Frenzel 5E3 Deluxe Plus Head

Don't judge a book by it's cover! How true. This amp looks first as a shoe-box - but it's a real big one whith a one mor time bigger sound. This amp offers all you really need: Two channels (3 ECC83/12AX7 tubes), an 'F' and an 'M' department with a gain knob for each one an a master volume, a three knob tone stack, a presence push-pull knob switches 'edge' on your tone. It has a power of 25w (2x6L6 tubes, fixed bias possible via switch so you can use any tube whith the same socket as the 6L6). If You need more power: It as a jack for an extaernal tube amp also. I has no effect loop, no reverb! Important to European residents. You have to buy and install a European jack, than plug and play.

I've been looking for the Hendrix clean tone we all know frome some albums. Now I found it. This baby - I run it with an old Fender 4x12 box - does it far better the all the Marshalls I bought and sold and even better than the two Marschall 30 anniversary I still have. At a loudness that doesn't blow your ears. And you get best results with Strats, Teles, Les Pauls and semi-acoustics either. What I learned instantly: less gain better tone. Better use a stomp box if you want to have more drive. The fendrish department to me sounds like a Low Twin. I use a Hughes&Kettner Replex in front as well as a Tonebone Hot British - that's enough!

Can't say much, I have it only a few day. But one thing: the cage is visible more filigree than the wooden case of for exemple a Marshall amp, but for hat tours nice flightcases are sold all over. The technic inside is of the 50's - it is simple, can be repaired by every tube technician.

I keep a good contact to Jim Frenzel. If sometimes any problems appear, I have to contyct a German expert - faster and cheaper.

I am a fun player searching for the perfect tone. I think I got it. I own some Gibsons, some Fenders, some no name stuff, some old and new amps. This one is in the top 2 (the other is a top modded 70's Guyatone). I would surely buy the Deluxe again, if stolen.

2008 25w 2x6L6 Deluxe Plus. Two channels, an 'F' and an 'M' with master volume, a three knob tone stack, and a handy presence with 'edge on a push pull knob.

I opted for the switchable cathode/fixed bias and the metal cage. I opted not to get the effects loop because I hate them, but that's a rant for another day.

The real standout feature here is the ability to swap power tube types. The thought of being able to use this amp with so many types was too much to resist. Funny thing is that there are so many different amps in the studio currently that I haven't had the need yet (this is a good problem :) Including Bernie modified Marshall JTM45 and Super Reverb, GA5, GA15, Noble, Supro, Line 6 AXESYS

used with:
1979 usa hardtail strat
80's custom shop 50's strat with fralin pickups
80's usa tele
80's washburn mongrel with duncan HB's
I play mostly rock, country and roots with a little R&B for good measure.

This is a great amp, no doubt the most versatile tube amp I have ever owned. The amp is quiet and does anything from sparkly clean to dirty Keith without a stomp box in sight. With a vintage Tube Screamer in front of it...well it screams a la Cream. With my 70's EH Multiplexer/fuzz using the strat with the Fralins you have entered Jimi territory. The tone stack is responsive and hits a wide range. The presence does what you would expect, however the 'edge' control is MAGIC. Now, before I even engaged the 'edge' control I would have described this amp as one of the most 'responsive' (to your hands) amps I have ever played. After engaging the 'edge' control that feeling is intensified.

I have used this amp for about 6 months in the studio and at a few jams and so far so good. The components appear to be of high quality by today's poor standards. I will say that some of the detail on the metal work is not of high quality and same for the plastic face plates and logos, but these issues are cosmetic. I would never gig this or any amp without *some kind* of backup (used a DI and a stomp box for the third set at least once that I remember).

Here's the bad part. I waited about twice as long as they said I would, no big deal. Unfortunately they did not pack the amp in a large enough box or use enough packing filler. The box was only 1.5" bigger than the length of the head! Somewhere on the way to Canada the package was dropped lightly and the back corner of the amp was punched in a bit bending in the speaker output jack and the ohm selector switch. After talking to Frenzel and sending them photos they suggested I pay to send it back to them so they could file a shipping claim and then they would send it back to me at my expense ??? I even hinted that my partner wanted to order one of his other amps and maybe we could work something out...they did not bite at that prospect. Makes me wonder if these guys like money more than a reputation (not a good quality in an amp tech).

