What's THE best sounding Fender amp you've tried, /both vintage, old, stock modified, new, RI's etc.) and with what guitar (pedals) did YOU play through it?
I've never checked out the Fender amps that much and haven't got the possibilitie to try out the vintage ones, only the storck and RI' models, so PLEASE post your choice of amp, and tell me why that was THE one?!
Best Regards
For me it was a 1973 Super Reverb SF. Had it dimed and it sounded so good. The amp is at the shop where I take lessons. It is used as house equipment in their recording studio.
I was using a PRS of some sort with it. No effects, just guitar to amp.
brianf
Oh Man!!! I never knew Fender made amps too!!!
'68 Silverface Vibrolux with pre CBS/Blackface circuit. Absolutely amazing.
Tweed Blues Deluxe purchased in '95, but it became "the one" in about '97-- a couple retubings and 2 years for the speaker to break in (?).
It's still the bomb. I'd hoped my BF Hot Rod Deluxe would do the same thing after about 2 years, but so far, no such luck.
Second place to my 1981 "Fender 75." 75 watts and a 15" speaker--awesome for what a teenager wanted to play back then. :p
While I like My 63' strat through a variety of amps... I don't really care for most guitars through the 59' tweed Bassman...however...plug one into the other and the combination is a perfect match!
Have had very good luck over the years with BF Bassman head, Prinecton rev, Deluxe rev.
My current fav "Fender" is actually the reissue Sunn Model T. Great sounding Head!
Prosonic for me. It's just the right kind of amp for me and it has a switch to choose three different styles of amp. A rectifier 30 watts, AB rectifier 45 watts, & SS rectifier 60 watts. It takes some tweaking to get just the right tone you want but once you do it is hard to beat. It is very sensitive to what is plugged into it. Type of guitar, cord, pedal, & etc. As much gain as you want in the high gain channel or you can bring it down and play blues. Great clean channel I guess you would call it. Clean for me not for others. It really starts to overdrive about 4.5 on the volume. You don't need a drive pedal. Doesn't sound exactly like or work like the ordinary Fender amp and that confuses some people but after you get the hang of this amp and understand it it really cooks. Need to use a good low capacitant guitar cable such as George L or Proel. I had to have a couple of mods done to fix the popping of the channel switching and slight reverb hum but that was easy & cheap. Mine is one of the earlier models Fender fixed this on the later models. Great effects loop & reverb. real good reverb. If you Ever try one keep the tone controls down below or around 4. or even lower and turn up the volume. The tone controls can act like a master volume or power soak and you can crank up the volume and the power tubes will be cranking with good natural overdrive at a low volume. You can even do it at bedroom volume. One the best and misunderstood amps Fender ever made. I traded in a Mesa for mine.
Last edited by jimi_lee; 01-05-2003 at 09:05 PM.
Toss up. My 66 Pro Reverb or Hot Rod Deville. My 59 RI Bassman and 66 Super Reverb are a close second.
Hi!
Thanks for your replies!
When do I know when the speakers has "Broken in"?
I have this VK (new model) about 7-12 months old and I play it almost everyday, at both bedroom level and LOUD!
First: Are ALL Fender amps soooo sensitive, I barely touch the volume knob and it goes from bedroom to LOUD (without breaking up) And then it goes from LOUD to MONSTER LOUD -now the amp is really cranked- but still it has this really harsh sound, (NOT smooth overdrive) and it's really hard to use this cranked because the sound doesn't fit the style (blues-rock) I play at all!!
Could this be because the speakers aren't broken in yet? I mean for such an expensive CS amp I would expect a little more than just a HARSH sounding amp???!
If I'm up for a trade, what should I go for then (model, new, vintage, any speciffic year, custom shop or NOT CS, expensive, cheap, Fender or NOT fender amp, wattage etc.)?
I mostly play (Aerosmith, The Black Crowes, Lenny Kravitz, Kenny Wayne, jonny lang etc.)
P.S. Looking for an amp I can get good smooth overdriven sound by cranking it, when playing clubs, bars etc.-When playing bigger places they normally mic. it anyway)?
THANKS!
Originally posted by Joe Perry
Hi!
Thanks for your replies!
When do I know when the speakers has "Broken in"?
