What will fit in a 5e3 enclosure?

longshins

Hi, I just won a nice hardwood 5e3 enclosure on eBay, I already have a tweed deluxe and was wondering if a different amp could be shoehorned into the cab? Ideally I'd like an 18 watter of some description. Otherwise I might just go for a modded 5e3. Suggestions welcome!

RiftAmps

Depends on the size of the chassis cutout and upper rear panel size. If it's a 5E3 cab then it's probably been built to accomodate a 5E3 chassis, so unless you can find a chassis that's the same dimensions (14-1/2" x 4-1/8" x 2-5/8"), you're rather limited in choice.

Any of the earlier Deluxe circuits (5A3, 5B3, 5C3, 5D3) can be built into a 5E3 chassis, so why not have something different? The A, B, and C versions use octal preamp valves (6SC7 or 6SL7) which are a great tonal alternative to standard miniture types.

Here's my 5A3 with a telecaster



And a LP

Winny_Pooh

I'me sure you could put an 18 watter or ac15 in there 

richalderandash

The control panel cut out may be a different size, but a Marshall 18 watt chassis should fit.  The Fender cab is a little under 19" internal, where the Marshall cab is a little under 21" internal, but the chassis doesn't go side to side, I believe.

richalderandash

Just had a gander; a 1974 chassis is 17" long inc the wings, so will fit inside a 5E3 cab.

longshins

Cool, was going to get the modulus 18 watt lite kit so that's good to know!

RiftAmps

richalderandash said:

Just had a gander; a 1974 chassis is 17" long inc the wings, so will fit inside a 5E3 cab.

Yes, but it might be too tall for the cabinet's upper panel. An 18w chassis is taller than a 5E3's, so there's a real risk that the bottom of the chassis could extend into the cooling vent openings, meaning essentially you have a live, open chassis in which you could stick your fingers into.

I speak from experience here.

MtB

You might also want to make sure that with the chassis in place none of the valves foul the speaker - it's a very close thing with a celestion blue in a 5e3

jpfamps

longshins said:

Hi, I just won a nice hardwood 5e3 enclosure on eBay, I already have a tweed deluxe and was wondering if a different amp could be shoehorned into the cab? Ideally I'd like an 18 watter of some description. Otherwise I might just go for a modded 5e3. Suggestions welcome!

You can get adapters to convert octal sockets to noval, so you always use an off-the-shelf 5E3 chassis and wire an 18W into it.

longshins

jpfamps said:

longshins said:

Hi, I just won a nice hardwood 5e3 enclosure on eBay, I already have a tweed deluxe and was wondering if a different amp could be shoehorned into the cab? Ideally I'd like an 18 watter of some description. Otherwise I might just go for a modded 5e3. Suggestions welcome!

You can get adapters to convert octal sockets to noval, so you always use an off-the-shelf 5E3 chassis and wire an 18W into it.

I'm a bit stupid and will be getting this made for me. Could you explain this a bit more? Will I still run into space problems regarding the speaker? (8ohm V30)

jpfamps

longshins said:

jpfamps said:

longshins said:

Hi, I just won a nice hardwood 5e3 enclosure on eBay, I already have a tweed deluxe and was wondering if a different amp could be shoehorned into the cab? Ideally I'd like an 18 watter of some description. Otherwise I might just go for a modded 5e3. Suggestions welcome!

You can get adapters to convert octal sockets to noval, so you always use an off-the-shelf 5E3 chassis and wire an 18W into it.

I'm a bit stupid and will be getting this made for me. Could you explain this a bit more? Will I still run into space problems regarding the speaker? (8ohm V30)

Shoudn't be any more space problems than a "regular" 5E3 build.

The stock chassis has holes for 3 octal (8 pin) sockets (for 5Y3 and 2 x 6V6s) and 2 noval (9-pin) sockets (for 12AX7 and 12AT7).

An 18W uses an EZ81 rectifier + 2 x EL84s in the power stage which need noval sockets, not the octals already in the chassis.

You can get adapters to allow you to fit a 9 pin socket in the hole for an octal socket, eg 

https://www.tube-town.net/ttstore/Tube-Accessories/Accessories/Converter-Octal-to-Noval::3731.html

So you could covert an off-the-shelf 5E3 chassis to fit 5 noval socket valves, which means you could easily build an 18W amp in the standard chassis.

You may need a new face plate.

richalderandash

RiftAmps said:

richalderandash said:

Just had a gander; a 1974 chassis is 17" long inc the wings, so will fit inside a 5E3 cab.

Yes, but it might be too tall for the cabinet's upper panel. An 18w chassis is taller than a 5E3's, so there's a real risk that the bottom of the chassis could extend into the cooling vent openings, meaning essentially you have a live, open chassis in which you could stick your fingers into.

I speak from experience here.

Good point. I forgot they're mounted with the circuit facing out towards the back.

longshins

https://www.musikding.de/Kit-Madamp-M15Mk1 This looks exciting... anyone got any experience/thoughts on these?

longshins

Just as a heads up don't bother with the valvepower guy, just asked the price of a kit without their delightful cage enclosure and was told 'sorry, I don't have time for this.' Classy.

4114Effects

longshins said:

Just as a heads up don't bother with the valvepower guy, just asked the price of a kit without their delightful cage enclosure and was told 'sorry, I don't have time for this.' Classy.

Funny that - I emailed him a week or so ago to ask if he could ship a transformer next day as I had an amp repair that the customer wanted turned around before a gig that weekend. I wrote a polite and friendly email explaining the situation and recevied this reply, which I've copied and pasted verbatim:

In stock, but can't post today.

That was it. No greeting, no thanks, nothing helpful, just that sentence. I thought I'd just caught him on an off day, but it seems not.  I buy a fair few transformers and that's one company that won't be getting my business again. 

longshins

Interesting, so I wasn't being over sensitive! Anyhoo it's made my decision for me, I'm going to get another 5E3 made by Eli Abbott and try some of the Rob Robinette mods. Will report back when done.