50 years ago Fender introduced the new Fender Showman amplifier. Designed with input from legendary surf guitarist Dick Dale, it was the first amplifier to have a 100 watt rating. It was LOUD! Which was just what the kids who were dancing to the twanging tones of surf guitar wanted, no, NEEDED to hear. Covered in a beautiful Blonde vinyl, like a surfer who spent all his days bleaching in the California sun and all night rocking out, the amp stood out in dimly lit clubs and especially in black and white pictures. Plus Fender had incorporated a secret weapon into the matching blonde speaker cabinet - a magic Tone Ring that took advantage of the then new science of porting to maximize sound and tune a 15-inch speaker to the sweet spot. Wherever it played, the Showman wiped out all competition. Cowabunga!
Sadly, the blonde vinyl was discontinued in 1963 and the Showman itself was killed off in 1993.
I think that it would be fitting for Fender to bring back a limited run of the original 1960-1964 blonde Showman 100 watt amps and cabinets, complete with 15-inch JBL speaker and Tone Ring to commemorate the amp's 50th anniversary. I bet Fender could even get Dick Dale on (surf)board without too much effort.
With original Showman amps commanding prices in the $4,000-$6,000 range for decent examples these days and pristine models going for even more, a new blonde Showman might just be a better investment than gold!
Anybody else out there who agrees with me and would like to buy a new blonde Fender Showman? Maybe if enough of us start making some noise, Fender just might listen. There are a few small companies making blonde Showman cabinets with the Tone Ring, but no heads. Besides - who but Fender can build a real Fender???

I'm currently in the process of negotiating a deal on a '69 Dual showman. Although not the blonde version, still a beast of an amp all the same!

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"I started out with nothing, and still have most of it"

Put me down for one, Old Bassman!

It'd certainly have more general appeal than a Dick Dale Strat. And I can retire my original '65 Dual Showman.





SHOWMANS RULE!



Arjay

I am sympathtic to the Showman love... I would buy an old Showman head in a second. Past that, I don't think you will find a big market for huge one speaker cabinets, let alone one with a 15" speaker. How many popular guitar amps sport 15" speakers? The last time I checked, Fender makes a one 15" version of the Twin. I doubt they sell many.

JBL's are my favorite speaker, I have one in my '66 Deluxe reverb (K120). I don't think they make guitar amp speakers anymore.

I have a 15-inch D130F in my Deluxe Reverb......it sounds terrific!



Alas, JBL has been out of the musical instrument speaker business for quite some time -- thank God for Ebay!

Arjay

If they reissue the Showman they'd have to put in an attenuator or master volume to tame down the massive horsepower in the beast.You wouldn't to get it to dirty up the tone unless you put it to full tilt boogie that is unless you absolutely had to play clean all the time,in that case there would be no finer amp.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

It's hard to find a more pristine Blonde Dual Showman...I am no expert but have pictures. I have not seen it yet but have an offer on the table. I just worry about scams as I am not an expert! Especially when the amp look so perfect.


How do I post the pics here? I haven't used an image tag since the mid 90's!

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I'll be happy to take a look at it if you wish, CoolBlue. My e-mail addy is in my profile (reconfigure when sending the message to take out the anti-spam features).

Interior shots, including tranny codes, chassis stamps, and speakers, will tell the tale.

HTH

Arjay

Arjay,

I tried to send to the reconfigured address changing AT and DOT. It bounced back. I posted them in a photo album on Myspace.

http://www.myspace.com/dennisfoley

Thank you for your help. I know these are not enough to to determine origins of all and the seller seems to understand what I need but I worry when the key pics are not there.
Still...very intriguing!

Weird, Dennis.

And for some reason I couldn't access the pics on your myspace page either.

Try this addy instead......

<phantoms4ever(at)cox(dot)net>

Arjay

I dont know what he is using today but anyone that sees Dick Dale always uses the word LOUD.

No doubt about it.