I have this VK (new model) about 7-12 months old and I play it almost everyday, at both bedroom level and LOUD!
First: Are ALL Fender amps soooo sensitive, I barely touch the volume knob and it goes from bedroom to LOUD (without breaking up) And then it goes from LOUD to MONSTER LOUD -now the amp is really cranked- but still it has this really harsh sound, (NOT smooth overdrive) and it's really hard to use this cranked because the sound doesn't fit the style (blues-rock) I play at all!!
Could this be because the speakers aren't broken in yet? I mean for such an expensive CS amp I would expect a little more than just a HARSH sounding amp???!
If I'm up for a trade, what should I go for then (model, new, vintage, any speciffic year, custom shop or NOT CS, expensive, cheap, Fender or NOT fender amp, wattage etc.)?
I mostly play (Aerosmith, The Black Crowes, Lenny Kravitz, Kenny Wayne, jonny lang etc.)
P.S. Looking for an amp I can get good smooth overdriven sound by cranking it, when playing clubs, bars etc.-When playing bigger places they normally mic. it anyway)?
THANKS!
P.S. Anyone tried the Vibroking 2x12" cab with the Vibroking??? When connected, does it cut of the signal to the 3x10" speakers and only use the 2x12" in the cab? Would those 12"s sound more warm, smooth when I crank the amp?
The ones I have liked the most were a tweed Vibroluxe,' 55 Deluxe, and a '68 Twin Reverb that nailed "Black Magic Woman" at cranked volume.
Hi!
1) What exactely does Class A or class A/ mean. What's the differences and what do YOU prefer and why?
2) Are there two different Fender Twin models and which one would be the best? Heard something about a model called "evil twin" and I think this one is the model that got the badest reviews on HC but I'll might be wrong....+ does any one on this board use a twin or other Fender amp with a powerbraker?
Best Regards
Torben
P.S. Are tweed (vintage and RI's) more expensive/better sounding that the "regular" Fender amps?
My all-time favorite Fender is a BF Deluxe Reverb(have an original '66). Works with almost all guitars for many types of music. Can run different output tubes(6V6GTs or 6L6s) and almost any decent speaker from a Vox Blue or V30 to a Jensen to a JBL or EV for different sounds. It's great for studio or home use, but loud enough for many gigs and easy to mic. Has that Fender reverb, likes pedals, and you can run 2 in stereo for twice the fun ;)
I use mine mainly for clean to moderate distortion with Teles, Rics, & Strats and it's set up with a JBL D120f and NOS 6V6GTs. Occasionally I run NOS 5881s in it for more of a Vibroverb/mini Twin Reverb sound. Pedals include a MXR Dynacomp, TS808, Boss OS-2 & DD-5, and a TC Electronics chorus - for stereo or a more complex sound I like to run the DR together with a Vicky Tweed Deluxe.
Picking only 1 amp is like chossing 1 guitar IMO and for the more serious stuff(Blues, Southern Rock, Santana-like sounds) the other amp I wounldn't be without is a Boogie MkIIC simulclass combo with an EV speaker. These are NOT bedroom amps and need to get out and breath to be appreciated. Clean isn't quite Fender but the headroom can knock down walls. Distortion requires a lot of knob twiddling, but there are plenty of good sounds in there as long as the Master isn't set too low(turns 'em into a buzz box).
Have you tried turning down the tone controls on that VK? The way the circuit is set up they can act almost like a master volume? I've heard some great sounding VKs in blues clubs, maybe yours needs some good NOS tubes????
I'd have to say that my '59 narrow panel tweed pro replica is the best sounding "Fender" I've ever heard. Its the only Fender I've ever played that got me tones that ranged from Bloomfield's "salty twang" to Paul Kossof's and Duane Allman's thick saturation, with early Cream-era Clapton sitting comfortably in between. I would love to a/b it with an original tweed pro to hear how they differed.
I've had the same Super Reverb since 1980 or '81. To me, that is the best configuration: 45 watts thru four 10" speakers.
Class A amps sing more - there's a smoother transition from initial attack to sustain, almost like one is using a compressor. The classic example would be an AC30. Class AB amps have a pronouced initial attack, followed by sag, followed by bloom as they sustain. Dialed up to the verge of distortion they produce crunch. Most Fenders, Marshalls, Sunns, etc. are class AB.Originally posted by Joe Perry
Hi!
