Fender Twin Reverv-Amp help/questions

[roylor4]

The amp is, as others have stated, an iconic piece of gear and history. They are LOUD, heavy and valuable. Blackface are worth nearly double that of a silverface. They are great amps but more weight than most people care for and louder than nearly any venue would ever require.

If you keep it, you'll have part of R&R history.

If you sell it, you'll have a handful of $$$$.

[Ray175]

The Twin is the epitome of “loud and clean”. To get even a small degree of break-up you will have to damage your ears....
For those that want a pristine sound at all levels or want a clean pedal platform it’s a great amp.
In today’s world I can’t personally see a need for so much volume other than in massive venues, and if people want the sound of a twin the ToneMaster Twin Reverb will get you there at half the weight.
Good score!

[1stGuitar]

First off I want thank each and all of you For taking the time to respond to this post. Much appreciated.

Wow, I guess I really did not realize what this amp was. I knew it was heavy and little much more so thanks for the education. I’m now excited about its prospects.
I would have some pictures up here but I was with photobucket and now they decided they no longer post photos, which was the only reason why I had to use them in the past. Hunting for a photo hosting site (free would. Be cool ).

The guitar tech/luither that works on my gear rents some space to a guy that works on all amps but used to work for fender. It’s a very small shop with With just Tim the amp guy and Chris the shop owner and string instrument guy. Hoping they open soon and pray this Covid situation didn’t take a toll on their business to the point that they don’t reopen at all. Hopefully when they do I will Bring the amp I have to Tim to take a look at it. I need some new strings and Setup done an acoustic and an electric guitar for Chris.

[1stGuitar]

OK, here we go as I try to attempt to post a few pictures of the twin reverb amp as I promised. It’s a bit road worn, but fires up. Once things clear, I still want to take in for service. We see how it goes.










Thanks again for all your thoughts and comments.

[stephenT]

Congrats! ...looks well used and loved and modified. the blackface faceplate is a good indication someone's been changing stuff.

Some folks would run them (rebiased of course) with two power tubes to make the volume and break up a bit more manageable.

I would definitely have a skilled tech take a look when possible. Steel guitar players liked 'em for the clean volume.

The power tubes look like (newer) Tung-Sols by the color of the base. And the knob on the back is interesting and not original. maybe a master volume?

[1stGuitar]

Thanks for feedback. Yup, that’s plan to have it checked over once things start coming back.

I was wondering what that knob was in back myself. I have it google dated to about sometime around 1974-75ish. So mods over the last 45 +/- years, I would Imagine a few would have taken place. I guess I need to go out and see if I can track down a manual online somewhere. Need to start learning a thing or about it.

[stokes1971]

You say the amp sat in a basement for years.Have the power supply caps changed before using the amp anymore.When an amp sits for a long time with no current flowing the caps dry out and will fail in very short order.When they do,they tend to take other stuff with them.Even when being used regularly they need to be changed periodically just like tubes.Between my sons and I we have 17 tube amps,15 were built by me.I change the caps around 10-12 years.If you take it to a tech,dont let him put any of the asian caps in it.Use Sprague Atom or F&T or if he can get them BMI,which are actually Atoms with a different label and a much lower price.The only place I've found to get them is from Mesa but they only have limited values.I pretty much use the F&T's unless a client insists on the Atoms.I will not use any of the asian caps,if a client wants them I let the job walk.As far as tubes go,as somebody pointed out already,if you have the original tubes they are likely better than any of the current production tubes,I have tubes in an old Ampeg from 1960 that still has the original Bugle Boy preamp tubes.I have over 100 NOS preamp tubes at hand and wouldnt think of changing the Bugle Boys and that amp has been abused for years.Power tubes are a different story they tend to wear out,especially when pushed.Good thing about the Twin is that in spite of the big power they dont push the power tubes,thats why you cant get distortion out of a Twin

[Jerry D]

Not trying to be a mood killer, but Reverb lists these amps in historical sales for much less than quoted here on AGF. One mint Twin sold this month for $1,041.50.

[stephenT]

Amps like the Twin and Super Reverb are less favored these days due to the weight and portability. When you consider the modifications, that's another hit.

Originally Posted by Jerry D

Not trying to be a mood killer, but Reverb lists these amps in historical sales for much less than quoted here on AGF. One mint Twin sold this month for $1,041.50.

[aknow]

Completely agree with Stephen T. I have a 1969 Silverface, haven't used it in 10 years. It's in my abandoned studio, don't want to lift it.
OP: Clean the inside of that amp. You (eventually) will have a GEM!

[jseth]

My first thought when seeing the pictures of the amp was "That's not a 60's Twin"...

Certainly the face plate has been changed (from SF?) and there are apparently some fairly serious modifications that have been done to the amp... 60's Twins didn't have a "middle" tone control, and they didn't have those sliding switches for "bright, either... let alone that knob on the back.

Getting the amp to a good repair tech so he can "sleuth out" all the modifications is even more paramount, given the obvious departure from "stock".

Doesn't mean it's not a great amp; just means it isn't what it looks like at first blush. The modifications will take it down in it's worth on the market, unless they are ones that can be reversed without attendant issues. If it were my amp, I would strongly consider going back to the silver face plate...

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by jseth

...60's Twins didn't have a "middle" tone control, and they didn't have those sliding switches for "bright," either...

Here's a pic of a near-mint, genuine 1964 Twin Reverb:



Note the mid controls and bright switches in both channels, which also appear on the current '65 RI...

[jseth]

Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa

Here's a pic of a near-mint, genuine 1964 Twin Reverb:



Note the mid controls and bright switches in both channels, which also appear on the current '65 RI...

Thanks, Steve... I am chagrined to be so mistaken about an amp I actually have used and moved (and loved!) so many times... even though it was a bandmate's amp, I played through it for a few years... and I should have known better!

[robj144]

Surprised you never heard of a Fender Twin. It's one of the most famous and well known amps ever made. It's like not knowing what a Strat is or a Martin Dreadnought.

Cool haul though. Good luck.