NAD. Tweed Deluxe.

[Chickenwings]

Re: NAD. Tweed Deluxe.

Quick speaker update for 5e3 owners.
So far ive tried:
Jensen p12n - chimey, upper mid alnico punch. Still...something about it i don't like when the amp is being driven. Great for some stuff, but not my sound.
Private Jack - surprisingly agressive in this amp. Loud. Rawk. Really good. Makes it sound like a mini marshall. Really cool tone. If i had two 5e3s id probably have one of these or similar in it. It is one of my favourite recording speakers for rock tones.
Cannabis Rex - fat, warm and dark. Jazz players will love this. Not a harsh tone to be found anywhere on the dial - even with a tele. Vintage sounds. Thick.
Texas Heat - my fave. Maybe because i use it in other amps, but it just seems to bring plenty of definition and punch but never gets strident or harsh. Seems ridiculous that im pushing a 150w speaker with a 12 watt amp, but the ears never lie.

 

[Blille]

NAD. Tweed Deluxe.

Quick speaker update for 5e3 owners.
So far ive tried:
Jensen p12n - chimey, upper mid alnico punch. Still...something about it i don't like when the amp is being driven. Great for some stuff, but not my sound.
Private Jack - surprisingly agressive in this amp. Loud. Rawk. Really good. Makes it sound like a mini marshall. Really cool tone. If i had two 5e3s id probably have one of these or similar in it. It is one of my favourite recording speakers for rock tones.
Cannabis Rex - fat, warm and dark. Jazz players will love this. Not a harsh tone to be found anywhere on the dial - even with a tele. Vintage sounds. Thick.
Texas Heat - my fave. Maybe because i use it in other amps, but it just seems to bring plenty of definition and punch but never gets strident or harsh. Seems ridiculous that im pushing a 150w speaker with a 12 watt amp, but the ears never lie.

Can you tell me more about the CRex? I like it in other amps but I'm concerned it will be too dark in a 5e3. I use my amp both for Jazz and classic rock and I have a WGS G12Q that I like.

So I guess the question is will it be muddy/too dark for rock and does it OD well?

 

[zzmoore]

Re: NAD. Tweed Deluxe.

There is nothing at all "ridiculous" about using a 150 Watt Speaker with a 12 Watt amp. The only relationship is the protection. The speaker does not care if it is rated 2x.....or 10x the amp power.
As you say, all that matters is how it sounds.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: NAD. Tweed Deluxe.

Can you tell me more about the CRex? I like it in other amps but I'm concerned it will be too dark in a 5e3. I use my amp both for Jazz and classic rock and I have a WGS G12Q that I like.

So I guess the question is will it be muddy/too dark for rock and does it OD well?

Yeah it does overdrive well, thick and creamy (and pretty loud too). If i was playing jazz with a tele on this amp, i would be using the crex all day long.
I'm just after a more clear, country twang tone these days so it won't do that.
A lot of guys use crexes in 5e3s and love them.
I've heard good things about the g12q from the guy who built the amp.
long story short is that especially in 5e3s with their lack of NFB, speakers make a big difference to your tone. What is best is very much individual preference.

 

[Blille]

Re: NAD. Tweed Deluxe.

Yeah it does overdrive well, thick and creamy (and pretty loud too). If i was playing jazz with a tele on this amp, i would be using the crex all day long.
I'm just after a more clear, country twang tone these days so it won't do that.
A lot of guys use crexes in 5e3s and love them.
I've heard good things about the g12q from the guy who built the amp.
long story short is that especially in 5e3s with their lack of NFB, speakers make a big difference to your tone. What is best is very much individual preference.

Thanks, I'll keep my eyes open for a good deal on one

 

[jeremy]

Re: NAD. Tweed Deluxe.

most of the italian jensens have something i dont care for when the amp is breaking up, some weird harshness. it gets better after they are fully broken in but never really goes away.

glad you found the speaker that works for you! the texas heat is a fine speaker

 

[MetalManiac]

Re: NAD. Tweed Deluxe.

