My Rant on Fender Twin Reverbs...

[Brown, Charlie]

Why do you hate everything I love hic? Strats, now twins? WTF?

Srsly, it's mostly user error. If you play with a twin in a loud band you should sit it on top of a case or something to get the speakers pointed at least waist level or higher. Plus big headroom amps tend to get more 'trebly' the louder they're played, so usually volume up = treble down. You won't notice the treble if the speakers are flapping your pant legs instead of your ear drums, but the crowd will.

On top of that the stock speakers in a lot of twins aren't great for high volumes, and some (looking at you 1970s) are {censored} for high gain AT high volumes. Again you won't notice if you can't hear the amp. Anywho my settings are bass 0-2, mid 4-6, treble 4-6.

[BG76]

I like Twins. When I use mine I don't use any pedals with it, except maybe a tape echo. If you're a clean player they're fantastic. In the 90s I used one with a Schultz Power Soak and a early 70s LPC and it was a great rig.

[Kap'n]

Twin Reverbs are, or rather were, an industry standard. However, for modern situations, they are the least desirable of the classic Fender reverb combos, and their prices reflect it. Too big, too heavy and too loud to get to the sweet spot for modern PA systems and the samller venues that DWI laws, smoking bans and aging baby boomers have made possible.

[MILFboi]

Was there ever a Fender Twin Reverb head, or was the Fender Dual Showman essentially a Twin Reverb head? Any chance the Dual Showman will get reissued by Fender? Just wondering out of curiosity.

Also, I've played a Mesa Lonestar combo before and it somewhat reminded me of a Fender Twin Reverb. Was I off base that day for thinking this about the Lonestar? I've only played through a silverface 70s Twin Reverb so far.

[MahaloVision]

I personally love the sound of a good Twin Reverb at moderate volume, and the guitarist in my main band gets a great sound out of his. Unfortunately, I've experienced the same problem as the OP noted too many times. I've also not enjoyed carrying the amp back to the van, but a small collapsable hand truck makes this tolerable.

When I see somebody roll out a Super Reverb, though, I usually anticipate that it's going to be a good evening. I've just acquired one recently and looking forward to gigging it soon. Love the great dirty tone it gets with humbuckers at a reasonable volume.

[tlbonehead]

Originally Posted by mistersully

i've heard twins sound fantastic at gigs

i've been to a lot of gigs where the sound was {censored}ty... regardless of what amps were being used

if you can't get a good gigging tone out of a twin and some pedals.. you're probably clueless

and "with some pedals" being the key. W/O pedals you aren't going to get a good mid/high gain tones at a sensible volume.

[Kap'n]

Originally Posted by MILFboi

Was there ever a Fender Twin Reverb head, or was the Fender Dual Showman essentially a Twin Reverb head? Any chance the Dual Showman will get reissued by Fender? Just wondering out of curiosity.

This is a Twin Reverb chassis in a head format


The regular BF Dual Showman was like two normal channels of a Twin Reverb - stupid loud, yet kind of gutless unless you pushed it with something in front.

[PurpleTrails]

Originally Posted by MILFboi

Was there ever a Fender Twin Reverb head, or was the Fender Dual Showman essentially a Twin Reverb head? Any chance the Dual Showman will get reissued by Fender? Just wondering out of curiosity.

Also, I've played a Mesa Lonestar combo before and it somewhat reminded me of a Fender Twin Reverb. Was I off base that day for thinking this about the Lonestar? I've only played through a silverface 70s Twin Reverb so far.

After a little Internet research, the dual showman is essentially a silverface twin reverb head. I seem to recall reading at some point that there are some differences, but can't even begin to remember where I heard that.

And yes, a mesa lonestar combo should sound very similar to an early '70s silverface twin.

[Doctor Morbius]

Twins are fabulous. Me thinks the poster has "issues".

[MILFboi]

Originally Posted by PurpleTrails

After a little Internet research, the dual showman is essentially a silverface twin reverb head. I seem to recall reading at some point that there are some differences, but can't even begin to remember where I heard that.

And yes, a mesa lonestar combo should sound very similar to an early '70s silverface twin.

Thanks. I figured as much about the Lonestar.

To clarify, the only Fender Twin Reverb I've played through so far was a friend's dad's 70s silverface Twin. I've not yet played through an older blackface Twin or the Fender reissue of the blackface Twin. I was randomly checking out amps at Guitar Center recently when I tried a used Mesa Lonestar combo. It seemed like I could easily get that clean silky silverface Twin sound out of it without much knob twiddling using an SG.

