How to repair Fender Tweed deluxe 5e3 Tube 6V6 guitar amp D-lab

[@nazarlive2137]

You are an artist and an engineer with the taste and fragrance of the past

[@d-labelectronics]

I love your wording my friend. I hope to meet you someday

[@stratslinger4492]

Terry I really like your videos. You're the man!

[@d-labelectronics]

Thanks man. Wish I could just do this full time

[@mikesradiorepair]

Nice repair. Bigger electrolytics are often a advantage in some circuits but as seen here there is such a thing ad overkill. You have to wonder what they were thinking. Drastically increasing the size of one and reducing the other. At least I know I'm not the only one undoing hack work. Radios, audio or RF amps, transceivers, the golden screwdrivers seem to tinker with everything. Mike

[@d-labelectronics]

I agree man. This amp has a 5Y3 rectifier. Normally, I do not see more than 30uf after the tube. In this case there was a 22 right off the tube, that's OK, but then the 100uf was to the screen circuit? Seemed odd to me. The weight of the 100uf cap cracked its eyelet solder connection. I normally glue down heavy components in combo amps due to vibrations they incur. It was a good project

[@nazarlive2137]

I enjoy given to you ... you are the creator of maintenance greetings to my teacher

[@prophetsnake]

Another great vid, Terry. Thank you so much for making these.

[@HBSuccess]

Wow - whomever was in there previously was a slob - it's a wonder that amp makes it in and out of the van without all those messy connections shaking loose or grounding out or touching something else. Your workmanship is so much more pro. Terry - no comparison.

[@bartmeijer1059]

Thanks for the interesting "father-day" Vid! Looping forward for the next one! Have a Nice father-day ! 🍷🍷🍷

[@d-labelectronics]

Cool deal man. The idea hit me last night after a few glasses of wine! Shot the Hitchcock scenes using an old sheet and a workman high intensity lamp. I was pleased to see how well things focused. May use that effect in future vids. Happy Fathers day to you also my friend. TD

[@bartmeijer1059]

+D-lab Electronics wine is a good inspiration source! 🍷🍷🍷👍👍👍

[@RobynTapps]

Lol I'm buying a 5e3 deluxe kit.. thanks for the video man! This is gonna help tons!

[@nazarlive2137]

I learned that I repaired radios and small at the hands of brother

[@d-labelectronics]

I wish that I could be there to help you. I believe it would be a great experience

[@jorgenvandeburgt8670]

I'm watching all your tweed vids as I'm building a 5E3 soon, and oh boy I hope I do a better job than the person who massacred this one before you came along and fixed it. Nice job sir, I love these videos.

[@Steve-wz5pz]

I've never heard '5E3' and 'clean' in the same sentence.

[@franciscofueyo804]

Those grid stoppers are VERY important. Sometimes I catch AM radio signals if I forget to put grid stoppers in an input tube (I mean, in my own homemade amps). Also, I'm glad to see that you left those diodes in the plates of the output tubes. Sometimes power amps produce some very high amplitude voltage spikes, and the diodes supress that spikes. I read that this modification may alter the tone of the amp, but I can't hear any difference in the practice. Your videos are really great, I love watching them. Still waiting for the "power amp biasing tutorial" though haha ;) Cheers Terry!

[@Bbendfender]

Another excellent video.

[@johncunningham5435]

I must agree with Nazar King; he could not have said it better, few people take the time and energy to do it right with the pride to match, and you my friend possess that and more. "Well Done"

[@jackcraven4591]

Great video

[@jimraimondi410]

whooaaaa what in the world

[@jonnybeck6723]

Thanx Terry, that wuz great. I do wish though that even the most basic guitar demo was added, like a couple of notes @ max clean and @ distortion and max distortion, with a note on where the volume pot was set... thanx again and... cheers

[@chrischwaz7788]

I just got done building a clone of a late 50s 5e3 and in the early stages of the testing I had the 4.7K 3 watt resistor in the spot were this amp had that diode that you removed on mine after 4 or 5 minutes of running the amp with just the rectifier tube in and the pre amp tubes in no power tubes I was getting 483 volts on the first big filter cap and that 3 watt resistor burned up and melted . What do you think I should look for what could be wrong ???

[@RobertKohut]

Nice!

[@subigirlawd_7307]

you silly man you.. Happy Fathers Day ❤

[@d-labelectronics]

This is my escape. Love playing around with dusty tube stuff + making a fool of myself : ) Told my wife " my funeral will be simple, just put on a playlist from my KZbin vids" ! haha

[@awsomemustang]

Great videos , very interesting definately helped me fix my tube radio thankyou

[@kenb.1829]

Those 68K grid stopper resistors? They are not there as grid stopper resistors but are there for a completely different reason. When both inputs are used together, the resistors serve to attenuate the two inputs together so as not to overload the input at the first gain stage. The two resistors are a simple diving network, approximating the D.C resistance of a typical single coil pickup of the time. As such they serve as a mixing network to blend both inputs together without bleed over between the two inputs. The two resistors also offer a measurable reduction in input impedance of the two signals to reduce the gain at the first tube. Do the math. Leo did.

