The "best" "small" amp?

[dartanion]

The 5E3 is a great little amp and quite similar to a Princeton. The Deluxe is more raw than the Princeton, but that's it's character. You need to retain the concertina PI to retain the feel. The Brown Deluxe changed to an LTP and doesn't sound or feel like it's tweed cousin. The Princeton is cleaner due to fixed bias and higher plate voltages.

Tweed Deluxe= Neil Young
BF/SF Princeton= early 70s Clapton

Both of these are cool amps just slightly different.

FWIW, I built a custom amp into a Pro Jr chassis and cab for a local pro as his grab and go amp. It's basically my Vapour pre amp mated to a concertina PI and Princeton like PA. I used cathode biasing instead of fixed and also used 6SL7s instead of 12AX7s. Here's a quick video clip we did before delivering the amp to it's owner:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNgZHJXxJI4

Not the greatest recording, but it gives you and idea. The goal was to get both the Princeton and 5E3 qualities in one amp. Also, I wanted enough gain in the preamp to not need a pedal to get overdrive, yet keep the gain in check since the chassis is tiny.

[David Root]

I have a 12A150T that I have not used yet but I have used other Weber Alnico speakers with success.

I have also seen some reviews, along these lines, by people who know what they are talking about:

Q: Can you recommend a good 12” speaker?

A: My personal favorite vintage style speaker, which I'm currently running in my own 1950's 5E3 Tweed Deluxe Amp, is the Weber 12A150, which is a 12", 8-Ohm, 40-oz AlNiCo magnet, 25-watt, 1-1/2" voice coil, ribbed cone type speaker, that provides a warm, crunchy tone. It has a warm, smooth early breakup, aggressive attack, is very loud and full sounding, with compressed/fattened tones at high volumes. In my opinion, Weber manufactures the most accurate "vintage" reproduction speakers on the market today and the 12A150 provides the classic AlNiCo vintage tone, very similar to the original 1950's (NOT reissue) Jensen P12N speaker ... an excellent bluesy sounding speaker! By the way, the Fender Custom Shop is using these speakers in their new hand-wired, reissue 1957 Twin Amp, announced at the January 2004 NAMM show (I’ll have one of these amps in the shop probably in late-April or May 2004).


This is from a speaker Q&A at www.southvalleyvintageamps.com

I ordered the T version which has more ribs in the cone, as the mike input of the EH150 circuit, as modified by Tino Zottola, is going to be plenty crunchy. His design puts 400V on the plates and puts out 30W, so I bought the 50W no dope. You would need the 25W no dope.

[dartanion]

Or you can bite the bullet and buy a vintage P12 whatever. I found a couple of Rs for cheap a few years back, original cones in decent shape. They are out there if you know where to look.

[dehughes]

Very cool. Thanks all.

That little amp of yours is a screamer, Darin. Totally deceptive, based upon its size.

As for the 5E3 vs. Princeton thing, I'm inclined to go Princeton if for no other reason than the Jim Campilongo factor. Still, I'm afraid I'd screw up a Princeton by putting a Celestion Blue in it....which I'd have to try out of curiosity. Probably should just stick with a 10" speaker, but I just can't leave well enough alone...

[Structo]

FWIW, I built a custom amp into a Pro Jr chassis and cab for a local pro as his grab and go amp. It's basically my Vapour pre amp mated to a concertina PI and Princeton like PA. I used cathode biasing instead of fixed and also used 6SL7s instead of 12AX7s. Here's a quick video clip we did before delivering the amp to it's owner:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNgZHJXxJI4

Not the greatest recording, but it gives you and idea. The goal was to get both the Princeton and 5E3 qualities in one amp. Also, I wanted enough gain in the preamp to not need a pedal to get overdrive, yet keep the gain in check since the chassis is tiny.

That sounds great Larry.
I like how it cleans up when you roll the volume off.
Is that a proprietary circuit or can you share?

[dartanion]

FWIW, I built a custom amp into a Pro Jr chassis and cab for a local pro as his grab and go amp. It's basically my Vapour pre amp mated to a concertina PI and Princeton like PA. I used cathode biasing instead of fixed and also used 6SL7s instead of 12AX7s. Here's a quick video clip we did before delivering the amp to it's owner:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNgZHJXxJI4

Not the greatest recording, but it gives you and idea. The goal was to get both the Princeton and 5E3 qualities in one amp. Also, I wanted enough gain in the preamp to not need a pedal to get overdrive, yet keep the gain in check since the chassis is tiny.

That sounds great Larry.
I like how it cleans up when you roll the volume off.
Is that a proprietary circuit or can you share?

Hey Tom,

Who's Larry?

It's not proprietary at all. It's a Wreck style preamp gain 1> tonestack >gain 2 > clipper, but I use my own mix of values and component types. The PI is 5E3/AA964, and the PA is pretty much 5E3. It's SS rectified, with an express power supply. This one is 6SL7 in V1 and V2, with 6V6GTs in the PA. The 6SL7s are running on DC filaments, the rest of the amp AC. It was a fun build, but cramming all that into that tiny chassis and keeping it stable were challenging. Going lower gain-wise was purposeful to keep things in check. The speaker is a brand new Fane Medusa 10-75, that just barely fit, otherwise it would have received a Fane AXA.10 AlNiCo.

Darin

[dehughes]

Hey Darin, how did you go about the DC filament supply?

[dartanion]

Hey Darin, how did you go about the DC filament supply?

5V tap > 25A bridge recto > 3A SS diode + large cap. I'll see if I can find the drawing, but it puts out 6V DC which is what matters and it's dead quiet at idle.

Here's a photo of the guts.

[dehughes]

Awesome. Thanks. I'm trying to brush up on DC supplies being as I like Octal preamp tubes, but realize that the NOS stuff is kinda hummy on AC.

So, in general, you recommend a 5V tap to a bridge recto...what value cap(s) do you find are sufficient for the DC supply? I went nuts with dual 10,000uf caps on my first DC supply....as well as another 1,000uf or so after the dropping resistor. It's quiet (of course) but a bit overkill...

[Structo]

Hey Tom,

Who's Larry?
Darin

Sorry Darin, I don't know where I got the idea you were Larry.

And thanks for the info.

[M Fowler]

Distortion is Larry kinda close

[dartanion]

Distortion is Larry kinda close

I'm his other brother Darrel

Or am I Derwood?

Whatever. Just don't call me late for beer!

[Structo]

[jeremyb]

10thTx, I'm really interested in that Little Wing amp.
I think it sounds great! Do you have any interior and exterior pictures of that amp?

So the 6BM8 is about the size of a EL84 tube. Checking around for them and looking at prices they aren't real cheap for the new ones and the NOS ones can set you back more than $45 each.

The photos are my version of the Little Wing but I added reverb using a single 12AX7.

http://s28.photobucket.com/albums/c216/ ... mbopic.jpg

http://s28.photobucket.com/albums/c216/ ... rbtank.jpg

The Little Wing on the soundclip is not mine. Wished I could play that well.
The schematic is the same amp as soundclip. I added reverb to mine.

The 6BM8 tubes go for around $15-18. However, keep in mind this has BOTH a triode and a pentode in it. Compare cost with buying a 12AX7 and a EL84.

If I were going to build a Little Wing again, I'd use a 5879 for V1 instead of a 12AX7 that is paralleled. Fatter tone.

With respect, 10thtx

Beautiful looking build!!

[bluesfendermanblues]

There is the Little Wing. Sort of a mini-Bassman with 6BM8's.

Soundclip: http://www.musicwebtown.com/jallenshaw/46763

10thTx is that you playing in those clips??
- very, very nice full tone and great blues bends!!