New member and new tweed Deluxe build.

[Modern Saint]

This is another nice looking build, Do you have any gut shots?

How did you like the Weber kit?

Thanks Casey.

I just posted it as a separate thread.

New Member with completed first build - Weber 5E7M

[Casey4s]

Very nice Snowy. I like the aged tweed. I too just completed my first build which is a Weber 5E7M a few weeks ago. Now I know how to do it and will give it a roll this weekend. I will probably build a Tweed Deluxe at the end of summer funds permitting.

This is another nice looking build, Do you have any gut shots?

How did you like the Weber kit?

[Casey4s]

Wow Snowy that's a great looking build and great write up. Thanks for sharing.

[Modern Saint]

Very nice Snowy. I like the aged tweed. I too just completed my first build which is a Weber 5E7M a few weeks ago. Now I know how to do it and will give it a roll this weekend. I will probably build a Tweed Deluxe at the end of summer funds permitting.

[No457 Snowy]

I haven't started on it yet, been pretty busy with work but I'm looking forward to it.

Snowy

[cmattdabrat]

Thanks for clearing that up, Snowy. How's the new amp project coming along?

[No457 Snowy]

Hi Mat,

I also noticed my new kit had a newer version of the board so I emailed Rob Hull about it and this was his reply:

"I sold out of the original boards and when I reordered, I changed the
printing on the board just a bit. A few people installed C7 incorrectly so
I drew a smaller rectangle connecting just two of the pins for this
component. Other than this, there is nothing different electrically."

Snowy

[cmattdabrat]

I was just looking back at some of your pictures and mine, and noticed that the PCB you have is a v3.1 and mine is v3.3. I wonder what the difference is?

[jfutral]

Beautiful job! I wish my builds looked this good. Mine look more like they were found in the dumpster of a pawn shop (which is usually where I found the cabinet or chassis to begin with). But they sound great, to me anyway.

Joe

[No457 Snowy]

Hi Terry,

I'm pretty sure they will customise the kit however you wanted, they have quoted me for the same kit with a number of changes to it.

Cheers,

Snowy

[big_teee]

Sounds like it will be a good build with those components, I'm planning on Sprague Orange Drops and F&T Filter caps for my next build, it will be interesting to compare back to back with build number 1.

I put a 12AY7 in V1, it sounds better to me and seems to give the amp a fair bit more head room, staying cleaner further around the volume knob. Check out their You-Tube channel as well, they also have a build video, where rob steps through the entire build from start to finish, showing how and why he does certain things.

Yeah the build manual is great and the links for each part are an awesome touch, actually Rob just revised the build manual with a layout diagram that wasn't there just recently when I built my amp.

Don't worry about the things people say about the PCB, the one in this amp is nothing like the ones you see in a production type Reissue amp. This board is not a cheap crap Chinese one that most people envisage when they think PCB. It is Made in the US, it is Military spec, double sided, wide thick traces, plated-through eyelet holes, etc. You could replace components over and over on the board without an issue so I can't see what's not to like about it.

I think the Deluxe Reverb transformers are a nice touch too as they seem to handle all the Bass this amp can dish out, without farting out.

Also check out the back of the PDF as they also have some tips for some cool mods you can try and it seems they have deliberately over-specced the build to allow for trying a most of these options such as running 6L6's etc.

When I looked at components I noticed they had a link in the build PDF to an Ohmite "Brown Devil" Cathode resistor (8W - 250 Ohm) as an upgrade option from the kits standard 5W, so I also grabbed one of those.
Ohmite Brown Devil 8W Wirewound Resistor

Anyway, good luck with your build i would love to see any pics and thoughts, etc, as you go through it, so stay in touch.

Snowy

I've been meaning to email Tube Depot and see if it can be bought with a turret board instead of the PCB.
Did you ever hear if that was an option. It may be just as good, I know, but it would more vintage looking without the PCB.
Terry

[No457 Snowy]

Sounds like it will be a good build with those components, I'm planning on Sprague Orange Drops and F&T Filter caps for my next build, it will be interesting to compare back to back with build number 1.

