Fender Blackface/Silverface Super/Twin/Deluxe Reverb

Greg · 2012-10-04T22:59:04+00:00

Yo! So, I have no money but I'm doing some dreaming/planning for an amp and thought I'd ask a few questions about these sorts of things here! So I know Ala...

Fender Blackface/Silverface Super/Twin/Deluxe Reverb

nicovlogg

Greg wrote: Curses... Well, yes to the brass and I just played a Twin yesterday at Daisies and it was on the money (even if it wasn't a delicious blackface one).

Hey Greg, how's about a Bassman? Good condition BF ones pop up all the time, should have plenty of headroom?

Otherwise I can agree with what has been said - a Silverface is easy to modify to exactly the schematic you prefer. Old Fenders are great to work one (compared to most modern amps >☹)

BTW, which band did you gig with at RtD?

Greg

nicovlogg wrote:
Greg wrote: Curses... Well, yes to the brass and I just played a Twin yesterday at Daisies and it was on the money (even if it wasn't a delicious blackface one).
Hey Greg, how's about a Bassman? Good condition BF ones pop up all the time, should have plenty of headroom?

Otherwise I can agree with what has been said - a Silverface is easy to modify to exactly the schematic you prefer. Old Fenders are great to work one (compared to most modern amps >☹)

BTW, which band did you gig with at RtD?

The Bassman is a SWEET amp and it's definitely good for guitar -> amp stuff but since I have a DeVille (which is a cheaper 410 Bassman, kinda) I thought I'd go for a Fender Reverb amp. They're well known for taking pedals well and I plan on abusing it with as many different types of fuzz that I can afford to throw at it!

I played with "The Nomadic Orchestra" as part of "Dirty Bounce".

nicovlogg

Greg wrote: The Bassman is a SWEET amp and it's definitely good for guitar -> amp stuff but since I have a DeVille (which is a cheaper 410 Bassman, kinda) I thought I'd go for a Fender Reverb amp. They're well known for taking pedals well and I plan on abusing it with as many different types of fuzz that I can afford to throw at it!

I played with "The Nomadic Orchestra" as part of "Dirty Bounce".

Yeah I hear you.. Those amps can really handle any pedal without a sweat.

Man.. that was an AWESOME show ? Loved the tones you got

Greg

nicovlogg wrote:
Greg wrote: The Bassman is a SWEET amp and it's definitely good for guitar -> amp stuff but since I have a DeVille (which is a cheaper 410 Bassman, kinda) I thought I'd go for a Fender Reverb amp. They're well known for taking pedals well and I plan on abusing it with as many different types of fuzz that I can afford to throw at it!

I played with "The Nomadic Orchestra" as part of "Dirty Bounce".
Yeah I hear you.. Those amps can really handle any pedal without a sweat.

Man.. that was an AWESOME show ? Loved the tones you got

Much appreciated! You should come watch us when we're playing a whole set of our own stuff, I hope you'll enjoy it.

Norman86

Greg, i think Benj can do an awesome amp to your spec..

Boutique quality, for cheaper than a new Fender Twin... ?

AlanRatcliffe

Thing is, when they pop up s/h, they are usually under R10K (often between 7 & 8K) and it's difficult for anyone to compete with that kind of price (including Fender themselves).

Norman86

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: Thing is, when they pop up s/h, they are usually under R10K (often between 7 & 8K) and it's difficult for anyone to compete with that kind of price (including Fender themselves).

granted.. but Twins popping up second hand are as scarce as hens teeth!

AlanRatcliffe

I've seen three or four on Gumtree in the last year or so. They are too big for most people - while they do have quite a usable range of volume (mine does the local 70 person venue on 2.5 and I've done outdoor gigs on 6 ?), they are definitely not a home/bedroom amp. So a lot of players end up downsizing. which means if you are in the market for one, you just have to gather the money and be patient.

