Looking for my first build, I'm a tweed guy

[billyz]

Point B:

I really want to build this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VK3pE7TykDY

I don't know squat. Can't read much on a schematic other than the ground symbol and a few things. Oh, and I like that new kinda attenuator the Fender EC Twinoluxe has on it so throwing it into the mix would be killer!

Where is Point A: ?

I am retired, I have the time.

As I read your "I don't know squat" I would start with a champ, then 5e3 deluxe, then the bassman.

But , I don't know squat either.
Z

[renderit]

You read my "don't know squat" correctly! I do learn fast though and I'm pretty OCD so I will check, recheck, and drive you all nuts with questions.

I might start with a 5e3 Deluxe if everyone thought that was a good idea, I really have no use for a Champ so I can't see building one.

Would you recommend any better caps/resistors/transformers/speakers than come in the kit? It seems it would be wiser maybe to do that up front.

That's a good looking table (work bench?) you've got your amps stacked on!

That's one of those Harbored Fright tables you can pickup just North of $100 on sale. It really is built pretty darned well for the money. It is actually my reloading bench, I'm getting a second for my build/gunsmithing/electronics bench.

[ToneMerc]

It really is built pretty darned well for the money. It is actually my reloading bench.

Cool, I drop powder myself and even toyed with jacketed bullet swaging.

TM

[billyz]

Might check out the Mission 5e3 kit. Appears to have quality transformers.
For the most authentic tweed tone, I would opt for the carbon comp upgrade.

[Richie]

Its kind of funny, the amp in the clip, is an amp I built for a friend. Who is really a drummer, but buys guitar and amps and pedals, and wanted the bassman.
I also mentioned to him A lot of the sound is the 4x10s and the cab.
I think he took the video with his cell phone, which is not that great of quality.

The cab is one from ebay. the store is raw cabs goes by Sorry Charlie.
He builds really nice cabs. The owner of the amp didn't want any covering on it, and it was white washed or dyed. But now he wants it with the tweed and laquared

The speakers are the weber alnico signature series,at one time you could get these from musicians friend with free shipping. I believe the rest was mojo chassis and boards. And Transformers. I think he uses a 5751 in place of the 12AY7.

I think building anything just depends on the person. There is a ton of info on the 5f6a bassman out there. Pics of real ones and clones.
I have seen on here some first time builds of amps, that looked as good as any. Just read and look over the info, so you can see what your getting into,or ideas of how to go about things.
But you know when the first one is done, you'll be hooked and be looking for the next amp to build.

[renderit]

Funny or not, that one comes off sounding a lot closer to what I hear on a good 59. If crap recording quality of a cell phone can't kill it, it is the one I want.

Just bought a Twinolux (got a deal I could not pass up), so I am going to have to go slower on this than I want.

5751 in position 1 and weber alnico sigs. Do you think the cab as opposed to Mojos makes much difference on that amp? If it does I'll build my own or check his prices.

I am going to check out the Mission kits. Thanks for the suggestion.

[Richie]

Mission amps has great kits for the deluxe. I think mojo and weber also have cabs. For the bassman. And I think you can get them covered or not.
The ones on ebay from sorry Charlie are well built, but are not covered. Hard to beat the price for his quality of work.
I would say yes the cab probably matters. The early ones had a thinner speaker baffle. And also a lot depends on the kind of speakers you use. There are many good ones out now.
But usually if you want an amp to sound similar, use what it is using or similar type. Sometimes it comes down to how much you want to spend on the parts.

[renderit]

Is the baffle in the Mojotone too thin or too thick? (Trying to devine what you are saying here) The speakers you had on that one are a must as far as I am concerned and I was never known not to spend to the extreme if it will help the sound or quality. built many speaker cabinets back in the day, just trying to decide if I want to start that as well again.

[billyz]

The tweed bassman had a 5/16 ply baffle, I think maybe luan, it is actually pretty good plywood.
I have had good results from 1/4" and 3/8" high grade( not Home Depost) plywood in a tweed deluxe. I would use 3/8" on a bassman. Finger jointed pine is the way to good tone. Actually leaving the covering off might be good for tone too. I do like to use Hot hide glue to adhere the tweed though. It dries hard, not rubbery like the contact cements do. It also does not creep and is easy to work with. It is a tone thing .

[Richie]

the speakers were the weber signature series with seamed cone..

[renderit]

Yes, the S version. Caught that between them being out of the others and the rib showing on the video. He (video guy) said you used NOS caps? Was he confused or did you not use Mojotones caps?

[martin manning]

I'd be surprised if Richie bought a complete kit from Mojo, and that brings up a down-side to kits- you have to take what they give you. It saves time and is cost-effective since everything comes from one source, which is good for a novice. Selecting and order parts is a learning experience in itself, but then you can choose each component according to your preference.

[Richie]

No,he was correct. signal caps were NOS mica and CDE [Cornell Dublier} capacitors. The electrolytic were new current fresh stock. Fairly easy to find those sprague and still not too expensive. Any should be fine using Sprague black cats.green cats, or red or yellow label ones.

Also from repairing and working on many old fender bassman amps, the speakers are wired that if you do a battery test, tip pos and sleeve neg. The speaker movement will move toward the back. All the old fenders that were open back that I checked, were wired like this. It does have an effect on the sound.

[renderit]

Do you have a list and idiot could follow? I would just buy the Mojo kit and throw all the stuff I don't use from it in my tool box. I mean what could it cost? Like maybe 1-200 more? Worth it to me for the sound.

[Richie]

I'd be surprised if Richie bought a complete kit from Mojo, and that brings up a down-side to kits- you have to take what they give you. It saves time and is cost-effective since everything comes from one source, which is good for a novice. Selecting and order parts is a learning experience in itself, but then you can choose each component according to your preference.

Martin, my friend bought the board, and chassis, and transformers. I think a few other parts. So yeah, it wasn't a complete kit. I just told him I had the rest, and what ever he had that I didn't use,i'd use it on something else.
I think he bought a lot of stuff he didn't need. I think he got confused on the BOM sheet.

I also used the NOS cloth push back wire that was used in the old fenders..
And it also had carbon comp resistors.
Some of the early bassman had a couple value differences, the early ones used the 6.8k tail and .1uf and .022 caps in the tone circuit. Later ones used the 10k tail of PI and both .022uf tone caps.