[@d-labelectronics]

Thanks man, hopefully this will help the viewers

[@kenb.1829]

Thank you... great video and workmanship.

[@d-labelectronics]

I appreciate it Sir

[@kenb.1829]

Posting a humble edit of my comment. Shoulda proof read before posting. Those 68k resistors approximate TEN times the D.C. resistance of the pickups. Oops, not quite what I posted. Also, forgot the rest... When plugging into the first input, the 1 meg grid resistor (on the input jack), in series with one 68K resistor, thus making the first input grid resistor 1.068 meg. Plugging into the number two input shorts the 1 meg resistor, making the grid resistor 68K. This change reduces the input gain quite a bit. Plugging two guitars in together places the 68K resistors in series to mix the signals, and still at a reduced gain.Very clever or Mr. Fender. By the way, I really admire this video. It really shows the messed up stuff techs have to deal with. Thanks again!

[@silasfatchett5693]

... and they also act as grid stoppers, forming an RC low pass filter in conjunction with the input capacitance of the tube, suppressing radio interference.

[@nazarlive2137]

Kabestor a grief of years I would love to see her in hopes of manufactured

[@joramkalfa4038]

Hey Mr.D, I recently assembled a 5E3 Kit. It sounds awesome and plenty loud for my purposes. However I do have one issue with the build. The volume is totally not even meaning #1 and #2 are fine and after that it's almost wide open. Can you give me some ideas on what direction to take to make the volume control more linear. I believe I have a linear pot in place. Thank you in advance and appreciate your humour in your videos!

[@tiki_trash]

That's just the way 5E3s work. It's the way the controls are wired. They go from off to loud and overdrive very quickly after that due to the lack of negative feedback.

[@jimraimondi410]

this is one where its almost better to start over...my my...what a shame

[@jasonkirkham550]

I enjoyed this vid. especially because Iam building a 5E3. I would like to use a 5U4G. Any suggestions?

[@audiotechlabs4650]

I have the greatest respect and admiration for your electronic knowledge! Using metal film or metal oxide resistors in the power section is good but what about in the signal path? I've heard you should only use carbon comp resistors. What's your thoughts on that? Thankz

[@d-labelectronics]

Hello, I have never noticed a difference in response using metal oxide type. Yes, I have heard they may act like little inductors. I try to utilize carbon comp when possible. I only use the 5% gold band ones. The silver or no tolerance type are avoided. TD

[@audiotechlabs4650]

D-lab Electronics Thanks Terry. Again I value your opinion! Thankz

[@roberthurless4615]

Whoever did that to that classic old amp should be shot. Absolute garbage work. Not you Terry of course.

[@TCoulter1]

The worst shape I've seen yet. SMH...

[@James57AOL]

whats the re construct can be done from a old 60 something Alamo challenger tube amp. It has 3 tubes...6l6 and a 5e3 as well ans a tube rectifier that is a 5u what ever the 3rd letter or number is as well as a 12at7

[@psymetal]

I never understood why 68k is the standard value for grid stoppers. Why attenuate 50% of your guitar signal before it even plugged in? I use 15k or 22 k, and never had a problem. Brighter clearer tone

[@robertlandry8919]

how much to fix a custom made one based on this circuit? The amp has some loose leads. it's put in a old fender solid state 15g case from probably 90's. The tech that built it was in a plane crash a year ago and can't quite remember as much. he's not 100%. I'm pretty good with tube amps. this one works, but it's not working 100% and the controls are unknown. He recalls it was based on the 5E3??

[@donstewart368]

People see these mods on the internet so they think they work. LOL

[@crazyuncleduke8012]

How do I get in touch with you about my 60's Fender amps I told you about a few vids ago? I wanted Uncle Doug to work on them but he declined and asked me to drive across the entire east / west end of Texas to hand deliver them. Sorry Uncle Doug but that's what FedEx is for.

[@d-labelectronics]

Hey man, send me a contact info on my website. d-labamps.com That way, I will have your direct e-mail. TD

[@lesjohnson9740]

Who has srewdriver'd this old boy, put it back to spec. D labs.

[@d-labelectronics]

Hello Les, Lucky the mods were not too bad. The amp retains the 12ax7 tube input, but other issues were returned to stock (or close) I enjoy fixing up the relics! TD