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Post subject: What's up with the Fender Showman?
Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2011 10:08 pm
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I just purchased a used Fender Showman 200W amp from a fellow bandmate.. but I'm having a real hard time finding any documentation for it or even a model number.

I did find a Google book preview (http://books.google.com/books?id=kO8y6J ... te&f=false).. see page 151 and the picture for "London Reverb '83-'86" looks an awful lot like the one I have (dare I say IDENTICAL?).

Everything seems to work.. I just wanted to learn as much as I can about it (especially the effects loop).

I searched the forums and didn't find any topics that seem to address this in particular.. any assistance would be appreciated!

Thanks,

Curtis


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Post subject: Re: What's up with the Fender Showman?
Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 6:56 pm
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Precious little 411 available, I'm afraid.

These amps -- the entire line, in fact -- were very short-lived. I think they were only marketed for a couple of years. The smaller combos may have lasted a bit longer. AFAIK, the effects loop operates just as that of those on the current Fender offerings.

HTH

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: What's up with the Fender Showman?
Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 9:20 pm
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Arjay is correct, I went back through all my catalogues and magazines and I could not find anything. I worked in a music store in the panhandle of Florida and one of the guys there used one of these amps, and it actually sounded good for the type of music he played (Ozzy and other Heavy Metal)...it had some decent distortion to it...but the clean sound was just terrible... IMHO.

He used it for the five or so years I worked there, and he loved it and giged with it often so it was pretty road worthy...although seems like I remember there being something about the built in equilizer being a pain in the behind to fix if they go.

FWIW

T2

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Post subject: Re: What's up with the Fender Showman?
Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 2:55 pm
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Not to seem like I have great knowledge or expertise..... but looking at the link you provided showed it was a solid state amp from 1980's.

Some one has posted a similar question about a Stage Lead 212 and I found this old catalog using the Google. :D

http://www.superchamp.dk/papers/fender_ ... t_80er.pdf
Page 9 has info on the Showman.

Hope that helps


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Post subject: Re: What's up with the Fender Showman?
Posted: Mon Mar 07, 2011 10:23 am
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Thanks for the tips everyone.. the link showed several VERY similar amp models but none were an exact match to mine. I was, however, able to determine for sure that its NOT a London Reverb. :-)

The good news is my amp does work and it works VERY well.. practicing in my basement only requires the master at 2-3... even if the rest of the band is playing!!

It was definitely a good upgrade from my beginner amp.. a Vox AD15VT. Now to experiment with the effects loop and my existing effects board to get the best tone. :-)

Thanks again everyone!! :-)

Curtis


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Post subject: Re: What's up with the Fender Showman?
Posted: Mon Mar 07, 2011 10:33 am
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crk112 wrote:
It was definitely a good upgrade from my beginner amp.. a Vox AD15VT.


I should think so!

:lol:

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: What's up with the Fender Showman?
Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2014 7:08 am
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Hi,
Saw this thread after Googling for info on the amp myself...
FWIW.
All I know about the amp, if it's the same one, is that it was a solid state 200w 2x12 combo. The guitarists in the UK band Big Country used a pair each on stage between 1983 and 1991.
I've been trying to find out more about these amps, but couldn't remember whether they were called Showmans or Frontlines...
Like I say, that's all I really know about them, but to be honest, there isn't much more to know. Their sound suited that 80s guitar sound... transistor amps just seem to work better with pitchshifters than valve amps.
Cheers.

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