Jump to content

OT Fender BF Pro Reverb (head)


Psyre

Recommended Posts

  • Members

Shop by my grandparents have a bf pro reverb head, obviously it's been modded from combo to head, but I'm curious if at $699 assuming I can take cash and talk him down at least $50, would it be worth it? I mean its still a bf pro reverb. Also had an approx '76 pro for $799. G-pa says I could get it off him for $700 if I took in cash, but how can you tell if it's a '76 or if its a '77 or later with the SS rectifier? Also out of those 2 would you prefer if the SF combo was an actual '76?

Or should I just save up for the $1,000 '68 drip edge super reverb near me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

In the long run the 68 near you sounds like a better investment if you want to look at it as an investment. The 76 for 700 sounds like a fairly normal if not good deal. I've got an Black panel 82 that has the specs of a MV Silverface and when researching the 'competition' ebay to unload it, I see several SFs for 700 to 750 or so. BFs readily going for 1200+, and non MV SF's closer to that 1k area, if not over it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
Quote Originally Posted by Psyre View Post
Shop by my grandparents have a bf pro reverb head, obviously it's been modded from combo to head, but I'm curious if at $699 assuming I can take cash and talk him down at least $50, would it be worth it? I mean its still a bf pro reverb. Also had an approx '76 pro for $799. G-pa says I could get it off him for $700 if I took in cash, but how can you tell if it's a '76 or if its a '77 or later with the SS rectifier? Also out of those 2 would you prefer if the SF combo was an actual '76?

Or should I just save up for the $1,000 '68 drip edge super reverb near me.
if it has a tube rectifier you'll know, it's a big tube beside the two output tubes.
ss recitifier isn't a tube.
I have a 76 Pro Reverb with the tibe rectifier, its a great amp that's much easier to move around than a Super Reverb.
if the 76 Pro Reverb is running properly and needs nothing, it woud be a no brainer pick for me.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

even over a '66 pro reverb just because it has been converted to a head instead of combo and is $100 less?

Also I am almost positive it is the SS rec version because it had the 3-way eq, which I think came along with the SS.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

My local Guitar Center has a rather clean 1979 Fender Pro Reverb for $599. I'm thinking the one you're looking at might be a bit on the high side, particularly in this economy.

I'd see if you can get the BF Pro Reverb head for $600 cash. Is it a new Fender headshell or did they just chop up the old cabinet? Also, make sure all the original components like transformers are in it. You might just come to really like having the luxury of changing speaker cabinets and speaker configurations that comes with a head.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Thanks for the input.

It's a new head that the BF is dropped in, and looks clean, but one thing I was thinking about is OHM's. Aren't fender combos ran at like 2 ohms? There would have had to have been some changes to make it run at 8-12ohm's correct?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
Quote Originally Posted by Psyre View Post
even over a '66 pro reverb just because it has been converted to a head instead of combo and is $100 less?

Also I am almost positive it is the SS rec version because it had the 3-way eq, which I think came along with the SS.
well with the head, you're then shopping for the right cba to match to the head, or speakers and a combo chssis etc. your works not done. with the 76 PR your set and you just grab and go.
the difference in tone is very negligable imo., even with the ss rectifier, that might work in your favour.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

 

Quote Originally Posted by Elliott Damage

View Post

Thats way high. You can buy un modded Bandmasters and Bassman amps for that much. No matter what that shop says the value is hurt by it being modded.

 

Yea, I actually do have a '68 bassman, and paid less than I would have for either of those. I played the Super today and pretty much settled on it. I think the 10's will give a good alternative to the 2x12 can I use with the bassman. It just sounded better, in every regard than the pro.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quote Originally Posted by Psyre View Post
Shop by my grandparents have a bf pro reverb head, obviously it's been modded from combo to head, but I'm curious if at $699 assuming I can take cash and talk him down at least $50, would it be worth it? I mean its still a bf pro reverb. Also had an approx '76 pro for $799. G-pa says I could get it off him for $700 if I took in cash, but how can you tell if it's a '76 or if its a '77 or later with the SS rectifier? Also out of those 2 would you prefer if the SF combo was an actual '76?

Or should I just save up for the $1,000 '68 drip edge super reverb near me.
If I could find a BF Pro Reverb for under $700, I'd be all over it.

The easiest way to tell at a glance if a MV Pro is ultra-linear or not is the EQ. The earlier 40W units had 2 band EQ, and the later, 70W UltraLinear models have three band EQ.

