5E3 Tweed Deluxe... finally found it's voice tonight

[Scott_F]

I've been playing all my guitars through it, trying to find its voice if you know what I mean.

I took the beater Strat off the wall, lowered the A2Ps a bit and set out to try and figure out where Leo was going with all this back then.

Low output vintage pups in a maple necked strat into a 15 watt Tweed Deluxe running 6V6 power tubes. I added my Holier Grail to it and I have really focused on what this amp does well. This amp loves Fender gutiars. I'm betting a Tele would sound pretty good through there as well. :dance:

The high output Phat Cats and the Les Paul just don't have *it* when you play this amp. They're not bad, but they don't grab you by the nads like the Strat does.

It's a great little amp no doubt. Just gotta have the right guitar. But, then again, aren't all amps like that?

 

[Curly]

Re: 5E3 Tweed Deluxe... finally found it's voice tonight

Scott,
I'd say the majority of players say yes, the amp does better with single coil guitars - HB guitars just overload that circuit. Most say to play HB guitars through a #2 input to damp 'em down a little.
You can almost dial it in where you can go from cleaner chords to overdrive with just your attack, without even increasing the volume.
And yeah, teles sound great, especially on the bridge pickup ... WOW!

 

[Alvin Lee Fan]

Re: 5E3 Tweed Deluxe... finally found it's voice tonight

I don't know. I had a Clark Beaufort tweed Deluxe clone that sounded wicked with my Les Paul. Then again, that guitar has some vintage-style pickups, Timbucker PAF clones and I run them pretty low so it doesn't have a ton of output. Got a great ZZ vibe going with that setup

Works pretty well with my Dot, too. But again, that's a vintage sounding setup, Seth Lovers set low, etc. Here a clip from the clips page of that setup.

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=2066

Hve you tried jumping channels and stuff? Despite their simplicity, these amps can be setup in a variety of ways.

 

[Pandemonium]

Re: 5E3 Tweed Deluxe... finally found it's voice tonight

I've got a 5E7, I love it with lower output humbuckers, especially my 335, in fact that's probably my favorite guitar/amp combination. The amp is easy enough to overdrive as it is, high output pups are overkill. A Tele does sound great through it, about as fat a Tele sound as you can get.

 

[Scott_F]

Re: 5E3 Tweed Deluxe... finally found it's voice tonight

The Duncan single coil Alinico 2's just blow it up. The Phat Cats I have are A5 mag in the neck and ceramic in the bridge. Too hot for this amp IMO. The A2P/CC in my Les Paul is a bit hot for this amp as well, just to my ears I guess.

No biggie. I've got a Bad Cat heading my way soon to satisfy those guitars.

 

[jmv]

Re: 5E3 Tweed Deluxe... finally found it's voice tonight

I love fiddling around trying to find 'the' tone with different guitars... don't know why, its just satisfying.

but, dude, scott, i'm so envious of your gear.... one of these days when my parents are cool with me going on trips by myself, i gotta head your way and jam with you, and check out all your wicked stuff!!

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: 5E3 Tweed Deluxe... finally found it's voice tonight

What speaker is in that thing? Anyway, amps are just like tools in the toolbox.
There's no need to hammer something with a crescent wrench, just grab a hammer.
That amp likes single coils. Your Badcat will love everything. But....maybe not,
then you'll need an old Marshall.

 

[Scott_F]

Re: 5E3 Tweed Deluxe... finally found it's voice tonight

I love fiddling around trying to find 'the' tone with different guitars... don't know why, its just satisfying.

but, dude, scott, i'm so envious of your gear.... one of these days when my parents are cool with me going on trips by myself, i gotta head your way and jam with you, and check out all your wicked stuff!!

haha, please video tape and share with the rest of the board when you tell your parents you want to go to college station to jam with a 42 year old geezer! That ought to be a nice America's Funniest Home Videos entry.

Well, when you hit 18, you'll be welcome. I just don't want anyone thinking I"m a perv Michael Jackson type! ahhahahaha Anyway, you'd be welcome, but you ought to shoot for the next Texas forum jam.

 

[jmv]

Re: 5E3 Tweed Deluxe... finally found it's voice tonight

Anyway, you'd be welcome, but you ought to shoot for the next Texas forum jam.

Next texas forum jam?? I never realized we had one in the first place!! Yeah, i'd love to go to that!!

 

[Scott_F]

Re: 5E3 Tweed Deluxe... finally found it's voice tonight

you had taken that parental-inspired sabatical last summer.

Jake, Jfromhouston, jeff seal, stratman and I got together in Houston. Had a great time.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: 5E3 Tweed Deluxe... finally found it's voice tonight

Man Scott, sounds like your an International Man of Mystery!
Gettin to meet all these forum members in other states.
You hung out with me last week. How many members have you met so far?

When will your Badcat Tremcat get delivered? What color/s did you get it in?

 

[Scott_F]

Re: 5E3 Tweed Deluxe... finally found it's voice tonight

Man Scott, sounds like your an International Man of Mystery!
Gettin to meet all these forum members in other states.
You hung out with me last week. How many members have you met so far?

When will your Badcat Tremcat get delivered? What color/s did you get it in?

Well, I've met the four listed above, along with several of the folks at Duncan, and met the good Reverend Donzo, then went out to Nashville and met up with Jolly and Mr. Heavy Metal. Everyone I've met has been pretty cool. It's been a lot of fun and I consider them all to be friends.

Not sure of delivery on the amp. I'm going with a 2x12 config (same dissimilar speakers they use in the Black Cat) Trem Cat with a burgundy leather on most of the cab with the little front panel in black leather with gold grille cloth. I think the colors will fit in well here in Aggieland.

 

[stratvox]

Re: 5E3 Tweed Deluxe... finally found it's voice tonight

Thought I would ad my two cents because I have a 5e3 clone a strat with bardens, Strat with E78VH/voodoo neck combo, and a R7 with burstbuckers. It can get a bit muddy with neck buckers but I really like the les paul tweed combo. In fact, i now can hear the tone that always makes my head turn at guitar shows and when i see guys play live. Illbe playing the paul alot and the strat less. I have been experimenting with different 12ax7s and have found it really mind blowing how different the amp sounds. Very flexible with different tubes. I have not yet tried the 5751s which should lower some of that neck bucker wooliness. Have you?

 

[Scott_F]

Re: 5E3 Tweed Deluxe... finally found it's voice tonight

I"ve been playing it with RCA NOS 12AX7's and 12AT7's and some Brimar NOS 12ax and at 7's.

The Brimars sound the best so far. I played my LP through it last night and was able to jumper the channels and get some interesting, very cool overdrive out of it.

Strat still sounds better thru it though.