trinityamps.com

Love the 5e3, it just gets too dirty too quick. Is there a way I can keep it cleaner?

If you haven't already tried it, the cleanest you can go on the Deluxe, due to the interactive input design, is plugging into the bright channel and dialing the normal channel volume all the way to 12. As you decrease the non-used channel volume from full on (12), the midrange and thus distortion increases. Even setting to 10 on that channel will reduce your clean headroom. What kind of rectifier are you using? The JJ sags less than NOS, so gives a tad more clean headroom also. Other than these simplest things to try, you'd need to sub on the board. Hope this helps some.

kurtlives posted a mod to help with phase inverter distortion; viewtopic.php?f=11&t=1878

If I remember correctly, in the build instructions there is the "Brown Deluxe" mod which changes the grid resistors from 62k to 33k? Is that right? It's supposed to give more headroom on the vol pot.

I'm really a beginner when it comes to voicing amps but maybe you could replace R9 (820R) to 1k5 on V1's cathodes. Also maybe change V2a's anode resistor (R13) from 56k to 100k. If I'm not mistaken these would cut the gain a tad. These are more blackface Fender values.

Again, I'm still learning so a little input from the more experianced would be prudent before doing my mods.

This amp continues to amaze me with it's tonal spectrum because of little gems like was posted above. I've had my 5e3 for over a year and thought I'd tried it all. Setting the normal to 12 does give cleans, but it also loses some of the gut punch. Thanks for the tip!

Yes there is a secret to this. It was posted recently and involves removing the PI bypass cap and decreasing the coupling caps too.

_________________
Stephen
Web: www.trinityamps.com. Facebook: facebook.com/trinityamps. Twitter: @trinityamps