Members buckyberg Posted September 12, 2015 Members Share Posted September 12, 2015 I just scored a 79 Fender Twin in tremendous condition. I traded a 2009 Epiphone SG 400 in alpine white for it. I had replaced the switch, pots, caps and pups (older Agile alnico Vs I pulled out of an AD 3000). The guy thought it was a mid 90s Twin. An old bandmate gave it to him 20 years ago and it had been sitting in his sister's garage collecting dust. All original. Everything works. Man, what a freakin score. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pk1fan Posted September 12, 2015 Members Share Posted September 12, 2015 Great trade you made ! You should consider a cap job soon since it has been idle so long http://www.harmonycentral.com/forum/forum/guitar/acapella-28/31579308-what-happens-when-you-dont-recap-a-vintage-amp enjoy the tons of clean Fender sound ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted September 12, 2015 Members Share Posted September 12, 2015 Congratulations. Happy New Amp Day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members buckyberg Posted September 12, 2015 Author Members Share Posted September 12, 2015 It indeed, is a very clean amp. But has the classic Fender sound and much detail. I've been using a Carvin V3M for a couple years now, which is a very different animal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WRGKMC Posted September 13, 2015 Members Share Posted September 13, 2015 Twins are great amps. I think you have your dating wrong however. Its either much older or much newer then you suspect. The silver faced amps were made from about 69~82. Then they started making reissues in 2013. They made mostly black faced type amps an a butt load of transistor junk in between. Maybe someone put a silver faced panel on a 90's amp, but you can check inside for some dating. Tube amps often had the last two digits of the year written on the tube chart which was stapled inside the chassis. Otherwise you'll need to get a stamp date off the frame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members buckyberg Posted September 13, 2015 Author Members Share Posted September 13, 2015 From what I can tell, they only made the UL 135 watt models with the push/pull master volume from 77-82. The Fender blue label speakers have a 79 on them and there is an 0479 number on the tube chart. It appears to be untouched in terms of original components. Clean and loud as hell. Aside from scratchiness in the mids pot, everything checks out ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WRGKMC Posted September 14, 2015 Members Share Posted September 14, 2015 ^^^ Likely made in 79 then. Get some lubricating contact cleaner to clean the pots and you should be good to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mikeo Posted September 15, 2015 Members Share Posted September 15, 2015 I just scored a 79 Fender Twin in tremendous condition. I traded a 2009 Epiphone SG 400 in alpine white for it. I had replaced the switch, pots, caps and pups (older Agile alnico Vs I pulled out of an AD 3000). The guy thought it was a mid 90s Twin. An old bandmate gave it to him 20 years ago and it had been sitting in his sister's garage collecting dust. All original. Everything works. Man, what a freakin score. I have the same Fender Twin, with the push pull master volume. I had a Musician amp before the Twin Reverb and I traded the Twin (new ) for the Musicman and 125 bucks. Still have the Twin Reverb, but in 1982 they went back to a black face plate. As far as cleans go, it's decent. Loud though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bernardo gui Posted November 24, 2015 Members Share Posted November 24, 2015 Have fun putting that amp into your vehicle at 2:00 in the morning after a gig.....IT'S A BALL BUSTER ! (I own a 100 watt Fender Twin Amp...amazing cleans & takes pedals very well...it just 2 friggin heavy.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WRGKMC Posted November 24, 2015 Members Share Posted November 24, 2015 That's why god made wheels. A twin is heavy, but you have to say, in comparison to what? I've owned many 4X12 bottoms and heads including the two I own now and a twin is light in comparison. If you're comparing it to other combos, then it ranks as one of the heavier, but its also really friggin loud.I suppose some of that has to do with the materials commonly used in amp building at the time. Plywood, steel chassis, heavy duty transformers and high wattage ceramic speakers. The key is though, the amps lasted. There's allot to be said about an amp being built rugged. If they were made of lighter particle board and used cheaper lighter speakers and transformers would they have lasted and become an iconic amplifier. I don't think so. I'll deal with the extra weight and have the amp last me a lifetime over some lightweight POS that sounds wimpy. A twin will handle a medium hall to full blown live concert stage quite nicely. I saw Roy Buchanan use one at the Philadelphia Spectrum once back in the 70's and it was one of the loudest guitar amps I heard there, especially on the top end. Paired up with a Tele those amps can scream. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members buckyberg Posted November 25, 2015 Author Members Share Posted November 25, 2015 It is freakin heavy. However, my bass players 4x10 Mesa Boogie cab with the motorcycle wheels is heavier, weighing in around 125 lbs. I don't typically gig with the Twin though. Rather, I use a 19 lb. Carvin V3M, and most of the rooms we play in the NYC have a 4x12 cab in the backline. If I need to bring my entire rig, then its the Carvin and either my 2x12 slant Marshall 3/4 cab, or an old Sheffield 1x12 that used to belong to CC DeVille. But man, that Twin is pretty wicked. When I first plugged my pedalboard I got sounds I'd never gotten before. It is so clean and has such detailed top end it is just ridiculous. Great recording amp, and if we make it to Madison Square Garden I'll use it live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members onelife Posted November 25, 2015 Members Share Posted November 25, 2015 A fellow guitarist I was in a band with for a while had a good word to describe the sound of a Twin… "girth" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members onelife Posted November 25, 2015 Members Share Posted November 25, 2015 ... Great recording amp, and if we make it to Madison Square Garden I'll use it live. George Harrison played Madison Square Garden with a stack of four Fender Champs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted November 28, 2015 Members Share Posted November 28, 2015 Point to point wired is great for repairs and mods. I have a pair of 60 watt 1981 Fender Concert amps. I don't really need more than that for volume and headroom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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