Tweed or Not

[Lazarus1140]

Your opinion still matters even if you are not a Fender guy..

It seems to me that most amp builders, when building a clone, near clone, or their version of a Fender Tweed era amp cover the combo or head with tweed.

Would you? I mean if you were building an amp like a 5E3 for example, would you feel compelled or be inclined to finish it in tweed, or would you use another color scheme?

[MetalManiac]

Re: Tweed or Not

I like Cowhide covering for a amp that'll be used for blues or country with a Tele. Also tooled leather . Nothing particularly wrong with a black tolex covering, but i'm gonna vote yes and go with tradition.

[ericmeyer4]

Re: Tweed or Not

I could go for tweed, but I wouldn't be married to it. I may be wrong, but I don't think the covering contributes in a significant way to the tone.

[misterwhizzy]

Re: Tweed or Not

You know my opinion, but I'll give it anyway. Tweed.

What are your other options? Black is boring. White could work, but it's not as classic. It would work better on a hard rockin' British-style head. Stick with tradition and go with tweed. Anything less would be uncivilized.

[Lazarus1140]

Re: Tweed or Not

What are your other options? Black is boring. White could work, but it's not as classic. It would work better on a hard rockin' British-style head. Stick with tradition and go with tweed. Anything less would be uncivilized.

Matchless has a color visualizer that is kinda cool for trying out different color schemes. However, a Matchless combo is styled totally unlike a wide panel Tweed Deluxe. The Fender(ish) amp would probably be all one color.

A Burgundy skin with a Brown or Beige grill cloth wouldn't look too bad.

[Archer_of_Fish]

Re: Tweed or Not

If it were me I would the amp it finished in baby fur seal skin

[B Bent]

Re: Tweed or Not

Tweed!!!!!!!!!!!!

Even on my non-typical Champ I built, I had to go tweed:

[Lazarus1140]

Re: Tweed or Not

^ ... with the Oxblood grill cloth ... suweet!

[B Bent]

Re: Tweed or Not

^ ... with the Oxblood grill cloth ... suweet!

Thanks man. My cab builder is actually in TX.

[Gypsyblue]

Re: Tweed or Not

Professional amp builders cover 5E3 Fender clones in tweed because that's what their customers want and expect - not because the amp builders themselves want to.

Tweed is a real pain in the butt to work with compared to Tolex. Tweed adds a lot of time (time = $$$) to an amp's construction, especially if you do it right and finish it with shellac or some modern equivalent.

The problem with doing tweed cabs is that musicians are real cheapskates. They want the best, they want it fast and they want it cheap. And that makes it hard to make hand built amps and make a living at it.

[ericmeyer4]

Re: Tweed or Not

Valvetrain does a number of tweed clones in two-toned tolex, tweed, and various levels of distressed tweed.

Personally, I appreciate tradition, but I don't want to be chained to it. I'm all for vintage sounds in modern coverings.