The Need For Tweed - 1950s Fender tweed amp tone shootout

We all know there's something really special about Fender's tweed amps of the 1950s, but what does that mean for real world players? Unlike many of Fender's electric guitars of the same period, these circuits aren't beyond the reach of everyday guitarists. It's often possible to track down a player-grade tweed amp for less than the cost of a boutique replica or handwired reissue that, with a little love, can be a perfectly viable and hugely toneful gigging and recording amp for a modern-day musician.
If you don't know your 5A3 from your 5F6, let this video be your guide as we present a clean and dirty shootout between five vintage circuits that span the whole of the 1950s from the TV front to the narrow panel era. None of our quintet are museum pieces - these are real-world amps that have all been made safe, had speaker upgrades and sympathetic restorations with appropriate components.
THE AMPS
1951 5A3 Deluxe
1959 5E3 Deluxe
1957 5E11 Vibrolux
1956 5E4-A Super (rare 6V6 version)
1959 5F6-A Bassman
THE GUITARS
Blackguard replica with Oil City Wapping Wharf & HonkyTonk Angel pickups
Gibson Custom Collector's Choice Les Paul #26 'Whitford Burst' with Monty's PAFs
1957 Fender Stratocaster
1962 Gibson ES-330
Gretsch G6137TCB Center-Block Panther
THE PERSONNEL (in order of appearance)
Huw Price
Chris Vinnicombe
Ed Oleszko
From 04:48 you'll hear each amplifier set clean and dirty and in some cases with more than one speaker type. All the sounds were recorded from the same distance using a Beyerdynamic M160 ribbon mic and a vintage V72 preamp.
Visit www.theguitarmagazine.com for more…

[@justinsane8000]

Literally the ONLY amp demo video where I've actually enjoyed listening to someone talking.

[@destaagengperwira]

Me also...

[@ryanfulldark2775]

There’s a ton more out there these days. If the person is knowledgeable or displays infectious curiosity about what is possible tonally, it’s great. Matthew Scott is a great example of this.

[@twirlyboggs]

That dirty 51 5A3 original Jensen for me jeeez pure magic! 8:35 Also, that that 59 5F6-A

[@s.w.matteo6679]

Best amp stand ever.

[@caycejones1258]

I recently set up my 15yo daughter's stage keyboard to run through an integrated amp out to a stereo speaker/sub setup. I placed the speakers on stands behind the keyboard, but needed a little more height to get the tweeters at ear level. Setting them on concrete blocks laid over on their side turned out to be perfect. She's incredibly old school with band tshirts and posters, 70's fashion style, and a growing vinyl collection. I had to laugh when she nodded and appreciated the look of the blocks with her rig 😁

[@keaganyosef3848]

instablaster...

[@cawfeedawg]

Thank you for doing this video. The tweed amps really are something special.

[@scundoalex]

Can't afford a vintage so we built a 5E3, used all high quality components, stuck in Tone Tubby Green ceramic speaker and it's all I ever need. Such a fantastic sound.

[@FilbertMcTwitch]

I have a 1956 Fender Champ that I'm now reminded to love! But wow - that '59 5E3 Deluxe sounds AMAZING. Thanks for this shootout. It's so great to be able to hear vintage amps like these side-by-side.

[@firdausHITMAN]

Ive got a 1957 tweed champ - amazing amp. Ive never played a real 5E3 tweed. Lusting after one for a long time, hopefully if I find a good one and have the money then Id like to be done for amps.

[@charlesbolton8471]

I have have 1960 Tweed Champ which is incredible, but I do love all of the Tweeds. Personally, I would really like to have a Harvard.

[@Punkdebutique]

I recently got my first Tweed amp, it is a 5e3 Deluxe, the ones that Fender remodeled lately. Damn! I trully do not want or need another amp. It got everything, from clean to dirty tones. Although I want it to sound louder, there’s nothing to complain about it, really. It has the perfect tone!! Everything I plug into it sounds marvelous, I even tried to plug in a microphone and record harmonica through it and felt like a time machine, bringing back those 60s tones that are to die for!! Amazing.

