The Tweed Deluxe Speed Shop builds the finest Fender Tweed-era guitar amplifiers utilizing only the highest-quality new components as well as Speed Shop reverse-engineered TD58OT and TC58OT output transformers, A12Q and A10Q vintage AlNiCo speaker recreations, NOS (New Old Stock) resistors, capacitors, sockets, hardware - and vintage NOS tubes. From a stock vintage chassis to a full point-to-point 5E3-P2P combo featuring a heavy-relic cabinet, or a wild 5E3-6L6 head with 6384s to a custom Tweed-Era amplifier recreation built by Rondo to your specifications; nobody does it better. Read what customers have to say here.
Power Champ Demo by Rondo with Les Paul R0 and Stock Strat - Straight In - Camera Audio.
Many thanks to everyone who wrote in with concerns
We are doing fine and are very fortunate to have not received any damage from the storm
Unfortunately, others were not so lucky
Please consider a donation to
American Red Cross
Thanks again to all
Rondo
Quick Super demo using (Canon) camera audio (exaggerates compression). Rondo plays the white [stock] Strat straight-in. Settings: Clean Set - Amp controls about 6. Pickups - Middle, Bridge, Neck. Overdrive Set - Amp controls at 10 Vol & Treble, 2 Bass. Pickups - Neck, Bridge
1957 5E3 on the bench. Chassis came in for a three-prong power cord and general evaluation. Amp had a cap-job (electrolytics only) some time ago (by an unknown party) and one cap was installed backwards. Also, a '69 Blackface Deluxe OT had been subbed in (probably a few decades ago). Amp is all original otherwise and those old yellow Astrons are still holding on! Amp sounds absolutely fantastic.
Just noticed that Gerald Weber of Kendrick Amplifiers passed away earlier this year. Gerald was a legendary figure in the amp world; one of the first boutique builders and an author/writer. His amps are renown for their tone and Gerald will be remembered for them, as well as for being a mentor/guru to many aspiring amp builders. Gerald was also a really nice guy. I never met Gerald but did correspond with him many times over the years. He would always write me right back whenever I'd reach out to him about a technical issue I needed help with. A very kind person who was always quick to share his knowledge. Thank you, and 'Ciao,' Gerald.
The Weber family is asking for donations to be made in Gerald's honor, to preserve his legacy and continue his dream of Kendrick Amplifiers remaining groundbreaking and iconic:
Gerald John Weber Jr, Founder of Kendrick Amplifiers
Just completed and headed for burn-in and auditioning. 5F4 Tweed Super NOS Relic, built like a 'swiss watch' by Rondo, with custom A10Q speakers also coned in-house by Rondo. Features relic cab, custom iron, NOS tube set, RecPro/NOS caps, resistors, etc., mild tuning.
The amp on the left is a Speed Shop 5F1 Tweed Champ clone, build using new and NOS components; basically a time capsule. The one on the right is a new Speed Shop Power Champ, slightly modded and outfitted with 5881 power. The stock Champ is a lot of fun to play, rather quiet (about 5 watts), and somewhat restrained in attitude. The Power Champ, on the other hand, can rip your face off! It's noticeably louder (about 10 watts) and overdrives as good (or better!) than a 5E3, and the clean tones are fantastic as well. Which is better? The stock version delivers the classic Tweed experience, while the revamped version provides response more akin to a JTM or Plexi. The choice is yours and price is the same for either. More info here. More on the Power Champ: This is not your grandpappy's Champ! After months of circuit tweaking and speaker shootouts, the Speed Shop Power Champ is here. Featuring 5881 power, "contour" control, vintage-size cab and 8" speaker. About 10 watts of Rock awaits - cleans are great, too. Really fun with all guitars and no pedals are necessary. This is a serious amplifier.
Speaker reconing, custom coils, cones, etc., A/B testing, Vintage Jensens...
