I'm GASsing for a fender amp...

[Guest]

I was thinking about selling my second amp, a Marshall AVT100 ang getting a simple low wattage all-tube fender. And I'm weak for the tweed look, so I've been looking for a Tweed Blues Jr. or something that alike.

I found all the different tweed amp kits around the internet aswell, especially the ~16watt 5E3 version looks nice.

What ampkit seller do you recommend? keep in mind that I have to get it shipped to Europe for a resonable price though (If you know someone inside Europe that would be even better)

How hard is it to build these kits with included instructions? I'm not a electronics genius but I'm interested in these kinda things though and would like to learn. I feel comfortable working with the innards of a computer and such but havn't built and amp before. I have friends who have studied electronics and could help if I get stuck and you guys here also of course. There's got to be a first time for everything and these kinda amps have a fairly simple layout as well .

So the final question, Will I be able to build one from a kit?

The Tweed Blues Jrs were limited edition that they don't make anymore I think, but there's a german company (Thomann.de) who has Tweed Juniors but at a price of 725€ and they sell the black version for 499€ so it feels kinda dumb to pay that much for the tweed.

Still getting a Tweed Junior would be the easier way (even though they might not shout out as much tweed sound as a repro amp kit). Maybe someone here has one to sell to me?

What do YOU think I should do?

It has to manage band jamming and such also, so 12" speaker 15watt is kinda the minimum then.

Keep in mind that I'm from Finland so importing things from the US will add approx 30% in taxes (sucks bigtime!) and that I would like to get this through for under 650$/550€

 

[B Bent]

Re: I'm GASsing for a fender amp...

The tweed BJ is cool. I have owned one. Scott builds a 5E3 as well.(I'm on his list now) I haven't heard Scotts 5E3 yet, but from others' rave reviews on his other stuff I am confident that it will be up to spec!!!

 

[Guest]

Re: I'm GASsing for a fender amp...

OH I didn't know that scott had that coming... I comes with one 15" though or 2x12". Means the cab is bigger, and I'd like to get a 1x12" cab for portability.

Cool that you've owned one of the tweed bj's.

What's it like?

I've read that it isn't as much fender over them since they use other tubes than the "traditional" fenders?

and if I can ask... Why did you sell it?

 

[Scott_F]

Re: I'm GASsing for a fender amp...

I had a normal blues junior. it rattled too much and I sent both of them back (i tried a 2nd one before giving up).

That VAT thing is an issue for sure. The only kit you're going to get that's even worth building for less than $650 total is a Weber. Bruce at Mission puts out what I think is the best 5E3 kit. Once you add a cab and a speaker, you'll be a bit more than 650. One alternative is to build the amp now and then shop locally for someone to build you a tweed combo enclosure.

 

[FenderBender03]

Re: I'm GASsing for a fender amp...

Thats my amp I really really like its clean tone for my Strats. Very clear and glassy! I've decided i'm gonna install my Duncan SSL-1's in my Highway 1 Strat, so we'll see how much of an improvement my tone gets. In any event, i'm sure it'll sound extra sweet through my Tweed BJ. If you can still find one of these laquered tweed models, i'd definately recommend it. It comes from the factory with a Jensen speaker and just looks damn cool. They only made them in 2003, so their may not be alot of them around.

Before i got this one, i did own a plain black BJ and it sounded ok but after a short while, the reverb tank died :smack: Thats when i sold it on Ebay. I've had this tweed one for about 3 years now and haven't had the first problem with it.

BTW, Fender does offer a "blonde" model that you can get through MusiciansFriend, they look to be an almost white color, but they are tweed nonetheless. Otherwise same as the black models.


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