Here's my latest amp kit build. A Fender Tweed Deluxe clone. This is the second kit I've built. The first was a Fender Tweed Champ clone. I'm still messing around with that one on and off making tweaks and such.

This one is basically the same as the current Fender Custom 57 Deluxe offering for about 1/3 the cost. Sounds damn sweet too. I need to experiment with output tubes a bit, but I'm not too dissatisfied with what I currently have it in it. Check out that wiring job!

Very cool. Ultra clean point to point wiring and the cabinet looks awesome. You should be very proud and you get great tone to boot. What a deal.

This amp will go well with your Collings electric!

Thanks. I didn't build the cabinet. It is a Mojo cab. Very nicely done though.

The kit came with all the pieces and parts. I had to stuff the circuit board and wire it all up. Yeah, not as impressive as building it all completely from scratch, but fun nonetheless.

I need to work on my twisted wiring a bit. I still am not getting as tight of twists as I would like to have. This one looks better than my champ though. I decided after finishing this one that I need to rewire my champ.

Oh man, this is so cool. and your timing is perfect. I've spent a lot of time over the last week reading about amp kits, and been thinking about building something like a 5W Champ. Now I know who can answer all my questions.

Awesome job Allen,

Bill

Thanks, Bill.

The champ is a good one to start out with. It is a very simple circuit. I bought my champ kit from Mike Marsh (marshamps.com). It is a good kit with good instructions. I'd be glad to answer any questions you have. I made a few mistakes on it that helped me get my deluxe right the first time. Also, after much experimentation I have settled on a 12" cabinet and speaker for my champ. The difference in headroom between the 12" and the standard 8" is pretty significant. I never tried a 10" speaker and cab with it, but I think that would be better than the 8" too. Marsh has a 10" option with his champ kit.

Anyway, once you get into it let me know if you have questions. I'll help out any way I can.

Allen

Oh, one more thing, Bill. If you go to Marsh's site check out the tweed princeton kit. I think that might be better than the champ. It is basically the champ with a tone control. More vesatile and really no more complicated to build than the champ.

Beautiful job Allen. How many hours would you say went into both projects? If it sounds as good as it looks you've got a great amp there.

Thanks, jaco. It does sound good.

I'd say the champ and deluxe each took about 6 to 8 hours for the initial build, but I wasn't hurrying. I could probably shave a couple hours off that if I built another.

I've spent some additional time on the champ tweaking and experimenting with it. I'll likely do the same sort of tweaking on the deluxe too.

Nice job Allen... a classic. I wasn't confident enough with my electronic/soldering skills to try a kit so I got a Clark 5E3 and I like it a lot.You saved yourself a ton of money over the Fender reissue...me too.Nice to be able to tinker around with them yourself. I got the Jensen P12Q in mine. Have you tried different speakers?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: cowboycamper,

Thanks,cowboy. My deluxe has a Jensen P12Q in it right now. I haven't tried anything else in it yet. I really like the Jensen in this deluxe as well as the one in my deluxe reverb. I don't know that I will try anything else in them anytime soon.

I've read good things about the Clark amps. I'd love to play one sometime.

Allen, any special tools needed beyond a good soldering iron and basic hand tools? I've rewired some speakers in a Marshall cab before but that's about it. Would love to try one of these.

Soldering iron (I like Weller irons), solder, some small needle nose pliers and wire cutters, flathead and phillips head screwdrivers, a drill and bits for mounting the chassis in the cabinet, a well lit work area. That's about it. The kits come with pushback cloth covered wire so you don't have to do a bunch of wire stripping, but a wire stripper and crimp tool is useful for a few things.