Rondo plays fingerstyle on a Gibson R0 though a new Speed Shop 5E3-Eldo combo. B12 speaker, RecPro capacitors, TD58 OT, NOS tubes, etc. Smooth transients and clipping with musical harmonic distortion.
Quick demo of the new "Eldo" revision Speed Shop 5E3 Combo. This latest iteration represents a further refinement of the Studio-Series tuning that results in a 5E3 that works and sounds like a vintage 5E3... only better. Lightly re-arranging the stock circuit DNA (along with a couple of subtle adjustments) provides a slightly smoother transient response, while the B12Q speaker shifts the response toward the midrange (much like a vintage P12R). Great setup with a sweet spot way down on the volume dial - around "3" in this demo... with a stock Tele. Cleanish, spanky response here, yet with enough compressed "get up and go" to provide fast and smooth tracking. (Audio captures the sound in the room very faithfully.)
Quick demo of the overdrive response of a new Speed Shop 5F4 Super by Rondo. 2022 Gibson Custom Shop 1960 Les Paul Reissue (R0). Amp is largely stock, but with some tone circuit mods to modernize the response and increase the tonal range across different guitars/pickups. Easy/liquid leads and Who's Next tight/focused rhythms. Dead quiet. About 40 watts output. Two vintage-spec A10Q AlNiCos smooth out the overdriven tone and are slightly less efficient (than modern ceramics) making the amp good-and-loud - but never earsplitting. All NOS tubes including 5881s and ST 5U4. (EL34s also sound great.) Mercury power and custom output transformer. Hand built using only NOS sockets and resistors, NOS and RecPro yellow capacitors, and the best of new production pots and switchgear. Only 38 pounds! Demo features guitar straight into the amp - no effects, pedals, or processing of the signal. Settings: normal channel, about 80% volume, 40% bass, 90% treble, presence off. I did my best to capture the tone in the room, but it's even better in person - a really fun amp!
Real deal, vintage-spec TD58OT output transformers - made by Rondo. These are just out of the oven after several hours of varnish bake out.
Speed Shop 5F6A Bassman mounted in a custom Low Power Twin 2x12 relic cabinet. 2x A12Qs, RPA caps, and NOS tubes (5881s) round out the spec. Really fun to play - lots of mids, great punch, and a nice round, articulate frequency response. Sounds great and the speakers haven't even broken in yet!
It's a good time for me to say 'thanks' to everyone for all the orders and support - past and present. At the moment I'm very busy and backed up quite a bit, so lead times are currently about 20 weeks for combo builds. But as usual, I am working alone and building everything personally, using the best components I can source, have manufactured, and/or make myself. I really like what I do and feel very fortunate to look forward to another great year of building amplifiers; as well as continued research and experimenting - and playing guitar! Thanks again, everyone, I really appreciate your patronage.
I often find it necessary/important to compare two similar amps.
But, plugging into one amp then into the other, back-and-forth, is always problematic; as it takes a few seconds to do and it's sometimes hard to play the same exact way in each instance. Switching in and out of standby on each amp is also a hassle. Plus, it's really hard to discern critical differences in sound-and-feel when there is even a small lapse between sample performances.
Beyond that, the speakers in either amp may sound (or be) different from one another, plus your orientation to the two cabinets and the room itself can often falsely color the results, flattering one amp at the expense of the other.
So, to facilitate instant switching while using the same speaker and cab, I put together this simple passive switcher. It a/b's two amp outs into either a single speaker / or dummy load. On the other side, it will switch a guitar into either of the two amp inputs while shorting the other. Hitting both footswitches in one stomp is surprisingly easy.
To keep things quiet, I set it up to float all the grounds except that the enclosure gets grounded/shielded by way of the GTR input jack which acquires its ground from whatever amp input it's switched into. As such, the noise floor is no different then when plugging straight into an amp directly - as there is zero ground-loop hum.
