I decided to buy the Fender Deluxe 5e3 signature Edge model

ooba tooba

Super Member
CC11760C-7A48-41E0-BDB8-3B288637F53E.jpeg 04B2DDED-2C48-4D14-BC64-8902154BF792.jpeg 05B4FA85-E343-4BBD-A9E7-FE88A6CDA406.jpeg 43ADEB01-665A-4BD1-898D-4CD0E381D648.jpeg I have always wanted a Fender tweed but could never decide which model. I like that this model has the 5e3 circuit, Celestion blue speaker and is hand built point to point. I couldn’t afford a late 50s version of the Deluxe (think Neil Young tone) but found a used version of this model I could swing. I can’t wait to spend some time with this amp. Anyone else have this, or another 5e3? I mainly play a Tele these days so seems like a nice match. A few pics.
 
I have an original "narrow-panel" 5E3 (dated 1955) that my grandmother purchased for me from a certain Bluesman @ Chicago in or about 1969. May I ask what $$ Fender is asking for this reissue?
 
View attachment 1249799 View attachment 1249800 View attachment 1249801 View attachment 1249802 I have always wanted a Fender tweed but could never decide which model. I like that this model has the 5e3 circuit, Celestion blue speaker and is hand built point to point. I couldn’t afford a late 50s version of the Deluxe (think Neil Young tone) but found a used version of this model I could swing. I can’t wait to spend some time with this amp. Anyone else have this, or another 5e3? I mainly play a Tele these days so seems like a nice match. A few pics.

Beautiful amp!
 
I have an original "narrow-panel" 5E3 (dated 1955) that my grandmother purchased for me from a certain Bluesman @ Chicago in or about 1969. May I ask what $$ Fender is asking for this reissue?
The “tweaked to his specs” in the link I provided from Fender is a 12aux7 in place of the y variety in the preamp section. This version would have virtually no clean headroom before breaking up. I probably will swap out that tube to bring it back to 1950s specs
 
I had a 5E3 clone for quite a while. It was right in line with my tastes. I also tend to like 18W Marshalls, AC15s, Princetons/Deluxes, the Dr Z Carmen Ghia etc... things you can crank a bit and get some character.

I swapped several speakers and ran it into different cabinets. I settled on a Weber Silver Bell. A bit more body and bottom end than the Celestion Blue at the cost if losing a bit of chime.

At that time, I'd often run either a Klon clone or a Sweet Honey into it for a pinch more zing, esp with single coils.

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I had a 5E3 clone for quite a while. It was right in line with my tastes. I also tend to like 18W Marshalls, AC15s, Princetons/Deluxes, the Dr Z Carmen Ghia etc... things you can crank a bit and get some character.

I swapped several speakers and ran it into different cabinets. I settled on a Weber Silver Bell. A bit more body and bottom end than the Celestion Blue at the cost if losing a bit of chime.

At that time, I'd often run either a Klon clone or a Sweet Honey into it for a pinch more zing, esp with single coils.

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I also have a Vox ac15, and a little 50s Magnatone (basically same as the late 50s Champ). My main guitar is a 90s Tele Plus (single in the neck/Dually in the bridge) but I am gathering the last of the parts for another Tele build, this one with an all rosewood neck, and Gibson 57 Classics in it. Should be a little demon. I usually don’t hook up pedals but sometimes for that Zep 2 Page Sound I’ll hook up an Electro Harmonix Memory Toy and put it on a very low setting for that live Heartbreaker sound. I did just pic up a Wampler Velvet Fuzz version 1 pedal I’m anxious to plug in. Thanks for the input on speakers. Cheers!
 
I've been kicking around the idea of acquiring another Champ, one that wired for France's higher voltage power supply. I have an all-original '55 sitting in storage @ The States, but I ain't gonna bring it here and attempt any power step-downing w/ it, too precious. Same goes for my Deluxes (2 tweed, 1 brown and 2 (pre-CBS) black), Super Reverb (blackface preCeeb), Vibroverb (brown), and US-spec'd HIWATTs (1 50W & 1 100W heads). All that's stayin' put in The States. I wonder if i could pick up an EU-spec'd Champ and Deluxe around here? Maybe in England?
 
I had a Tweed Chanp clone for a while. It was not an Allen but it was in a 1x12 Allen chassis.

When I first got it, it an an old P12R speaker and did that 'sounds like its going to explode' thing pretty well. Again, I tried a couple different speakers and ended up keeping a ceramic Weber Blue Dog in it for the longest time. It lost that 'ready to explode' quality but worked great for a 'Tweed Deluxe when fairly cranked' sound without having to he cranked too much.

That just wasn't my thing, so I sold it.