[@chrisdrake447]

And this is why I keep subscribing to The Guitar Magazine. Fantastic job, everyone, & thank you. Great to actually , finally, listen to Huw talking about this stuff -so knowledgeable without any pomposity. & as for the key question, how can anyone possibly pick a favourite? They all sound amazing. But my Neil Young worship kind of leads me off down one particular road ... More of this sort of content, please guys.

[@butterscotchtele]

My takeaway; tweeds sound like tweeds, all glorious.

[@kyrandell3290]

Hi Huw, Have enjoyed your thoughtful reviews, writing and knowledge for many years so nice to put a face to it finally and see/hear the same in a video which is a much better format. More please! Best wishes K

[@edtweed5e4-a]

Ky Randell check out ToneTwinsTV on KZbin for more Huw

[@moimeme7839]

Tube rectified amp are the bests, and you sure know how to record a guitar sound, nice demo👍😀

[@AlexSosaBolivia]

0:37 that warm, throaty sound is what it's all about.

[@letmeooze]

My favourite was definitely the 59 5E3 Deluxe. Clear yet sweet.

[@mikeroche3631]

Excellent presentation. Thank you.

[@realgoodmind]

hope you guys start doing more like this with vintage amps

[@jpalberthoward9]

The only Tweeds I've ever listened to or played that I didn't instantly fall in love with were the ones that needed some work, and of course once that was done, they rejoined the family. I have the Princeton and the Tremolux. They both required some rehab, but now they're both rock solid. Neither one of them is going anywhere. The next time they change hands will be at my estate sale. I just hope that will be a long time from now and whoever has them next will understand them and appreciate what amazing tools they are.

[@thomassharp9738]

Funny that (largely) the pursuit of tone is for tone that was invented 60 years ago. Much love from New Zealand.

[@dressedtosmellgood]

thats some peoples idea of it anyway...

[@waxhead63]

Thomas Sharp .... Dead right TS ... I know I am and I’ve been playing for over 45yrs..cudos from Oz🤙

[@waxhead63]

Actually I should have said also that most of the new tweeds coming on the market now seem to be trying to achieve the same...

[@tysonrinker5958]

I havent heard anything sound as good as the early fender tweeds, Marshall's, blackface and silverface fenders, vox ac15s and 30s. Nothing new sounds as good as those amps and most of them are just imitating those sounds anyways

[@Guitarjosii]

Love the 5E3 and the bassman

[@timothymatthews4399]

This was extremely helpful for me in deciding which tweed kit to buy from Mojotone. Originally I had settled on the 5E3, but those sweet clean sounds with Vibrato won me over so I built the 5F1. I 13:53 LOVE it! Thanks for this excellent demonstration of old tweeds!

[@powercourageandwisdom]

'59 5E3 w/12" blue celestion 15 watt. Hands down the best amplifier for me.

[@tysonrinker5958]

Every amp sounded great but the 5e3 had just a little more to it. I'm probably biased though becasue I have one coming in the mail ! But theres a reason i bought the 5e3

[@steveshears890]

Power Courage and Wisdom excellant choice for sure.i have several models of tweed clones my go to is the mighty 5E5 Pro . Tone to the bone . Warm as your fav gal,crisp as a cool mountain morn, rich as Leo Fender . Iove em all but if on desert island and could only have one it would b the mighty 5E5 Pro only 3 knobs and morr than enough. Ionly plug straight in sometimes alittle delay. Sorry for long windedness

[@johnmorrison5031]

thank you for making this

[@papawx3]

I bought my first tweed {1958 Deluxe} in 1983 for $300. It was stupid clean, and all original. I almost didn't buy it, because $300 for a used amp was allot of money at the time, but it was the best sounding amp I had ever heard, so I bought it anyway. I have never regretted my decision that day. I acquired three more over the years: a 1955 Super, a 1959 Pro and the last one I bought was in 1994, a 1960 Bassman. If I had to keep just one, it would be the Deluxe. The others are GREAT in their own way, but there is something special about that 5E3 circuit. Greatest blues tones you will EVER hear from ANY amp, hands down.