All passive mechanical circuit keeps the signal paths completely straight-through with no added resistances and/or capacitances (that might otherwise confuse tonal response) and completely hand-wired (using actual wire!) point-to-point - no PC boards or traces here.
Using it for the first time, I quickly realized what a luxury it is to have this switcher; as there is no better test method (to really evaluate the differences between two amps) than to play real-time while instantly switching between them.
This is about as close as you can get to a 'new' 1958 5E3 Deluxe. Built by Rondo around an original-cone vintage Jensen P12R, with a '58 spec output transformer wound by Rondo, RecPro vintage 'Astron' capacitors, new Speed Shop '57 style chassis, Mercury PT... and of course, NOS tubes and other period bits - all housed in a twenty-year-old cab built by late guru Larry Rogers. Sounds like '58!
After months of research and testing, reverse-engineering and prototype-building, Rondo is happy to announce the B12Q speaker.
The B12Q is a new AlNiCo P12Q variant designed by Rondo and built by Weber Speakers for RecPro Audio and the Speed Shop. The B12Q will be available October 1, 2023. Read more about it here: B12Q 12" AlNiCo
New track from Rondo "Cruiser". Larry Carlton Nightfly tones are featured. Two guitars, one lead and one rhythm. Setup: '68 Gibson ES-335 straight into a Speed Shop 5E3. B12Q prototype speaker. Recording chain: Shure Unidyne III into a RecPro Audio VAC tube preamp. No EQ, compression or effects. (Some reverb added to the guitar bus.)
Story goes, that for Donald Fagen's Nightfly album, Larry Carlton showed up for the sessions without his Tweed Deluxe (which he previously used on Steely Dan's Royal Scam). What amp he did initially bring is unknown, but Fagen insisted Larry get his Deluxe. He did; and that is what Larry used for all his beautiful 335 playing on Donald's amazing album.
When used for clean Blues/Jazz work, the Deluxe has a big sonic footprint and sits in the mix without any tweaking. The tone is clear, delicate, and very expressive; yet very dynamic. Very authoritative as well - with harder pick attack.
Another great example why the 5E3 is such a legendary amp!
Download the track here: cruiser.mp3
Want to play along? The amp settings are at the end of the video and you can download just the the rhythm track here: cruiser - rhythm track.mp3
Essentially, a brand-new, 63 year-old 5F1-Champ. Built by Rondo, using NOS and vintage parts. Relic cab.
Rondo explores the phrygian dominant mode in this studio demo of a 5E3-P2P head through a new protoype speaker. Recording chain: Shure Unidyne III into a RecPro Audio VAC tube preamp.
From just taking the edge off to complete bedroom levels of attenuation, the RecPro L-Pad is a great sounding and versatile tool. Built by Rondo.
Rondo demos a new 5E3-P2P Heavy Relic Build in the Studio with a vintage 335
It's been a very busy several months with many amps shipping overseas and domestically - thanks everyone for the opportunity to build these amps for you. Otherwise, Speed Shop Bassmans are currently being assembled on the bench and I thought I should update the combo offering with a recent photo. Below is a Speed Shop Tweed Bassman 5F6a Dark Custom Combo featuring 2x A10Q AlNiCo speakers. Like the Speed Shop Super the Bassman will accept 5881, EL34, 6L6GC and more. Rondo's is currently running KT66s. Contact Rondo for more info.
Rondo takes a shot at Christmas Time Is Here by Vince Guaraldi and Lee Mendelson from A Charlie Brown Christmas
Many thanks to everyone who wrote in with concerns
We are doing fine and were very fortunate to have received only superficial damage from the storm
However our cleanup continues
Amp production will resume 10/17, but orders are being taken
Meanwhile, speaker and capacitor orders are being processed
Please consider a donation to the Florida Disaster Fund
Thanks again to all
Rondo
I am now personally assembling and finishing my TD-58-OT output transformers in-house, with windings supplied by a premier US manufacturer. I have also started CNC winding my own coils, and within the next few months all TD-58-OT output transformers will be 100% manufactured by me, Rondo, here in the Speed Shop. Manufacturing these transformers myself ensures that each unit is made with the correct materials to the correct vintage (1958) specs, and with consistently great performance that I can tune. This was a major R&D undertaking that I have been working on for over a year, and I'm very proud to have achieved this difficult goal. I'm pretty excited about it, as making my own transformers is a milestone in my work and represents a bit of a new era - and another step in the evolution of Speed Shop R&D.
