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Post subject: Date and Origin of a Fender Deluxe BFRI
Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2016 2:52 pm
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Hello all, There's a used Fender Deluxe blackface reissue I'm interested in taking a look at. (I haven't seen the amp yet.) When I asked the owner about the year it was made, he said he would have to check, but he knows it was the last year they were made in the U.S. I was under the assumption that all Deluxe BF reissues were assembled in the U.S.; but then a friend told me today he thought they had recently moved production to Mexico. Let me be clear, I couldn't care less. I don't want debate import versus domestic production. I'm simply interested in the clue to the production year the owner gave me. Thanks much.


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Post subject: Re: Date and Origin of a Fender Deluxe BFRI
Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2016 3:00 pm
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Unless production was very recently moved to Mexico, I believe all of the '65 DRRI amps are US-made. Older models (with serial numbers prefaced with "LO") were made in Lake Oswego, Oregon while more recent examples (serials with an "AC" prefix) come from Corona, California.

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Post subject: Re: Date and Origin of a Fender Deluxe BFRI
Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2016 4:13 pm
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Thanks, Arjay. I'll just wait to get the serial number and date codes.

Another related question for you or anyone else: As far as you know, are there any '65 DRRI years I should avoid? Any year(s) they used a different OT/PT, speaker, or changed something in the circuitry, or have they been pretty consistent since the 90s?

Thanks.


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Post subject: Re: Date and Origin of a Fender Deluxe BFRI
Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2016 4:31 pm
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I prefer the pre-2005 editions merely because those amps were assembled using conventional tin/lead solder, which produces a superior weld over the nefarious RoHS-compliant material that Fender adopted after it was mandated for all consumer electronic products sold in Europe. These early amps are easily identified by the presence of a dummy ground switch on the rear panel. The lion's share of all problems manifested in modern amps (from any company) are due to poor soldering and RoHS solder is a major contributory factor in the cause.

In 2014, the DRRI's tremolo circuit was modified, ostensibly to eliminate the infamous "trem tick". The traditional opto-isolator circuit was replaced by a digital module installed on an auxiliary PCB located adjacent to the P/T. Despite this tampering, the trem tick remained. It did however comply with a second EU demand that the opto-isolator be abandoned because of the presence of alleged toxic materials. Apparently the shepherds leading the EU determined that if one were to dump 10,000,000 opto-isolators into the Baltic Sea, a couple of fish *might* be poisoned.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Date and Origin of a Fender Deluxe BFRI
Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2016 5:21 pm
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As always, super helpful, Arjay. Hopefully, there's a date on the QC sticker. If not, I assume the EIC codes on the transformers and reverb follow the same number system as on my older Fenders.

In the end, it sounds like besides possible reliability issues in the solder joints over time all '65 DRRI are pretty consistent.


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Post subject: Re: Date and Origin of a Fender Deluxe BFRI
Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2016 6:17 pm
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The first DRRI's were equipped with a special design speaker furnished by Eminence. Later editions feature the imported Jensen C12K. I'm not precisely certain of the changeover date but I never cared for either speaker anyway. There were some LE versions that came with alternate drivers such as the Jensen P12Q re-issue or a Celestion. However, they're not standard models, featuring custom Tolex colors and grill cloth.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Date and Origin of a Fender Deluxe BFRI
Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2016 9:04 pm
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If the amp has the original Jensen C12K, there is a date code on the speaker's rim:
2200539
220 means it's a Jensen
the next two digits (05) indicate the year - 2005 in this case.
The last two digits are the week of manufacture - this one was built in the 39th week of 2005. Google tells us the 39th week of 2005 was between Sept. 26 and Oct. 2.
All the other speaker makers have date codes, too. Google is your friend.


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Post subject: Re: Date and Origin of a Fender Deluxe BFRI
Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2016 7:10 pm
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So, the date code on the Jensen C12Q is 2200729 (July of 2007) and the date codes on the transformers are from 2006 (PT is EIA606MSO607-SB4), so I guess the amp was built (or at least assembled and shipped) in 2007.

Thanks.


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Post subject: Re: Date and Origin of a Fender Deluxe BFRI
Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2016 8:24 pm
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The C12Q is not original to the amp. Thus, its date code for determining the age of the amp is of no value.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Date and Origin of a Fender Deluxe BFRI
Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2016 8:40 pm
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That's interesting because the guy I got the amp from bought it new from a chain store, and he said everything is as it was when he bought it, including most of the tubes.

A few questions then:
1) Is the C12Q alway a replacement speaker? Do any Fenders come stock with them?
2) What would have been the stock speaker in a 2006 '65 DRRI, a C12K?
3) Lastly, what is the sonic difference between C12Q and the stock speaker?

Thanks.


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Post subject: Re: Date and Origin of a Fender Deluxe BFRI
Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2016 10:33 pm
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SkipBurz wrote:
That's interesting because the guy I got the amp from bought it new from a chain store, and he said everything is as it was when he bought it, including most of the tubes.


In 1996 the president of the United States took to the television airwaves to deny allegations of an affair with a White House intern.

A stained blue dress unequivocally proved otherwise.

I would liken that seller to an artful politician or an outright prevaricator.

Fender is not currently installing the C12Q into any of their amps, nor have they done so in many decades. I've already discussed which speakers are OEM in the DRRI, re-read for clarification if necessary.

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: Date and Origin of a Fender Deluxe BFRI
Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2016 4:38 am
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Wow!


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