Re: Need Fender Twin Reverb Help
forget pulling power tubes. It wont make it much softer, and you have to change the speaker load too.
Is the 1969 a non-master volume model? If so its still using the old ab763 circuit, so its the same as the all time classics that solder sniffers love. A couple of cap changes and you have a blackface model. The Reissue shares the same circuit also, except its on a PCB as opposed to the original amp's point to point wiring. If it was my choice id go the 1969. It may need some money spent replacing some worn out caps etc, but apart from that it will hold or increase in value. There is also bragging rights associated with having an original! lol
As far as speakers go, the 1969 amp could have just about anything in it by now, and the reissue has jensen c12K's. Im not a fan of the jensens - they are quite bright and cutting which accentuates the ear splitting repuation of twins. Essentially then, given that you want to use the amp in various situations, chances are both the 1969 and the reissue would benefit from a speaker swap - so factor that in too.
If you really want to reduce overall perciaved volume but still have plenty of fatness, the trick is to use less efficient speakers, combined with a subdued top end. Ive tried jensens, weber californias and have found the eminence texas heats to be a perfect match for me (my amp is a 1967). The speakers themselves can handle 150w each, so no problems with the power of the twin, but they have smaller magnets than most speakers of that power. What that addus up to is less efficiency (i.e. less volume) for every watt the amp puts out. In the case of a twin this is a really good thing. Add that to a fat low end and smooth tops and you get all the great fat bottom end of a twin without losing your hearing. Its a very sweet thing indeed. So yeh...if you want to tame your twin, use less efficient/darker speakers rather than pulling toobs.
Your idea of 1x12 also will not necessarily reduce volume...it will juts make the sound more directional. 85 watts going thru a 100db speaker is going to be the same volume as 85 watts going thru two 100db speakers, cos they share the load. If, however you use 97db speakers then you have reduced the volume by 3db.
Bear in mind that 100w amps are only like 3-6 db louder than 50w amps and you get the general idea.
I should mention that a 100db spl speaker can put out 100decibels with only one watt of power, so peak volume is very much about speaker efficiency rather than amp output. The extra watts in an amp really gives you more headroom which amounts to more bass. Its not usually bottom end that makes ppl cover their ears...its treble. So yeh, darker, less efficient speakers can change the much feared twin into an amp that has both the power AND the glory! Fat at any volume is a sweet thing indeed.
