This 1955 Deluxe has a wonderful vintage look, developing a warm amber hue to its lacquered tweed covering. It features the rare 5D3 circuit, which immediately preceded the 5E3 in 1955 and marks the first Deluxe to use 9-pin tubes instead of octals. The result is a unique voice that retains some of the octal-era midrange bark, while offering added refinement thanks to the 12AX7 phase inverter.
Internally, the power cord and electrolytic caps have been replaced, along with one power resistor. The original Astron coupling caps have been swapped for modern equivalents, along with a handful of resistors—please see circuit photos for details. The power transformer has been replaced with a Mercury Magnetics unit that does an excellent job of matching the original voltages. Thankfully, these updates don't dramatically alter the sound, and the amp maintains it's vintage character while ensuring long-term reliability. Simply put - it's been serviced and is ready to be played!
