5E3 Update: Post-Build Modifications/Ownership Report

[@simonkormendy849]

You did a great job of it, I'm currently in the process of working on a diy scratch-build Soldano SLO 50 build, I actually made the chassis myself from some sheet aluminium that's about 2mm thick, once i had cut out all the mounting holes and etc in it I had to get a metal engineering company to bend-up all the folds, and then Mig Weld all the corners together, I used a metal file to file all the corners square.

[@cgavin1]

I also built a 5F2A. Ended up using as you described, as a clean platform with a pedal to push it. In the end it replaced my 5e3. I tweaked the circuit for tighter bass response (+1 22uf 500v cap on the power stage filter), reduced the preamp gain so it stays clean to 60% volume (reduce V1a cathode bypass cap down to 1-4.7uf) and increased the preamp voltage to 285 (swap 22k drop resistor for 10k). Added some protection diodes on to the rectifier (series with the AC) which bolsters the rectification to keep things tight. Only other mod/detail is to use a class 2 ceramic cap on the tone not a film cap or a mica. Lots of extra lovely harmonics. I use that set at 50% volume in to the G12Q. Great cleans for chords with the volume rolled off a hair but thanks to that wonderful speakers capacity to break up if you dig in it goes pure filth. For lead and crunch I use a Catalinbread Formula 55 (build your own the layout is online) which is a JFET based reproduction of the 5e3 preamp. This pedal + the above setup gets you everything from clean tweed to Crazy Horse. The only other pedals in the signal path are a SurfyBear Metal spring reverb and a Belle Epoch Deluxe (Echoplex preamp replica). A Les Paul with some Throbak KZ-115's is God Tier in to this but I often also just use a humble Baja Tele. Best recording and small gig amp you can get for the buck imho. If you haven't already, definitely get yourself a few of those RCA black bottle 6V6's. HUGELY superior to anything in current production.

Hey Joe, thanks for the 5e3 videos, I also built mine from a kit. If you are getting high headroom, it is probably because it is biased way hotter that it should be. I see you have a classic tone power transformer, which I guess is an exact copy of the original. Today mains electricity is a lot more stable and it runs on higher voltages. You should put in a higher resistance bias resistor(250 -> 330 ohm). This lowers the headroom, but more importantly it keeps your 6v6s from burning up.

[@joeles2738]

Yeah I took all the measurements and they are biased a little hot, but nothing crazy, plus I like the headroom. I’m also using JJs which can handle 14W plate dissipation. I’ve been playing/gigging with this as my main amp with that same set of tubes for a couple years now and no issues so I think it’s an if it ain’t broke don’t fix it situation. Also the power transformer is adjusted for modern wall voltage.

[@bigbasil1908]

It's a lovely piece of equipment.

[@joeles2738]

Thank you!

[@JoeGuitar]

Hello Joe, what a wonderful build. I watched the earlier videos. You are so talented and are inspiring too. These early fender designs are so much fun to build and really capture the imagination of aspiring techs / builders. You mentioned you wanted to take your first build and take it apart and do a proper build using it's parts. As a tech and builder for over 40+ years I would ask you to please reconsider. Please hang on to that first amp. Leave it as is. With all its imperfections and poor choices of components, bad soldering techniques, melted wires, flux everywhere, bad cable routing /noisey / hum filled sound that seems slightly dangerous to play thru.... ughh I might get shocked .... LOLS... Joe, I WISH I had my first build. I would give anything to have that very first build, that simple, basic design, built by a teenage boy who had dreams of growing up to be an inventor. But I was excited... and I was proud... too proud to have something I built be " imperfect". So I decided to keep modifying it. Added more preamp tubes, a proper tone stack, better output transformer, more options more more more... I fixed it until it was broke. I should have just kept it as is and built a whole other amp, with the improvements I discovered. But you do what want to do. Maybe I'm just an older version of you giving a young me advice ..lols. Sometimes we don't realize we are living in historic times. Our own history. We don't realize these things we are doing or building will lead to the next thing and to the next thing and ultimately ...to our destiny. If we did maybe we'd be more careful, more thoughtful, more considerate of others and ourselves. Maybe we'd hold on to these things and cherish them and not tear them down just to rebuild them. We'd hold onto those first fx pedals or first amps or first guitars we built. They're a snap shot of our budding interest, our passion, our excitement at the possibilities, and a snapshot of our humble technical abilities when we built them. I would give anything to have those first fx pedals, guitars, and amps I built because they would remind me of how far I've come and would serve to keep me humble and keep me excited to keep learning. Take care Joe.... keep giving great thought and consideration to everything you do. Elevate everything you do to art and you will have an amazing life.

