Amp Test 2: 'The Special' 5E3 Tweed Deluxe - Wattkins Amp Forum Design

Round two of testing of this amplifier design and build, which I think turned out quite nice. I have added a Master Volume control and switchable Negative Feedback to give the amp more flexibility. With the MV all the way up and the NFB switch off, the amp basically sounds just like the stock circuit. This video was made with the MV turned down enough to not piss off the neighbors.

Tube compliment: V1-Sovtek 12AX7LPS, V2-Mullard 12AX7 (new), V3/V4-Matched Pair NOS RCA 6V6's, V5-NOS GE 5Y3 Rectifier. The amp can also take a 5AR4 instead for tighter sound with less sag. I prefer the 5Y3 for blues and jazz and it's even pretty good at hard rock. I could easily see some liking the 5AR4 better though.

'The Special' circuit is from the Wattkins amp forum and is built using the 'Univeral PCB' and 'Universal Chassis'. It's a great forum for amp building hobbyists. Go here and join: http://www.ppwatt.com/universal-pcb

The guitar is a custom built hollow body by Steve Benford and features Seymour Duncan P-Rail pickups. Each pickup has a single coil, P90 and humbucker built in. The guitar is wired to allow you to select any combination of these individually or combined. Go here to learn more about these pickups: https://www.seymourduncan.com/single-...

The speaker cabinet is an Orange 1x12 closed back with a Celestion Vintage 30.

I used a Catalinbread Topanga Reverb pedal for the whole recording for just a little added space. Nothing too swimmy.