All these blackface Fenders... so much choice!

[Pierre]

Now with all these models from this era, I get lost easily in which were like what...
If I get it, there are a couple of series: The piggy back (with showmen and bandmasters), the reverbs (Deluxe, Super, and Twin in order of power, with other differences of course..) and tremolux/vibrolux which I am not familiar with at all.

I always felt that the quick breakup (mhmm... well... you know what I mean) was for me, as opposed to the very touch sensitive sound of the Twin, but totally clean sound. However today I read that the Super reverb was even more touch sensitive than the Twin. Furthermore it keeps the Twin's preamp, with the Bassman 5F6 rectifier and 410 cab.

So... how did all these names and series work? I couldn't find any useful info about this on the net

[PUCKBOY99]

Re: All these blackface Fenders... so much choice!

Don't forget the Pro Reverb !

Try this link....go to the left hand side, pick an amp & drool away:

http://www.ampwares.com/ffg/

[Pierre]

Re: All these blackface Fenders... so much choice!

DAMN YOU! DAMN YOU! DAMN YOU!


*drools away*

If I were to prefer a ballsy, all balls out rocky sound, but which cleans into a very thick, Twin like tone when less loud... Which would you guys advise? Sure it's not much info but that's how I picture my rock tone so far...

On another hand I feel VERY attracted to these blond and blackface head + cab configurations...

[PUCKBOY99]

Re: All these blackface Fenders... so much choice!

I like the Pro Reverb because it's like having a Twin that you can use....1/2 the volume & equally drool worthy tone

[Pierre]

Re: All these blackface Fenders... so much choice!

Mhmm I'm tempted...

Any of these amps had the Tweed Bassman OD and Twin's clean?

[PUCKBOY99]

Re: All these blackface Fenders... so much choice!

I'll leave that for the professionals around here to field.

I do dig the overall vibe of the Pro....stays pretty clean/gets gritty at around 6-7 on the dial. The speakers I'm using helps it stay cleaner longer....takes pedals very well....it's still kinda heavy, but not Twin heavy.

[Bludave]

Re: All these blackface Fenders... so much choice!

I have a Super Reverb and a Deluxe. Out of the 2 or actually out of ALL the amps you mention my favorite is the Super Reverb. As Puckboy stated ampwares is a good source of techical data but you really have to play thru these amps to determine which will work best for you. The Pro is also a very good amp. It is pretty much the same basic circuit as a Super, but has 2 12" speakers instead of 4 10" speakers in the Super. The Super push more air and because of that I feel the bottom is a lot stronger, yet it still has that crisp Fender tone. I A/B my Super with a Marshall 900 so I use the Marshall for more of the Drive stuff, but I do have a TS9 in the Super also. I run my volume at about 3 to 4 so the amp stays very clean at that level. I also get very different attacks when I use a single coil vrs. a Humbucker. I prefer the sound of SC pups thru Fender Amps.

[kmcguitars]

Re: All these blackface Fenders... so much choice!

Sounds like you want a Bassman head.They do cleans well and when you crank em' a bit and play harder they breakup just right. I had a BF Bassman years ago. It started sounding raggy, Needed a cap job and was in a general state of disrepair. So I traded it to my Brother-in-law for I don't even remember what? I always did wonder why it had numbers on the faceplate that the skirted knobs covered up? And it had a presence knob? Turns out it was a 63' blonde 6B6-A circuit that someone painted BLACK !
I'll get it back one of these's days.

[drew_half_empty]

Re: All these blackface Fenders... so much choice!

ab165 bassman

it's not a tweed crunch but it's hella rockin

[jeremy]

Re: All these blackface Fenders... so much choice!

ive never heard any fender amp that can do tweed crunch and bf clean without doing some modification.

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: All these blackface Fenders... so much choice!

ive never heard any fender amp that can do tweed crunch and bf clean without doing some modification.

Yep....Different preamps!

[Pierre]

Re: All these blackface Fenders... so much choice!

Yeah I know, hence the '' after my question. It's an unfulfilled dream I'm affraid.
Though from what I gather, a Twin distorting is still a very sweet tone. But who the hell would want to do that eh?

[B Bent]

Re: All these blackface Fenders... so much choice!

Now that these guys have weighed in I will put in my 2 cents. I agree without mods you won't be picking up an old amp that's a Tweed and BF in a box.

Here is my reasoning for ending up with the amp I ended up with. It all started with Twins. Twins are incredible amps killer cleans loves to have a TS 9 or two for breakfast!! For me it was too freakin' loud and heavy to justify keeping.

On to the Deluxe Reverb. It sounded a lot like the Twin at lower volumes. Beautiul cleans, lush reverb, yada yada. Get it much past 4 on the volume and you start getting breakup. My problem with the Deluxe is that it just had some sort of "something" that didn't satisfy me. I think I wanted more low end and wasn't getting it with the single 12'. On the plus side the DR was very easy to transport.

The Pro was also a little much for me as well. Same great tones, but heavy as crud!

The Super obviously is too much for my situation. I LOVE Supers, but those 4 10's push a good bit of air even at the lower 40 watts.


Now the amp that ended up being the holy grail for me is my Vibrolux. Number 1 it's easy to transport. It has the lush verb and trem we have all grown so fond of plus it is 35-40 watts pushing through 2 10's. Basically it's a Super that's missing 2 speakers. It seems that the 10's are not overly bassy, but still very punchy. This amp on 4 is godlike!!! That is my favorite place on the volume knob. 3 is very clean and 4 has a little hair, but can still be very clean according to pick attack. For me the Lux solved my main amp issues. I went through dozens of ams before I even tried one and even then I was hesitant, but The Guy Who Invented Fire called me one day and told me one of our local shops had it and that I should try it. I did and the rest is history!! Best Fender amp ever for me!!!

You can buy a good used Lux and still have enough for a Celtic Tweed of some sort. You should just do that!! The Lux and Tweed sound STOOPID run together!! :drool:

[Pierre]

Re: All these blackface Fenders... so much choice!

Ah unfortunately even a Silverface is WAY out of any conceivable budgets I'd ever get... This is mostly curiosity and GAS hehe... But I want to build a Deluxe Reverb circuit one day.