1) What exactely does Class A or class A/ mean. What's the differences and what do YOU prefer and why?
2) Are there two different Fender Twin models and which one would be the best?
P.S. Are tweed (vintage and RI's) more expensive/better sounding that the "regular" Fender amps?
There's a bunch of different Twins - they just revised the 'Evil' one again as part of the new Pro Series. I suspect a BF/SF Twin Reverb isn't what you're looking for unless you play at Ted Nugent volumes. They're great clean machines but the volume has to be up around 8 or so before they begin to distort. At that level you probably don't want to be in the same building with one. Not many people seem to like any of the 'evil' versions. A good distortion pedal in front of a BF TR will do more than a Power Brake IMO. TS808s seem to work really well with Fender BF/SF amps. They're real transparent & makes them sound like the amp is cranked but at more reasonable levels. TS9s act like a mid-boost with these amps and are another good choice.
There's a lot a variation in the tweed amps over the years, but generally the later model tweeds('59 Bassman, Twin, Bandmaster) have a richer sounding midrange with smoother distortion and less crunch than the BF/SF amps. The BF amps have that classic Fender zing to the top end. The mids are scooped out more and there's more apparent bass. Neither is really better - they're just different.
Last edited by Teleologist; 01-06-2003 at 04:11 PM.
I'm a fan of the blackface era fenders but want a tweed bassman just for yucks.
I bought a 1962 cream faced Concert new when I was still in my teens. Although I usually play through my Hot Rod Delux, I still love the big clean sound I get through the Concert. It was the first issue with 4 10" Fender Speakers. I've never found a better vibrato. The only thing missing was reverb. One reason it may sound so good is that I'm still playing a '58 strat I got when I was fifteen. OK......my equipment and I are both old.
You have to be one of the lucky/smart few who kept their original gear! Awesome. Wish I did too, but then I was always trading up. I had a brown Concert, BF Bandmaster, Twin and Deluxe Reverb. Really wish I kept that Deluxe...I have a BF Champ now...it's sweet and fun to dime. I would say my BF Deluxe Reverb was the best Fender I owned...but my Champ may get jealous if I do...it's a great garage jam amp for sure.Originally posted by Lindell
I bought a 1962 cream faced Concert new when I was still in my teens. Although I usually play through my Hot Rod Delux, I still love the big clean sound I get through the Concert. It was the first issue with 4 10" Fender Speakers. I've never found a better vibrato. The only thing missing was reverb. One reason it may sound so good is that I'm still playing a '58 strat I got when I was fifteen. OK......my equipment and I are both old.
Hopeless modaholic...
Thanks guys!
I'm mostly into simplicity and I only use and old TS808 and an old Vox wah between my guitar and the amp!
Would Love to have a smaller wattage amp that will produce smoot overdrive when crancked and the boost/add some more "balls" when stepping on my TS808!
Any advice? I'll probably have to trade my VK for another amp so I guess it will be a RI of some sort?!
Anyone tried the Mesa Boggie Blue Angel? Heard that It's possible to switch between 3 mods of wattage (15, 33 or 38 W) is that a good sounding amp?
I Love the Fenderish clean tone and would love to try to use a cranked amp and be able to control the overdrive by my volume knob on the guitar?!??
THANKS!
Probably an ideal Fender, especially if you also play Gibsons, would be a BF Vibrolux Reverb(real one not the pseudo-RI). The BF version is 33 watts and the 2-10s make it a little more gigable than a DR(which can get muddy with Gibson humbuckers). The VR breaks up a lot quicker and at lower volume than a Super Reverb.
If you play mostly Fender guitars, the BF Pro-Reverb has been largely overlooked by collectors because although it's a BF amp, it came out after the CBS takeover. It has a little more power(42 watts) and the 2-12's work a little better with single coils than the 10s(IMHO), but unlike the Twin Reverb it will break up at sane volume levels.