[Angry Tele]

its one of the best amps ever made. user error.

[tlbonehead]

 

Originally Posted by Angry Tele

its one of the best amps ever made. user error.

 

no, certainly not. Without pedals they are pretty limited in what you can use them for.

[honeyiscool]

I guess trying to fit a square peg into a round hole and expecting it to be easy is certainly part user error, but it certainly doesn't mean that the peg wasn't a square peg to begin with.

[PurpleTrails]

Originally Posted by MILFboi

Thanks. I figured as much about the Lonestar.

To clarify, the only Fender Twin Reverb I've played through so far was a friend's dad's 70s silverface Twin. I've not yet played through an older blackface Twin or the Fender reissue of the blackface Twin. I was randomly checking out amps at Guitar Center recently when I tried a used Mesa Lonestar combo. It seemed like I could easily get that clean silky silverface Twin sound out of it without much knob twiddling using an SG.

Depending on which version of silverface twin you played it may be very similar to a blackface, ranging to not that similar at all. Either a vintage blackface or silverface will probably outlast one of the new reissues, though they will take some investment in upkeep. The lonestar might be a good pickup if the price is right.

[scolfax]

 

Originally Posted by Brown, Charlie

Why do you hate everything I love hic? Strats, now twins? WTF?

 

LOL! That was my first thought too.

[Angry Tele]

 

Originally Posted by tlbonehead

no, certainly not. Without pedals they are pretty limited in what you can use them for.

 

only limited by the player. They can be used for blues, country, surf, reggae, jazz. and with pedals they can and have been used for most genres. Thats like saying teles are limited; or les pauls, or strats.

[mistersully]

Originally Posted by tlbonehead

and "with some pedals" being the key. W/O pedals you aren't going to get a good mid/high gain tones at a sensible volume.

so use pedals... what's the problem?

not all amps are made for dirty tones at "sensible volume"

it's like me bitching because i can't overdrive a pro junior in my loungeroom while my wife and kids watch tv... it's not made for that

the twin is a fantastic sounding clean amp that you can overdrive naturally at extreme volume, or use a pedal to get there at lower volumes... that's what it is... use it that way and it'll be fine... use it in a different way and you'll run inro problems

i really don't understand what the big deal is

[tlbonehead]

 

Originally Posted by Angry Tele

only limited by the player. They can be used for blues, country, surf, reggae, jazz. and with pedals they can and have been used for most genres. Thats like saying teles are limited; or les pauls, or strats.

 

No, I was speaking w/o pedals. Just a good core overdrive tone to play off of at a sensible volume. And while you listed several genres, they are all noted for their clean to barely overdriven guitar tones. Nothing even remotely "gainish". That part has nothing to do with limits of the player. It is a terrible tool for some tones and genres.

[Angry Tele]

without pedals you can play country, jazz, reggae, surf, blues, R&B, funk, 80s pop, and more. They take pedals really well and can be played for punk, metal, rock, fusion etc; . Ive seen metal bands play them in small clubs, blues guys play them, punk bands , all kinds of bands playing them and they usually sound great.
Jeff Beck toured with 4 at one time, nobody complained to him (except his roadies maybe)
I dont see the problem

are there more versatile amps? Yes.

[guitarcapo]

I think they still have a place for baritone guitar...other than that they are an obsolete design.

[photon9]

Master volume SFTRs don't have this problem. Purists dislike the master volume, but it adds a lot of versatility.

Oh yeah and pop out those middle tubes! Drops it to about 30 watts, much more manageable.

[tlbonehead]

Originally Posted by mistersully

so use pedals... what's the problem?

not all amps are made for dirty tones at "sensible volume"

it's like me bitching because i can't overdrive a pro junior in my loungeroom while my wife and kids watch tv... it's not made for that

the twin is a fantastic sounding clean amp that you can overdrive naturally at extreme volume, or use a pedal to get there at lower volumes... that's what it is... use it that way and it'll be fine... use it in a different way and you'll run inro problems

i really don't understand what the big deal is

you are making my point for me. Thank you.

[Davo17]

Blackface Twins have scooped mids-GUITAR=MIDS.

So turn em up a bit-NOT the volume.

[tlbonehead]

Originally Posted by Davo17

Blackface Twins have scooped mids-GUITAR=MIDS.

So turn em up a bit-NOT the volume.

yes, of course.

[Kap'n]

 

Originally Posted by photon9

Oh yeah and pop out those middle tubes! Drops it to about 60 watts, and drops the mass by about 100 grams, much more manageable.

 

Fixed.