N5e3D

[PunkKitty]

My Princeton Reverb clone didn't work out so I had to return it. I decided that I wanted something simpler. I picked up this used 5e3 Weber clone on ebay. It sounds great. It's loud as hell. But I think this was a better choice for me than the Princeton. I may install this in a combo cabinet with one of the Eminence 12 inch speakers I have. I'm currently using it with a 1x12 cabinet.

 

 

 

[DetroitBlues]

I'd actually be inclined to keep it as a head cab that way you can try all sorts of different size cabs...

[schundog]

Congratulations, PK! I had my 5E3 and my DRRI cranked up tonight, back and forth; Tons of fun! You probably already know this, but the two volume knobs interact with each other; ie, don't just use one to get your tone, fiddle with the other one, too, to get cleaner/dirtier sounds, depending on your preference. I am NOT talking about when using the channels jumpered, this works when you are just plugged into one input, as well. Have fun!

[PunkKitty]

Cool! I didn't know that. I like the sounds I'm getting out of this amp. Now I have some more sounds to experiment with.

[fxdx99]

Congrats, Monica! Following on to Brian's post, below some info on 5e3 that I received from Li'l Dawg when I got mine. I found this useful...

 

Here’s a great bit on interactive volume controls from Gerald Weber’s book “Tube Amp Talk for the Guitarist and Tech”.

 

Let’s look at another example, the tweed Deluxe. This amp is very unique because the volume controls are not voltage dividers!! Did you ever wonder why all tweed Deluxes seem to have an audio pot with too fast a taper? The volume control in a tweed Deluxe works by “loading down” the signal coming from the plates of the preamp tubes!

 

If you are plugged into the instrument channel, the signal goes backwards through the microphone channel’s volume pot, through the microphone channel’s coupling cap, plate resistor, and filter cap to ground. You will get maximum mids in the instrument channel with the microphone channel’s volume control turned about halfway up. You will get a maximum midrange scoop with the microphone channel’s volume control turned full up. This would work the same if you switched channels and were plugged into the microphone channel and adjusting the instrument channel’s volume.

 

This can be used to your advantage, especially if you have an A/B box. Set the microphone channel all the way up and the instrument channel halfway up. Use an A/B box to select between the microphone and instrument channels.

 

Here’s what will happen: When you select the instrument channel, you will get a fabulous clean tone. Since the instrument volume is turned halfway, you are not really overdriving the instrument channel that hard and since the microphone’s volume control is turned full up, you are scooping out the mids in the instrument channel. This gives you that “better than blackface Twin” clean tone-to die for.

 

When you select the microphone channel (which is turned all the way up), you will get a fabulous lead tone. For one thing, you will be overdriving the output stage and because the instrument channel is halfway up, you will be boosting the mids as much as possible. This results in a thick, creamy, cello-like tone with incredible sustain.

 

Of course, there are many other settings between the two extremes described earlier that will give very usable tones. This is where experimentation with your guitar, your playing style and listening will reveal the possibilities.

 

The controls are very interactive and you can get lots of usable tone quickly. Facing the back of the amp from left to right is switch, pilot light, tone, instrument volume, mic volume, hi/lo gain input (hi is the bottom & lo is the top), and the mic inputs (same as the instrument inputs).

 

To get maximum drive I tell folks to plug into the hi gain instrument (lower left jack) and turn the instrument volume (middle pot) to the volume you want, then turn the mic volume up to 3 o'clock and you'll hear the drive really kicking in. Past 3 o'clock and the amp cleans up and the volume goes down which is normal and can be used to get some nice clean tones as well. You can do the same with the mic channel and turning up the instrument volume. I've attached a portion from one of Gerald Weber's books that explains the interactive controls pretty well.

 

Also, the tone control will seem more like another gain stage than a tone control when using the mic channel. With the instrument channel it has the traditional tone control thing going on.

 

You can also use a jumper from one channel to the other and get some nice fat tone that way, or use an AB box and do channel switching.

[PunkKitty]

Awesome! So with a A/B switch the amp essentially has 2 channels! I didn't know that.

[DetroitBlues]

Ok, after reading all this. I want one now!

[schundog]

Ok, after reading all this. I want one now!

Well, happen to know this guy.....oh wait, I believe you might know him TOO, haha.

[tsp17]

that's gotta be fun.

[H]

Nice new amp, PK! I had a lot of fun playing with the controls when I built my 5e3 and FXDX99 kindly sent those same instructions to me As Schundog says, these are great amps to team up with a blackface for a roomful of tone!

[yoslate]

Nice new amp, PK! I had a lot of fun playing with the controls when I built my 5e3 and FXDX99 kindly sent those same instructions to me As Schundog says, these are great amps to team up with a blackface for a roomful of tone!

