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Topic: Has Anyone Tried the Fender '65 Twin Custom 15" Amp? |
Chris Schlotzhauer
From:
Colleyville, Tx. USA
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Posted 24 Feb 2015 7:59 am |
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I was playing with The Freightshakers the other night, opening for Dale Watson.
Dale's steel player Don Pawlak had a new '65 Twin. We were talking about it and he was kind enough to let me play it for our set.
I must say, as much as I have resisted a heavy Fender tube amp for my next purchase, this thing has certainly got my attention.
Cord straight into the amp...a very balanced level of gain when you give it more volume....sweet, not harsh highs typical of most Twins I've played. Tons of headroom...beautiful reverb.
I loved it....anyone else own one they can comment on?
Here: http://www.fender.com/guitar-amplifiers/vintage-pro-tube/65-twin-custom-15/2173000010.html#start=1 |
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Hamilton Barnard
From:
Oro Valley, Arizona (deceased)
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Posted 24 Feb 2015 8:13 am
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| I bought a new one last year and like it a lot. |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 24 Feb 2015 11:03 am
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Chris, if you look at my youtube channel, www.youtube.com/steelguitarlane and look at everything from Minor key use of A# lever: http://youtu.be/Sn1IY1E-uKU
Up to C6 blues jamming: http://youtu.be/bT54xLWP-dc
was done with one, although it has a Jensen Mod 15 instead of what Fender puts in them.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Tommy Detamore
From:
Floresville, Texas
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Posted 24 Feb 2015 12:31 pm
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Chris, I used one for three years when I was in the show at the Aztec Theatre in San Antonio. I liked it a lot. We had a pretty low stage volume there, and I set the amp volume on 4 and it was plenty. Not sure if it would be enough for me in a super loud band but I try to avoid those anymore anyway 
I often wondered what the Custom 15 would have sounded like with a better speaker. The stock speaker I believe is the same one Fender used in the Steel King. I didn't originally like the stock Steel King with that speaker, but after owning a split cab version of the Steel King for a while and trying it with different speakers (JBL D130, Eminence EPS-15, Peavey BW Neo) I have come to like the Steel King a lot too.
_________________
Tommy Detamore
Quilter Labs, Goodrich Sound, Source Audio, Neunaber Audio, and Stringjoy Authorized Dealer
www.cherryridgestudio.com
www.steelguitartracksonline.com |
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Dave Hopping
From:
Aurora, Colorado
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Posted 24 Feb 2015 9:29 pm
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I took delivery on a Custom 15 recently.Haven't had it out on stage yet but I LIKE the way it sounds at living-room volume.  |
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Gary Lee Gimble
From:
Fredericksburg, VA.
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Posted 25 Feb 2015 1:21 am
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Chris, there have been comments a plenty in reference to Fender's cheap assembly line, machine soldering sloppy circuit boards, and a bunch of questionable reliability issues. I'm rather confident I've missed many other specifics regarding Fender's --quality...Here's my bottom line coming from a sub-standard weekend hack. None of my Fender amps have ever pinched a loaf on stage, and, never has anyone ever said, "Gimble," ur tone bites...Currently, I've been playing through the George Benson Hot Rod Deluxe. Pending venue size, I'll run two amps, my GB HRD and a regular HRD.
Regarding the Custom 15 and a hernia repair, I was sorry to retire said amp as she sounded wonderful with never a issue.
_________________
Assorted gear and a set of hands...
https://www.facebook.com/garythelee
https://www.youtube.com/user/ZumEmm |
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Justin Griffith
From:
Taylor, Texas, USA
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Posted 25 Feb 2015 8:05 am
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Chris,
I have had one about 5 years. I like it. I replaced the original speaker with a D-130 and blew it. I tried a K-130 and it wasn't quite right. I put a 1501 in it, and I love it!
I replaced all ten tubes last year, and it really quieted down. I have had no reliability issues with it.
Sometimes I wish it would go louder, but not at the sacrifice of tone.
All in all it, an an old LTD are my two favorite amps.
If you get down this way, come grab it and play over it on a gig or two. That's the only way to tell if you will like it.
Best,
Justin
_________________
Emmons/Sho~Bud/Blanton, Fender/Peavey.
Telonics pedal |
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Jerry Hedge
From:
Norwood Ohio U.S.A.
