Mission 5E3 breaks up very early

[Henk]

Yesterday I finished my Mission 5E3 kit.

I must say it breaks up already at volume 1, for solo its alright but with chords it is realy to much. In fact on my USA Strat I must becarefull not to do double stops or it gives a heavy overdrive like sound.

I have installed the two mods but there is not much of a change.

I followed the pictures very carefully and its working without any hum or things.

So I do have a stock Mission Kit that is not clean, how can I change it, perhaps I could have done something wrong?

[Arthur B.]

Asuming that there's no malfuction (big assumption considering I don't know how it looks inside), you can always apply some NFB.

[Jaicen]

I'm no expert, but it shouldn't be breaking up at 1 on the volume. My studio Blackface deluxe goes to about halfway before starting to break up.
Could the tubes be mis-biased??

[Manic]

I'm no expert, but it shouldn't be breaking up at 1 on the volume. My studio Blackface deluxe goes to about halfway before starting to break up.
Could the tubes be mis-biased??

Jaicen, Your comparing apples and oranges bro...My tweed Deluxe breaks at about 3 with single coils, which I believe to be common in a 5e3.

Here is a link that describes Your exact "problem" Henk and a possible remedy for it.

http://online.physics.uiuc.edu/cours...5E3_Deluxe.pdf

[Manic]

On second thought, I really dont have a clue (not enough info) about Your particular amp, or mine for that matter.

I'm way out of line for all the obvious reasons.

My apologies Everyone <foot in mouth>.

[Henk]

No worries Manic, I am already into the article.

I gess a 5E3 should supposed exactly like mine, but I was expecting to have it some cleaner. Imagine I was before ordering planning to ask Bruce about a early breaking up version, glad I didn't...

[Manic]

Right on. hmmm....My 5e3x2 starts breaking around 2 and 3 with kinmans(more or less single coils) in a Tele. A 12AT7 helped mine. Got a lil more gain before break up then with a 12AX7...plate voltages on V1 are around 176 on both triods(12AX7). With an 12AT7 its around 115v, which might be a lil low. I guess a 5751 might be a closer replacement for a 12AX7, Or hey come to think of it, maybe even a 12AY7. I plan on getting a couple few, NOS of course.

Usualy the techs around here request voltages from the problematic amp.

Good luck, Manic

[Bruce / Mission Amps]

Try using two 12AY7s instead of one.
Also, you can try using a 1m 1/2 w resistor to ground from the wiper of each volume pot.
Another trick is to find 1950's, 1M audio pots, which have the classic or vintage tube amp audio taper where at 50% of rotation, the pot's wiper to ground is like 7500 ohms to 10,000 ohms.
Modern audio tapers pots all seem to be coming in at around 15% to 20% ohm... or 15,000 ohms to 20,000 ohms from wiper to ground.
It does make a bit of difference to some players.