New 5e3 completed

[Sneakers]

Here's some pics of my just completed 5e3. I did a scratch build, mostly following the official fender layout.

Speaker is a Weber Sig 12, coupling caps are Mallory 150, transformers are Magnetic Components 40-18016 (PT) and 40-18022 (OT). The cabinet is constructed out of walnut, maple and padauk, with an Arm-R-Seal finish. Chassis is Weber SS.



Nice view of the completed amp. Please no comments about my cheap-ass guitar. The Tele will be on it's way shortly.



Wired up with tubes installed. Not sure about the JJ 5Y3S. My B+ is a little high at 388. I've got an NOS tube on order and we'll see if it brings it down some.



I went with the simple wide panel-style back. Shows off the tubes better and I think I can trust myself not use the cabinet as a storage area.



It's alive! Nice pic of the different wood and the finish, too.

[Sneakers]

One thing is a bit puzzling, though: if you look at the second pic, you can see the bleeder resistor across the first filter cap, a 220K-2w. When I was running through the initial checks, and only had the recto tube installed, it took about a minute for the caps to discharge through the bleeder. However, now that I've installed the other tubes, the caps discharge within 4 or 5 seconds after power-off. Is this normal? It makes me wonder whether I've hooked something up incorrectly, or whether I should have bothered with the bleeder resistor in the first place. By comparison, my P1eX build (also with a 220K bleeder) takes considerably longer to discharge. I'm not sure what to make of this.

[Bruce / Mission Amps]

It's right.
That's how tubes work... when they get hot, then conduct a lot of electrical energy and load the power supply down... they are in a sense, in parallel with that little bleeder resistor, so the voltage goes to the path of least resistance, the hot tubes.

[Sneakers]

Thanks - that makes sense. It's just that I'm so used to being warned that the caps will retain a charge, it was strange to see them discharge somewhere other than through the bleeder.

[Chuck H]

Can't believe no one has mentioned yet... That's one of the prettiest cabinets I've ever seen.

[Wittgenstein]

I agree, really nice work.... I'm jealous. I still need to make up 2 heads and 2 cabinets for my builds. The first few I plan on covering in tweed, but once my wood-working skills are better, I hope to make one or two out of black walnut and leave it uncovered.

[NorCalTuna]

Yah Chuck, I'm gonna go ahead and give that cabinet the gold star... This forum now officially needs a gallery!!! Nice work!

[JoeM]

Can't believe no one has mentioned yet... That's one of the prettiest cabinets I've ever seen.

Yep, that's really a beautiful cabinet. Congrats on the build too.

[jmaf]

Beautiful build. Congrats!

[Bruce / Mission Amps]

Here's an amp I finished up a few weeks ago for a customer.... not a 5E3 but a good looking Fender tweed V-Front Super clone.... an early 51'-52' type Super. Using a 5C5 chassis.
NOS 5U4, 6L6Gcs and three 6SL7GT triodes...

[jmaf]

Here's an amp I finished up a few weeks ago for a customer.... not a 5E3 but a good looking Fender tweed V-Front Super clone.... an early 51'-52' type Super. Using a 5C5 chassis.
NOS 5U4, 6L6Gcs and three 6SL7GT triodes...

Looks great, Bruce. I wish this forum had a gallery of all these builds

[Chuck H]

I wish this forum had a gallery of all these builds

It does... Or did? More than half the entries are defunct due to changes in site allocation or other. And there's some spam at the end.

AMPAGE -- Homebrew Gallery

[jmaf]

It does:

AMPAGE -- Homebrew Gallery

Had never seen that, Chuck. Thanks for the pointer.

[cmattdabrat]

Love it! Love the "racing stripes"! Nicely done. One of a kind, that's for sure. I'd be afraid to gig that one cause I wouldn't want to ding it up.

[Bruce / Mission Amps]

Yeah that is a great looking cabinet.
But, actually Michael from Swart amps and MOJO were doing "racing stripes" on cabinets 7-8 years ago. Ha ha