Fender twin reverb

A. J. Schobert · From: Cincinnati, Ohio,

Just wondering if anyone plays through a fender twin reverb? I saw a new one at a local music shop and was wondering how they sounded with a steel?

Jerry Malvern · From: Menifee, California, USA

I use a twin reverb with the 15 inch speaker, dont get any better than that. Razz

A. J. Schobert · From: Cincinnati, Ohio,

The one I was looking at had 2 12" speakers I am sure some one played through one.

David Doggett · Posted 7 Feb 2007 5:42 pm

The '70s silver face Twin Reverbs are great for pedal steel. I like the later ones with the 135 watt ultralinear transformer, because they have the most clean headroom. Because of the weight issue, I now use a SF Dual Showman Reverb, which is a SF Twin in a head cabinet. That also gives me the flexibility of pairing it with 12" or 15" speakers.

The modern Twin Reverb reissues are pc board amps with tone that attempts to copy the old black face Twins. To me they have neither the warmth of the old black face Twins, nor the clean headroom of the silver face Twins. But they are still pretty good steel amps, and lots of people use them. The Twin Custom 15 is pretty much the Twin REverb reissue with a 15" speaker, but possibly with a little more clean headroom.

Jerry Meek · From: Colorado, USA

I have a 1970 silverface twin with factory JBL D120Fs and it has a warm smooth tone compared to the solid state amps without a tube preamp.I love the tone but it is too heavy for me to take yo a job.J.M.

Justin Griffith · From: Taylor, Texas, USA

I think Lloyd Green used one on the Panther hall album. I also recall reading he used one in the studio for a number of years. That is good enough for me. Smile

Jim Sliff · From: Lawndale California, USA

I can't stand Twins for 6-string unless it's huge outdoors gig, but for steel they can be just about as good as you can get if you like clean steel tones. If you get one, make sure to have it serviced if it hasn't *for sure* been done - all vintage BF/SF Twins are overdue for filter and bias capacitor replacement, tube sockets cleaned and retensioned, other parts checked for drift and tubes either checked with a bias meter (a tube tester is useless fo guitar amps - not enough plate voltage) or replaced and rebiased.

I prefer the slightly lower-powered amps like the Pro Reverb and Vibroverb - a little less headroom, but still plenty loud and warmer sounding than most Twins. But you simply can lose buying one (a BF or SF, not a reissue) - assuming you pay the going rate for whatever year it is, it will NEVER go down in value.

I would strongly suggest avoiding the reissues - for about the same price as a used reissue you can get a used Silverface Twin, which is a far superior amp in workmanship and tone.

As previously mentioned, the ultralinear Twins are the cleanest sounding ones, and can usually be found cheaper, as guitar players generally detest them. Also, any Master-volume model will be less expensive than others, and is a tremendous amp as long as you leave the master dimed all the time.
_________________
No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional

Cliff Kane · From: the late great golden state

I play through a '68 silverface Twin with original Fender speakers, and I like it a lot. It's plenty loud, it's tone is clean and warm, the reverb and tremolo sound great. It sounds good with an overdrive pedal. My Strat sounds really great through it. For me it seems like the ideal all-around amp, and reverb and tremolo are my favorite effects. I've had a Session 400 and an Evans FET500, and the Twin sounds as good for steel, except I think the Large Evans cabinet gives that amp a lot of body to the tone. The Evans FET500 has a really fat sound. A 15" would help the Twin for steel I think. Before this amp I had a Rivera, and it's a good amp, but the Twin's got a sweeter tone, it's more musical sounding and better string seperation.

Marlin Smoot · From: Kansas

Twins are great amps. Heavy too. I have a "65 RI" and a "94 Twin" It's a nice amp to have in the stable with your other steel type amps so you can change up your sound/tone to keep things interesting.

I wouldn't have it as my only pedal steel amp, but its always nice to have several amps you can choose from if you can afford it and have the room to store them. Tons of people have used them and maybe one of the most recorded amps in history.

If you can find one at a good buy, usually you can always get your money back out of them if you don't need to sell it in a hurry. I've seen SF twins with Master Volume go for as little as $500 in decent condition locally. Original 65 Twins command a lot of respect in the wallet and you may want to take your banker with you.

As with any tube amp, if you're not sure of the history, take it to a good amp tech for a check up.

Jay Yuskaitis · From: Massachusetts, USA

Love the Twins, been using them for years, but, like the rest of us, they tend to gain weight every year.
Jay Y.

Jay Yuskaitis · From: Massachusetts, USA

Love the Twins, been using them for years, but, like the rest of us, they tend to gain weight every year.
Jay Y.

Jay Yuskaitis · From: Massachusetts, USA

Love the Twins, been using them for years, but, like the rest of us, they tend to gain weight every year.
Jay Y.

Jerry Meek · From: Colorado, USA

I don't know about most guitar players but Vince Gill uses two twins with JBLs and I think he sounds about as good as it gets. Jerry

Bill McRoberts · From: Janesville, Wisconsin USA

I use a '76 Twin Reverb W/ 12" JBL speakers. Although they do sound good with stock speakers too. If you find the right tech person you can get it souped up to run reverb through both channels. It does eliminates the use of the vibrato option. I have used this on jobs where I have used both my pedal and non-pedal guitars. Over all, it is a great steel amp.

A. J. Schobert · From: Cincinnati, Ohio,

It seems guys are not to fond of the Twin Reverb RI (new ones). However the older ones are fine.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

I have an original, early silver face Twin Reverb with factory JBL speakers (1967) that is a great amp.

And I also have the reissue model with the 15" speaker. This amp is nothing to sneeze at either! Very Happy

Cliff Kane · From: the late great golden state

Doesn't Vince Gill also use twin Rivera R100? Maybe he went back to Fender.

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

I put my '71 twin reverb in a head cabinet, and run a pair of 15" altecs in Rick Johnson extension cabinets. That helps the weight issue. I love my tone!

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