and running properly could be an expensive endeavor. Or it could be one lose wire or bad solder joint. You'll be paying someone by the hour to figure it out though. Have them twist the pairs of wires from the PT whilst they're in there.

Maybe post a close up shot of the trannies, the jacks, and the preamp tube sockets?

My guess is someone bought the cab, speaker, and chassis from Weber and sourced the other parts from elsewhere.

Here's the inside of a '57 Deluxe RI, note the fuses and stuff

View attachment 1101056

It came from a big box? I'd return it. I can't believe they'd sell a broken amp.

I've got the 57' RI, and the insides are a thing of beauty, as your photo shows. Neat as a pin, as we say. The sound? The best. I'd say they got it right. Mind you, I might be one of the detractors, I think they get a lot of tings right. Their Custom amps are right up there with the best.

 

[68goldtop]

Hi!

I've got the 57' RI ... I'd say they got it right...

Yes, I´m with you!
I had a couple of "clones" myself, but I like the Fender-Reissue (far left) the best so far!
Great sound, great looks, no issues

I didn´t (and wouldn't´t) pay the 2K+ price they´re asking now, though.
For that kind of money I´d buy a vintage Fender (or two)



cheers - 68.

 

[AxemanVR]

.
$650 doesn’t sound like a bad deal for a 5E3, even if it needs a little work - sure beats $2400 for a new Fender - although I don’t regret getting my 2019 Fender ‘57 Custom Deluxe either (I got it used for $1400).

Anyway, since you already have it, you might as well go the extra mile and get it working right…

.

 

[Blue David]

"Replacement" tube charts are a dime a dozen. It could be a RI cab someone bought, but just likely a Weber or other maker's cab.
Most of the work in that looks good. You just need to figure out why the one channel isn't working. Cetainly no need to look for a mojo kit or anything.
There have been issues with people wiring the 4 input jacks wrong and revisions to what Fender has on the layout wrong also! (IIRC???) I would look there first.
The numbers off the Power transformer and Output transformer will tell if it's Weber trannies or whose. That may help.

Pay attention to the wire details on the jacks here:
View attachment 1101109
Also, if it is multi strand wire, look for tiny stray wires near the tube sockets that may not have got soldered and are grounding out on something. Looks like the yellow is 'push back' solid wire though.

you sir know what you're doing.

There were 3 grounds not done in the build including 2 above off the inputs.

I soldered those in and the bright channel works perfectly.

The other was off the extension speaker/speaker outputs.

I used yours and the Weber diagram and found them.

thank you.

 

[Blue David]

i was looking at one on Reverb 2 weeks ago for $1450 in York, Pa.

I tried to figure out a way I could get there from Indianapolis.

Ah maybe someday I'll spring for the Fender. This clone is a joy to play thru right now.

see my post above - bright channel works due to adding a couple grounds.

 

[Blue David]

here are pix of the OT and PT.

I haven't found exact matches, the #'s do show they are replacements for a Deluxe.

 

[schmee]

you sir know what you're doing.

There were 3 grounds not done in the build including 2 above off the inputs.

I soldered those in and the bright channel works perfectly.

The other was off the extension speaker/speaker outputs.

I used yours and the Weber diagram and found them.

thank you.

Cool! Glad you got it going!