TD-58-OT output transformers are only available with Speed Shop amps and are not sold separately.
Rondo demos a new 5E3 Base Combo with RecPro Tweed Era Capacitors & 10" A10Q Speaker. Stock 2021 Gibson SG Junior straight in.
Rondo demos a new 5F6a Bassman. EL34s. Stock Strat straight in.
Rondo demos a new 5F1 Champ [heavy relic] build. LSL T-Bone straight in.
Rondo demos the new Speed Shop 5F6a Tweed Bassman. EL34 Power through 2xA10Q speakers. JTM45 Tune. Stock '57 AVRI Strat straight in.
Been a very busy fall at the Speed Shop with lots of work and some very cool new things happening.
RecPro Tweed-era capacitors are in stock and now available. After [too] much research and patent searches, there is finally a range of signal capacitors made available to builders that are assembled using the correct materials delivering the correct tone and response. Like all else at the Speed Shop, the reason it is created is because it does not already exist.
In other cool news, on the bench is the new Speed Shop 5F6a Bassman which is available in a 2x10 or 4x10 (A10Q) configuration with multi power-tube compatibility. This amp really rocks, and dimed with a pair of Genalex Gold Lion KT66 you're in serious early Van Halen territory. Beautiful cleans as well. Built by Rondo (JTM tuning) with all the best NOS stuff and Speed Shop know-how, this new flagship 5F6a Bassman amp is now available and built to order. The Speed Shop 5F6a Bassman is a very rare amp series offered in limited numbers.
Please note: Lead times for all amp builds is currently 15 weeks.
Rondo demos his new Vintage American Channel (VAC) microphone preamplifier. A boutique and faithful recreation of a vintage 1960 tube preamp console module used on countless hit recordings throughout the 1960s.
Genesis cover with Marcello on vocals. All Stratocaster demo! Straight in, no pedals or effects. Speed Shop 5E3-P2P head into a 5E3 extension cabinet with A12Q speaker. Heavy D!
Steely Dan cover with Tony Reyes on vocals. All guitars: 1968 335 into a Speed Shop 5E3-P2P and A12Q speaker. No pedals or effects, all guitars are straight in. 12AX7 in V1 for Solos.
Rondo plays the Speed Shop 5E3-P2P & '68 335. No pedals or effects. Great track by The Beatles lends itself to the big guitar treatment. Great vocal by Tony Reyes, thanks Tony!!!
Cranked 5F4 Tweed Super Amp by Rondo and the Speed Shop. NOS tube set featured with NOS Tung-Sol 5881 power, RCA 5U4 rectifier, 12AX7 and 12AY7 preamp tubes. 2x A10Q Speed Shop AlNiCo speakers. Amp is mildly tuned by Rondo for best tone and performance. All NOS vintage components and vintage output transformer.
RecPro Audio customers span the globe, hailing from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Italy, Montenegro, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Venezuela, and beyond.
Custom hardwood 5E3 head with heavy-duty (but light-weight) dove-tail construction / hardware and TY Yellow finish with lacquer top coat.
