Fender Deluxe vs Twin

[some_dude]

Re: Fender Deluxe vs Twin

If you like your cleans with a touch of grit a BF fender might not be the best choice for you at all but a Super might possibily do it...that said a Super is aloud mutha...not as ear splitting as a Twin but loud.

What type of setting is this for...home practice, gigging?

What kind of guitar?

I guess by grit I mean that 'something' you get when a power tube is on the virge of breaking up but not quite broken yet. I think some people call it 'shimmer' but I don't have enough experience with Fenders to know if that's what they're talking about.

Both.

Both Les Pauls and Strats.

 

[some_dude]

Re: Fender Deluxe vs Twin

also, FWIW $2250 is a tad high IMO for a BF Super Reverb.

I can get a 65 Bassman head/cab setup off the same guy for $1400US.....I've been thinking about that one alot, but I've never played a Bassman so I don't know if I'd like it or not. The only reason the Super is so much is because it's about as MINT as a 40 year old amp can get.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Fender Deluxe vs Twin

I guess by grit I mean that 'something' you get when a power tube is on the virge of breaking up but not quite broken yet. I think some people call it 'shimmer' but I don't have enough experience with Fenders to know if that's what they're talking about.
Both.
Both Les Pauls and Strats.

Im gonna be honest...even a Super might be too much power for that, but a Deluxe might not be quite enough...it's a tough call and to be honest you might have to just get one and try it.

If you don't have to have reverb a Bandmaster might be a good amp for you...the BF Bandmasters were heads and are matched up with a 2x12 cab. The BF ones do not have reverb but they are about 35 watts and come in at right in between a Deluxe and a Super power wise and BF Bandmasters can be had for very lisste $$$ because they don't have reverb.

If you want a Bansmaster because of the power but have to have reverb get a SF Bansmaster Reverb...they are fulnny looking and very tall (heads) but they sound great and in that 35 watt range but have the verb that the BF ones do not.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Fender Deluxe vs Twin

I can get a 65 Bassman head/cab setup off the same guy for $1400US.....I've been thinking about that one alot, but I've never played a Bassman so I don't know if I'd like it or not. The only reason the Super is so much is because it's about as MINT as a 40 year old amp can get.

I would be hard pressed to pay $1400 for a Bassman and cab...if you want to go with a Bassman go for a SF version...and save a load of cash.

 

[some_dude]

Re: Fender Deluxe vs Twin

Im gonna be honest...even a Super might be too much power for that, but a Deluxe might not be quite enough...it's a tough call and to be honest you might have to just get one and try it.

If you don't have to have reverb a Bandmaster might be a good amp for you...the BF Bandmasters were heads and are matched up with a 2x12 cab. The BF ones do not have reverb but they are about 35 watts and come in at right in between a Deluxe and a Super power wise and BF Bandmasters can be had for very lisste $$$ because they don't have reverb.

If you want a Bansmaster because of the power but have to have reverb get a SF Bansmaster Reverb...they are fulnny looking and very tall (heads) but they sound great and in that 35 watt range but have the verb that the BF ones do not.

Needs reverb. When I used the Twin's normal channel I found it about as exciting as.......well, pick something suitably unexciting and you'll know what I mean.

I'll see if I can make arraingments to bring both home and rock them at more realistic volumes. I might also try pulling a pair of tubes from the Twin to see what happens.

 

[flank]

Re: Fender Deluxe vs Twin

the Bandmaster Reverb may be the amp for you. They are not too much money either.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Fender Deluxe vs Twin

Needs reverb. When I used the Twin's normal channel I found it about as exciting as.......well, pick something suitably unexciting and you'll know what I mean.

I'll see if I can make arraingments to bring both home and rock them at more realistic volumes. I might also try pulling a pair of tubes from the Twin to see what happens.

I hear ya on the verb...I relly don't care for a BF Fender with no verb.

pulling 2 tubes on a twin changes the impedence so then you need to disconnect one of the speakers as well and for the very minor change in volume it makes (almost nothing) it sucks to have to carry that beast around!

Look into a late 60's/early 70's Bandmaster Reverb and a good 2x12 cab...I think you'll be very happy when it's over plus you'll have a hell of an amp that'll last years and won't cost an arm and a leg.