Anyways the amp luckily still works great so I wasn't ready to take a $150 hit to fix what (for now at least) is only cosmetic. If the unit ever needs repair I may have the damage repaired then locally.

Bottom line:
1) I hate paying full bore for damaged goods!!!
2) I would never order from Frenzel again without them meeting my packaging terms

It really feels like this amp is part of the instrument while you are playing it. This kind of excitement is hard to put into words. I think the fact that I gave this amp a 9 despite my bitter experience with the company speaks volumes about the sound quality and value. PAY EXTRA FOR A BIGGER BOX IF YOU CAN !!!

all reviews here state the same thing..all but metal as is..but add a metal pedal....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcGtTiMjH0w this link says it all

been beating for over a year with NO probs..bought another for stereo.. neither amp has faltered

great amp, ya gotta spend thousand to do better

2007 Custom. Extremely versatile amp with an uncluttered faceplate. Especially with my Startouch AB-Y to fully utilize the 2 channels (F... and M... style inputs) that are otherwise only available one or the other. Effects loops was an extra that I opted for, makes the few effects I ever use sound better. I also got the 40W power upgrade, cathode bias/fixed bias switch option, and steel cage. Currently running 6L6s in the power section and a 5U4 recto, though I'm looking forward to A/B-ing with some KT88s, and 5A4 recto substitution. That's the beauty of this beast: plenty of options to further customize yr sound without having to visit (read "bribe") your tech. Line out with level allows the use of headphones, though a stereo set of headphones will only be heard through one channel. Play hard progressive, fusion metal, and American rock, and this thing covers everything, including forays into jazz, 70s stoner rock, and even super clean steel style. Any features that I wish it had would surely have raised the price of this otherwise ridiculously low-budget, CUSTOM!!, PTP!!, tone-perv. That being said... it would be nice to be able to individually shape the two channels, since they are voiced so distinctly. Reverb, though it used to be part of my sound, is no longer missed. So far I've used it only for practices, though will be playing out with it soon. In our small practice space, this thing allows me to clearly be heard over our otherwise beastial skinner. I love that it's small enough to cart around with ease, and the cage makes this endeavor more confident. Also love getting the, "What the... is that? - I think they spelled the make wrong on that faceplate, man!"

Driving it with a highly modded '89 American Strat which I planed about 1/8" off the body, removed all paint and hand buffed 10 coats of tung oil, installed a SD hot rails in the bridge, vintage rails in middle and neck (all wired in parallel), on-off toggles instead of the 5-way, single volume and single no-load tone pot. Everyone who hears this thing comments on how beautiful it sounds. Extremely quiet operation, yet quite loud for a 40W head. Currently drive a 2X10" cab, though I've tried it with a 4X12" and it sounds so lush and gorgeous, that I'm probably going to have to bite the bullet and buy a larger cab. The tube rectifier is a huge portion of what gives the FM-5E3 its sound: this amp can go from clean and spanky f.. style tones to quite brutal m.. style drive. Originally, I was staying with the f.. input for cleans, opting the m.. for driven tones, though the darker, spongy f.. distortion is rapidly growing on me. Either way, once the master hits noon or so, the tube recto starts to really shine, squeezing things into the '73-75 Mahavishnu/Neil Young sputtery/saggy/blooming beauty that belies a tube rectifier. By utilizing the NFB, this amp stays pretty clean if you want it to, but pulling out that "edge" function really opens things up and gives a rough edge, while still retaining headroom. Brutal distortion is there, though extreme/grind users will probably want to opt for a boost or KT88s or something. I really love the sound of the NNFB edge in combination with the cathode bias, for a more raw sound. Plus, the master volume allows you to really shape the distortion you want, overdriving the pre-tubes at lower outputs, or setting them both about half mast for a slight edge to the power section as well.

So far so good.

Great.
A long wait, but well worth it.
Overall, as enjoyable experience as shelling out close to $800 can be!