Tweeds were made for Alnicos. Have you tried a Red fang yet. Red Fang is a higher Celestion Blue styled speaker.
Also, I did not like the P12n Italian Jensen, but I do like the ceramic Jensen C12N resisue. I have to agree with this one reviewer from M.F here on the C12N Jensen;

I can't believe how much of a bad reputation this speaker gets online, it's absolutely fantastic. I used this as a replacement in my Deluxe Reverb and I love it, it has all the characteristics of classic blackface sounds heard in recordings from the past. It's tight in the bass, has a bright high end and fairly transparent mid-range, but those descriptions alone don't do justice to the authentic and lively tone this speaker gives. This was like a hand in glove for my amp, not only that but the quality was absolutely spot on, the solder joints were absolutely perfect, the cone & construction as well were essentially flawless.

Jensen is the way for Fender amps, Eminence, Weber, Celestion are all okay, but none of them do what Jensen does, and that's vintage Fender tone.

Might also throw a V30 in there just for kicks.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: NAD. Tweed Deluxe.

most of the italian jensens have something i dont care for when the amp is breaking up, some weird harshness. it gets better after they are fully broken in but never really goes away.

that is exactly what i heard too. A gnarly buzzy bite when when the amp was overdriven.
I was not a big fan of the c12n either. Even c12ks have a kind of hard metallic edge. Good for some stuff, but not tonal nirvana for me.

Tweeds were made for Alnicos. Have you tried a Red fang yet. Red Fang is a higher Celestion Blue styled speaker.

Jensen is the way for Fender amps, Eminence, Weber, Celestion are all okay, but none of them do what Jensen does, and that's vintage Fender tone.[/UNQUOTE]

Might also throw a V30 in there just for kicks.

Have not tried the red fang but i have tried the private jack. Loved it, but it offered a different, more aggressive rockier sound than I'm after. IM sure the red fang would be similar in its eq structure. Loud too. I have used a gold in a different amp and that was super cool, but again...kinda more "rocking" than im after. I'm after a clear, gutsy rootsy american tone. Deep twang, but with some grit.
Jensen? Yeah they are not bad. I just have not found one that i dig as much as the various emis i have used. Perhaps weber would have something good but they are godawful expensive with shipping over here. I am half considering the 12a125a.

At the top of my "must try" list right now is the eminence legend 1258. Victoria amps use them in their tweed deluxes, so worth a try. No way of knowing if it will be an improvement over the texas heat though. Im probably overthinking the 12w amp/150 watt speaker equation. Perhaps something with a lighter coil will be a little more touch sensitive. My bandleader is in Paris right now so i guess i need to wait till shes back, play a few gigs and see if anything needs tweaking after that.

 

[jeremy]

Re: NAD. Tweed Deluxe.

i dont like the c12n or c12k. i have one of each in a box that i just havent got around to selling yet.

i have a red fang that i loved in my 5e3 but with the stock sized box it was dangerously close to the tubes so i put the g12h in. the red fang was awesome but it is aggressive like other celestions. it lives in a 5e7 inspired amp now with a weber 10a150t, 22" of chewy tweed alnico goodness.

a buddy has the victoria (hes a harp player) and went and bought a weber ceramic 1230 to replace the legend 1258 after he played mine. i think he liked the fact that the g12h is more efficient vs the 1258 so the amp wasnt so dirty at a similar volume. hes playing un-miked with a blues/swing band.

if the texas heat doesnt work out, id go for a weber 12a150t. same cone as the 12a125 but with a bigger magnet and voice coil for more volume and bottom.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: NAD. Tweed Deluxe.

I'll stick with the texas for a few weeks at least. Get it out and gigging for a bit.

 

[Laughing Kookaburra]

Re: NAD. Tweed Deluxe.

Sounds like a Pvt Jack would fit the bill for me. Had also considered the G12H30 or its broken in rebranded version, the Avatar Hellatone 30. More toward rock is good for my needs!

