Good pickups for 5E3

[Nemesys]

Hi all,

I built myself a 5E3 about 8 months ago, and I've had the opportunity to try out several guitars with it. I've noticed that the amp seems to be somewhat picky about what pickups sound really good with it. I've noticed that it doesn't really like humbuckers at all, and even slightly overwound single-coils can sound harsh pretty easily. However, the other guitarist in my band has a '52 RI Telecaster and a '62 RI Strat that sound ungodly beautiful into it. Not really a surprise, considering the lineage of both guitars and the amp.

So, I'm getting the bug to build something again, and I've been thinking of building myself a guitar to go with the amp. So, I'm wondering if anyone here knows of some pickups that match up with a 5E3 really well?

Thanks in advance for any help anyone can provide.

[Chris - CMW amps]

With a stock 5E3: try some lower output PAF-style or P90 PUs.

Even with Fender style SCs I do prefer "defarting-mods" in 5E3s (smaller couplingcaps/etc.).

[Nemesys]

Thanks for the suggestions. I have a pair of PAF-style pickups around, that I tried with the 5E3 and thought were too dark, but to be fair I was using them with 250K pots -- I should give those another try with the proper pots.

Do you know if the humbucker-sized P-90's from Guitarfetish are a good fit for this sort of amp? People rave about them over on the Fender Forum, and they're inexpensive enough -- I've been wanting to try one.

[Chris - CMW amps]

Most of the time I do prefer 500k pots for HBs & P90s.
For the money GFS is pretty good, don't know their "P94-type" (only a couple of Strat-PUs from them) but I've seen happy users on a forum.

This will cost you even less:
Don't be afraid for the defarting-mod (starting with 4 smaller couplingcaps), still enough bass and 5E3-vibe for SCs but less muddy low-end, especially with HBs, P90s, etc.

[cminor9]

Don't be afraid for the defarting-mod (starting with 4 smaller couplingcaps), still enough bass and 5E3-vibe for SCs but less muddy low-end, especially with HBs, P90s, etc.

Yes, fix the amp for goodness sake. Those .1 coupling caps are just retarded. I changed mine to .022 like virtually EVERY other Fender amp and haven't looked back since. I play all kinds of guitars through my 5E3 with no problem.

Then build your guitar. But build one cause you want to, not because you have to in order to deal with an amp with what could arguably be called a design flaw.

[Nemesys]

Most of the time I do prefer 500k pots for HBs & P90s.
For the money GFS is pretty good, don't know their "P94-type" (only a couple of Strat-PUs from them) but I've seen happy users on a forum.

This will cost you even less:
Don't be afraid for the defarting-mod (starting with 4 smaller couplingcaps), still enough bass and 5E3-vibe for SCs but less muddy low-end, especially with HBs, P90s, etc.

Thanks.

I actually like the bassy sound of the amp. I might try the mod anyway to see if I like it (I can always put the original caps back if I don't, and I'll be out, what, $3.50?).

I'm trying to work around the harshness in the upper midrange that the amp has with some guitars and not others. Although, if you know how to mod that out...

[Chris - CMW amps]

I'm trying to work around the harshness in the upper midrange that the amp has with some guitars and not others. Although, if you know how to mod that out...

Ok, what
- tubes
- B+ voltage
- speaker
- type/brand transformers
are you using?

[Nemesys]

Ok, what
- tubes

EH 12AY7 in V1, JJ 12AX7 in V2, EH 6V6GT in V3/V4, NOS ITT 5Y3GT in V5

- B+ voltage

I'm at work, so I don't know this for sure. I can get it tonight.

- speaker

Weber SIG12A

- type/brand transformers
are you using?

Weber W025130 PT and W041318 OT.

If it's relevant, I used metal-film resistors throughout (except for the big ceramic cathode resistor on the power tubes, of course), Sprague electrolytics, and Mallory 150 coupling caps.

[Nemesys]

B+ is 392V at the first filter cap. Seems a little on the high side, maybe I should change the rectifier.

This is sort of odd, actually -- it was lower right after I built the amp, and I haven't changed anything. I've noticed lately that the amp seems to have a bit more headroom than it used to, that sort of makes sense now...

[Chris - CMW amps]

392 Volts B+ is pretty high, if this PT stays: try lowering it about 20 Volts by using some zenderdiodes between HT-centre-tap and ground.

I don't know about the Weber iron but a Heyboer or MM OT, besides a lower B+ will effect the tone in a very good way I strongly suspect. Never had any "harshness problems" with my own 5E3 style amps with MM iron and Celestion Blue speaker.

[Nemesys]

I had a couple of other 5Y3s around, so I tried those before buying zeners to see if I had a softer one. The first one I tried brought the B+ down to 360 volts. Good enough.

After doing that, the upper-midrange harshness is gone from the amp. So is some high end. It's a little muddy at low volumes now, so I might do the defarting mod. I'll probably do the OT swap, too -- I tried to save money on transformers when I built the amp, aware that I wasn't necessarily getting the best, with the thought that I could always upgrade later. The Weber PT actually seems fine, it only gets barely warm with the amp running full out (and even that is probably from the 5Y3 and 6V6s cooking two inches away). The OT always felt sort of underbuilt, though.

Thanks again for your help, Chris.

[Chris - CMW amps]

You're welcome!

Cool you could lower the voltage by just using a different 5Y3!

Try the four 0.022uF (io. 0.1s) couplingcaps 1st. If the low-end/etc. is still not tight/detaild/etc. enough after that try a quality OT.

Have a very nice & rockin' weekend!