The Best Sounding Marshall I've Ever Heard.....

[LHakim]

....is the Fender narrow panel 5E5-A Tweed Pro. I have a replica made by a forum member and its equal to a Vicky or Clark in components and build quality. But the sound is remarkable! On the bright channel, it screams without getting shrill or harsh, and has the throatiest growl on the normal/mic channel. And thats with a 12AY7 in the V1 position! With a 12AX7 I can do Santana without a pedal. And the channels can be bridged like on an early Marshall. The 15" speaker sounds "so right" with this circuit--full but not flabby, a chimey upper frequency response and balanced midrange. For years I've been hearing about the "tweed mystique" and thought it was vintage hype but these amps really do have something special going on. Warmth, incredible dynamic response and the "4C's"--character, clarity, and complexity.

Any other narrow panel tweed fans here and any fans especially of the 5E5-A Tweed Pro?

[brianf]

Post some sound samples! Sounds like that amp is a winner.

brianf

[LHakim]

I wish I could Brian! I'm too technologically backward though. Maybe thats why I like these old circuits so much.:)

[Teleologist]

Well remember that Jim Marshall basically copied the tweed Bassman circuit. The Pro's circuit is quite a bit different, but Leo was voicing these things by ear. Some tweed Bassman owners mod them to take EL34s - makes them even more Marshall-like.

Tweeds have more mids, less sparkle and sing a little nicer than the later amps. I like running a Vicky Deluxe together with a BF DR for a real rich sound. Great combination for stereo recording and stereo FX.

[LHakim]

Teleologist, you bring up some good points. What has been explained to me is that the narrow panel 5F6-A Bassman, BF Fenders, and 4-input Marshalls all have a "modern" tone stack which features a 200-400hz dip in the midband. In contrast, the 5E series of late 50's Fender Tweeds (Bandmaster, Pro, Super and low-power Twin) have a nearly flat frequency response. To my ears the "old" tone stack contibutes to a harmonic
"explosiveness" and greater inherent sustain.

Its significant to me that Clapton could use any amp he wanted to, but since the mid-90's he's mostly used low-power tweed twin replicas at least for his live work.

[3rdStone]

Originally posted by LHakim
....I have a replica made by a forum member...

Are you gonna make us guess? Who is this talented forum member?

[LHakim]

3rdStone, it was made by Dave Johansen (NOCDave). He made a limited run of the various models of narrow panel tweeds, which some other forum members now own and are equally equally enthused about.

[3rdStone]

Thanks, LHakim. I searched NOCDave and got no results. Does he go by another name on this forum?

[LHakim]

He's goes by NewOldCokeDave over at the Les Paul Forum.

[FatStrat]

i think NOCDave or someone who owns one should give me their bassman replica

[LHakim]

Tim, I think Fantom1 owns the 5F6-A Bassman replica Dave built, and judging by his most recent comments over at the Les Paul Forum, he doesn't sound like he's in any hurry to sell it!

[FatStrat]

man it's all about me....doesn't he know that :p