Finished my 5E3 Deluxe build

[Rob Livesey]

Hi Chaps,

I've just finished my build and I'm eager to show off the results! I've been working on amps for a long time, but oddly I've never built one from scratch....until now. I really enjoyed the process, it was very relaxing and therapeutic. The good news is, that it fired up first time without a hitch, runs quiet as a mouse and sounds exactly as it should.

Here are some pics I took during the process.

http://www.roblivesey.com/deluxe

[img:800:600]http://personalpages.manchester.ac.uk/s ... ges/20.jpg[/img]

Cheers,
Rob.

[M Fowler]

Nice documentation Rob, looks good, and glad the amp is working so well.

Mark

[Phil_S]

I'd add, I think the most important picture you have is the under-the-board wires. If you ever have trouble, having that picture will save you all sorts of time. After having had to fix an under-the-board problem, I try to keep all wires where I can see them.

Very pretty build. Enjoy it.

[NickC]

Nicely done! Congratulations and welcome to the amp-building obsession.

[Structo]

Congrats Rob!

Looks to be a fine amplifier.

What amp are you going to build next?

[Reeltarded]

'tis a beauty!

[Big Jim]

Nice job Rob,
I have a 5E3 I built as well. I would consider that to be one of the most perfect tones ever produced. Lots of amps have bright sparkle, my tweed has a dark sparkle that I love. Enjoy that new amp and all that follow.
Jim

[tubeswell]

Very tidy amp Rob!

[LarryLarry]

Looks great!!

I've got 2 5E3 builds from different donor amps. 1 is a Dukane mono P.A. amp that was the intercom amp where my grandfather worked (Pac Bell) and the other is a Magnecord amp from an old tape deck. Each of these already had the correct tube compliment.

[Rob Livesey]

Thanks for the kind words chaps. I certainly have got the bug now and I'm already thinking about the next one.
It will probably be a 5E7 Bandmaster.I was lucky enough to get a few close up photos of a real one a couple of weeks ago, it was owned by Jonny Marr. It's going to be carbon comps and Jupiter caps thoughout. A friend of mine restores vintage furniture and he has some excellent very light weight antique reclaimed pine which I'll use for the cab.

Cheers,
Rob.

[ampmike]

Wow,Nice Rob,They are kinda tough because of the chassis,tight too.You did a great job.I use mine every week a church and its the perfect amp.Lots of juicey tones.Thats a Beauteeful Thang Good Luck brother!!!!!!! PS reclaimed wood from the UK Wow!Thats very special and could be very old.Awesome!!

[Rob Livesey]

Yes the wood is very old, they are big wide floorboards from an old Victorian School which was being demolished, it dates from the mid to late 1800's. I held a four foot piece in my hand and it was the same weight as an 18" piece of new pine. I have a Super Reverb cab built out of it, it's amazingly light and resonant.

He does a fabulous job of building the cabs too, he makes the cabs for Gartone Amps: http://www.gartoneamps.co.uk/

Cheers,
Rob.

[ampexplorer]

Great job on your amp. Very clean!!! I hope my next 5e3 will look closer to your build. I am going to try using 150 caps instead of the orange drop 715s. I built mine as a head and am using it with an old EV12Ls. It can rock or be very clean at low volume. It does hum some but not too bad. Mostly use it for lead or dirty rhythm. They work great with a germanium booster too. I can get classic rock sustain with the booster. Glad your amp turned out great. Love to be able to rock without the back ache

[dcribbs1412]

Congrats on a great looking build...
with those tubes you must getting some very nice tone
Thanks for sharing

Darin

[vibratoking]

I have a 5E3 Deluxe as well. That is one great circuit! It works so well with a SCs and HBs. I mostly run mine with 6L6s. The interactive volume controls are what make that amp a true tone machine.

My only complaint is that the cleans just aren't clean enough, but that isn't really a fault. Just what it does.