Been playing for 15 years, on and off with more than a few bands (most recently play electric with Deep Fried Chakra and acoustic Americana/Celtic with 8 Leaves from Sober). Occasionally play through a twin reverb, but previously was playing through a Gerry-Mandered split signal routed to two small solid state combos (1X12 and 2X6, occasionally utilizing a 1X18 as well), and between 2 and 4 outboard 2X10" cabs, depending on gig size. Was looking at THD, Mesa, ENGL, etc., but could not afford to shell out 3Gs for a hand-wired PTP custom amp... until I found Jim!
Would surely buy another one if stolen. I don't lose gear.
I love the tone, the size, the open-ness of the build, allowing cooling of the tubes, the look (oh, the look...), the fact that I can support a self-employed artisan, the fact that it's made in the USA.
Only thing I don't like is the lack of tone shaping for both channels (though I'm sure this would increase the price), the lack of a footswitch for the edge function, and the fact that it only has one speaker cab out (necessary, since I did not opt for the larger chassis, and had already requested the cathode bias switch and the effects loop).

This amp is the tone tweaker's dream machine. The design gives you a circuit that allows the outright substitution of a variety of octal output tubes and a number of dual triode pre-amp/driver tubes. This was the promise that led me to Jim Frenzel. I am astonished at how well it works. I'm a professional musician, and a novice electric guitar player. But I also have long experience as an audio/video electronics tech. I've built my share of tube amps, some from scratch. From this point of view, I can tell you it is not that easy to come up with a circuit that makes such a range of tubes actually sound good. As for the charge that the amp lacks gain, I suggest that this has more to do with how you set it up. No, it's not a quad power tube monster: but you can get outputs on either side of the power output stage and send these out to a monster. (Or, significantly, a mixing desk.) I think of this as incredible versatility.

The amp is a major chameleon, but I have not found a good way to make it sound anything but musical. It IS a tube amp: it has a very slight hum, noticeable faintly with a very efficient speaker, and certainly with phones on. The noise floor is at a minimum, and certainly useable even for recording. This is quiescent noise we're talking about. Noisy tubes will add their own noise. I have tired this out with other input sources, including a cd player and sub-mixed keyboard instrument: this amp is much closer to high fidelity than most guitar amps. Of course, it has more tonal control than the average high fidelity amp. Sounds just great.

The workmanship is wonderful in every way. It is a tube amp, though, with no fuse on the high voltage. Since it invites a hands on approach, I would suggest that problems with its reliability will point to acts of God (as in tube failure) and user error (as in the temptation to try it out with questionable tubes).

As has been noted, Jim Frenzel is a gentleman from top to bottom. He runs his business in a straightforward manner, as befits a man who is going to let you unleash the power of lethal voltages. You will enjoy dealing with him.

This is quite a bargain, even tricked out with options.

My upgrades on the Frenzel 5E3 Deluxe Plus Head -;Hammond transformer-
effects loop, bias selector and power transformer for 240v (U.K)enough
features for me and I don't use reverb.
Bare chassis built like a rock.Unscrew the base and check for yourself....a work of art.
I play with drums,bass and occasionally a brass section ..large venues I'll have to mike up...no problem .

Between the F and M inputs you will nail everything but metal.
Jazz,Rock,Blues and Country and all the in-betweens can be had with this amp.Volume on guitar down a bit,roll off the neck a little and
I've got acoustic Beatles on my Gretsch...turn up and dig in and I get a
great Setzer sound...and thats on the M channel!! You could link the two but I haven't tried yet.
Bass,mid,treble and prescence are all very interactive.I use no
effects other than an old Watkins Copicat echo.

I turn on the amp and when I'm finished (which is normally hours on
end) I turn it off.It works.Don't throw it about and it will last forever.Tubes can be replaced easily enough but circuit boards are a
nightmare.
Always have some sort of back-up though.

I ordered the amp and from the word go the Frenzel team has kept in contact with me by E-Mail 100% They even let me know when work was about to start and when it would be shipped almost to the hour (bearing in mind I'm in the U.K.
No warranty in U.K but if this amp developed a fault I'm sure
any reputable guy could have it up and going straight away.

Over the forty-five years I've been playing I can honestly say I have
never played such a versatile amp. And in that sort of time period I'm not going into detail of all the equipment I've played.
This may seem like a glowing report but I've spoken my mind...
so there you have it.