Fantastic Speed Shop Tweed Super 5F4 Heavy Relic Combo featuring 2 brand new A10Q AlNiCo speakers. This amp sounds amazing and is fitted with all the best componentry from Rondo's stash. NOS everything (where applicable) and the very best new production parts everywhere else. NOS tube set (featuring micro-matched vintage Tung-Sol 5881s available). The star of the retro show is a very rare vintage output transformer that adds the extra swagger. This new Speed Shop amp was in development for several months and is essentially a stock - but carefully tuned and dialed-in - 5F4 Super. Much more versatile than vintage/stock while retaining the great Tweed cleans, but with a JTM45-style overdrive that was always in its DNA waiting to be set free. Big, bold, and in-your-face 5F4 Tweed Super / 5E7 Tweed Bandmaster tone. You can truly get lost for hours playing this Super with every guitar, pickup selection and guitar/amp settings. The Speed Shop Super will accept 5881, EL34, 6L6GC and more. Currently running EL34s @ 42 watts RMS. One-off custom build prototype (featured in the demo videos and photo below) is available. Also taking new orders. Contact Rondo for more info.
Stock Strat clean neck to heavy bridge pickup tones.
Stock '68 335 bridge pickup (patent sticker), amp dimed.
Paul Chapman died yesterday - it was his 66th birthday. Very sad. He was a really nice guy and a truly great player who will remain an inspiration to many. I was in his band and lived with him (and Cheryl) over the summer/fall of '84 - between his stints with UFO and Waysted. Lots of laughs and fun and work with him. I'm proud to have known and played with Paul. We never knew him as "Tonka," so... Ta, Chappy!
Hanging with Rich Williams and Zak Rizvi from Kansas. Rich is a Speed Shop P2P Combo owner and a total gear head! (Also a very nice guy.) Great gitbox players and a great band! Terrific Point of Know Return show!
Rondo working out acoustic guitar parts with [the legendary!] Obie O'Brien, in Ob's beautiful new Sanctuary III Studio, located somewhere on the foggy country moors of wintry Pennsylvania!
February 2020: Cool new studio track from Rondo, featuring all '68 Gibson 335 parts (with a few '57 AVRI Strat fills in the 2nd verse) through a P2P head (stock 6V6GT power) and A12Q speaker. No pedals or effects (a little reverb in the mix only). Guitar straight into the amp, SM57 straight into the recording system. The P2P is dimed and channels jumpered. Download the MP3 here.
Lukas toured in 2019 with his Speed Shop P2P Combo opening for Zac Brown Band (The Owl Tour) and The Rolling Stones, as well as a part of Neil Young's live band (including Farm Aid). He also headed out on The Last Waltz tour (with Warren Haynes). Check out Lukas (with his '56 Les Paul Jr. and Speed Shop P2P Combo) and Promise of the Real covering CSN’s “Carry On” Live in Howard Stern’s Studio in the video below. Great player! Great band!
Rondo of RecPro Audio's Tweed Deluxe Speed Shop discusses his philosophy regarding building the finest Fender Tweed-Era Deluxe amplifiers and introduces his new 1958 Tweed Deluxe output transformer reproduction and A12Q AlNiCo vintage Jensen speaker recreation.
Rondo of the Tweed Deluxe Speed Shop demonstrates how the controls on a 5E3 Tweed Deluxe operate and interact.
New P2P Head for use with EL34 / RCA 6L6GC / Bendix 6384 power tubes! This chassis will accept any of these valves and more! More info here.
New P2P Head for use with EL34 / RCA 6L6GC / Bendix 6384 power tubes! This chassis will accept any of these valves and more! More info here.
"I have been playing it nonstop lately and I am loving the myriad of tones I get out of this thing! I'm enjoying noodling around on it so much in fact that I find myself stopping to sit down and play in the mornings before work now too. I can't thank you enough for building me the P2P Deluxe Combo. I can honestly say that I enjoy playing the amp more and more, each and every time I use it. I have some other vintage style amps that I enjoyed playing through; but while they sound great and all, the tone on your Deluxe absolutely destroys them, hands down! The amp sings man!" - J. K.
Read more Tweed Deluxe Speed Shop Reviews
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