Still mulling over options regarding an actual amp purchase...

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: NAD. Tweed Deluxe.

Private jack did sound pretty damn great.

 

[zzmoore]

Re: NAD. Tweed Deluxe.

I am kind of an "Eminence Guy"...so i am a bit biased i guess, but if i had to choose just one speaker it would be the Texas Heat. An all around great sound, but as we know.....beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
The 5E3 suffers like all combos do, form Space/Proximity.
It makes it less portable, but i encourage anybody with a (small) combo to use a speaker cab. It opens up endless possibilities of using, not only Any, but any number of speakers.
Speaking of speakers (and a cab or two).....they remain the one piece of gear that most guitar players never seem to have. Yet it is hard to imagine any single piece of gear That Can have such a huge influence on Tone/Sound/Response of an amplifier.
Buy and Keep a few speakers during your tenure as a player.

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: NAD. Tweed Deluxe.

Sweet amp! Love the look of Tweed on amps and it sounds like a top notch build. Enjoy!

 

[jeremy]

Re: NAD. Tweed Deluxe.

i have a fender vibroking 2x12 cab with g12h and v30 wired 8 ohms. its great if i need more speakers or the tightness of a close back cab but 95% of the time, im happier playing a 1x12 combo at a gig. maybe im lazy but i try and bring as little as i can comfortably get away with to a gig.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: NAD. Tweed Deluxe.

I am kind of an "Eminence Guy"...so i am a bit biased i guess, but if i had to choose just one speaker it would be the Texas Heat. An all around great sound, but as we know.....beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
The 5E3 suffers like all combos do, form Space/Proximity.
It makes it less portable, but i encourage anybody with a (small) combo to use a speaker cab. It opens up endless possibilities of using, not only Any, but any number of speakers.
Speaking of speakers (and a cab or two).....they remain the one piece of gear that most guitar players never seem to have. Yet it is hard to imagine any single piece of gear That Can have such a huge influence on Tone/Sound/Response of an amplifier.
Buy and Keep a few speakers during your tenure as a player.

This is all true. Ive got a lot of speakers and cabs for exactly the reasons you mention...but for gigging...

i try and bring as little as i can comfortably get away with to a gig.

+1 on this.
I've also got another cab and various options for speakers and cabs in the studio. To me, a separate head and cab is just two things to lug to the gig instead of one. I even had by head and 2x12 jtm setup (amazing tone) downsized to a 1x12 combo cab. I've still got the separate cabs.
I use it for recording, but for gigs, combo amp all the way. Guitar in a backpack style case, amp in one hand, pedalboard in the other. One trip to the car.

 

[jeremy]

Re: NAD. Tweed Deluxe.

yup. my guitar rig is one trip from the car. one or two guitars in gig bags, combo amp, bag with cables and other stuff, and maybe a pedal board. if i cant bring all my guitar gear in one trip, im bringing too much crap

 

[Matt42]

Re: NAD. Tweed Deluxe.

yup. my guitar rig is one trip from the car. one or two guitars in gig bags, combo amp, bag with cables and other stuff, and maybe a pedal board. if i cant bring all my guitar gear in one trip, im bringing too much crap

I used to be able to pull off the single trip. Then I started gigging with my pedal steel. Now if I don't have help or a handcart, it's 3 trips minimum. Even with the handcart, it takes at least two trips.

 

[jeremy]

Re: NAD. Tweed Deluxe.

if i have to haul pa then obviously there are more trips involved. for the amount i gig, id be bummed if i had to take three trips each time just for my guitar setup

 

[Matt42]

Re: NAD. Tweed Deluxe.

Fortunately my band is very helpful in regards to grabbing stuff. I did one trip on our last gig. The pedal steel adds ~140 lbs to my set up. As much as I love playing the pedal steel, I miss the days of pedal board in one hand, 1x12 combo in the other and a backpack style gig bag.