SF Vibrolux Reverbs had 42 watts like the Pro Reverb but can also sound really good after a BF conversion. Another amp a LOT of people really like is the so-called Vibro-clone, made by taking a Bandmaster Reverb head, BFing it, and sticking it in a custom-built cab with a 15" speaker, usually a JBL or EV type speaker. People started doing this when the price of 'real' BF Vibroverbs started nearing the $2K range.
Thanks man!Originally posted by Teleologist
Probably an ideal Fender, especially if you also play Gibsons, would be a BF Vibrolux Reverb(real one not the pseudo-RI). The BF version is 33 watts and the 2-10s make it a little more gigable than a DR(which can get muddy with Gibson humbuckers). The VR breaks up a lot quicker and at lower volume than a Super Reverb.
If you play mostly Fender guitars, the BF Pro-Reverb has been largely overlooked by collectors because although it's a BF amp, it came out after the CBS takeover. It has a little more power(42 watts) and the 2-12's work a little better with single coils than the 10s(IMHO), but unlike the Twin Reverb it will break up at sane volume levels.
SF Vibrolux Reverbs had 42 watts like the Pro Reverb but can also sound really good after a BF conversion. Another amp a LOT of people really like is the so-called Vibro-clone, made by taking a Bandmaster Reverb head, BFing it, and sticking it in a custom-built cab with a 15" speaker, usually a JBL or EV type speaker. People started doing this when the price of 'real' BF Vibroverbs started nearing the $2K range.
I play Gibson guitars, but isn't 33W too much for bar and Club gigs?
I often hear people say that Fenders are VERY sensitive/responsive, barely have to touch the volume-knob and it gets LOUD???
Thanks
Best tube Fender amp I've heard was my old silver face master volume Twin till I had it re-built. The tech sucked the soul right from the amp.
I have an early 80's Fender Studio Lead that's an amazing little amp. I was told it was designed by Rivera or some shit but I dont know how true that is. It's a superb little amp though.
Greg
Well Roy Buchanan, Danny Gatton, and Bill Kirchen all play(ed) VRs dimed in small clubs - controlling the volume/distortion with the guitar's volume knob. :) The 2-10s in the VR don't move as much air as the 4-10s in a Super Reverb(or the 3 10s in your VK) so cranking them up is not usually a problem and if it is you can aim them away from the audience. As a bedroom amp they're probably right on the edge of being too much - depending on the tolerance of neighbors, spouse, etc.Originally posted by Joe Perry
Thanks man!
I play Gibson guitars, but isn't 33W too much for bar and Club gigs?
I often hear people say that Fenders are VERY sensitive/responsive, barely have to touch the volume-knob and it gets LOUD???
Most Fenders use a 1 meg audio-taper volume pot and it's true they need to be on at least 3 to really sound decent. The change in level from 3-6 isn't as great and from 6-10, it's even less.
thanks guys!
If I look around for a smaller Fender amp, should it be an old or newer amp?
Don't know how much they (the same models) differ soundwise when speaking about age?!
It should still be in the ballpark where I can trade the VK for another amp?!?
Thanks
Go for a Deluxe or Vibrolux Reverb from the mid to late sixties or early 1970's. I think they sound great with les paulz...
:nelson
I checked gbase for prices and typed in Vibrolux an it came up with both brown amps, black amps, and even tweeds (all vibrolux)
Any major differences between the Vibrolux and the Vibrolux reverb? (soundwise?)
Thanks for all the replies!
Out of all the Fender amps I owned here are a couple of the standouts;
For a cranked tone: A '58 narrow panel Deluxe. That amp on 9 and a LP Jr is one of the most beautiful overdrive sounds I have ever heard.
Clean: A blackface Deluxe w/ a JBL E120, a blackface Bandmaster and an all original Blackface twin that I borrowed from a friend for an album project.
Current favorite. A '62 Blonde Bassman that I am using to make a 2x12" 'Bassbreaker' combo. A sweet, loud, detailed amp that has everything when you get it up around 6-7.
