TubeDepot Tweed 5E3+ User manual
This manual was developed and published by:
TubeDepot.com
Memphis, TN
Written by:
Robert Hull
Edited by:
Mary Klaebel Josh Phelps
Design and artwork by:
Robert Hull
Mary Klaebel
Christian Magee
Acknowledgements:
Special thanks to:
Joe Austin Brian Overstreet
Matt Kirby Doug Sims
Henry Lum Ben Siler
Special Thanks to Steve Zeller, Todd Fox, Skip Black, Jake Swiatek and Henk
Haitjema for their invaluable proofreading skills.
Copyright © 2 9
TubeDepot.com
1958 Vanderhorn Drive
Memphis, TN 38134
(877)289-7994
REGARDING THESE B K MATERIALS
Reproduction, publication, or duplication of this booklet, or any part thereof, in any manner, mechanically,
electronically, or photographically is prohibited without the express written permission of the publisher.
The Author, Publisher or Seller assume no liability with respect to the use of the information contained herein.
For permission and other rights under this copyright, contact TubeDepot.com.
ii TubeDepot.com
page
Preface and Tweed 5E3 overview ................................................................................................. iv
Chapter 1
Safety …......................................................................................................................... 1
Chapter 2
Tools and Supplies …..................................................................................................... 2
Chapter 3
Parts Inventory ...........................…................................................................................ 3
Chapter 4
Cabinet Preparation …................................................................................................... 5
Chapter 5
Circuit Assembly (PCB)….............................................................................................. 8
Chapter 6
Chassis Preparation and Assembly …......................................................................... 12
Chapter 7
Final Assembly …......................................................................................................... 28
Chapter 8
Testing …..................................................................................................................... 29
Chapter 9
Schematics and Parts Layout ….................................................................................. 32
Chapter 10
Cool Modifications …................................................................................................... 34
Appendix
A. How to Read Resistor and Capacitor Codes …....................................................... 35
B. Soldering Hints ….................................................................................................... 38
C. Amplifier Care, Feeding, and Application Hints …................................................... 4
D. Drilling Templates …................................................................................................ 42
E. Test Equipment ….................................................................................................... 45
F. Output Transformer Wiring Options …..................................................................... 46
TubeDepot.com iii
Table of Contents
Short History of the Tweed Fender Deluxe
The tweed deluxe amplifier has become the “go to” amp when looking for maximum
portability and raw, uncompromising tone. With two 6V6 tubes and a single 12” speaker, the
tone of this amp is nothing short of amazing. Used by a “who's who” list of musicians, this
amp's tone can be found on records, in studios, and on stage around the globe.
With enough power to comfortably sing above the average electrified band, the original
Fender Deluxe was first introduced in the early 5 's as one of Fender's new line of tweed
amps. It had two 6SL7 metal preamp tubes, two 6V6 power tubes, and a 5Y3 rectifier tube.
With the introduction of the new 12AY7 and 12AX7 preamplifier tubes (replacing the two
6SL7 metal tubes), by 1957 the power output was brought to 15W into a 12” Jensen
AlNiCo speaker. With these improvements, the iconic amp and tone was born.
It is this incarnation that we provide for you here.
The tweed deluxe is one of my favorite amps. Inside its diminutive size rests the heart of an
entire world of music. From blues, to rock-a-billy; from rock-n-roll to soul; from country to jazz,
this amp is capable of holding its own across a wide swath of musical history and genres.
When it comes to walking into a gig with only a guitar in one hand and an amp in the other,
there is no other amp that can provide this depth of expression in such a simple package.
Therefore imagine my excitement in designing a kit where you can build an incredible amp
on which to put your musical mark on the world. Wow … this is going to be fun!
Thank you for purchasing this great TubeDepot Tweed 5e3+ kit. You should be able to
easily put this kit together in an evening or two … whether you have any prior amp building
experience or not. I designed this kit for you to enjoy both building and playing. And once
finished, this kit will allow you to make the best music you can and to leave your mark on the
world.
Now, let's have some building and playing fun.
Robert Hull
Director of Technical Services
TubeDepot.com
“Deluxe” and “Fender” are the property of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC). TubeDepot is not
affiliated or associated with FMIC or its subsidiaries and FMIC does not sponsor or endorse any of TubeDepot’s
products.
TM
TM
TM
TM
Preface
iv TubeDepot.com
!!! Read these safety precautions before continuing !!!
ALL tube amplifiers contain LETHAL V LTAGES, often several hundred volts which WILL
leave burnt entrance and exit wounds in skin. These voltages have the potential to cause
permanent physical damage and death. These voltages are present when the amp is
turned on and also for some time after the amp has been turned off. You can still get
shocked with a tube amp turned off and disconnected from AC power.
The above statement is a bit scary, but we want to stress that every piece of electronic
equipment must be treated with respect. When AC power is applied, there is always a chance
for injury or death. With tube amps, even when the AC power is not applied there is still
danger. Being shocked with high voltage is very painful and we do not want anyone finding
out the hard way.
When building this kit, we want your experiences to be both enjoyable and safe. There are
more kits to assemble and we want you to enjoy building and playing them all.
Throughout this manual at key points in the construction, we have annotated important
steps with the below alerts. For your safety and to improve construction quality, It is important
that you become familiar with each of these alerts and adhere to their recommendations when
they appear.
Explanation of Alerts
TubeDepot.com 1
1Safety
CAUTI N
N TE
- Used when identifying an action that may cause damage to components
and or equipment.
- Used when identifying general points of interest.
- Used when identifying an action that may cause physical injury or death.
WARNING
- DISCLAIMER -
TubeDepot.com, it's employees, officers, shareholders, investors and
subsidiaries accept no liability for any damage(s), injury(s) or death incurred from
or while building or using this kit.
TubeDepot.com reserves the right to make changes to this manual as new
construction methods are found to be more efficient and/or safer. When a
particular procedure in this assembly manual differs from the assembly video, our
recommendation is to follow this manual to insure the best construction possible.
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