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Post subject: If ya had to pick your first amp
Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 9:15 am
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Hi Guys,

I'm a first time poster on this forum, and looking to the experts for advice.

I am looking to purchase my first vintage Fender amp, and was wondering which one to try and find. I'm looking to re-create that rock and roll sound of the late 60's through the 70's. I have a Marshall amp for the overdriven sound, but now want a Fender to maybe get some of the cleaner sounds of guys like Larry Carlton or Elliot Randall.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. I'm not a collector with a lot of cash, just a regular schlub looking to put my money into a smart purchase.

TIA


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Post subject: Re: If ya had to pick your first amp
Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 6:09 pm
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A late '60s silverface Bandmaster is likely the cheapest vintage Fender you'll find. They're pretty versatile platforms (I own three of them) and they can be mated to a variety of speaker systems.

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


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Post subject: Re: If ya had to pick your first amp
Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 8:33 pm
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Great suggestion, thank you. Hadn't considered that one yet.


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Post subject: Re: If ya had to pick your first amp
Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 10:19 pm
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You should of course prepare for *any* opportunity but as a matter of course, the Bandmasters are very prolific and can be consistently found for $650 or less. For another C-note or so, you can usually find silverface Twin Reverbs which are also plentiful but with 100 to 135 watts you may find its output a bit more than you need. The really premium-priced models are the mid-powered reverb combos while vintage Deluxe Reverb's and Princeton Reverb's have now climbed into the stratosphere -- generally above two large, even for a "beater".

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


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Post subject: Re: If ya had to pick your first amp
Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2017 6:36 am
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Retroverbial wrote:
The really premium-priced models are the mid-powered reverb combos while vintage Deluxe Reverb's and Princeton Reverb's have now climbed into the stratosphere -- generally above two large, even for a "beater".

Arjay


My initial thought was to look for a 65 Blackface Deluxe Reverb. I was told it should run around 2K, but I have yet to see one selling for less than 3K.

I read in a book that the late 60's Silverfaces had better transformers, and that the Blackface mod was easily accomplished.

But then there's the Princeton.

And of course, more offerings to confuse you, like the 57 Bandmaster hand wired Reissue.

Just hard to sift through everything, without any firsthand experience. Was wondering what other guys thought. Not trying to be cheap, just hoping to make the best choice and spend wisely.

I'd like an amp with great clean tone, that would break up if pushed and accepts pedals well.


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Post subject: Re: If ya had to pick your first amp
Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2017 11:04 am
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BlackJack65 wrote:
I'd like an amp with great clean tone, that would break up if pushed and accepts pedals well.


A Bandmaster, Pro Reverb, or Super Reverb would easily fit those parameters.

But a note of caution: you'd better be damn well acquainted with vintage Fender models in order to determine the amp's originality. It's *really easy* to get burned if a buyer isn't certain about every specific feature and detail, both inside and out. That means being able to discern whether solder joints have been tampered with, which parts if any have been replaced, tranny numbers, speaker numbers, reverb tank numbers (yes, those are date-coded too), cabinetry, grill cloth weaves, hardware, the whole load.

If possible, post pics of any candidates under consideration and we'll be happy to take a look and offer comments. I hate to see anyone get burned when the silk purse they thought they bought turned out to be a sow's ear. There's a lot of sheisters out there.

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


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Post subject: Re: If ya had to pick your first amp
Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2017 1:27 pm
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I own a 1969 SFSR and I think it is about as nice sounding of an amp as you can get, but it comes with a price that beats your back up 90Lb worth, those can be found for under $1500
mud


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Post subject: Re: If ya had to pick your first amp
Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2017 6:32 am
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Retroverbial wrote:
BlackJack65 wrote:
But a note of caution: you'd better be damn well acquainted with vintage Fender models in order to determine the amp's originality. It's *really easy* to get burned if a buyer isn't certain about every specific feature and detail, both inside and out. That means being able to discern whether solder joints have been tampered with, which parts if any have been replaced, tranny numbers, speaker numbers, reverb tank numbers (yes, those are date-coded too), cabinetry, grill cloth weaves, hardware, the whole load.


An excellent point. I've seen them from reputable dealers, but then they get their cut and hike up the price. If I find one, I'll be sure to post any info I can to save me from myself.


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Post subject: Re: If ya had to pick your first amp
Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2017 7:15 am
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Feel free to PM me with any specific questions -- I'm happy to share everything I know.

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


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