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Posted 25 Feb 2015 9:35 pm
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| Saw Dale on Super Bowl Sunday. We were on the same bill. We played before the game, they played after. Don came in to check our set. I didn't get a chance to talk to him about his amp, but I heard it. Man, that Twin sounded GOOD. The last time I saw him he had a Webb. I think for the type of music they play, the Twin sounds better. |
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Chris Schlotzhauer
From:
Colleyville, Tx. USA
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Posted 26 Feb 2015 9:45 am
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| Yeah Jerry, it does sound good. Don said he still has his Web, but Fender gave him the Twin. He is very pleased with it. |
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Craig A Davidson
From:
Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin USA
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Posted 26 Feb 2015 11:02 am
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| I have one and it is still all stock and I love it. |
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Steve Spitz
From:
New Orleans, LA, USA
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Posted 26 Feb 2015 3:58 pm Custom Vibrasonic
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Very similar is the custom Vibrasonic. Black face cosmetics, a twin with a 15. One channel actually labeled "Steel" made in the USA during the 90s by the fender custom shop. Not point to point wired, it's a printed circuit board. Same Emminence speaker as the twin 15 and steel king. I had one, I think it had reverb on both channels.
It's not the Silverface with the master. I liked mine a lot . Just sayin.... |
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Robert Parent
From:
Gillette, WY
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Posted 27 Feb 2015 1:53 pm
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I had one for a couple of years. Overall it sounded fine once you could get the mid-range adjusted correctly. It is very touchy to get a good setting (the resistor network in the tone stack really needed to be modified). Two reasons for selling, I much preferred using my Music Man amps over the Twin, and second it was very heavy and a much larger cabinet than I liked. Years back I had a Twin in which I put a 15 inch speaker and that was more to my liking.
If you can find a good used one they are not a bad amp, but no way I would pay new price for one.
Robert |
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Mike Petryk
From:
Waterford NY USA
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Posted 28 Feb 2015 10:34 am
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Hi,
I'm using a 12DW7 tube in V4 on my 65 twin custom 15 amp. It makes for a nice warm reverb. It's about an $11 mod. Easy to reverse if you want the 'splash' back.
Regards,
Mike |
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Brett Lanier
From:
Madison, TN
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Posted 28 Feb 2015 1:53 pm
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| I recall reading a Cindy Cashdollar interview where she said she used two of them when recording the steel for Ryan Adams' Cold Roses album. I love her tone on that album, especially this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwlW3XSgtzM |
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Patrick Ickes
From:
Upper Lake, CA USA
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Posted 28 Feb 2015 7:10 pm
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Great Tele/Strat amp, lousy Pedal Steel Amp.
I had one for a while and never could tame the reverb or the mids.
Tried the 12DW7 tube, 12AT/AU V1, V4 etc. Best improvement was a MOD 2 spring long tank.
But the mids sucked no matter what I did.
You would think my ZB with 3 coil taps that there would be a decent voice, but no.
Sold it to a Tele slinger I later did a gig with, and wow that amp sounded great!
I recently picked up a newer 64 Vibroverb Amp that is half the power but 10x the tone.
Haven't gigged with it yet, BUT it's loud, clean, and toneful.
Patrick |
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Craig A Davidson
From:
Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin USA
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Posted 1 Mar 2015 7:00 am
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| Patrick I had a little trouble at first but I found a post on here on some settings that really helped. On a tube amp you have to change thinking and make the mid knob your friend. It is just the opposite from solid state settings. I tried cutting the mids and hated it. I found as long as your mids are less than your lows and your highs are less than your mids you can't go wrong. |
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David Spires
From:
Millersport, OH
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Posted 1 Mar 2015 9:42 am
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I've started using a Twin as one of my "backup" rigs, and to be honest, if I had a road case for it, I probably would have taken it out on the road this year. It's taken me a lot of fiddling around to get settings that I am happy with, but I love it.
If you want to try and wrap your head around what is happening, how the 3 knobs interact with each other, download this and play around:
http://www.duncanamps.com/tsc/
It helped me understand it better, always having been a solid-state, Peavey guy... I'm learning to love tube amps now.