First off, this amp is a real bargain, a steal if you will, at $495; you can't touch anything in its league for that kind of cash, and this amp competes with all the boutique amps out there for 5 times the money. Jim should raise his prices for sure, especially now, since I have one.

This amp was ordered July 22nd of 07 and delivered the first week of September, about 6 weeks. The amp is a 5E3 Deluxe Plus Head putting out 25 watts with a Marshall and Fender front input. It has a gain for each preamp section and a master volume. The amp shares bass, mid, treble and presents controls. The amp has many options to chose from, selectable ohms, insert, type of bias, chassis size, and cabinet. I am using an A/B box to do suto channel switching. The amp is all tube and point to point hand wired. I didn't order the effects loop, or the larger chassis but I did get a full steel cabinet for an extra $85.

The amp also lets you swap out tubes, i.e. power, rectifier and preamp, and with each swap, you get a whole new world of sounds, the hard part is figuring out which ones you like the best.

Because I use this amp head on stage, and there are alway clumsy people around the stage, I would of preferred a detachable power cord instead of the 10' attach power cord that came with the unit. I'm hoping no one trips on my power cord and the head doesn't hit the ground. A detachable power cord is not an option, but it should be.

We play power classic rock and I have no problems going out with this head; it replaced a VOX AD120. There is more than enough power to give me the required stage volume and head room.

It has everything that I was looking for with the exception of reverb, and he offers a head with that configuration. I knew up front what I was buying. It's also amazing what 25 watts of tube power brings to the table when compared to solid state.

The amp is NOT a high gain amp, and unless you run it all wide open with single coil pickups, the amp is extremely quiet for a tube amp, any amp for that matter. It has a chimy clean side with plenty of head room. You can get enough distortion for rhythm guitar work, but not enough for lead work, at least at listening levels. So, the first thing I tried out a distortion pedal and it was OK for lead work, but too much racket for chunky cords. I added a THD Hot Plate and the amp would pretty much give me any kind of gain I was looking for, but then again, we don't do metal. With the Hot Plate, you can get in and also start overdriving the power section of the amp. If you want to play metal, you would need a pedal for that for sure.

When the amp is overdriven, the sound sustains with no wobble or fluctuation, in my opinion, this is very very nice. There is a very distinct difference between the Fender and Marshall channels working your way from clean to dirty. The Marshall side is suppose to sound like a Plexi, but since I've never had one or played out of one, it's hard for me to judge. As gains are increased, the Fender side becomes darker and darker, the high end starts to fade and it gets somewhat muddy. The Marshall side stays bright and clear. Because of these differences, I am using the Fender side for clean and the Marshall side for distortion; this is working pretty good for me.

Last but not least, I added a compression pedal and WOW, the amp really came alive. I can play at any volume and still get the sustain I'm looking for, both clean and dirty.

The addition of the Hot Plate and the compressor really made a major difference in the versatility and sound of this amp. I'm a Parker guy, and use a Fly Deluxe and Classic along with a Nitefly and Nitefly Southern.

I am carrying an extra amp to be safe, but I don't think I'll ever have to use it, at least I hope not. There isn't much to go wrong. The amp is point to point hand wired with no circuit boards to crack or break. As everyone knows, tubes will be tubes, so I do carry an extra set of tubes with me when we play.

I put full trust into this amp, it's built like a tank.

Jim Frenzel always responded to my questions within a day and usually the same day. I know if something needed fixing, he would get it done right away. I have lived with this amp for 5 weeks now and it's still perfect.

All these amps are custom built to order and take about 6 weeks to receive. If you are impatient, find a used one if you can. The wait is worth it though.

I've been playing since 1964; I guess that means I've been playing a while. I've always been a fender man, playing Band Masters, Bassmans, Super Reverbs, and Twins. I tried a Fender Cyber Deluxe but the menu structure was too difficult to get through. I went to a VOX AD120 which is very nice and I still use it once in a while, but now I'm in love with my Frenzel. This amp brought things to the table that I had forgotten about, how tube amps cut through and don't get lost in the mix, a smooth distortion that doesn't hurt the ears, and the lack of a need for effects. Effects are OK to use, but now they can be used a lot more sparingly because this amp carries itself on it's own merit.

It something happened to this amp, I would look for another one immediately.

