Need to talk about Fender Tweed Deluxe Reissues

mattacjones

I have a couple on the radar, the 57 Deluxe vs the newer custom 57 deluxe. Any experiences to share? Do they stack up well against the boutique clone market? And by stack up, I mean resale-ability as well as tones.
Cheers

DougCoda

In my opinion...Go boutique...the Fender Tweeds are ok but only really work at one volume level which is either too loud or too quiet...Lazy J, Swart, Victoria , Carr and  Two Rock Tweed amps (and others) will do that sound and more. 

TheMarlin

Go boutique. I had a Fender Custom Shop model.  My Vyse 5E3 embarrassed it terribly. 

Funkfingers

I bought one of these. https://www.cornellamps.com/product-page/romany-12

If I had the money to spend again, I might have opted for this. https://www.cornellamps.com/vintage-brown

scovell001

Hi Mattacjones, I looked into this deeply a few years ago before getting my Lazy J. I was thinking about getting a knotty Alder Custom Deluxe I believe. The older ‘custom deluxe’ versions were kinda releaed as limited editions, some with a fender speaker or the one above with a Celestion. What I gleaned was that they were just the 5e3 circuit dressed up. The later custom deluxe obviously have better/different caps & a different speaker as I’m sure you’re aware.

 I originally was going for a speed shop p2p deluxe but decided on the J as the reverb & trem was something I really wanted.

If you can get a deal, by all means go for it, but I feel having that bit more versatility in the boutique option is really worth it.

57Deluxe

The 5e3 is not a complex circuit and it is this that restricts it to sound good at basically two settings only. The overriding charm is the blusteryness of the power valve distortion and the fact that the little cab almost bounces around the floor!

A Les Paul will have you instantly sounding like Neil Young when vol is dialed past 4 and tone ~8 and a Strat is sparkle and chime aplenty nearly all the way but you have to dial it to tone 10 for them to shout. Any P90 comes into its own through them also - probably *The* most rewarding pairing.

They can have the 'Bluster' refined by having a mild drive pedal in front and, a spring reverb gets you 'Americana Deluxe'!

Speaker choice changes the colour also, so is plenty of chance to tailor your Tweed, but ultimately, plug in and just play and leave those amp dials set and work the guitar and - improve your licks!

mattacjones

I should add, I just sold a swart, and I wanted something a touch louder, and fun, and weightless! I also have a tk imperial, but it's a hefty lump. Also, looking at around 1k budget. Putting that together led me to the fender option rather than, say, lazy j. Plus I've dropped a fair bit of lolly on boutique stuff, so thought prob sounder move to struck stick with brand values.

equalsql

Quite a nice one on Ebay here
Also the Flynn Amps 5E3 looks good. https://www.flynnamps.com/tweed-deluxe/

mattacjones

Thanks Patrick, Never heard of dwj. 

Keefy

TheMarlin said:

Go boutique. I had a Fender Custom Shop model.  My Vyse 5E3 embarrassed it terribly. 

It was hearing @dazzajl's Vyse that made me realise I had to get a 5E3. In the end I bought a @Modulus_Amps kit and installed it in someone else's DIY cabinet. I realise this option will not suit everyone, but I got a fantastic giggable* amp for about £500.

57Deluxe said:

The 5e3 is not a complex circuit and it is this that restricts it to sound good at basically two settings only. The overriding charm is the blusteryness of the power valve distortion and the fact that the little cab almost bounces around the floor!

It is pretty much a three-trick pony - (1) clean, (2) edgy, (3) Neil Young. It was made to flatter Strats and Teles, and this it does superbly, making even a Strat bridge pickup sound huge. You almost have to ask the amp's permission before using fx pedals!


*giggable - I have used mine on a couple of C&W gigs without PA support. We are not a loud band, but even so the sound is starting to fur up when I take a lead - not in a good way, in a wonderful way!

mattacjones

Maybe the answer is a modestly priced clone. I had one, still owned by someone on fretboard. It was exactly as you describe!

TheMarlin

I sold my Vyse 5E3 when out of work. Would love to buy it back
Currently have @dazzajl s Vyse on loan. Beat amp I’ve ever heard. Would sell kidney for this one, it’s very very special. 

mattacjones

Praise indeed, used to be Torres as I recall. Bloke called barry in pinner?

Chalky

mattacjones said:

Praise indeed, used to be Torres as I recall. Bloke called barry in pinner?

Barry Vyse split from Torres years ago.  Certainly recommend Barry's amp building course he runs in his workshop.  You end up with a fine boutique amp that you built yourself!

newi123

I recently bought a custom deluxe. I wanted it to say fender, so I bought the fender - nice amp and pairs beautifully with a princeton. It's either off or gigging volume tho!

equalsql

Vyse having a sale on some amps at the mo. 
£684 for a tweed 5e3: http://vyseamps.com/classic.html

That's a beltin' price.

rze99

The Fender reissue ones are ludicrously expensive. Go boutique. Get one made for you as I did .

I had a 5e3 head built for me by Abbott amps in the UK for a very sensible price even with high quality NOS tubes. I love it .

I put it through different speaker cabs to get a wider range of sounds.

It sounds unbelievable on top of my old AC30 through the twin Celestion Blues.

I prefer it with single coils and P90s, less so the thickness with Humbuckers.

Keefy

mattacjones said:

Praise indeed, used to be Torres as I recall. Bloke called barry in pinner?

The most Fendery Fender amp I ever played through was a Torres - plug in a Strat, and it was just, well, pure Fender!

rze99

Here's my Abbott head by Eli Abbott, Northampton, England, UK http://www.abbottsmusic.co.uk/Hand-Wired-Amp-Builds.html  The natural wood cabinet is Ash and has been finished just with oil.

2. 

equalsql

Blimey, that is stunning!

dazzajl

The beauty, or PITA about 5e3 amps is that despite the simplicity of the circuit, if you play 10 different interpretations, you’ll play 10 quite different amps. 

What floats my goat might not suit you at all and it might take a few to find just the right one