[@frantisca]

My favourite: 1956 5E4 A6V6 Super with Celestion G10 Vintage. Rich harmonics and overtones. Thanks for uploading \m/

[@anthonyrichard461]

I'm with you. I noticed immediately.

[@thesjkexperience]

I liked it with the golds too! I guess I need one of each! Take that however you choose.

[@LocoDirewolf]

Mine too, with the Vintage or Gold. Sounded the warmest clean and roared the loudest dirty.

[@bobboitt3126]

Exactly it stands out over the others.

[@Ollonskog]

I really need to practice my shaking

[@hyperluminalreality1]

So does he. 9:23 is the intended outcome since you obviously missed it.

[@orbitaljellyfish808]

Usually annoying, this dude’s shaking went comedic 👏👏 Edit: still annoying and 9:29 just 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@211squirrel]

The shaking was not ideal

[@maxpeck4154]

I've never understood the shaking. I understand the pulling back and forth on the neck for vibrato even less. Why does EVERY reviewer do that? You'd never catch me doing that on a Gibson guitar PERIOD, wouldn't dream of it on my SG. That's why it has a vibrato arm on it.

[@ClaudioMartella]

That's how you add vibrato to a chord with a fixed bridge.

[@stormedbyhippiesc3966]

Slide is dope, epic playing

[@pyroman6000]

Man, I love that old Fender amp tremolo... Nothing else sounds like it! My dream amps are a '59 Bassman 4x10; and a Brownface Deluxe; and a Brownface Pro amp. Whichever that was in the intro to this video just got added to the list! And also a place where I can turn them up loud enough to get "the" sound! lol. I'd blow my walls down, if I tried that at my house... Johan Segeborn has a bunch of videos out of him playing through vintage tweed and brownface amps- cranked all the way up. Sounds incredible! It sounds like a catalog of all the awesome guitar sounds from the 70's and 80's rock and blues albums. I was like- so THAT'S that tone!!! Hmm- I wonder what these guys REALLY played through in the studio, lol. Who knew- just take an old Tweed or brownface Fender combo, turn it all the way up, and play. No need for anything extra! (RIP your hearing, but it's worth it!)

[@thirdroompro]

Great video and info. Thank you.

[@Tonetwisters]

The 330 and that tweed is magical.

[@BigHairyGuitars]

Holy Christmas! These all sound amazing!

[@adamimberti6948]

Watching this Christmas eve 2019 deciding what amp I'm going to buy in the new year.... This comment is perfect.

[@smokyFAB]

5A3 and 5E3 Deluxes both with Celestion blues are my favorites.

[@stevehogsett8121]

Once I get this 64 Supro up and running, im building on of those tweed deluxes. Ive been collecting parts for it for about a year and half now.

[@icarodonatonipinheiro3607]

Thanks for the video. Loved it! But I miss the 5f1 tweed

[@giulioluzzardi7632]

Corr, that old Jensen is the bollox , the nearest alternative speaker was that Gold alnico celestion, it was the only one apart from thecJensen thst did'nt give me an earache. That was a 12 mins well spent to me. Thanks for tsking the time to get it together for us poor addicts that picked up Guitar in the 70s and got hooked within weeks...theres no cure so enjoy all those vibes and record them for us so we can dream about this stuff even more.

[@Tonetwisters]

Regardless of what all these comments were about ... I appreciate this video, regardless of its perceived faults. Nice to hear different tweed amps, which oddly enough, I never have heard live before, even after being at this for nearly 57 years (browns early on when they were new amps, then nothing but blackfaces starting in 1964). LOVE the Celestion speakers, but would have loved to hear a Tremolux (arghh, you say!?) 5E9, since I am considering having one built as I could never afford an original. Was considering using a 15" in it, but after this, my favorite speaker sounds incredibly good, and besides, they're all blue.

[@cmkilcullen8176]

Celestion and that tele...sweet classic tones!

[@Aldo-Music-Channel]

Jensen's sound great, have a wonderful warm tone compared to others😎, fantastic review.

