Need to talk about Fender Tweed Deluxe Reissues

MtB

Then there's also Tube Amp Doctor - who sell complete amps (not much ££s less than the Fender version tho')

https://www.tubeampdoctor.com/en/shop_TAD_Amp_Kits_AMP_Kits_TWEED/TAD_Tweed_One_Twelve_16_Combo_5E3_Style_READY_TO_SHIP_4721

And Ceriatone: for as little as $600USD for a complete head without valves, or $795USD for a 1x12 without speaker (though you'd have to factor in UK import duty (about 24% I think) and shipping. 

http://www.ceriatone.com/american-classics-5e3/

Keefy

Nobody has mentioned @RiftAmps yet. The Tweed 15 is not a clone of the Deluxe, but worth considering - now available in a 6L6-compatible design too.

mattacjones

TheMarlin said:

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. 

Is it a standard build? 

dazzajl

mattacjones said:

TheMarlin said:

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. 

Is it a standard build? 

Hoping it’ll get back to Barry one day to find out exactly that. I’ve always been slightly nervous some of its unique quality could actually be just a slow fault that will eventually reach tipping point and the repaired amp will never be quite the same. 

mattacjones

Interesting points raised above. One thing that's evident is the enormous price differences.The thing that sparked this quest off is having had one once before - it's proved v popular on this forum - it was cheap as chips but sounded fantastic (although it had some aesthetic issues!). I think it changed hands at least twice since I had it and always the same price, and totally unknown builder. Crazy really, anyway, I plan to visit Mr Vyse, who's only about 205 mins away. Will report back. 

tone1

mattacjones said:

Interesting points raised above. One thing that's evident is the enormous price differences.The thing that sparked this quest off is having had one once before - it's proved v popular on this forum - it was cheap as chips but sounded fantastic (although it had some aesthetic issues!). I think it changed hands at least twice since I had it and always the same price, and totally unknown builder. Crazy really, anyway, I plan to visit Mr Vyse, who's only about 205 mins away. Will report back. 

Is that my Tweedyluxe?

mattacjones

I doubt there's more than one -> http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/45334/sold-5e3-clone-by-tweedy-toneworks-450

tone1

Yep, that’s the one in my picture.... I bought it from Merlin. It’s missing the front badge but I’ve straightened the chassis out. 

mattacjones

Tomorrow I shall visit mr vyse and see what's what there. He has at least one if not 3 according to his site and very reasonable sale prices.

mattacjones

@dazzajl @TheMarlin Did you guys buy direct from Vyse or used? I see they are rated at 20w - is that standard? Did you stick with stock speaker? Was particularly interested to note TheMarlin had both Vyse and Fender. Cheers

dazzajl

I was pretty foolish @mattacjones ;

I bought mine on eBay and just happened to get lucky. I have the Celestion Blue, which makes it a very loud and very punchy beastie indeed but it doesn’t lack for warmth. The previous one I had used a Canibas Rex, quite different but also lovely 

angusfan123

I bought a 5e3 from Barry Vyse about a month ago. He built me a one-off version with a PPIMV as I wanted to be able to play it at low volumes as well. Barry was a pleasure to deal with, and the amp does exactly what I wanted when played at low volumes. In full 5e3 mode it sounds fantastic.

RiftAmps

Keefy said:

Nobody has mentioned @RiftAmps yet. The Tweed 15 is not a clone of the Deluxe, but worth considering - now available in a 6L6-compatible design too.

Thanks for the mention @Keefy ;


The amp in that demo is based on the earlier 5A3 circuit, not the 5E3 that the OP is after. I personally think the earlier circuits are much superior and have far more character

Keefy

RiftAmps said:

Keefy said:

Nobody has mentioned @RiftAmps yet. The Tweed 15 is not a clone of the Deluxe, but worth considering - now available in a 6L6-compatible design too.

Thanks for the mention @Keefy ;


The amp in that demo is based on the earlier 5A3 circuit, not the 5E3 that the OP is after. I personally think the earlier circuits are much superior and have far more character

Thanks @RiftAmps, I didn't realise that!

mattacjones

I have checked out rift. They look,sound great but as a.new proposition too much for my budget. Can't find any used examples at the mo

TheMarlin

Technically, I had three at the same time.  An Abbot 5E3, @Dazzajl’s Vyse, and a Fender Custom Shop model. 

The Fender Custom Shop one sounded the worst of the three. It was the quietest, but was just flat sounding.  Moved it in very quickly. The Vyse sounded (and continues to, using it right now...is on long term loan/swap....@Dazzajl has rebuked my increasingly desperate attempts to buy it) awesome.its like having a semi tame pet tiger, you know it wants to kill you, but hasn’t...
its just a fierce thing.  

The Abbott sounded good, way better than the Fender, but nowhere near as good as the Vyse (with Celestion Blue), and desperately noisy. It sounded broken. 

I gave the Abbot to Barry Vyse and asked him to look at it, we then found out that despite its beautiful wiring, it was wired up badly, the circuit was quite badly messed up. I then asked Barry to completely rebuild it.  He makes his own transformers (exact replicas of the originals, but 240v version), so used those    So, Barry completely rebuilt it from the speaker out, and it now proudly wore a Vyse badge instead on an Abbott badge. 

The original Abbott tweed cab was fine quality, (appeared to be USA made, top quality wood and finish) so kept that. Kept the Scumback Scumnico too. 

The amp I got back for Barry was very different to the one I gave him. The sound was utterly different.  Very hifi like, super chimey, Crystal clear, zero noise, huge mids.  But it didn’t bark and snarl like @Dazzajl’s one. 

I had meant to get it biased a bit hotter to capture that sound, but unemployment struck
quite severely, and I had to sell it.  I would love to buy it back, and get it tweaked.  Was a fantastic amp. Would buy another Vyse in a heartbeat. In fact, I may just do that, but take @Dazzajl’s amp along as referenxe point. 

mattacjones

Thanks for the info, very interesting. 

Keefy

I'm gigging my 5E3 clone in Newbury this Saturday night (1 Dec). if anyone wants to hear what one sounds like in a band context (probably without PA support!), PM me for details.

mattacjones

whoops - unable to resist the truly all hand made-ness ... 

dazzajl

Congratulations on joining the club. The pic resolution is a bit low to tell but have you joined the family too?