I looked at Jim's amps on his website for almost a year before I brokedown and bought one. I really was interesting in getting a handbuilt PTP wired vintage amp. I still cannot believe he does it for the price he does. The amp is a 2007. You can paly just about anything with it. It has two inputs, Fender and Marshall and separate preamps circuits. The only thing I miss is reverb, wish it had that. THe bias selector switch is a cool feature, changes the amp from Fixed Bias(Compressed), to Cathode Bias (open blues sound). Even though it is 25 watts it is LOUD!!!! Keeps up with a full band no problem, besides it sounds better when you crankt he master volume up closer to 10. Great features, great amp, like having a Fender deluxe, and a 25 watt plexi in one amp. Awesome.

Can play anything with this amp. Fender input, sounds like deluxe, with a little more gain then the fender, but that is probably cause my power section is EL34's as opposed to the standard 6L6's. The marshall setting is sweet, sounds just like the plexi a always wanted, yet it is 25 watts and has a master volume...sweet. Distortion is not that brutal, but it will do most rock without a problem, if you are a lead guy and you like gain, I would add a pedal to get you that extra push. I use a number a guitars with, favorite though is 1997 SG standard, sounds just like Angus Young. I have a Fender Strat copy, with a Seymour Duncan JB jr. in the bridge, that sounds decent as well. Telecaster sounds awesome in the fender channel. It is extremely quite, even when you crank it.

Seems solid as a rock, and since it is PTP wired I don't worry about cracking boards. Not very heavy, yet still puts out some good volume.

Jim is great, always got back to me and was up front about the amp taking 4-6 weeks to build. IT was worth the wait. I am sure he stand behind his product.

Been playing for over ten years, great amp. Own four amps, three cabinets, five guitars. I would but it again in a second. It is the perfect volume amp, for playing most gigs. Built like a tank and sounds amazing. One thing a forgot to mention, it is self biasing, so you can swap any tubes you want into it like plug play.

This is a very versatile amp and I can shape my tone easily with minor adjustments. The "F" & "M" inputs are pure genius and an AB/Y switch gives the amp that much more flexibility. I ordered mine with the Hammond OT and an effects loop - I recommend at least the OT upgrade then you can use any cab you want.

I've had mine about a month and have tried numerous tube combinations. Stock, NOS, vintage, etc. It came with 6L6's, but I ended up with EL34's. I'm running NOS Tesla EL34's, GE 12ay7 in V1, Mullard 12ax7 in V2, RCA black plate 12at7 in V3 and a NOS CBS black plate 5U4GB rectifier. This amp really sings now I doubt I could be happier with the tone. The only hum comes from the pedal chain running into the effect loop. Otherwise this is a very quiet amp. This amp sounds great with everything I've plugged into it. Humbuckers, single coils, Strat & Tele and it absolutely loves P-90's.

I forsee no reliability issues with Jim's amps. His craftmanship is top shelf and the unit is very robust. All components are first class and it's designed so well I'm really impressed and that isn't easy.

So far no need, but email is prompt, thoughtfull and Jim seems like a genuinly nice guy.

If I lost this one I'd order another in a heartbeat hands down. I have friends with "boutique" amps costing much, much more and they are so impressed with this amp they keep looking for something wrong with it. I think some of them feel "had" by the "hype" they bought into.

Fender Bassman and Marshall Plexi in one, or morph them both with a y-cable. Lightweight, simple, hand point to point wiring and tone to die for! Forget spendind 4x with a more known "boutique" amp cuz you will be throwing your $ away.

Clean jazz, dirty blues, classic 70's rock. I get that sound that so many like me in the past would buy amp after amp after amp to try and get. The search ended here with Frenzel.

Too new to tell, but I did look inside and the wiring and soldering was top notch with shortest paths possible.

Jim answers every email same day and is the nicest person. Stop supporting Chinese made junk and support true amp experts like Frenzel.

I've been playing 20 years and have gone through most "classic" and most modeling equiptment. The classic amps are so expensive now and have mostly been abused and altered. The modeling equiptment in my opinion do not have the "warmth" of classic equiptment. Frenzel amps solve this dilemma. Sound that rivals the classic equiptment that are in perfect shape at a great price.