Fender Solid State Stuff

danglybanger

ReelItInologist
DSC00180.jpg


Just acquired this. Sans speakers, also sans all 10 pricey bronco knobs. And sans Bronco :D (unfortunately)

Fender Libra amp, top of the line solid state amp Fender made in the 60s, which meant everyone thought it was crap and they discontinued them after about a month :smack: (apparently they also made capricorn, gemini...) 100 watts.

DSC00171.jpg

DSC00172.jpg

DSC00173.jpg


But damn does it look cool :D and hell... it's interesting ;) I'm probably going to augment this with a silverface champ soon (or pro junior. Just in case this thing sounds like crap. But I don't care. Cause look at it :D)

(I've been told it sounds great through headphones though actually, so I'm not going to judge the SS til I hear it... [smirnoff]In Nazi Germany, SS judges YOU![/smirnoff] :laugh2:

So yeah. No speakers. I'll probably cruise down to Carvin in hollywood and pick up some... and use pliers for knobs :D

Slade
 
Re: Fender Solid State Stuff

Old SS aren't bad if they can be found cheap, but they don't sound good enough to lay out real money for them. I don't even think the Roland Jazz Chorus amps sound good, if you want my real opinion. I've never heard the amp you bought, so I don't have a real opinion. How's it sound? There's so many good tube amps out there, that it's crazy to buy SS, unless it's a modern modeling amp. But a bargain is a bargain, if it does what you want it to.
 
Last edited:
Re: Fender Solid State Stuff

I got a deal on it and if it sucks, it'll be a great conversation piece in my living room :laugh2: (I'm fully prepared for it sucking)

I'm waiting to hear it myself through the headphones at least...

will update

Slade
 
Re: Fender Solid State Stuff

Hey slade I didn't know you were back. Good to see you again mate.
 
Re: Fender Solid State Stuff

Wow, that thing looks like its about to take over the world, like Cartman's Dawsons Creek Trapper Keeper on the Southpark episode.

Hopefully it doesnt blow. If you need a Celestion Seventy/80 speaker (labeled Crate Palomino), I've got one here I can send to you for cheap. its 8 ohms. It was originally The_Chris's, came as a package deal with a 2x12 I bought from him, but I just respeakered that 2x12, so ... yeah.
 
Re: Fender Solid State Stuff

thanks for the offer... I'm probably going to buy all 4 at the same time so I don't have to hunt down matching ones... Or is that even necessary?

OK actually I know **** about amps as it turns out. I'm probably going to cruise into carvin and pickup some speakers, but what should I even ask for? What works good with solid state.

(and these knobs, probably)
GPTA-GF002.jpg


Slade
 
Re: Fender Solid State Stuff

I SO would have bought it if I hadn't embarked on my mustang project. But nah... it plays ****ing great however :D

It now has actual bronco knobs on it! (courtesy the libra ;))
 
Re: Fender Solid State Stuff

It would be cool to do a "project" with that amp. Gut it, then stuff it with tube innards from either AX84.com or 18Watt.com. Do the job neat, and "hide" the tubes. Now sit back and watch either of two things happen:

1. Some folks will say, "That sounds great for SS." (Clue those folks in.)

2. Others will say, "That solid state will never sound as good as tubes."

Then just smile. :)
 
Re: Fender Solid State Stuff

Dangly, good to see you back, especially with such a cool amp. Whatever you paid for it, the age-of-aquarius-lookin' LIBRA logo alone was worth it.

Did that have 4 tens in it?

I'd say, use it for the reverb & trem, but don't try to get any dirt out of it. At 100 watts, it should do 'loud and clean' easily. If you want dirt, stick a Twin Tube in front of it.
 
Last edited:
Re: Fender Solid State Stuff

hehe... thanks all for the welcome, it's appreciated heh :D

Anyways... Yep, 4x10s. And yeah, hearing what I have about SS distortion... well, I don't distort much anyways :D

The thought has crossed my mind to fill it with something useful if it turns out to completely suck, but I'd like to keep it original for posterity.

I mean how many of these are there :D

Even though it's worthless. (with the knobs it was $250. My friend sold it to me without for 100 bucks)

Slade
 
Re: Fender Solid State Stuff

Fenders second generation solid-state series. I have never seen or played through one of the zodiac series. These came with JBL's as stock speakers and had a JBL emblem on the front of the speaker panel. No wonder you do not have speakers - 4 original JBL D110Fs would be quite pricy today.

A friend of mine has a twin reverb from the first solid-state series. It is a great sounding amp. Stays clean and clear up to about 7 or 8 on the dial and has a distorted sound to die for and I am not even going to qualify that with the traditional for a solid-state amp disclaimer.
 
Re: Fender Solid State Stuff

...does he want to sell the twin reverb? :D I SO almost bought a similar pro reverb SS on ebay, wish I did lookin' back. I posted a thread about em a while ago...

I don't even care how that amp sounds either, it looks ****ing amazing, but I couldn't invest that much money in something that might sound like ****... now that I know that it might not... might he sell :laugh2:

Good to hear from someone who actually knows what I have

Slade
 
Re: Fender Solid State Stuff

hehe... I've been meaning to restore him to his former glory, but... he's lost somewhere in the huge numbers of folders full of pics... of stuff... on my computer

;)

(He'll be back)
 
Back
Top