The Vibrolux Reverb, like most BF/SF '_reverb' amps, has an extra gain stage in the reverb channel(whether you use the reverb or not) and breaks-up much easier at lower volumes than the non-reverb versions, especially with single-coil guitars. Also the non reverb Brown and BF Vibrolux is a 1x12, not a 2x10. The BF version was only made for a short period of time. The tweed version is a whole different animal and I think it had a single 10" speaker. The Brownface amps kind of split the difference between the tweeds and BF soundwise. Leo seemd to consistantly make things brighter and brighter as he went along. Supposedly he damaged his hearing testing the first Showman amps.Originally posted by Joe Perry
I checked gbase for prices and typed in Vibrolux an it came up with both brown amps, black amps, and even tweeds (all vibrolux)
Any major differences between the Vibrolux and the Vibrolux reverb? (soundwise?)
For a lead tone to die for you can't beat a late 50's tweed deluxe. For an overall killer rythm and lead tone you can't beat a low power tweed twin. :smokin
DAMN. I wish I could remember where I put them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have a little '69 silver face Princeton Reverb with the tremelo option on it. It was given to me by my boss. It's the coolest little amp I own. Small enough to do small room gigs, but you can crank it up and play large areas too. Add some Boss effects, and you can get that thing to do anything you need.
Has anyone out there tried using an extention speaker with a Hot Rod delux. I know The Hot Rod with 2 -12" is a 60 watt, unit. has the delux with 40 watt's got the cahon'es to push both speaker's and get any tone worth hearing ?
Right now I'm digging my modded homebrew tweed deluxe, but other excellent ones I've played are
My homebrew tweed bandmaster (dead stock)
A really sweet BF Tremolux head
A '68 Deluxe Reverb
A real '57 Deluxe I used to own
A '66 Super Reverb
There was(is?) a transitional BF WhiteKnob Princeton at GC in NYC.
That was it for me.
Did plug any pedals in, just a bunch of guitars.
From CS Esquire Relic to a Stratosonic, an LP Deluxe and an Epi Sorrento. A couple others too.
Hubba hubba. It was delicious.
"Well, I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused..."
Elvis Costello
That doesn't shock me. I have a white showman for bass, that thing moves the house man. I can't imagine playing guitar thru that beast, giant output tranny.Originally Posted by Teleologist
So, what mods have you used?
Oh, and to stay on topic. A BF/SF Vibrolux and any tweed I've ever heard. I've never had the chance to play through a Brown anything. There are a few circuits I', guessing that I'd love, though.
Last edited by sabby; 02-03-2006 at 06:09 PM.
My '05 HRDLX, with better tubes and Weber speaker.
Aside from that, a '59 Bassman RI I played @ GC briefly on 6 or 7 before getting shut down :bwa Both of these amps with a 335 and a strat.
I know, I know, I need to get out more often. :toobad
Smaller first stage bypass capacitor, and coupling cap on the bright channel.So, what mods have you used?
The latest mod, which is probably blasphemous, was the addition of negative feedback. Neo Fauve would absolutely love this amp now. It's a lot like my 6G2, but with more balls, and strangely enough less compression. Genuine clean tones, that morph into singing distortion. Brighter than before, but driven hard, you can still Neil Young it.
Oddly enough, with the -fb, it's actually louder than before, I'm guessing because it's a lot more focused, with less power expended on loose bass.
My '68 Princeton Reverb isn't the best sounde Fender amp I've ever heard but it's like a cherished friend to me. It's great for all style of music, but really shines for country and rockabilly. It never gets muddy with humbuckers or single coils.
For practicing and jamming with friends there's nothing like it.
My '66-ish Vibroulx Reverb smokes it though! Not just in volume, but in rich tone as well. It's also great with buckers and single coils. It's too big to really get it cranking for home use or jamming at friend's houses though.
I really like a cranked Vibro King with a Gibson semi-hollow body guitar. The tone is so damn fat!
The best sounding Fender amp that I've played was a friend's late '70 Deluxe Reverb. Notes blossomed after being played. That amp was magical!
Probably the best Fender amp I've ever played was a Deluxe Reverb with my old 335 at the store I taught at (about 1978 or so). Close second, my first SFSR with the UL output stage (with the same 335). Almost a Twin Reverb clean, but with the 4 X 10 sound.
Last edited by JAM; 02-03-2006 at 08:41 PM.
unfortunately, the best so far is my TRRI
...but i've never played a SRRI, or DRRI, or.......so many others...
...but the year is young.
Imanidiot.
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