[@joeles2738]

Hey Joe, thanks for the comment and the kind words, I really appreciate it! You make a good point about keeping that first build together - all I've done to it is steal a resistor off of it, and I'm not planning on doing anything else to it currently :)

[@vrcimino1250]

Absolutely wonderful! Excellent video! Definitely consider trying an alnico speaker to change the tone and overdrive characteristics. You will get more of the TWEED era 1950's tone. Weber has the Signature series and although alnicos cost more than ceramic they will make a huge difference.

[@joeles2738]

Thank you! It would be interesting to compare an alnico speaker with the ceramic one I have currently, even though I do like it quite a bit as is.

[@fongy200]

Nice build buddy it looks stunning.

[@joeles2738]

Thanks!!

[@zbaby82]

Good job. For more overdrive you could try some JJ ECC83S tubes.

[@thefilthyfivetff5570]

And thanks for the update 👍

[@joesimon2018]

A Mission Amps Volume Tone mod makes a world of improvement to the 5E3 design

[@soapboxearth2]

Maybe heat the contact area of the tape just in case it has a coating

[@michelbehr]

Very nice sir! Keep it up!

[@joeles2738]

thank you!

[@robertpichora5881]

Hi Joe, New to your channel. I love it! Where are you located? Bob Pichora

[@shanealun]

That Champ you mention is a 5F1 - there actually is a name for the 5F2-A... Princeton.

[@joeles2738]

Oh yeah I know, I was just calling it the 5F2A to distinguish it from all the other different Princeton amps fender made

[@shanealun]

@@joeles2738 👍🏿🤗🙏🏿

[@maverick18wheels90]

On the back plate shielding for amp, I don't think the adhesive on tape is conductive. You may want to try soldering the tape joints where they overlap. I ran into same issue when shielding a tele build I was doing using copper tape.. no guarantee but it may help

[@joeles2738]

After seeing this I checked the tape with a multimeter and it looks like it’s conductive. But that’s a good thought, maybe my connection to the back panel just wasn’t good enough. Either way there’s not really any hum though so it’s all good

[@maverick18wheels90]

@@joeles2738 just thought I would let you know my issues with tape. A lot of builders have ran into same issue. In my case I lost conductivity at tape overlap joints. I really like your build and I'm looking at doing same one. Have already done a couple tele's and now it's time to try my luck at amps....

[@joeles2738]

@@maverick18wheels90 nice! Good luck with it!

[@salavatkhakimov1890]

@@joeles2738 the alumimum tape is probably enameled

[@michelbehr]

I’m using copper tape for shielding on my guitars, works like a charm 100% of the times.

[@lpa74]

which power transformer did you use?

[@joeles2738]

@@lpa74 I used a classic tone transformer, but last I checked they were out of business and/or not selling transformers anymore :( Hammond transformers are also great though and I’ve used them on my more recent builds

[@lpa74]

@@joeles2738 yes that's what I got(hammond 290bx) I was more wondering what the voltage rating because they make two power transformers for this amp one with 355-0-355 and one with 330-0-330,the one with higher voltage will run your b+ voltage higher and more than likely give you more headroom. You said your amp didn't break up as easily so I thought maybe you were using the higher voltages transformer.. Great build! thanks for the videos!