I picked up mine for a silly price, but it needed a lot of TLC - recapping, revalving, grille cloth, knobs and a pair of speakers (which I totally splurged on). So all-in-all I still paid about R10K for it, which is the low end of what you can expect to pay for a blackface in this country. It's playing up at the moment and I must replace the tolex at some point too.

Sean

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: So all-in-all I still paid about R10K for it....

Holy cow, considering what you paid for the speakers (and then the other goodies you had done), you certainly did pick it up for a silly price ?

But now considering what that thread about vintage gear is saying, that the truly good Fender amps are basically pre '69, would any Twin post '69 popping up second hand be a worthy choice for Greg? Yours is a mid 60's right?

Greg

Well, presently Ben and I are discussing a possible amplifier. 210 Fender Blackface Twin style but with a valve rectifier instead of the SS. My main concerns are a) weight and b) a fair amount of useable clean headroom at a decent volume level.

I'd certainly be using the amplfier for gigs around town and for recording and I don't relish carting a Twin around 2-3 places a weekend and sometimes 2 places in one night on a weekly basis.

I'm gonna get a quote from Ben and ponder from there.

Even if I get Ben to make me an amp, I'll still buy a BF Twin at some point, but I'd most likely only be using it in a rehearsal and recording context.

My 410 DeVille is about 8 years old now and I'm very happy with it in it's current state, it's treating me well and I'm getting great tone out of it so I'm not in a HURRY to replace it, perhaps some PATIENCE is in order...

P.S.

If I get Ben to make me an amp, I was considering not having any Reverb or Vibrato put on it. Opinions on that?

AlanRatcliffe

Greg wrote: If I get Ben to make me an amp, I was considering not having any Reverb or Vibrato put on it. Opinions on that?

Your choice. Will move it away from being a Twin, but with a valve rec, 2 x 10, etc., you're not talking about a Twin anyway.

Greg

Alan Ratcliffe wrote:
Greg wrote: If I get Ben to make me an amp, I was considering not having any Reverb or Vibrato put on it. Opinions on that?
Your choice. Will move it away from being a Twin, but with a valve rec, 2 x 10, etc., you're not talking about a Twin anyway.

Yeah, the DR and SR have valve rectifiers iirc, so it'd me more along the lines of one of those I guess. And without Reverb and Vibrato it's totally not a Fender Reverb amp ?.

Nicholas-L

I say do it ? CUSTOM BUILDS are cool.

Norman86

just add an effects loop..
and a flint too... reverb and trem sorted and your ampcan concentrate on amping your signal ? ?

bottledtone

No one actually asked what channel Greg was playing through......
It was the normal channel......... so therefore the reverb and vibrato(trem) where not in play.
Also on the first post, Greg said the Twin was too loud and heavy for normal use. 50watt being better for him. The valve rectifier was just a bonus of having amp "full valve" ?

Mesa mark1 is an amp that no-one has mentioned. Its a twin clone (with an added gain stage that doesn't have to be used), that can run at 50watts, and has 1x12 too.

AlanRatcliffe

bottledtone wrote: No one actually asked what channel Greg was playing through......

Didn't know anyone used the normal channel on a Twin. ? Even with Reverb and vib off, I sill prefer the vibrato channel.

The valve rectifier was just a bonus of having amp "full valve" ?

Ah, but it's only a bonus if you like it.

Mesa mark1 is an amp that no-one has mentioned. Its a twin clone (with an added gain stage that doesn't have to be used), that can run at 50watts, and has 1x12 too.

Good point. Channel two is very high gain though. Early Santana...

It's my understanding that the original prototype MK1s were modded Princetons.

bottledtone

Yeah, told Greg about the "pluck" reponse the saggy rectifier gives..... The SS diodes in the twin do give that instant bass reponse.

The moddied princeton refers to the chassis size.

Redplate amps also fit high wattage amps into these small chassis'

And with the weight issue!! Try carry a '76 OR80 2x12 combo by yourself Eish!! ?