An Observation about the 5E3 Fender Tweed Deluxe...

[Lewguitar]

I've been playing alot of lap steel lately and have a '36 Rickenbacher with the 1 1/2" horseshoe pickup and a '46 with the 1 1/4" horseshoe pickup.

The '36 has more bass and a hotter, louder, filler tone...the '46 has more treble and less bass and a cleaner tone...although the two pickups are similar in tone and appear similar to the pickup used on the modern Rickenbacker Bass.

The 5E3 tweed Deluxes I play these old lap steels through have only a TONE control that cuts the treble when you turn it down.

But I've found that I can thicken up the tone and add bass to the tone by lowering the tone on the amp and turning the volume up. I can almost make my '46 Ricky sound as fat and deep as my '36.

So basically, to fatten up the tone and get a fuller deeper tone, I can just turn the treble on the amp down and then turn the overall volume up...the opposite is also true: to go for a brighter and cleaner tone, turn the treble up and the volume down.

This is kind of simplistic and no news to many here...but I thought I'd pass it along anyway.

Lew

 

[firebirdV]

Re: An Observation about the 5E3 Fender Tweed Deluxe...

You should post clips sometime. I really like lapsteel every so often and I'm sure that I'll eventually pick one up.

 

[Curly]

Re: An Observation about the 5E3 Fender Tweed Deluxe...

Lew,

my lap is an early Post War with the old "Rickenbacher" logo and the small pickup, so it's close to your '46.

I'll have to try that trick ... I've played through my old champ, 'cause that seems like more of what the early laps were played through.

I know my teles are very interactive with the controls between the guitar and amp when I use my Deluxe.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: An Observation about the 5E3 Fender Tweed Deluxe...

Lew,

my lap is an early Post War with the old "Rickenbacher" logo and the small pickup, so it's close to your '46.

I'll have to try that trick ... I've played through my old champ, 'cause that seems like more of what the early laps were played through.

I know my teles are very interactive with the controls between the guitar and amp when I use my Deluxe.

Hey Curly! My '46 looks just like yours except it has white metal plates and the bigger Ricky logo...and black knobs. Thanks for the Jesse Colter CD, BTW, it's been in my CD player at home ever since. And I owe you a set of Tele pickups...soon as the next lot comes in I'll send you two...you'll be: :bowdown:

:laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2:

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: An Observation about the 5E3 Fender Tweed Deluxe...

Here's one of my old Rickys. Just bought it on Ebay. I have another one just like it and then the '46. I like the bigger magnet pickup better so I have two of these and tune one to open D or E and one open G or A.

 

[Hot _Grits]

Re: An Observation about the 5E3 Fender Tweed Deluxe...

Yeah, that's pretty much what I've experienced with my Victoria Double Deluxe, which is basically a 5E3 with 2 12s, 4 6v6s and a choice of rectifiers for 30 or 40 watts.

Do you jumper the channels on your 5E3? - I find I can get more tonal variation, as well as gain when cranked, by mixing the channels...

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: An Observation about the 5E3 Fender Tweed Deluxe...

Yeah, that's pretty much what I've experienced with my Victoria Double Deluxe, which is basically a 5E3 with 2 12s, 4 6v6s and a choice of rectifiers for 30 or 40 watts.

Do you jumper the channels on your 5E3? - I find I can get more tonal variation, as well as gain when cranked, by mixing the channels...

I don't jump the channels. I find that if I just turn up the volume control of the unused channel to about 3/4 that I can find a sweet spot and dial it in to where the tone thickens up even if I'm only plugged into one channel. Lew

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: An Observation about the 5E3 Fender Tweed Deluxe...

You guy are making me regret selling my early 60's Forrest White lapsteel.
I had a Chandler with 2 P-90's that I liked even more, and THAT'S the one I really want back. Here's a picture of a rare 'White' lapsteel I flipped for quick money.

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: An Observation about the 5E3 Fender Tweed Deluxe...

Guys....aarrgh those looks so cool!
I havea buddy that dabbles...well he has a few nice things from the 40's and 30's....and those have some great sounds!

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: An Observation about the 5E3 Fender Tweed Deluxe...

The old Ricky's (spelled Rickenbacher...with an "H") are my faves. One like Curly's or mine...they both sound great and very ballsy. I have a real old K&F Fender from the 40's with a string through pickup but it's thin and stringy sounding, and a Fender Champion from the early 50's with a Tele pickup but it's to bright...and I have three or four old Supros like Ry Cooder uses the pickup from on his favorite Strat. The Supros are my second favorite lap steels after the Rickys.

Lap Steel, once you get it down, has the most vocal of all guitar sounds. It can be very moving!

My favorite lap steel player would be David Lindley and that stuff he played on the Jackson Browne album with Running On Empty on it still blows me away...and it's what made me want to learn to play lap steel.

Lew

 

[jeremy]

Re: An Observation about the 5E3 Fender Tweed Deluxe...

I don't jump the channels. I find that if I just turn up the volume control of the unused channel to about 3/4 that I can find a sweet spot and dial it in to where the tone thickens up even if I'm only plugged into one channel. Lew

yeah, i plug into bright 1 usually and put both volumes at 9 of 12