FWIW, I prefer the earlier, 40W, non-master volume models, followed by the non-UL master volume models, trailed distantly by the UL models.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
Quote Originally Posted by Phil O'Keefe View Post
If I could find a BF Pro Reverb for under $700, I'd be all over it.

The easiest way to tell at a glance if a MV Pro is ultra-linear or not is the EQ. The earlier 40W units had 2 band EQ, and the later, 70W UltraLinear models have three band EQ.

FWIW, I prefer the earlier, 40W, non-master volume models, followed by the non-UL master volume models, trailed distantly by the UL models.
Thanks for the input Phil. If I'm not mistaken the added mid knob in the eq was only added to the clean (non reverb/vibrato) channel correct? Or was it added to both? Because I know some amps for instance the super had a Mid knob in the 2nd channel, but only a 2-way in channel 1.

Also I agree about the BF pro despite it being modded, but knowing whether or not they modded the transformer is a big worry, as I said earlier because of ohm load matching. Seems like it may just be more of a shell of what it once was.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quote Originally Posted by Psyre View Post
Thanks for the input.

It's a new head that the BF is dropped in, and looks clean, but one thing I was thinking about is OHM's. Aren't fender combos ran at like 2 ohms? There would have had to have been some changes to make it run at 8-12ohm's correct?

Nope - IIRC, the only thing Fender made that runs at 2 ohms is the Super Reverb. The Pro is, like the Twin, a 4 ohm cabinet. Wiring up two 8 ohm speakers in parallel will give you a 4 ohm load.

Transformers are expensive, and not typically swapped out for sonic reasons on old Pro Reverbs. Unless they blew the transformer, I can't imagine any legit reason for wanting to swap it out for a different one as part of the head conversion process. Want to run a 4x12 cabinet with it? Just use a four ohm load - four 16 ohm speakers wired in parallel. Want to run two 4x12 cabs? Use 8 ohm speakers and wire them series / parallel. The amp is perfect for running as a head with external speaker cabinets already... no need for you to swap transformers unless they did. And chances are, they didn't.

Can you get a pic of the transformers, or at least have the seller give you the numbers that are stamped into them? If so, we can identify them...
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Blackface Pro Reverb. No master volume, two band EQ on both channels. 40W:

2922241707_fed943a85c.jpg



Silverface, drip edge ('68-'69) - still 40W, changed cosmetics, no MV, no third band of EQ on either channel:

DSC00647.JPG



Early non-drip edge (post '69) Silverface. Note the two band EQ and lack of master volume knob. Also note the "tail" under the Fender logo, and the kick back legs on the sides.

Silverface-Pro-Reverb-Front.jpg



Silverface, master volume but still two band EQ - IOW, NOT an Ultra Linear amp. Most likely, a early (circa ~1972, when the master volume started showing up) to mid (~1976) 70s era Pro Reverb - with the missing tail, I'd say it's almost certainly a '74 - '76:

fend10a.jpg



And finally, the UltraLinear - 70W, solid state rectifier, master volume, three band EQ on both channels, no tail on the Fender logo. Circa 1977 - 1981.

p1_u0kfeazqk_so.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • Members

Just Remember 80, 81, 82 Fender Basically took there SF line and made there ProReverbs BF.. so dont be fooled.... You should be able to get a Pro reverb 76-82 for around $600...  Basically If you Get an Original untouched SF PR, your not getting a great deal... a Recap Job will most likely be needed and add to the total cost B4 You will be truly happy with it. ask to see the insides,,, is there a bunch of orange  Caps in there.. if so, probably recapped.  TUBES, hope there older original ones,, JJ's don't last long in the 70 watt PR.. it runs hard

I have converted my PR into a head as well.. It is awesome.. Much easier to carry, and switch up Cabs depending on the show.. It will run at 2, 4, or 8 ohms with out a problem, and the External Jack is parallel .. so with the COMBO 2x12 PR its load is 2x 8 ohm speakers parallel at 4ohms.. then if you want to add a cab, I would recommend you use Matching ohms... so plug in another 4 ohm cab and run at 2 ohms.. But as a Head you have many options... I would be careful not to plug in unmatched cabs, but Tube amps of this nature are very forgiving and will do it,, just not ideal for optimal tone and safety.. even if you want to run two 4x12 8 or 16ohm cabs as long as the ohms match..

and be very careful to plug into the MAIN SPEAKER JACK if only using one of these jacks.. It will ground fault if you use ONLY the External Speaker Jack..

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...