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Anyone know this amp maker?

Texsunburst59

Active member
Joined
Feb 15, 2004
Messages
765
I've never heard of this guy,but I just e-mailed him and told him to call me so I could go by and play the amp. He happens to live in my town. As soon as I go by and play the amp, I'll reprort back to you and give you the scoop.
 

skip62

New member
Joined
Oct 23, 2005
Messages
824
I've been wondering about this guy too, and I'm his neighborhood too...hmmm

Hey Tex, you going to the Arlington Guitar Show?
 

59Vampire

Active member
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Feb 1, 2005
Messages
4,223
if you are interested in a trainwreck clone, the guy who built my 18 watter has oine on ebay right now . its a killer head with a cool wooden cab. look under "boutique amp" because he cannot say trainwreck or express. It is located in Ashland Kentucky. He is a master builder at the 18 watt community center.
 

Texsunburst59

Active member
Joined
Feb 15, 2004
Messages
765
I've been wondering about this guy too, and I'm his neighborhood too...hmmm

Hey Tex, you going to the Arlington Guitar Show?

I hadn't planned on it. When is it? I am going to an Austin Pedal fest on Sunday Oct. 29. Some guy in Austin is hosting one at the Music Lab studios. A bunch of guys from around the area are going to take alot of pedals, Vintage and Boutique amps, and a alot of cool guitars. I'm really looking foward to this gathering. If you want to make it, I can try to get more info.
 

tom wu

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Apr 13, 2003
Messages
984
Thanks Tex, any info would be great. Are you and the builder close to Arlington? I'm going this year
 

Texsunburst59

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Feb 15, 2004
Messages
765
No I'm in Corpus Christi TX. If you don't know where that is, it's 150 mi. south of San Antonio. I won't be able to make it to Arlington unfortunately. I get back with you on this amp as soon as I hook up with the builder.
 

tom wu

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Joined
Apr 13, 2003
Messages
984
Thanks Tex. I emailed Jim Frenzel and he can also build a 20 watt version of his Twin/Plexi model , which now had me licking my chops..so I'll be looking forward to that tone report
 

Texsunburst59

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Feb 15, 2004
Messages
765
Tom Jim also e-mailed me as well. It turns out, he lives 80 miles southeast of Dallas way out in the country. The zip on the shipping on his e-bay description is wrong. He didn't watch what he was typing I guess. He actually lives about 9 1/2 hrs. from me. I guess I won't be giving you a tone report on the amp. SORRY. Did you ask him if he's going to be at the Arlington show?
 

tom wu

Member
Joined
Apr 13, 2003
Messages
984
Thanks for looking into it anyway, Tex.
In his email Frenzel sais he has too much work to do and no time for shows right now. Seems a nice enough guy and I think I narrowed what to order from him but I sure wish someone had a tone report.
 

Cream Fan

Active member
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May 1, 2003
Messages
2,695
Not to throw a wet blanket on this, but the guy's prices are a bit too good to be true, in the sense that either these amps are PCB construction or he's making them for love and doesn't care if he makes any money. By contrast, his son Trevor's amps are more in line with what you'd expect from a hand-built amp. And the son's page does mention point-to-point, which I did not see on the father's site. Still, they may sound fine, all things considered.
 

tom wu

Member
Joined
Apr 13, 2003
Messages
984
And the son's page does mention point-to-point, which I did not see on the father's site
It's in there, right under the "About our amps" headline
www.frenzeltubeamps.com
Still, I wondered the same thing as you did at first but now I think that sometimes we may just be paying too much for some brand names?
 

Flying Fish

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Aug 15, 2006
Messages
632
I'm real close to deciding to get one of these soon - the 5e3 based one. Any body get one?

If so whaddya think?
 

Outtahear

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Joined
Dec 23, 2002
Messages
450
Not to throw a wet blanket on this, but the guy's prices are a bit too good to be true, in the sense that either these amps are PCB construction or he's making them for love and doesn't care if he makes any money. By contrast, his son Trevor's amps are more in line with what you'd expect from a hand-built amp. And the son's page does mention point-to-point, which I did not see on the father's site. Still, they may sound fine, all things considered.