I put a 12AY7 in V1, it sounds better to me and seems to give the amp a fair bit more head room, staying cleaner further around the volume knob. Check out their You-Tube channel as well, they also have a build video, where rob steps through the entire build from start to finish, showing how and why he does certain things.

Yeah the build manual is great and the links for each part are an awesome touch, actually Rob just revised the build manual with a layout diagram that wasn't there just recently when I built my amp.

Don't worry about the things people say about the PCB, the one in this amp is nothing like the ones you see in a production type Reissue amp. This board is not a cheap crap Chinese one that most people envisage when they think PCB. It is Made in the US, it is Military spec, double sided, wide thick traces, plated-through eyelet holes, etc. You could replace components over and over on the board without an issue so I can't see what's not to like about it.

I think the Deluxe Reverb transformers are a nice touch too as they seem to handle all the Bass this amp can dish out, without farting out.

Also check out the back of the PDF as they also have some tips for some cool mods you can try and it seems they have deliberately over-specced the build to allow for trying a most of these options such as running 6L6's etc.

When I looked at components I noticed they had a link in the build PDF to an Ohmite "Brown Devil" Cathode resistor (8W - 250 Ohm) as an upgrade option from the kits standard 5W, so I also grabbed one of those.
Ohmite Brown Devil 8W Wirewound Resistor

Anyway, good luck with your build i would love to see any pics and thoughts, etc, as you go through it, so stay in touch.

Snowy

[cmattdabrat]

Sounds nice, Snowy. Their 5E3 kit is just what I'm looking for. From the youtube videos I've seen, I just love the touch sensitive dynamics and natural distortion.

I spent a couple hours yesterday hand selecting each part for this build. The thing I like about Tube Depots pdf instructions, and their site, is the fact they have each part linked to their site (on the pdf) and I can easily choose to upgrade or change out certain components. I opted to go with Mallory 150 and Sprague Atom caps, a mix of JJ and EH tubes, a blue lamp jewel, and cream colored chicken head knobs. I just plan to order a TH speaker from GC.

I see some people really don't care for the PCBs, but I think it's fine and will make this project a breeze for a first time builder like myself. I think upgrading the caps and resistors will get it closer to a boutique amp yet have some nice modern advantages to it.

Some other things I have been considering is using different brand caps in each channel of the amp to give it a slightly different voicing. I saw a picture of a Tungsten amp with Mallory 150s in one channel and Mojo Dijon caps in the other. I could clearly see the values they used too, so that might be something to try.

Did you use 2 12AX7s in your preamp or are you using a 12AY7 and a 12AX7? Also, have you experimented with the difference between the 5Y3 rec tubes and GZ34? I guess I'm still trying to figure out the right setup / sound for myself and it seems the only to do so is to try different configuration of tubes.

Any who, your amp looks great. Any sound clips yet?

[No457 Snowy]

Hi cmattdabrat,

Thanks for the comments.

Yeah, I'm actually considering building another of the Tube Depot kits with some cherry-picked caps etc, the kit has superb clear build documentation and Rob Hull at the Tube Depot promptly answered every email I sent him.

I also liked the fact that the kit also comes with two nice US made Heyboer Deluxe Reverb Transformers and a GZ34 rectifier. With those components and the TH speaker the amp is really loud and still has plenty of Tweed Deluxe flavour, all in all it makes for a great gigging amp in the 5e3 vein.

Snowy

[cmattdabrat]

Looks great, Snowy. I'm planning on build a Tweed Deluxe 5E3 soon as a gigging amp. I have considered the tubedepot kit, but would choose to buy it without the speaker and a few components they offer (caps, etc) to give it a more boutique sound. I'm considering the triode kit. It looks really great otherwise. I'm diggin' the Texas Heat speaker. That's what I plan to go with. I hear great things about it.