Fender Super Twin????

Larry Behm · From: Mt Angel, Or 97362

Any stories good or bad about this amp. I found one in Portland for $600, but it weights 95, wow.

Larry Behm

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Larry,
Is that the one with the 4 speakers in it?

Justin Griffith · From: Taylor, Texas, USA

I always thought they were "2" twins in one package.

Brian McGaughey · From: Orcas Island, WA USA

Larry, there's one in Tacoma on craigslist that looks real clean for $695.

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/msg/1550075930.html

I don't know a whole bunch about these other than they have 6 output tubes, 2-12s and are heavy as hell. 200 watts I think.

Danny Hall · From: Nevada, USA

I'm shooting from the hip here. I can look up the scheme and probably make a more educated assessment.

Fender <edit> added two 6L6GCs and advertised 125 watts. It was also built during CBS' ownership of the company and the build standards are somewhat less than ideal. I've not had one on the bench but perhaps one of the other techs on the forum has.

It never really caught on but it would make a great base for a custom re-build; either blueprinted or modified into a Dumble type or in the Marshall direction. It might make a great steel amp because no club owner or studio would ever let you run it into the "zone". It's just too loud. Turned down I imagine it would sound a little thin.

On old Twin trick is to yank the two outside 6L6 power tubes and double the speaker impedence. On the super you'ld yank 4 tubes, leaving the two inside tubes in there. A tech would measure the turns ratio on the output transformer to determine what sort of speaker arrangment you'ld then need. There are a variety of ways to do that depending on what speakers are in there now. It's likely you'ld have to invest in some new speakers, or add a remote cabinet. Think about lugging that to a gig where you can't use all that power anyway. It's still going to weigh 95 pounds.

I've seen the rare old Showman around for that money. With a Boss RV-3 it's a much better steel amp.

My opinion only. YMMV

Danny
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Ken Metcalf · From: San Antonio Texas USA

I had one and split it into two cabinets but never really liked the sound of it.
May have need an overhaul or just me
Heavy Amp !!
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Little Walter PF-89.
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James Morehead · From: Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.

If you ever wanted to punish loud guitar players--here's your chance. Evil Twisted

180 watts rms, handwired, and unlimited eq. Split into a head cab, and you've got the ultimate. Or leave it in it's original cabinet and buy a trailer hitch and a gorrila.

http://www.ampwares.com/amp.asp?id=104

Bob Carlucci · From: Candor, New York, USA

I used one for years and years.. probably 10 or more. I had installed 2 D 120 JBL speakers in it.. Very good steel amp, but not as sweet toned as a Silverface original Twin..
I would pass personally, Too heavy... bob
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I'm over the hill and hittin'rocks on the way down!

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Clete Ritta · From: San Antonio, Texas

I remember a friend years ago who had one. I was impressed with the power and features then in 1979, and Im sure they would actually make a great steel amp perhaps paired with a 15 external cab? I thought the sliding band eq was a good feature! Im using a Boss 7 band pedal occasionally now, and this would be obsolete if it was programmable in the amp. (Hint: good features for an amp designed specifically for PSG). Id like to see a Super Twin with one, or two stereo, 15" speakers!
Clete

James Morehead · From: Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.

The Super Twin and the Super Twin Reverb never had a sliding band eq. They are parabolic eq, which is the turn knob, and much more reliable.

I'm like you Clete, would love this amp in a head cab with a pair of 15's. I'd think you could negotiate that amp for a $500 deal. I'd go get it, Larry, if it powered up and played alright.

David Mason · From: Cambridge, MD, USA

I had one in the '80's - killer clean amp. If I had the money and I wanted an amp, I'd get it. If you're currently using two Twin Reverbs, this is probably better.

(I already have an amp, and I don't have any money - makes life easier.)

Clete Ritta · From: San Antonio, Texas

James thanks for the correction and refreshing my memory about the EQ. It wasnt sliding type faders but rotary knobs, like most all Fender amps. All I remember was that it had multiple bands of eq to control, not just treble mid and bass, and that it was really loud and clean.
Clete

Marvin Born · From: Ohio, USA

I have a Super Twin Reverb with the round speaker magnets. The first year, the magnets were square.

I totally over hauled mine, replaced signal caps, (not in the EQ), all bypass caps and power supply. supped up the power supply and replaced all plate resistors.

I re-did the grill cloth and tolex. It is a super nice amp now. Its rated 192 watts RMS and mine will do over 200. This is the second one that I have rebuilt.

Its loud and really heavy. What no one has mentioned, is that the reverb, Parametric EQ and Boost circuits are all switchable. The amps runs in the normal twin 80 watt mode until you hit the boost switch and then you have 200 watts. A really good combo is set your normal channel EQ for one sound and switch on the Para EQ for a totally different tone.

This amp will scare banjos, especially if you hit boost and EQ at the same time.

There is a distortion channel that is useless.

I run it with the master volume all the way up and control stage volume with the input gain. It is very clean. and you can't be in the room with it and over drive it. It makes a good combo Telecaster / steel amp due to the switchable EQ. You can set it up for each and quickly switch between them. The pre-amp is hot, so a steel pikckup can over drive it.

Marvin

PS The lead guitar player will not like you.

Danny Hall · From: Nevada, USA

Thanks Marvin from me. Like I said I've never had one on the bench. So they've already set it up to run in two tube mode. Sounds killer. Definitely have another amp on hand for smaller clubs though I think. Even 80 watts is too much for a bandstand in the corner gig.
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The Last of the World's Great Human Beings. Ok, well maybe one of the last. Oh alright then, a perfectly ordinary slacker.

James Morehead · From: Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.

Super twins and super twin reverbs are advertised/rated @ 180 watts rms, at least the 4 I've owned and all the data I have ever been able to find and read. I've never seen a Super Twin rated 192 watts. Perhaps we are not talking about the same amp, Marvin?

John Polstra · From: Lopez Island, WA, USA

James Morehead · From: Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.

oops, I see the question was directed to Marvin. Sorry.

Danny Hall · From: Nevada, USA

If the channel you use for steel distorts too soon; ie overdriven first stage, just try a 12AT7 in the first hole. There's a 57?? military type that I would have to look up that is half between an AX and a AT in gain too.
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The Last of the World's Great Human Beings. Ok, well maybe one of the last. Oh alright then, a perfectly ordinary slacker.

Roger Guyett · From: San Francisco, Ca.

Danny Hall · From: Nevada, USA

James Morehead · From: Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.

Here's some interesting reading about 5751 tubes.

http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum11/HTML/005378.html

Mike Cass · Posted 20 Jan 2010 9:59 pm

When I worked for Waylon he used 2 of them placed a few feet apart and 6 feet behind him. He had two TC chorus units set at different sweeps and depths, each running separately to its own amp. Try getting in tune with that. But his sound was awesome!
I also played thru one in South Dakota one night many years ago while sitting in on someones Red Baron.... It werent too bad at all, but Id hate to have to lug it around Surprised

MC

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