[@auntjenifer7774]

I really like the Tweed with the original Jensen speakers, that's the tone I hear in my head when it comes to Tweed.

[@BenJBrandt]

that trem sounds so incredible

[@BenJBrandt]

everything sounds incredible. haha

[@rokkebill]

Nice comparison !

[@druwk]

Clean Sounds are deceptive, because they are played so softly...Tweed Cleans are absolutely my favorite 😻 5e11 Vibrolux with the Blue, all the way! 5e4A Super with the Les Paul.

[@rshock]

I love the 5E3

[@LFD-ls7li]

whole tone is sweet spot in all time

[@daughtersofdivorce6803]

The 5F4-A with the Gold speakers is the best sounding Fender amp I've ever heard.

[@bastardsonofretkillr]

Love all these amplifiers I just bought a Victoria Chicagolux amplifier with a Eminence 1258 12" speaker I have a old Celestion Alnico Blue I might try in it

[@X360Anti]

Bassman with 2 Gold and 2 G10V speakers would be my pick. They would all be inspiring to play though. Thanks for sharing!

[@russellesimonetta3835]

My dream rig is a bandmaster head, a 2x10 cab, a 2x12 cab and a 1 x15 cab and i would never leave the house.

[@noelharrison902]

@@russellesimonetta3835 wonder what your speaker pick would sound like through an original 5e3 circuit with a 4 6v6 power section

[@russellesimonetta3835]

@@noelharrison902 i think jensen 12" q and a r. But your question of 4 6v6,s remindes me of a weber clone that used 2x 6l6 and a blackface deluxe clone that runs 4x 6v6,s!!! That would be wonderful.

[@Patrick-Hoss]

Great choicees at all: amps, loudspeaker, mic, micpre! 100%

[@donstewart368]

The Jensen C12N is my favorite speaker for the old fender sound.

[@guitarshackbr]

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 amazing!!

[@secretreleases]

The opening sounded like my favourite Ry Cooder tune!

[@Tonetwisters]

I have been a player for 62+ years ... Worked in several music stores across a fairly long period of time. I cannot remember EVER seeing an original Fender Tweed amplifier.

[@dr.stevenpennym.d.3241]

Nice video

[@martincrowe81]

I liked the Celestion Blues better than the Jensens in the clean comparison, but with drive, the Jensen was by far my favourite. The flubby bass and sort of full-frequency roar is part of the tweed charm. Tightening it up loses something. I don't have a clear-cut favourite in the showcase, though I prefer the smaller tweeds to the Bassman.

[@daijones101]

martincrowe81 agree

[@JasonMcFly]

All sounded the same until the Super. Super made me go wow, what a tone! Also the 5F6 Bassman.

[@tongusgrump2261]

I’ll take the 5E4-A microphonic harmonically rich wild noisy and out of control beast, the nastiest bull for the ride:)

[@Les537]

That jiggly les paul sure sounds nice.

[@chuckyz2]

5:39 9:43 I have a 5E3 with a Celestion UK Alnico Gold. Its a copy made by a reputable builder and it is amazing. It sounds so good with all my guitars. It has early 50's RCA tubes. Those tubes really take it to another level of harmonic beauty. They were not cheap but worth every penny. If I had to have only one amp, it would be the one I keep. I just wish I had the time and talent to make my amazing gear sing to the full potential it is capable of.

[@christiandude3149]

59 deluxe with alnico blue and the bassman are Killer!

[@cemsarioglu5947]

Wow this is a lesson about the Fender Amps and the effect of different speakers. Guitar Magazine at its finest. Thank you and renewing the subscribtion.

[@MrEddie-gf3yg]

If only I had the money for a magnificent Tweed!

[@maynardmadsen8712]

I love tweed amps! Wish you also had one with a 15” speaker.

