Tweed Overdrive Special

[tubenit]

First off, thanks to DaGeezer for sharing ideas and inspiration for this amp.
He has communicated with me off forum for several weeks about some ideas he was trying.


Originally this amp was a Carolina Overdrive Special (using a D-type tone stack)  but was refined to use a 5E3 "tweed" tone control instead of a D_mble type tone control. Now the amp is called a Tweed Overdrive Special

This is sort of a cathode biased D_mble typology amp where I used a 5879 pentode in the second gain stage of the OD.
It has the most sustain, overdrive, harmonics and overdriven clarity of any amp I have built or played.
I can easily get the musical "blooming" type feature playing this amp. I can still get that feature with the VVR dialed down to 1/3!!!!  

So it does NOT have to be loud to get those dynamics.
I am confidant the overdrive is in the preamp and OD section.  

It sounds closer to what I see on U-toob as a Trainwreck.
It has more crunch, chime, blooming and sustain thatn the cathode biased D_mble that I built.
I can get notes to sustain into feedback and it sounds like a very musical sustain that blossoms.

I tried it with the band & got more compliments on this amp than any that I have brought to play (about 7 or so different amps).
Sometimes an amp sounds good at home but not with the band. This one sounded excellent with the band.

I honestly don't play well enough to fully take advantage of what this amp is capable of doing tone wise.

Soundclips are here: http://www.soundclick.com/player/single_player.cfm?songid=9488477&q=hi&newref=1

http://www.soundclick.com/player/single_player.cfm?songid=9490676&q=hi&newref=1

DaGeezer's soundclip (which has much better playing): http://www.zshare.net/audio/786814058ef04507/


With respect, Tubenit
EL34 Edit: This top most post in this board will always contain the most current documents for this build

The main Amp building forum discussion about this amp can be found here
http://www.el34world.com/Forum/index.php?topic=9638.0

Here's a picture of the pre-drilled board


This predilled board can be found on this page
http://www.hoffmanamps.com/MyStore/catalog/parts12.htm

The current materials list, schematic and layout diagrams are right below here

[EL34]

Geezers amp review

Observations of the amp in a live setting (Dance cover band I play in) thru a 1x12 closed back cab, ported, w/ an Eminence Legend 1258.

The amp sounds better live than I hoped, especially the overdrive!

The "Fattness" control basically serves as follows;
*Country/Clean Rock/Motown stuff = Fattness pot all the way OFF.....this gives a nice mid dip that is very Blackface-like. Makes my PAF HB equipped strat sound like a Tele (a Good Thing).
*Blues/Classic rock = Fattness pot turned up ~~3/4 gives a nice mid boost that helps cut thru the mix. Nice growl when digging into the strings.

The Overdrive is quite unbelievable.....the tone I've had in my head all these years (& have spent countless hundreds of $ on OD pedals searching for it) is MINE!
We do a pretty good version of "China Grove" & the OD nails that tone, both in the opening chord progression and in the solo. Pinch harmonics just scream.
Basically any OD tone you want is there (except Metal, of course) & easily obtainable with simple adjustments that are easy to replicate/remember. Reponds perfectly to the guitar volume & tone, too.

It's really hard to describe just how much I enjoy playing this amp!

[tubenit]

BnWitt found a few minor discrepencies between the schematic and layout. There should be corrected now.

IF anyone find any more, just work with the schematic which is Geezer's and is correct & then leave me a PM .

The "flipped" layout will have the OD level & tone wired differently. It sort of a hybrid 5E3 style. Geezer used that initially and then switched it to the true 5E3 style.

We also revised the clean level pot wiring with an optional wiring.  The original is good also. Strictly a preference thing here. Either sounds fine.

With respect, Tubenit

Hoffman Turret Board for the TweedOD is 11.5" X 3.125"

EDIT:  I added the schematic that I am personally using with my Tweed Overdrive which has VVR.