[@russellesimonetta3835]

Uhhh a nfb pot would be a great tweak, also look at Rob Robbinette,,, he has many good mods to improve that circuit.

[@joeles2738]

Yeah, I got a lot out of his website. I wasn’t interested in doing a nfb pot for this amp but I did do his switchable coupling cap mod for when I’m using my Les Paul

[@leeinthesprings]

Just curious as what your 6v6s are running at. I just built a 5e3 and my JJ 6v6 tubes are almost at 14 watts... basically 100 percent so I'm wondering if you had the same issue?

[@joeles2738]

Yes, I did! I calculated 13.6 watts for my plate dissipation with my old RCA 6V6s (which I think are only really rated for 12 but can be pushed to around 14). I tried different bias resistor values but didn't have much luck. Based on what I've read online, plate dissipation is usually just high on these amps, so I just decided to leave it and I haven't had any issues with those tubes or the JJs that I'm running now. I switched to JJs about a year ago because I've been travelling and playing gigs with this amp so I didn't want to get my nice RCA tubes broken.

[@leeinthesprings]

@@joeles2738 sweet! Yeah I guess it is what it is lol… I’ll just stick with a nos rectifier with jj power tubes then! Awesome build btw!

[@andersbarfodsvaneskolan9378]

@@joeles2738 The 6V6 from JJ are really stout.. They easily take 13 to 14 watt dissipation in a cathode biased amp.. What is you voltage drop over the 250 ohm bias resistor ,, what is you plate voltage ? . I actually think you get a little less headroom if you bias a poor old set of 6v6 too hot.. if the tube is a 14W plate dissipation tube aim for 12W in a cathode biased amp.

[@jrustyshaffer5438]

Hi Joe, is there an email address I can get for a business inquiry? Thanks.

[@kentwalley1207]

May I ask where you get the build Kit?

[@joeles2738]

I actually didn't use a kit, I sourced all the parts myself. I was able to get most of the components from tubedepot.com

[@kengevers8738]

Overdrive? It's called distortion. The 5f2a is a Champ which you already said, but both amps have their own merit. I have both amps, and they both howl. Very nice builds, BTW. Cheers

[@joeles2738]

Well overdriving the tubes is what causes overdrive distortion, so I think both words could be used interchangeably in this context. Glad you liked the builds!

[@redhorsereincarnated]

Overdrive and distortion are different types of gain. I think most people would classify the gain in these amps as overdrive.

[@joemonktx]

One thing I've noticed is that you mount power and audio transformers with the same orientation. You should mount them as far apart as possible and 90 degrees to each other. Otherwise, the magnetic fields from the transformers can interfere with each other and cause problems. Also, DONT use ceramic tube sockets! They are crap! Try to use F&T capacitors, and metal film resistors where possible... These things will really help your amps sound good.

[@joeles2738]

The transformers actually are 90 degrees out of phase with each other - the windings of the power transformer are vertical and the windings of the output transformer are horizontal. This is how Fender originally designed the amp. And yeah like I said in the video I replaced those ceramic sockets with Beltons.

[@sigfreed11]

Would you be able to insert a headphone jack?

[@joeles2738]

I'm not really sure. I think to use headphones with a tube amp like this you would need a dummy load or something for the speaker since it's really important that the output transformer is loaded properly.

[@BohumirZamecnik]

Plus some of the tone is done in the speaker.

[@davidsimpson3380]

If you are running a 12ay7 in V1 it will not breakup as fast as a 12ax7

[@joeles2738]

true, I have tried the 12ax7 in V1 and that does help it break up a little earlier. I decide to run the 12ay7 though because I actually like the headroom and I think the amp sounds a little better overall with the 12ay7

[@dcbluez4883]

Copper foil is way better than aluminum foil. You will see the difference