Theoretical Question about 5e3 Mod

[BluesDude]

I have been wondering about the possibility of modding my tweed deluxe to create a clean and a regular channel.

Is this possible? Could change the Vol/tone to a bit more of a 6G (Brown deluxe) circuit to separate the two channels. Keep the Bright as is where it distorts when cranked, but make the normal channel into a max headroom clean channel?

Or is this not practical given the nature of the tweed deluxe.

Thanks.

[tubeswell]

I have been wondering about the possibility of modding my tweed deluxe to create a clean and a regular channel.

Is this possible? Could change the Vol/tone to a bit more of a 6G (Brown deluxe) circuit to separate the two channels. Keep the Bright as is where it distorts when cranked, but make the normal channel into a max headroom clean channel?

Or is this not practical given the nature of the tweed deluxe.

Thanks.

The most simple thing you could do is try 12DW7 (or a JJ ECC832 - or JJ ECC823 - both of which are dual triodes with half an ECC83 and half an ECC82, but the JJ ones have the different triodes on opposite sides to the other and vice versa) in V1. This would change the gain in each channel a bit. But I'm not sure how much this may affect the interactivity of the vol controls. Wouldn't do any harm tho'.

Then if you wanted to take it further, you could start tweeking the plate resistors in V1 as well. Increasing to 220k adds a lot more gain (but don't go above 470k). Conversely decreasing them to 47k cleans the signal up a lot and changes the harmonic distortion, making it sound 'jazzier'.

You also might want to decrease (one or both) coupling cap values after V1 (especially if you increase the plate resistor to 220k, because of the increase in gain - including more bass frequencies with will make it tend to be flabbier and muddier). A lot of people like .047uF or .022uF instead (myself included) or 0.1 uF there in a 5E3. Changing the coupling cap values will also probably be necessary if you decrease the plate resistor to 47k, because the tube current will increase and this could add to the possibility of undesirable blocking distortion.

[d95err]

I have been wondering about the possibility of modding my tweed deluxe to create a clean and a regular channel.

Is this possible? Could change the Vol/tone to a bit more of a 6G (Brown deluxe) circuit to separate the two channels. Keep the Bright as is where it distorts when cranked, but make the normal channel into a max headroom clean channel?

The limit of clean headroom in the 5e3 is mainly in the phase inverter, powertubes and powersupply. So regardless of channel, it would start to breakup at roughly the same volume, regardless of how you configure the channels.

[BluesDude]

The limit of clean headroom in the 5e3 is mainly in the phase inverter, powertubes and powersupply. So regardless of channel, it would start to breakup at roughly the same volume, regardless of how you configure the channels.

That makes sense because the PI and Power stage are shared.

I do not want to change too many characteristics of the amp. I like what it is, all I want to do is rework it a little for my tastes.

For my purposes, the Normal channel is of little value. The interaction between the vol tone is neat and the way turning to normal channel vol up to clean up the bright channel is cool.

But I am thinking I can get that tweed tone and use one channel as a clean channel and the other as a distortion channel by setting the volume level differently on each channel on the amp and using an A/B/Y box to switch. Plus, if I did Bruce's Tone/Vol mod and set the vol at different level, I would expect that I could make the Normal channel brighter (usable). I also intend to tone down the bass flab some by modifying the coupling and bypass caps.

Does that seem like a workable approach?

[BluesDude]

The most simple thing you could do is try 12DW7 (or a JJ ECC832 - or JJ ECC823 - both of which are dual triodes with half an ECC83 and half an ECC82, but the JJ ones have the different triodes on opposite sides to the other and vice versa) in V1. This would change the gain in each channel a bit. But I'm not sure how much this may affect the interactivity of the vol controls. Wouldn't do any harm tho'.
...

Thanks. Interesting idea. I am thinking of making a 6g3 mod which I think would affect the interaction anyway.

[d95err]

But I am thinking I can get that tweed tone and use one channel as a clean channel and the other as a distortion channel by setting the volume level differently on each channel on the amp and using an A/B/Y box to switch. Plus, if I did Bruce's Tone/Vol mod and set the vol at different level, I would expect that I could make the Normal channel brighter (usable). I also intend to tone down the bass flab some by modifying the coupling and bypass caps.

Does that seem like a workable approach?

It will give you one loud distorted channel and one less loud clean channel, in the same manner you can clean the amp up by turning down the guitar volume. But with the cleaner sound optimized for clean and the dirty sound optimized for dirt. It should work.