Origin Effects has unveiled the Deluxe55 Tweed Recreation, a compact preamp pedal that replicates the golden era tone of a vintage Fender Tweed Deluxe tube amp.
Specifically, the English guitar effects pedal specialist is talking about the 5E3 circuit Tweed Deluxe. Some might say it hasn’t been bettered, Neil Young among them. The “Godfather of Grunge” is one of the most famous proponents of the amp.
His model is from 1959 and you might know it as Old Black. This is based on a 1955, model and either way we are talking a very good vintage for electric guitar tone. This classic non-reverb Fender amp tone is what the Deluxe55 is all about, deploying Origin Effects’ transistor-based amp-replicating circuitry from its high-end RevivalDRIVE series of overdrive pedals.
John Dines, product manager, Origin Effects, promises a pedal that sounds like the original amp and reacts to your playing in much the same way.
“We’ve redesigned our Amp Recreation circuitry for even more realism,” he says. “And what better way to show it off than by recreating an amp with such character. The Tweed Deluxe is so responsive and nuanced, and we’re really proud to have been able to get that same tone and playing experience from the Deluxe55.”
The Deluxe55 features an all-analogue circuit, housed in Origin Effects’ super-tough brushed stainless steel and aluminium enclosure.
Origin Effects says the push-pull output stage overdrives in “exactly the same way” as the 6V6-driven power amp in the original design, and there is a reactive load designed into the pedal to give you that same feel as the original.
The original is not your typical tube amp. When Origin Effects says it set out to capture “the sound, feel and quirks” of the 5E3 Tweed Deluxe, it places an equal emphasis on quirks. Indeed, it goes as far as describing the Tweed Deluxe as “one of history’s quirkiest combos”.
A statement like that needs qualifying. You will find evidence on the tone control. As you turn it up, it adds gain. It is, however, eminently tweakable, with a simple control setup yielding plenty of tone-shaping options.
There are four knobs: Level controls overall output, Drive controls gain, Tone controls your preamp tone and Post EQ filter is positioned after the drive stage in the circuit, allowing you to tailor your sound no matter how you have your rig configured. Send it into the front end of your guitar amp, pair with a CabSim... Deluxe55 will perform well with a FRFR speaker, too.
It also has a few neat tricks. There is a Preamp switch that allows players to toggle between the stock 12AY7 preamp valve for a 12AX7, which many did with the original amps to get a little more warmth and gain.
If your tastes in tone are similar to Neil Young’s then you might want to set it to the 12AX7 mode and dime this thing, let it go full-bore with the unruly quasi-fuzz tones. You only live once. A second toggle switch selects the Post EQ mode.
The Deluxe55 Tweed Recreation takes 9V DC from a pedalboard power supply, drawing 100mA, and is available now, priced £279/$339. For more details, see Origin Effects.