From the site.." We use only the best of parts.......low noise polypropylene capacitors, metal film resistors,...)

Polypropylene cap usually=the dreaded Orange Drop 715/716 sonically. Couple that with Metal film resistors throughout, might wanna bring a sweater.....

As for prices, They seem to be using Hammond chassis, Bit cheaper than custom units (thinner as well...), couple that w/ a retiree (w/a Navy pension), No: Rent, insurance, employee payroll, accountants, lawyer, shop utilities, and I'll bet he does alright. Probably well built, though.

But, (and I can't stress this enough....) another builder that has to work on packaging. Cabs make me miss SOVTEK's cab quality.
 

Sebastien

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Feb 10, 2004
Messages
525
Not to throw a wet blanket on this, but the guy's prices are a bit too good to be true, in the sense that either these amps are PCB construction or he's making them for love and doesn't care if he makes any money. By contrast, his son Trevor's amps are more in line with what you'd expect from a hand-built amp. And the son's page does mention point-to-point, which I did not see on the father's site. Still, they may sound fine, all things considered.

Making PCB in your basement is MUCH more expensive than PTP. Building 1000 amps like marshall, then PCB is cheaper. But a unit to unit? Never.

The amp doesn't have a typical head cab that cost between 250 to 400$ to get (including shipping). Buying a multi run of transformers instead of unit to unit lowers the costs a lot. Moreso if you don't go for the overblown hype of repro TX. No marshall pricey knobs, etc. It can be done. The profit margin is likely to be very low but guys paying more than 2000$ for a boutique amp are being assraped IMO.
 

Flying Fish

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Joined
Aug 15, 2006
Messages
632
I know these aren't made from the "best" components. But for the price and my budget this seems like what I should get. I've got a few talented friends who can help me make a killer head cab for next to nothing; add a speaker cab and I think I'll have a fairly versitile PTP rig for under $800.

I agree that boutique prices seem unreasonable. I was thinking of saving for a Louis amp - around 3k, and then decided that was way to much $.

There's a victoria 5e3 locally I could snag for $900. I've never played one and always thought I wanted a 5e3, but I think this Frenzel will do better cleans and be a bit more versitile. For me, a 5e3 clone will be the amp I purchase after this one.

I have a Silvertone 1335 (6L6s and 15in ALNICO speaker) that really sounds incredible, I get complements on my tone every time I play it (but not necessarily my palying :)- but it has a midrange heavy sound that I'd like to complement with something else that I can do cleans + crank up a bit more and have a lower overall volume.
 

rufes

Formerly dmartinez
Joined
May 8, 2003
Messages
4,389
I bought this amp from him a year ago or so:

DeluxeHead.JPG


'49 Frenzel Grommes Fender 5E3 Deluxe

PTP, full of great caps (bumblebees & black cats) & Vintage tubes (Tung Sol, RCA...). It sounds better than a real 5E3 according to my tech. I bought it because I wanted a 5E3 (that Eagles tone...) and this one seemed pretty cute to me.

It is always in my desk very colse to me. I love to see it and play it.

This is how I have it at home:

5e3room.jpg


Then a speaker cable going under the table where there's a homemade cab with a Jensen P12R. You don't see it but you can hear it. :)

I have to say that the amp was not well packaged and it arrived with some parts damaged. He didn't assume any responsability and had to be repaired by my tech. Now life is good again but I was pretty disappointed when I first saw it.
 

rufes

Formerly dmartinez
Joined
May 8, 2003
Messages
4,389
mmmm He has increased his prices lately. I paid 250$ for mine 1 year ago.

I also find quite ugly the ones he's got for sale right now.
 
Last edited:

Flying Fish

Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2006
Messages
632
I'm due to receive a Frenzel 5e3 Deluxe Plus on Friday. I'm going to be running it through an Avatar 1x12 loaded with a Celestion G12H.

If anyone is interested I'll post clips. Let me know, otherwise I won't bother.

Woof.
 
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