“Please find pics attached of my effort on the SE-5a. Can I just say it was really straightforward to build following the guide on the website. I am staggered how good it sounds. It has impressed my friends and you may be getting some more orders from them in due course.
“I have done a few very simple switchable mods which can be seen on the rear view. The switches are fitted on large penny washers into the unused valve seat holes, so no hacking of the chassis is necessary. There is a full boost/no boost/high boost bypass capacitor voicing switch between the valves and a tone stack lift switch and a footswitch socket in the other spaces. A two switch footswitch can be plugged in and remotely select the chosen settings on or off. The mods work without the footswitch plugged in. The tone stack lift gives a huge gain boost.
“The cabinet is English oak, oiled and waxed, style is quite plain but functional, almost Shaker. I’m yet to put a handle on it. Wood was from local sawmill, it had been lying around for years. Construction is glued and screwed with the screw holes plugged. I did consider dovetails but that would have taken up guitar playing time! If you can get a really wide floorboard plank (9-10in wide or so) from a flooring place that should do it, and one 8ft length would be more than enough and really nice quality.”