[@steveshears890]

Maynard Madsen the MIGHTY 5E5 PRO 30 watts of 15 tone heaven has 3 knobs like 5e3 . I dont know if someone is building them . I built mine ln 02 w highest quality parts i could find from scratch . Cost me about 700$ then in raw material

[@steveshears890]

Maynard Madsen o and about 200 hrs labor

[@Wingman52]

Interesting that when you listen to the recordings from back when these amps were new there is rarely any sign of distortion, certainly not the extreme over-driven distortion we use them for today. The guitar sounds are mostly clean. In the early 60's until say 1966 or so the quest was for loud and clean. The Silverface Fenders were built to be cleaner at high volumes that the Blackfaces. It wasn't until later when a distorted sound became in vogue that these tweed amps became the holy grail. They sounded like this because that's what the technology at the time could do, not because it was desirable. In the 60's one of the popular amps with the local bands was an 85 watt Twin Reverb because it was very loud and very clean at high volumes, the Silverface I think was 100 watts and even cleaner. The way these tweed amps sound was likely not by design it was just what happened when you turned them up which very few people did.

[@MWallis2]

Super with Celestion Gold is outstanding.

[@karlhector2049]

Completely agree

[@nickwilson9210]

Great video!!!

[@mattgriffiths6488]

Does anyone know what that Gretsch he's playing at 2:02 is and how does gets that hollow scream with it? Apart from the hollow body of course because he's playing other hollow bodies that just don't have it. It's an amazing sound - perfect for filling a stadium!

[@cremotionfilms5561]

Love the sound at 0:38 min :) which amp is it? and what kind of pickups?

[@johngreenwood1972]

Ha, they all sounded great.

[@KelsterVonShredster]

out of the 110 amps i've owned in my lifetime, my hand wired Marsh tweed deluxe definitely ranks in my top 3 amps that I just can't live without. Incredible pedal platform and raunchy as hell when you dime it.....i use a weber alnico and it's amazing.

[@alaricmusic]

Thank you for the video and the samples of those wonderful amps. Does that 5A3 have a 6SC7 or a 6SL7 in the phase inverter position?

[@adrianoganzarolli859]

Celestion Blue Sounds Like Good!

[@RobertNolan]

That Telecaster with a Tweed 5E3 wins, in my ears, but the Vibrolux had me raising an eyebrow and a smirk for sure -especially in the beginning with that slide action.

[@ZekeMan62]

Robert Nolan I bet you'd prefer the Vibrolux if he was playing it through the original Jensen P10R (see my comment above, then check out the link below). kzbin.info/www/bejne/oZ2kY3euaZ6Yi6s

[@RobertNolan]

Ezekiel Watters the only problem is that I'll be building it by hand and I'm not that advanced yet. :(

[@chrisshadrick4121]

That guitar player has an amazing waggle. Shake that thing brother!

[@mohammadalhumaidi1831]

I feel the need.. the need for tweed

[@jamesprice6381]

JUST SERVICED A tweed deluxe BLOCK LOGO 3 INPUTTER, w/variac at 110, it was INSANE TONE...

[@undergroundjohnny]

You were using the Beyerdynamic "M" 160 , not "C" 160. Jimi Hendrix & Eddie Kramer used the Beyer M160 to be perfectly correct.

[@allrequiredfields]

Yeah, wondered what he was on about there.

[@buffdoc46]

I love all my Vintage Jensens, wouldn't swap thwm for any new speaker. Even Reconed sound great

[@anderswedin]

This is just the way a shootout should be made. The same lick, giving us an idea of the difference between the amps and speakers instead of the qualites of the player (no doubt about that, though:)) Very useful, thank you! One question: were the speakers played in or new from the box?

[@chensanmiguel3477]

Read the comments about the guitar shaking and had to go back to the vid to notice it. Was too enthralled with the sound first time seeing it. Shaking=Mojo

[@kenodysseys]

Great video. Question. Why are you using concrete block under all the amps. My guess is bass response. Not wanting more bass from the wooden floors?

[@wrcolo]

What are those Filtertron PUPs around 2:20 in the show? They sound great!

