Convert 5E3 clone to 18w 1974x??

[jazrok]

Hi

I built a 5E3 clone a while ago and, while it sounds ok, it's not really my type of amp with all of the woofy bass etc. I'd like to try and convert it into a Marshall type of amp and thought a 1974 "lite" (with just volume and Tone , no tremolo) might be a good idea. Is this possible using the 6V6 tubes and the 5E3 transformers? Ideally I'd just like to change the circuit and not replace transformers etc..

Any ideas/advice would be appreciated.

J

[matt h]

(deleted)

[cbass]

Fwiw my 6g3 destroys the 18 watt lite

[matt h]

(deleted)

[Colossal]

Disparaging a Marshall in the Marshall Discussion?!? Flimshaw!

The 6G3 does sound nice. It depends on the tone you are after. The Marshall 1974 circuit is killer. Before you give up on your 5E3 however, you might consider changing the preamp coupling caps to 0.022uF and output coupling caps to 0.047uF. That will take out the flab and mud. You can also target V1a and b cathode caps if you need to tighten things further. But if you don't dig the Fender sound, then screw it, build an 18W.

6G3 demo
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=U0jDl8kyMV8
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=E_Y5PXQKv_g

18W Lite/TMB demo
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VRN_GpdMod0

[ToneMerc]

I built a couple of these years back on 2.875 and 3.125 x 8.5 wide boards and it was way plenty of room. If you use a 10.25 wide board you could easily add a couple of diodes for SS rectification, thus freeing up a tube socket or tighten up the placement and squeeze in two smaller form factor 22 or 33uf caps on board. You could then either use your existing tube rectifier or mount the cap can at he rectifier hole and then of course run your two 6V6's. You could even relocate the gain trimmer to that unused volume pot hole.

TM

[M Fowler]

A 6v6 version

[cbass]

Disparaging a Marshall in the Marshall Discussion?!? Flimshaw!

The 6G3 does sound nice. It depends on the tone you are after. The Marshall 1974 circuit is killer. Before you give up on your 5E3 however, you might consider changing the preamp coupling caps to 0.022uF and output coupling caps to 0.047uF. That will take out the flab and mud. You can also target V1a and b cathode caps if you need to tighten things further. But if you don't dig the Fender sound, then screw it, build an 18W.

6G3 demo
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=U0jDl8kyMV8
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=E_Y5PXQKv_g

18W Lite/TMB demo
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VRN_GpdMod0

Those demos is hardly fair.the 18 watt is way better recorded .but does sound very good My 18 watt lite iib sounded nothing like that

[matt h]

(deleted)

[Colossal]

And just to clarify--I wasn't trying to disparage the Marshall... only point out the similarities in the circuit and that if you've already got a 5e3, and want to point it in *that* direction, the 6g3 is already 95% of the way there. No need to reinvent the wheel!

No, I wasn't being serious. I just wanted to say flimshaw, like Mr. Burns.

[matt h]

(deleted)

[rp]

Love El84s as more tubes is more fun, but it really takes 4 to get some meat on the bones. The 6V6 is the better tube - be honest, you know it's true.

[cbass]

6v6 got mobass handle movoltage sounds mobetta

[rp]

6v6 got mobass handle movoltage sounds mobetta

you got that right, Mumbles.

[didit]

Again wandering away from the specific ask about 18w ...

I'd built a 5E3 and had similar appreciation for it's limitations. My solution was to rewire the amp circuit for 5E9a tweed tremolux, but without the tremolo. Took a little head scratching work out simplest layout change. Less than an hour to actually tweak. Now the amp is big and round, with nice range of clean headroom before hitting saturated warm overdrive.

Matt's suggested steer to the 6G3 is also an excellent one.

Best .. Ian