 

[Gunny47]

Re: Fender Deluxe vs Twin

You can always go for the Fender '64 Vibroverb Custom. Im not too big a fan of the PCB Vintage Reisse Fender amp series, theyre okay, but not my favorites, but Fender's Custom amp line is very good IMO. They got the Fender Vibroverb, which is a 40 watt 1x15 combo, give you slightly thicker sounds, sort of similar to a Super Reverb but with a noticeable drop in headroom (good for what you are looking for so you can start to get the power tubes hot for some harmonically rich and thick clean tones - like you said on the verge of breakup). Of course, this will run yoy about 2 grand US over the 1200 of the Super Reverb Reissue. The Vibroverb custom has an okay speaker though, and Id recomend swapping it for a Weber California I think it is (the 15" JBL clone). Just an option, I think the amp sounds great with the stock speaker and tubes though. And the SF amp with some adjustments will probably sound better, but the Fender reissues and this amp will be less of a hassle IMO when it comes to buying it, fixing it up etc.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Fender Deluxe vs Twin

.if you want to go with a Bassman go for a SF version...and save a load of cash.

I can tell you I love my '71 Bassman head through a Marshall 2x12 cab. It's not as loud as a clean Twin, but it overdirves nicely with singles and 'buckers.

 

[flank]

Re: Fender Deluxe vs Twin

i like my Twins normal channel. Though i think David Allen wired mine to be warmer and a little fatter sounding than the vibrato channel, so mine might be different. I definately hear the warmth and fatness it has.

 

[some_dude]

Re: Fender Deluxe vs Twin

How much closer would a RI sound to an original if it had an upgraded speaker(s)?

And,

What speaker would you suggest?

And,

Am I barking up the wrong tree with this chain of thought?

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Fender Deluxe vs Twin

-How much closer would a RI sound to an original if it had an upgraded speaker(s)?

Maybe not that much closer at all, the newest reissues are using reissue Jensen C12K's which are IMO some of the only good new Jensens


-What speaker would you suggest?

If you had an older Reissue the above mentioned C12Ks are nice or if you wanted to go with the Weber Ceramic California JBL clones are nice but I would order them with paper dust caps so you don't get the razor highs

-Am I barking up the wrong tree with this chain of thought?

Yes, I think you are...the reissues are fine amps, the newest ones with the Jensens are a tad better IMO and will do you just fine, it's just that they are on a PCB and are just not as nice an amp IMO as a solid SF from the 70's...

If you find a good deal on a reissue and want to go with it then grab it, I think you'd be very happy with it but I would hold out for a FSF then sink a little cash into it and have an amp that will not only smoke a reissue but shoudl hold it's own with a mid 60's BF for less cash.

 

[some_dude]

Re: Fender Deluxe vs Twin

I'm mostly looking at the RI because I'm not in the best market for used gear. Their's not alot available and what is available is generally overpriced.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Fender Deluxe vs Twin

I'm mostly looking at the RI because I'm not in the best market for used gear. Their's not alot available and what is available is generally overpriced.

Well, a SF Twin will still command a good bit of money...are you looking to buy a reissue brand new? If I m ay ask, what kind of budget are you working with?

 

[some_dude]

Re: Fender Deluxe vs Twin

Well, a SF Twin will still command a good bit of money...are you looking to buy a reissue brand new? If I m ay ask, what kind of budget are you working with?

It's more a factor of time than money. I can afford pretty much anything I want....but some things take more time to afford than others.

Also, I'm not that much of a snob....if something will get me 90% of the way there than I'm not going to fret over the other 10%.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Fender Deluxe vs Twin

It's more a factor of time than money. I can afford pretty much anything I want....but some things take more time to afford than others.
Also, I'm not that much of a snob....if something will get me 90% of the way there than I'm not going to fret over the other 10%.

If you can swing it cash wise go for a SF, the earlier the better then do what it needs to be 100%...you'll have a much better amp in the long run plus if and when you decide to sell it you'll get moos if not all your money back out of it.

Opposite that, if you are in a hurry the reissue will do you just fine.

 

[some_dude]

Re: Fender Deluxe vs Twin

I borrowed a Deluxe today and was most dissapointed. I figured I'd like it more since it'd be easier to overdrive, which it did....and a little too easily.

I was really hoping that it'd be a really good 'on the verge of OD' type amp, but it was either clean or overdriven...I couldn't get a ballance....there were times where I couldn't get it to OD on the high strings or clean up on the low. Beyond that, it was a little thin sounding for my tastes.

Honestly, my Rocker 30 had a better clean into overdrive going on....it was also more touch sensitive across all the strings and has a better, thicker clean tone. I even pumped the Rocker through the Fender's Jensen and though the Rocker sounded more 'Fender' than the Fender did.

Oh well.....I'm borrowing a Twin tomorrow and I think I'll like that one better.