Tweed Deluxe: normal channel with tone up, or bright channel with tone lower?

[dead of night]

Hi. Is using the Tweed Deluxe bright channel with the tone rolled down the same as using the normal channel with the tone turned a little higher?

Or are there other differences too?

[phsyconoodler]

Obviously you've tried that and it sounds similar to you.There is more gain available on the bright channel,that's the only real difference and of course,it's brighter.

[Tallhorses]

Obviously you've tried that and it sounds similar to you.There is more gain available on the bright channel,that's the only real difference and of course,it's brighter.


Interesting.... I did not know there was more gain on the bright side. Gain as in vol or gain as in drive (quicker break up)?

[phsyconoodler]

Plug it in and see for yourself.

[Jim Salman]

Assuming a stock late-50's tweed Deluxe (5D3 or 5E3 circuit), I think nearly any guitar player would find the normal channel to be not bright enough, no matter how high the tone control is set. Although the tone control does affect the normal channel to some extent, it's really designed to affect mainly the bright channel. In general, Fender intended the bright channel to be used for guitar and the normal channel to be used for a microphone. (You can think of the tweed Deluxe + high impedance mike + stand as a primitive portable amplification system for a singer/guitarist 50 years ago.)

[fabiomayo]

I kinda agree with Jim. The normal channel is dark but IMO there's some serious
overlap between the channels. You can also make the normal channel brighter
and cleaner by turning the bright channel above 10 (both channels as a matter of fact).

If I could only choose one, it'd be the bright channel but I'd rather
have both any day of the week.

Disclaimer: My amp is a tweed Tremolux repro (5E9-A) made by MG Music.
Similar to a Deluxe but with tremolo and a different PI.

[LowellH]

After a lot of experimenting, my favorite tone with my 5E3 is: guitar into the bright channel with the normal channel at 8-10, tone at 6-8. The normal channel is just a tad too dark for me in most situations.

One of Gerald Weber's books (Tube Amp Talk?) has a great write-up about how the interactive volume controls on this amp work (as well as other amps). It's a worthwile read.

[billyguitar]

To help about the interactive volumes.
Plug in the instrument input and put the volume up to about half. Now with nothing plugged in to the normal or mic cheannel, turn it's volume all the way up. It'll suck out the mids and seemingly add highs. Now turn the mic hannel volume knob down to where you like it.