Back in September 2023, in a blog post called “You’ve Got To Be A Huge Fan Of Tweed Tone To Get A Real Fender Tweed Deluxe Amp In 2023“, I looked at the costs of buying a real 5e3 Tweed Deluxe amp here in the UK.
Two years later, I’m wondering: what has changed? How has the price changed … and how have my feelings on the price changed?
Table of Contents
A Quick Recap Of The Rig
Let’s start by quickly discussing the rig that I’m pricing up / price-tracking.
Amp + Attenuator
The two main components of my home Tweed Deluxe setup are:
- Fender 57 Custom Deluxe amplifier (aka 5e3 Tweed Deluxe reissue)
- Fryette PS-100 Power Station attenuator
I bought these back in 2021, as the UK was coming out of its COVID lockdowns.
I went with the Fender 57 Custom Deluxe partly down to availability (it was the only stock 5e3 Tweed Deluxe amp available to buy at the time), and partly because it’s an unmodified 5e3 circuit.
After buying it, I realised that it was far too loud for home use, so I also picked up the Fryette PS-100 Power Station attenuator. I went with the PS-100 again partly down to availability; because of its excellent reputation; and because of its unique feature set (FX loop, tube-based power amp for re-amping the signal at my preferred volume, dual controls for quickly A/B’ing two amps).
These are the two items that I’m price tracking.
This Isn’t My Full Rig – Does That Matter?
Regular readers may recall that I always use my Tweed Deluxe amp and PS-100 attenuator with my Axe-FX 3. The Axe-FX 3 is a world-class digital effects processor, and it’s played an essential part in my enjoyment of my Tweed Deluxe amp over the years.
So why leave out of the price tracking? Simply put: it’s an optional extra.
- Some folks will prefer just the amp + attenuator.
- Some folks will prefer to use more affordable effects units (like a Line6 Helix or HX Stomp).
- Some folks will prefer to use pedals (like I did at first).
- Some folks will prefer to use plugins in their DAW.
Price Comparison
Price Comparison Table
Here’s how the prices have changed since the last time I wrote about them:
| Item | Price In 2023 | Price In 2025 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fender Custom 57 Deluxe amplifier | £2429 | £2359 | -2.9% |
| Fryette PS-100 Power Station attenuator | £1133 | £1318 | +16.3% |
| Total Cost | £3562 | £3677 | +3.2% |
Table notes:
- Amplifier price is taken from Fender’s UK website. You might be able to get a lower price from a dealer – but I’ve also seen it offered at a higher price here in the UK too 🤷♂️
- Power Station price is taken from Thomann’s UK website. Two years ago, they were the only place to get one.
Price Comparison Discussion
There’s some immediate good news: the overall price for this rig has risen less than official UK inflation has.
(According to the Bank of England, £3562 in 2023 would now cost £3744 in 2025. The Bank of England tends to produce price rise comparisons that are on the low side; other financial institutions regularly produce much higher price rise comparisons.)
Fender has actually reduced their asking price for the amp. When was the last time that Fender dropped MRP on a product?!? Very unexpected, when you consider how Fender’s guitars continue to get more and more expensive whenever they refresh the range.
The Fryette PS-100 has jumped in price a bit. Thomann are in the EU; is some of the price increase caused by current USA trade policy, perhaps?
The bad news is that prices are still far higher than what I paid in 2021. The rig has gone up in price by 26.8% in just four years. I don’t know about you, but my wages definitely haven’t gone up anywhere near that much!
Price Discussion
Is The Amp Still Worth It?
In 2023, I said this:
Two years ago, the Fender 57 Custom Deluxe was a major purchase for me. I only realised I needed a new attenuator once the amp was home. At that point, I was already committed to the amp (it was a special order, and I was already falling in love with it). If I’d had to find all the money in one go, I’m not sure that I would have bought the amp.
Would I buy one at today’s prices? That’s a difficult thing to say.
So let’s try this: if the amp and attenuator went up in smoke, would I replace them at today’s prices? I don’t think I would. The amp doesn’t get much use, and neither does the attenuator. Ironically, I bought the Axe-FX to be the fx processor for my Tweed Deluxe rig, and it ended up replacing them most of the time.
What would I do, if I wanted a Tweed Deluxe amp today? I would spend half the money on the Cornell Romany 12, and have an amp that I can use at home far more comfortably.
In 2025, my answer has definitely changed:
If the amp and attenuator went up in smoke – and I could afford it – I would definitely replace them both. I wouldn’t want to be without a “stock” 5e3 Tweed Deluxe amp and Fryette attenuator of some kind.
Fryette Is Part Of My Sound Now
Let’s deal with the attenuator first, as it’s the easiest one to discuss.
I’ve still got a couple of Marshall amp heads, and I use them with my Fryette Power Station PS-100 too. I’d definitely need to replace it if the worst happened (assuming, of course, that my other amps actually survived said disaster!)
But why would I stick with the Fryette?
Every load box / attenuator has its own sound. It colours the signal in some way. For better or worse, I’m used to how the Fryette attenuator circuit sounds, and it’s just easier for me to get another one than have to start again with a different-sounding attenuator.
But would I get another PS-100? I’m not using the power amp side of it at all these days; I’m just using the attenuator side, and taking that line out signal into my Axe-FX 3. My PS-100 isn’t even plugged into the mains!
So it seems like a bit of a waste to buy another one. I’d look at the Fryette Power Load IR first, to see if that can do the same role for me.
If that wasn’t suitable – or I couldn’t get one – then I’d definitely get another Fryette Power Stations PS-100.
The Tweed Deluxe Is Home For Me
When I bought the amp, I already knew that I had a preference for tweed amp tones. I bought the amp to educate myself, and to be a reference sound. I did not know at the time just how much I was going to fall in love with it.
I also didn’t realise that I’d fall in love with its recorded sound. (The free Origin Effects IRs have a lot to do with this!) I don’t like how the amp sounds in the room at all.
That’s the main reason why I’ve changed my answer from two years ago.
I still think the Cornell Romany 12 is a great choice for home use – and I still want one – but if I had to replace my current Tweed Deluxe amp, I’d buy another Fender ’57 Custom Deluxe.
I do want a modded-or-5e3-derived amp or two one day, but only as a second amp.
I’m not ready to move on from the stock 5e3 sound. And I’m starting to think that maybe I never will be.
Final Thoughts
There’s one question that I haven’t addressed above: is this rig worth it for other home players?
I did try answering that in an earlier draft, but realised that it’s a topic that deserves its own blog post. So that will be next week’s #TweedTone post.