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For the OP:
Many of the companies that build 5e3 clones use 12ax7s as the first preamp tube instead of the original 12ay7.
I imagine it's because 12ay7s are a fairly rare and spendy tube whereas 12ax7s are common as beach sand.
The 12ax7 is much higher gain than the 12ay7. So to compensate for this, designs using the 12ax7 remove the bias capacitor on the first preamp tube.
This lowers the gain to this stage and is then compensated by the extra gain from the 12ax7.
Before you switch to a 12ay7 you should check with the schematic to make sure there if there is a bias cap installed in the amp.
My 2 cents.
 
For the OP:
Many of the companies that build 5e3 clones use 12ax7s as the first preamp tube instead of the original 12ay7.
I imagine it's because 12ay7s are a fairly rare and spendy tube whereas 12ax7s are common as beach sand.
The 12ax7 is much higher gain than the 12ay7. So to compensate for this, designs using the 12ax7 remove the bias capacitor on the first preamp tube.
This lowers the gain to this stage and is then compensated by the extra gain from the 12ax7.
Before you switch to a 12ay7 you should check with the schematic to make sure there if there is a bias cap installed in the amp.
My 2 cents.

And a fine 2 cents they are, this is an excellent and informative post.
 
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For the OP:
Many of the companies that build 5e3 clones use 12ax7s as the first preamp tube instead of the original 12ay7.
I imagine it's because 12ay7s are a fairly rare and spendy tube whereas 12ax7s are common as beach sand.
The 12ax7 is much higher gain than the 12ay7. So to compensate for this, designs using the 12ax7 remove the bias capacitor on the first preamp tube.
This lowers the gain to this stage and is then compensated by the extra gain from the 12ax7.
Before you switch to a 12ay7 you should check with the schematic to make sure there if there is a bias cap installed in the amp.
My 2 cents.
I’ve been contemplating this post since I’ve acquired some NOS tubes. Unfortunately I cannot find a schematic for this version of the amp, but I did find this pic and quote from a review of this model. Does the presence of this bias resistor then give me the option of using the x7, y7, or even a middle ground 5751 tube? It says it has the 250 ohm bias resistor like the vintage 5e3, but that the plate voltage is way above 400v.. I don’t pretend to fully grasp this (slowly understanding more about how tubes work) but I would hate to blow the y7 I bought. No, it wasn’t cheap:eek:
 
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I have a Cox 5E3 clone (RIP, Brian Cox). Original circuit with the 12AY7 pre-amp tube and no negative feedback loop. You like Neil Young, so you know these can play dirty blues like nobody's business.

For whatever reason I like Fender amps with everything from my Tele to my Carvin DC127. The Deluxe Reverb is my "if I could only have one amp", amp.

Some interesting 5E3 info:

https://robrobinette.com/How_The_5E3_Deluxe_Works.htm

Here's a demo on the tone control and the two volume control interactions.



IMG_0562.JPG IMG_0564.JPG
 
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I’ve been contemplating this post since I’ve acquired some NOS tubes. Unfortunately I cannot find a schematic for this version of the amp, but I did find this pic and quote from a review of this model. Does the presence of this bias resistor then give me the option of using the x7, y7, or even a middle ground 5751 tube? It says it has the 250 ohm bias resistor like the vintage 5e3, but that the plate voltage is way above 400v.. I don’t pretend to fully grasp this (slowly understanding more about how tubes work) but I would hate to blow the y7 I bought. No, it wasn’t cheap:eek:

There is a schematic for this model (ie, '53 or '54 5C3) on page 191 in The Tube Amp Book (Pittman, 1986) by Aspen Pittman, purchased from Aspen @ a geetar show or somesuch event about 30+ years ago, I took a photo of the page that's very clear but "too large" to drag & attach to a post here @ The Musical Instruments Forums, but if you conntact me via a private conversation and leave me your email address I'll be able to send this diagram to you as an attachment.

- Mystic
 
@ooba tooba

Or have I misinterpreted your meaning and it is a schematic for an original Model 5E3 that you need? Or both? As mentioned above (^^^^^) I have a copy (in the Pittman book, 1986) of the 5C3 schematic (pg 191). In the same book (page 192) there is a pic of an original schematic of the Model 5E3. I'll snap a photo of that today. Again, these image files from my phone are too large to slide into an AK post as attachment, thus you'll need to ping me via "Conversations" to provide me w/an email address to which I can send you either or both schematics: Model 5C3 and Model 5E3. Both schematics are copies of original schematics that Aspen removed from original 50's Deluxe amps in order to photograph for includion in the appendices of his The Tube Amp Book (Pittman, 1986).
 
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