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Post subject: Help understanding Fender's Monikers/Nomenclatures * Charts?
Posted: Thu Jun 28, 2012 11:44 pm
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Professional Musician
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Joined: Sun Nov 20, 2011 3:16 am
Posts: 2337
What do the characters assigned towards Fender's guitar amplifiers and
Fender chassis circuity designs mean? Is there a chart that makes sense of it all?

Are the nomenclatures derived from a system that makes sense?
I own a 1954 5D6 Fender Bassman and the below photo'ed 1963 6G9B Fender Tremolux.
Recently, I sold a 1962 6G4A Fender Super Amp.

For the life of me, I do wonder what these monikers mean ~ as far as each
character's individual meaning within the group of three of four characters?
Acronyms typically have a source meaning ~ don't they :?:

Is there a chart or a system of how each character is derived to become part of the
amplifier's technical name?
I have seen written converstions full of differnt amp monikers
and had to research all of them :oops:

Also, werer the monikers stopped being used during Fender blackface or silverface eras?
I do understand "AB763" etc.

Thanks for your help. I hope this thread will lead to a chart or system for those
of us "not in the know" to file away :D
Toppscore 8)


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Post subject: Re: Help understanding Fender's Monikers/Nomenclatures * Cha
Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2012 2:07 am
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Joined: Wed Feb 17, 2010 11:38 am
Posts: 4333
Location: Tennessee
Check this site out,click on amplifiers,and it explains the model numbers.
http://home.provide.net/~cfh/fender2.html#strat

You need to go to the top of the page,for some reason when I clicked on the link it went straight to the section on Strats...but the chart for amps is there.


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Post subject: Re: Help understanding Fender's Monikers/Nomenclatures * Cha
Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2012 6:25 am
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Professional Musician
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Joined: Sun Nov 20, 2011 3:16 am
Posts: 2337
Thank you RebelSoul. I have a question.

A few months ago I sold a 1962 Fender Super Amp.
It is a "6G4A"
Following the below chart, there is no "G".
According to the chart, it should be "6F4A".

In fact, doing a bit of research, I notice quite a few amps
designated as "5Gx" and 6Gx".
Is the chart mistaken?
What do you think?
Thanks, Toppscore :)



========================
Wow! The following info is very new to me.
Thanks. I have been on that site before and I have all five
of Greg Gagliano's writings. Just did not pay attention
.


http://home.provide.net/~cfh/fender2.html#strat
Amp Model Numbers/Circuit Designations on the Tube Chart.
On the tube chart, attached on the left inside wall any Fender amp, there is a model number which designates the circuit design. This number often identifies the design month and year of the circuit used in the amp. IMPORTANT NOTE: this is NOT an accurate way to date an amp. Fender often used the wrong tube chart on "new designs". For example, Some early silverface amps with silverface circuits can have a blackface model/circuit tube chart. Another example would be a 1955 tweed narrow panel amp having a wide panel model/circuit tube chart.

1963 and later Model/Circuit numbers: In 1963 Fender began using the model name and an assigned circuit number. These circuit numbers can be useful for getting a rough date on an amp (just be aware that Fender often used the same circuit number for many years). The code is simple, the first two letters are the revision (AA is the first revision, AB is the second, etc.) The next one or two numbers are the month where January is 1 and December is 12. The last two numbers are the year. Example: AB763 = second revision, July, 1963. AA1070 = First revision, October, 1970. Again remember, a 1963 circuit could be used in a later amp 1966 amp.

1951 to 1963 Model/Circuit numbers: The model numbers used before 1963 are different. For example, model "5D8" means a 1954 Twin amp, as shown below:

The first number is the decade:
5=designed in the 1950s
6=designed in the 1960s

The next character (letter) is the approximate year:
A=1951 (TV front tweed)
B=1952 (TV front tweed)
C=1953 (wide panel tweed)
D=1954 (wide panel tweed)
E=1955 to 1960 (narrow panel tweed)
F=1960 to 1963 (tolex era)

The number(s) after the letter is the model:
1=Champ 9=Tremolux
2=Princeton 10=Harvard
3=Deluxe 11=Vibrolux
4=Super 12=Concert
5=Pro 13=Vibrasonic
6=Bassman 14=Showman
7=Bandmaste 15=Reverb unit
8=Twin 16=Vibroverb


==============================
The following info is well known to me,
but I'll start a research file for the combined info
.


Date of Manufacturer for Fender Amps.
First check the cosmetic features of the amp in question. The above text should ID the amp's year into a general range of years. Next, check the date code(s). Fender amps made from 1951 to 1967 have a date code in the back. This is stamped with an ink stamp in black ink (or green ink in 1966) on the tube chart. Note this ink stamped designation should not be confused with the model number, serial number or production number. The first letter of the ink stamp is the year, the second the month of manufacturer.

First Letter (year):
A = 1951 J = 1960
B = 1952 K = 1961
C = 1953 L = 1962
D = 1954 M = 1963
E = 1955 N = 1964
F = 1956 O = 1965 (black ink)
G = 1957 O = 1966 (green ink)
H = 1958 P = 1966
I = 1959 Q = 1967

Second Letter (month):
A = January G = July
B = February H = August
C = March I = September
D = April J = October
E = May K = November
F = June L = December

Note: In January 1966, Fender forgot to change the year stamp for the tube chart stamp! Because of this, early 1966 amps (January/February) have the same letter stampings as early 1965 models.

Princeton Reverb Tube chart, dated January 1966 with the large ink-stamped "OA" on the right hand side. Yes, this is the confusing "OA" date stamp, which was used in BOTH 1965 and 1966! So, is it 1965 or 1966? Well the give away is the "Fender Musical Instrument" trademark, meaning this is a 1966 amp. If it said "Fender Electrical Instruments", it would have been 1965! Also note the model number AA764. This means the circuit used was designed in July 1964, and is the first revision.

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