Sincerely,
David Spires
_________________
2021 MSA Legend XL 10&7; Asher Electro-Hawaiian Junior Lap Steel; '79 OMI Dobro 66 w/ Scheerhorn cone and setup; '64 Hand-wired Re-issue Fender Princeton Reverb |
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Patrick Ickes
From:
Upper Lake, CA USA
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Posted 1 Mar 2015 10:03 am
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Craig,
I'm a tube amp guy from the very beginning. An ultalinear Twin was my first amp.
I had one Peavey xxx400 amp and hated it, but it was light and loud. I used the Peavey's power amp section, an ADA MP-1 tube pre amp, and modified the reverb regen circuit to decrease the echoness. The BW speaker handled it all well.
This new Twin was untamable for "my ZB and Fender 400" pedal steels, but great for 6 string.
I'm not knockin the amp, in general, but buyer be ware. Take it out and gig before you buy. They may be a bit lacking in the QC dept and end result tone may vary a lot.
Patrick |
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Patrick Strain
From:
Binghamton/Gilbertsville, NY
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Posted 2 Mar 2015 11:24 am
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I'd like to know how it compares to the original Vibrosonic. My main gigging amp is a 1973 Silverface Vibrosonic, and I love it. Unfortunately, it's really starting to show its age. I'd like to replace it with something newer.
_________________
Sierra Crown D-10 8+4, Sierra S-10 3+4, Carter D-10 8+7, Carter Starter 3+ a lot of engineering problems |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 2 Mar 2015 11:28 am
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I don't think I'd put a modern PC Board Twin on tour and expect another 40 years.
Get the Milkman. Or rehab your Vibro.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Chris Schlotzhauer
From:
Colleyville, Tx. USA
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Posted 2 Mar 2015 11:48 am
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| Patrick Ickes wrote: |
Great Tele/Strat amp, lousy Pedal Steel Amp.
I had one for a while and never could tame the reverb or the mids.
Tried the 12DW7 tube, 12AT/AU V1, V4 etc. Best improvement was a MOD 2 spring long tank.
But the mids sucked no matter what I did.
You would think my ZB with 3 coil taps that there would be a decent voice, but no.
Sold it to a Tele slinger I later did a gig with, and wow that amp sounded great!
I recently picked up a newer 64 Vibroverb Amp that is half the power but 10x the tone.
Haven't gigged with it yet, BUT it's loud, clean, and toneful.
Patrick |
I played through Don's amp without touching any knobs. Don said he was at a session with Lloyd Green, and Lloyd said he set every knob at 5 (except reverb)....Mids were not an issue at all |
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Patrick Ickes
From:
Upper Lake, CA USA
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Posted 2 Mar 2015 12:47 pm
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Chris,
It might be that since Fender "gave" Don the amp, they tweaked the innards to be more pedal steel freindly?
That being said, I would buy Don a new Twin 15 off the shelf and swap him straight across
Again, I'm not knockin the amp in general, just for my situation. What guitar are you using? Maybe they work good with an Emmons or Sho-Bud sound.
I wanted mine to work in the worst way. I don't have $$$ to through at amps I don't keep and sell at a loss.
Keep us informed.
Patrick |
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Greg Johnson
From:
Greencastle, Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 10 Mar 2015 6:11 am
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I have a 65 RI custom 15. I put in the EPS 15 speaker only because I built my own cabs to reduce the carrying weight. That being said I won't play through anything else. The only mod I did was replace the tubes with a set of JJ. I set my Mullen up beside a friends who plays a Mullen through a Peavey 112 and my sound blows his away. It all comes down to your ear.. But to me it's the best I have had in years, and I have tried everything from this to that.
_________________
MSA CLassic SD-10
92 Emmons LII
79 Super Pro
Quilter TT
Evans FET 500
Fender Twin 65 RI
American Takimine |
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Garry Simpson
From:
Oklahoma
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Posted 10 Mar 2015 7:36 am
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Other than speaker configuration are there any differences between the 65 custom reissue and the standard 65 two twelve inch reissue?
_________________
Carter S10-DB w/E66, Black Box, Hilton, Digitech RP155, Nashville 112 w/burr brown, Nashville 400, George L cables, Steelseat.com, 68 telecaster, Peavey Special 130 |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 10 Mar 2015 9:52 am
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The baffle? The label?
It's a Twin.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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