I've recently come into some expendable G.A.S. cash and I want to get a Fender amp.
I'm going to see 2 this weekend...but am confused as to which one to get.

Here are my choices:

A 1971 Silver Face Twin Reverb in what appears to be great condition...orig owner. $800.00




A "Red Knob" EVIL TWIN , once again in great cond...orig. owner $599.00


What to do...what to do!!??

What would y'all do?

I have little experience with either amp...I played a Twin,,,,found it to be great..if not a tad BRIGHT and TREBLY...not in a bad way.

I've NEVER played an EVIL TWIN!

HELP!!

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I refuse to have a battle of the wits with an unarmed man!

The 71 silver face is a better amp. But do you know these amps are VERY loud. If you don't need a very loud amp or/and if you want to crank it to ear the overdrive ; forget it.

The '71 is a great amp to play clean.

What that guy said. I'm convinced 15 watts is too loud for the house.

The red knob twin that came with Oxford speakers was a brilliant amp. One of the few amp that gives good clean and drive.

May be more down to the speakers than any circuit differences. Don't know enough about em to pinpoint it.

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No no and no

candycoke, I agree with you. And twin reverb is a wayyyyyyyyyyy too loud

The title of the thread is "Amp buying question/advice"

Here's my advice. Take it for what you think it's worth.

Rule of thumb #1 - except in the case of custom shop or custom made guitars priced well into the stratosphere, spend as much or more on your amp as you did on your guitar. The amp is what your ears hear and it is at least as much of an "instrument" as your guitar is. Quality is infinitely better than popularity when it comes to amps so don't go thinking you need to buy a certain amp just because that's what all the other guys are using.

Rule of thumb #2 - Don't overestimate your need for amplifier power. Big power amps should be used for playing clean sounds and 50-60 watts is enough for most players. Lower power amps should be used for overdriven sounds and 20-25 watts is enough for most players. If you're in a power trio and you fill arenas then by all means get that mega watt full stack and a couple slave amps otherwise keep it small.

That's general amp advise. On this topic? The Twin Reverb is a great amp for playing clean but cranked up to overdrive it will very likely cause damage to your hearing.

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Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.

Thanks people! I am very aware of the Twin's power.
I was just curious about the differences between the standard Twin and the Red Knob "Evil" Twin. I was wondering if the EVIL version still has those shimmering clean tones that the standard Twin has.
One benefit of the EVIL one is that it has a 25/100 watt selector switch.
I've played through a standard Twin in a studio with a Fulltone O.C.D. for the overdrive and it worked out great!

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I refuse to have a battle of the wits with an unarmed man!

I'd go for the silverface for tone-it's just an amazing amp to play clean but that's about the only tone you will get from it because in order to get it to overdrive you need to crank the volume way past the pain threshold unless you invest in a good attenuator.

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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.

+++++1 BMW-KTM

+1

Much easier to get a pedal to add dirt to a clean amp than trying to get more headroom out of a early breakup amp.

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

If you're not playing out on large stages where you need that much, buy neither.

The right amp is the one that sounds best where you play it the most. If that's at home in your bedroom, a Twin (regardless of BF, SF, reissue, Evil or not) is the wrong amp.

You'd be much better served with a Deluxe Reverb Reissue. Great Fender sound, great reverb, takes pedals well, and won't throw your back out carrying it.

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'59? Bogen Challenger CHA-33, '65 Bandmaster, '65 Tremolux, 65 Showman;
'74 SF Princeton; '77 SF Princeton Reverb; Dr. Z Mini Z

Our band: http://www.facebook.com/thetoysband

Did you make a decision? Did you buy either one...both?

I think they're both excellent amps. Any major differences in tone would have more to do with speakers than the amp.

If you're not a collector then save a couple hundred and get the red knob.

If you're a collector or concerned about re-selling later get the silverface.

my two cents

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In my opinion Leo Fender had essentially perfected the guitar amplifier by 1964.

If you are only playing at home, both amps are too much. I you gigging consider the size of the venue and whether you are miking your amp.

The "evil" twin amps were designed by Rivera I believe, back when he worked for fender. It feature some changes in circuitry that gave it a "different" overdriven sound. Along with that, the red knobs also gave it that devilish look.

But just so ya'll know, I am no professional in amp history WHATSOEVER! This is something I just picked up a long time ago when I ran across one of these bad boys... Feel free to say I'm wrong- just don't bite me lol

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Kid: "Hey Smokey! Where did you get your name?"
Smokey the Bear: "Well..."
(former user jimbo612)

Well...it looks like I'm going for the Red Knob.
A buddy of mine who is a professional performing guitarist and he swears by them!
"They're workhorses " he says...

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I refuse to have a battle of the wits with an unarmed man!