 

...and then Howard forwarded that same info to me, when I bought Kenny's Weber 5E3 clone.... A note on that one. I've had it a few years, and it's always sounded good, as one of those should. Used it mostly in the music room, lower volume. When it went to a gig, it was paired with the Princeton, so it never really had to stand on its own. About two weeks ago, I plugged it in, it vomited, and would produce nothing but noise. Took it to rehab. Dale cleaned the jacks, made sure all the values were to spec, then put a couple of tubes in it...not even sure what he replaced. Took it for a spin at the shop, when I picked it up. Hokey Smoke! it's easily twice the amp it has ever been, as long as I've owned it. Just this side of a paint peeler. Having it as a head is a great idea, Monica! It looks great, and you ought to have an awful lot of fun with different 'verbs, pedals, cabs, et.al. Congrats; that's a quality snag!

[koula901]

Ok, after reading all this. I want one now!

Me too!

[GuitArtMan]

5e3 are wonderful Amps. I have a Tungsten Crema Wheat that never fails to put a smile on my face every time I plug into it.

[DetroitBlues]

The other day, I saw my old Marshall 1974 amp for sale on craigslist. I wanted that amp back awhile ago. Since I bought the Traynor, I have since changed my mind. I do like the idea of a Fender like amp again.... I wonder if this wold be it?

[Guest HRB853370]

Congratulations, PK! I had my 5E3 and my DRRI cranked up tonight, back and forth; Tons of fun! You probably already know this, but the two volume knobs interact with each other; ie, don't just use one to get your tone, fiddle with the other one, too, to get cleaner/dirtier sounds, depending on your preference. I am NOT talking about when using the channels jumpered, this works when you are just plugged into one input, as well. Have fun!

I never knew this SD, my owner manual didn't say that either!!!

[hinesarchtop]

Congrats, Monica! Following on to Brian's post, below some info on 5e3 that I received from Li'l Dawg when I got mine. I found this useful...

 

Here’s a great bit on interactive volume controls from Gerald Weber’s book “Tube Amp Talk for the Guitarist and Tech”.

 

Let’s look at another example, the tweed Deluxe. This amp is very unique because the volume controls are not voltage dividers!! Did you ever wonder why all tweed Deluxes seem to have an audio pot with too fast a taper? The volume control in a tweed Deluxe works by “loading down” the signal coming from the plates of the preamp tubes!

 

If you are plugged into the instrument channel, the signal goes backwards through the microphone channel’s volume pot, through the microphone channel’s coupling cap, plate resistor, and filter cap to ground. You will get maximum mids in the instrument channel with the microphone channel’s volume control turned about halfway up. You will get a maximum midrange scoop with the microphone channel’s volume control turned full up. This would work the same if you switched channels and were plugged into the microphone channel and adjusting the instrument channel’s volume.

 

This can be used to your advantage, especially if you have an A/B box. Set the microphone channel all the way up and the instrument channel halfway up. Use an A/B box to select between the microphone and instrument channels.

 

Here’s what will happen: When you select the instrument channel, you will get a fabulous clean tone. Since the instrument volume is turned halfway, you are not really overdriving the instrument channel that hard and since the microphone’s volume control is turned full up, you are scooping out the mids in the instrument channel. This gives you that “better than blackface Twin” clean tone-to die for.

 

When you select the microphone channel (which is turned all the way up), you will get a fabulous lead tone. For one thing, you will be overdriving the output stage and because the instrument channel is halfway up, you will be boosting the mids as much as possible. This results in a thick, creamy, cello-like tone with incredible sustain.

 

Of course, there are many other settings between the two extremes described earlier that will give very usable tones. This is where experimentation with your guitar, your playing style and listening will reveal the possibilities.

 

The controls are very interactive and you can get lots of usable tone quickly. Facing the back of the amp from left to right is switch, pilot light, tone, instrument volume, mic volume, hi/lo gain input (hi is the bottom & lo is the top), and the mic inputs (same as the instrument inputs).

 

To get maximum drive I tell folks to plug into the hi gain instrument (lower left jack) and turn the instrument volume (middle pot) to the volume you want, then turn the mic volume up to 3 o'clock and you'll hear the drive really kicking in. Past 3 o'clock and the amp cleans up and the volume goes down which is normal and can be used to get some nice clean tones as well. You can do the same with the mic channel and turning up the instrument volume. I've attached a portion from one of Gerald Weber's books that explains the interactive controls pretty well.

 

Also, the tone control will seem more like another gain stage than a tone control when using the mic channel. With the instrument channel it has the traditional tone control thing going on.

 

You can also use a jumper from one channel to the other and get some nice fat tone that way, or use an AB box and do channel switching.

Great info! I traded for a Marsh 5E3 that's a very cool amp. Gonna go try this!!!! Thanks.

[hinesarchtop]

Congrats on a very cool amp! It's a great circuit.

[smokedtires]

Would love to get such a neat amp one day. Enjoy!