[@rockylacoco]

Hi, Great video, I have some tweeds myself. I was wondering if you could let me know, how to fit four selection gold in a 4x10 Bassman. I have four brand new Celestion golds and the magnets seem to stick out too much where the transformer would be in the way. Thanks, Frank

[@elginphelps5291]

I have a beat up 1958 Fender and a clean Victoria from 2000. Both sound incredible at 3, with the Vic being a bit cleaner and brighter.

[@Tonetwisters]

Good for you. I have been a player for 58 full years, and where I live (north Florida), I don't even see tweeds, much less have I had a chance to ever play through a real one. Closest I have gotten, is to a Victoria Deluxe and a Victoria Double Deluxe. Both were incredible. I started life playing through my brother's brownface 1960 PRO, then my 1964 Super Reverb, which I still have.

[@LouieTM]

12:13 that’s the Holy Grail

[@MarkBourassaJr]

Yeah, that's a good one!

[@scottchristopher4503]

That damn Bassman, its unbelievable. It's the best amp ever made, hands down. 59/60. His greatest amp invention.

[@jpadilla132]

That 5e4 sounded like the song "belong" of REM

[@okaytastic6691]

The best speaker I’ve heard in a tweed was the Rec Pro Tweed Deluxe Speed Shop A12Q speaker look it up it’s A+

[@nonsolotubo]

Hi guys. Wanna ask you about the little box down on the left of the amps. Is it a power conditioner or something similar? Need more infos about it. Cheers

[@walthaus]

Old Jensens are a perfect match for these amps, putting Celestions in there is okay but it don't sound right to me, so what if the old Jensens blow, get them re-coned and off you go another 60 years. And what's with the shaking, when did that become a "thing"???

[@Antonio-nn5ot]

Yeah... either you do the vibrato with the strings or you shake it for feedback... but nowadays loads of people are doing it... namely Dan from that pedal show... 😃

[@Jamesppatterson]

Agree. The Alnico blues sound too harsh and bright for Fender tweeds. The Edge/U2 uses Alnico blues in his Deluxes, but he prefers really bright, Vox like sounds. Get a Vox AC15 or AC30 with Alnico blues if you want to go that route.

[@blueterrace]

It made me nervous

[@paulcowart3174]

I think Celestions sound good in tweed twins Old Jensen's can be hit or miss IMO

[@markhammer643]

I bought my 5F2-A Princeton in 1976. Could not stand the 8" Jensen it came with. Replaced it with a JBL 2110; also 8" but with more bandwdith at both ends of the spectrum, and more efficient. Never regretted it for a minute. Anyone who tries it covets it.

[@patnichols1463]

Im gonna try a Celestion Blue in my 5A3. And then in my 5E3. I need a 5C3 or 5D3.

[@johnbeloe]

Cool vid. Weird the alnico golds sounds really good here but whenever I've tried them in fenders, tweed, brown or blackface, they have this horrid spike in a very narrow part of the upper mids that sounds so unnatural on lead lines, almost like a cocked wah. Got a gold 10 out the cupboard to try yesterday just to be sure after hearing this and it went straight back in and replaced with a Jensen c10 clone again. I like them here though. Odd!

[@hyperluminalreality1]

For those who are so thin skinned that the shaking confuses and irritates you....9:23. It is called full chord vibrato. Welcome to the world...please drive thru. There there...bless your heart.

[@webseiter]

Interesting amp stand. What's that beneath the stone?

[@cawfeedawg]

probably neoprene padding .. that and the cement block help stop vibrations from shaking the downstairs plaster off the cieling xD

[@TheChadPad]

0:37 So what amp and speaker setup was being used with the Stratocaster in this clip? It shows a Bassman. Which speaker was used with it though?

[@christopherpurcell8131]

I have a narrow panel Super chassis I love. But I bought a Pro cabinet as well for it with two baffles a 1-15” and a 4-8” for a baby bassman kinda setup. The 4-8” setup is really fun to play. Worth a try. I just mixed two inexpensive Weber ceramics and two basic Weber alnicos together

[@rotad9967]

Why no 50s era Fender Pro Tweed amps? I just finished rebuilding a 54 Pro (with a 12 inch Celestion creamback instead of the standard 15 inch Jensen) and was curious to hear the difference.

[@fatcatsound]

In the video he states the mic is a "Beyerdynamics C160 and it has a cardioid pickup pattern." Not that it really matters but it's an M160 and the company claims it has a hypercardiod pattern. The mic uses 2 ribbons with the 2nd ribbon used to provide rear rejection of sound which might be the only ribbon designed to be unidirectional. Good choice of mics, however. It's rumoured 2 of them were used to record the drums for Zeppelin's "When the Levee Breaks."

[@AverageWannabe]

Nice video. As a tweed die hard I liked it very much, hope you will do more of this. My favorite sounding amp (though through youtube it is really hard to know how they really sound), was the 5A3 with the original speaker, second place the tweed bassman with the Vintage Celestions. The Celestion Blues and golds sounded kind of harsh, though I gotta tell you, they require a very VERY long break in period so that they can finally leave behind that harshness and start sounding creamier. I have one in my Tweed Deluxe and only a few weeks back it finally broke in, after like 7 months of playing or more. ...almost gave up on them. I think in a few years they will sound even better, they are some tough speakers! oh! and tell the guitar player that if he shakes the whole guitar with the hand no vibrato will come out, it`s just silly and a waste of energy ...and it looks ridiculous.

[@johnbeloe]

AverageWannabe interesting what you say about the golds. I absolutely hammered a gold 10 in my toneking falcon for about 10 hours hoping it would come through and I hated that spike on the upper mids that just wouldn't go or soften. Sounded like a cocked wag on lead lines almost. The very transparent and natural sounding wgs g10c went back in. Tried the same thing with a the 12 inch in a 5e3 and some conclusion. In went an old 60s c12n. Youre saying that cocked wah, annoying harsh spikey soubd eventually goes?

[@AverageWannabe]

+johnny bwinger yes... They need way more than 10 hrs, and i mean WAY WAY more. 10 hrs is literally nothing for these speakers. Good thing is after they break in they will last forever. Play the heck out of them, specially in stage situations, connect them to your sound system and listen to a lot of RAP music through them, rap sucks i know, but the cone will move. They need some serious punches n kicks in the butt to get domesticated.

[@AverageWannabe]

UPDATE: I just installed some really awesome pickups in my strat, and they sound like the worst piece of shit with the Blue. What a fucking crap of a expensive speaker that is... the worst piece of garbage I have ever played, shrill as a motherfucker. Totally disappointed now. Those pickup do sound glorious with any other speaker besides the fucking blue. I`m going to throw that thing into a fucking septic tank. Celestion: Your Blue is the shittiest speaker ever.

[@johnbeloe]

AverageWannabe lol reading this comment. I found the blue broke in much quicker than the gold and always sounded pretty glorious, but maybe just doesn't suit certain setups as does really highlight a very particular frequency band. See how it sounds with another guitar

[@AverageWannabe]

I had installed a set of bareknuckle alnico 3 pickups when I wrote my first comment and the blue did sound pretty good with them, but with this alnico V set... holy crap! It sucks a hugely big time! ...Yuk! ...its like little gremlins were ice picking on my eardrum like fucking maniacs high on meth! I hate the Blue right now

[@kevgh3869]

I bought a Victoria 518. Any comments on this amp?

[@donrutter6765]

The best one was the Strat through the Ampeg with greenbacks.

[@kristofer603]

Any thoughts on the FENDER BLUES DELUXE Reissue?

[@ShaneMcCrae]

I enjoyed the video but was very disappointed that you did not include the 5f8a Twin, especially since you cited Joe Bonamassa, who along with Keith Richards and Eric Clapton, have settled on the Twin as the king of all amps. Surely that’s good enough cred to deserve inclusion. I play a Clara built Twin and I swear I can cover virtually every tone you captured with these other lovely amps. Granted, when you get into the dirt, you want to be a mile away, but glory comes at a price. At low volumes the clean tones are unmatchable. By not including the Twin you came up ten yards short of the goal line. I’d love to see a proper do over. Thanks.