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Topic: My Replacement Twin Custom 15" |
Chris LeDrew
From:
Canada
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Posted 11 Nov 2008 6:51 pm |
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I have previously posted elsewhere about my woes with the Fender Twin Custom 15 that I received this past summer. It arrived at the shop with a bum speaker, and later proved itself a bad fuse-blower. Even after a trip to the tech bench it was not fixed. On top of this, something did not sound right about this amp. It didn't have a rich high end, nor did it have much headroom at all. So it went back to the factory, and I was left wondering what to do. So I decided to go with a Steel King instead, but then found out that the Canadian dollar drop caused the Steel King to soar up to the Custom 15 price. Fender, however, was willing to replace the Custom 15 for even trade. So despite my misgivings about this model, I decided to take a chance. And I have to admit that I'm glad I did.
The replacement came yesterday, and, upon bringing it home and plugging in both my Sho~Bud and Mullen, was truly impressed and pleasantly surprised at how great this amp sounds. The difference between this one and the last one is like night and day. There was a bit of a fuss kicked up by the dealer over the last amp being faulty, so I think they may have gone over this amp more carefully before sending it. (Fender are also aware of the grilling they're taking on this forum over the Custom 15.) Even the tubes came upgraded from stock, and the reverb is almost as lush as my SF Twin. The C6 neck particularly shines through this amp. I am won over again. That's not to say, of course, that something may pop up mechanically down the road, but this one just beats the pants off the last one sound-wise. And the headroom is huge, almost right to the top. The first amp broke up around 5.
I know many of us had trouble with this model in the past, but I think if one is found used at a great price, it might be worth the risk if it turns out to be a good one. I just think fair is fair, hence this post to say that I am happy with my replacement Custom 15.
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Jackson Steel Guitars
Web: www.chrisledrew.com |
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James Morehead
From:
Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.
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Posted 11 Nov 2008 8:05 pm
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Jerry Malvern
From:
Menifee, California, USA
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Posted 11 Nov 2008 9:41 pm
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| Chris, as you probably know, I have the Custom 15. What upgraded tubes did they install? |
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Kevin Hatton
From:
Buffalo, N.Y.
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Posted 11 Nov 2008 10:41 pm
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| This is just one more example of the poor quality control as concerns the Fender Custom Twin 15 amplifier. I have known at least ten people who bought this amplfier. Some on this Forum. I recomended this amp when it first came out, but not any more. Nine had problems within the first three months. Its a GREAT sounding amp, but is built like tissue paper. Fender, get your act together and you will sell alot of these amplifiers if you fix the QUALITY CONTROL PROBLEMS on the Fender Custom Twin 15. |
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James Morehead
From:
Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.
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Posted 12 Nov 2008 8:51 am
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| It's more like this, If one model has quality control issues, do you think the OTHER models do not? Hope Chris has got a good one--sounds like he does now. |
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Chris LeDrew
From:
Canada
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Posted 13 Nov 2008 8:41 pm
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Yes, James, I am crossing my fingers and hoping for the best.
Jerry, it came with white-label Groove power tubes, which (according to the dealer) give the amp more clean power. I may have overshot it by say it was an "upgrade" in quality, but they usually come with red Grooves. I'm not an expert on tubes, so this info may be contested.
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Jackson Steel Guitars
Web: www.chrisledrew.com |
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Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 13 Nov 2008 8:51 pm
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| Quote: |
| Jerry, it came with white-label Groove power tubes, which (according to the dealer) give the amp more clean power. |
Tubes don't really (at least in a case like this) give more clean "power" They give you more clean headroom - which technically, if you are analyzing waveforms, is LESS power than a distorted signal.
A good example of why I detest Groove Tubes (I love Aspen Pittman - he's a great guys and funny, charming, kind...but the term "snake oil" always comes to mind - and I have not used a set of Groove Tubes in AT LEAST 15 years, except in testing an amp that sounded like crap - tube replacement being high on the priority list.
_________________
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 |
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Chris LeDrew
From:
Canada
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Posted 13 Nov 2008 9:12 pm
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Yes, Jim, I meant to say headroom. I was using the word power in a "clean volume" sense.
It seems the white Grooves are rated differently than the reds. Can someone explain this difference?
_________________
Jackson Steel Guitars
Web: www.chrisledrew.com |
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Jerry Malvern
From:
Menifee, California, USA
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Posted 13 Nov 2008 9:31 pm
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| Thanks Chris, thats the same tubes I have in mine. I did try some tubes I bought from the tube store, with a hardness rating of 25. Lots more clean headroom, but they took all the nice warm tone out of the amp. |
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Gibson Hartwell
From:
Missoula, Montana, USA
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Posted 14 Nov 2008 1:11 pm tubes
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| Chris, Glad to hear you have worked through this with Fender. My Twin originally had the red GTs in it which (from what you are saying about your headroom) did break up earlier. I eventually replaced the GTs with JJs which I like even better. |
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Chris LeDrew
From:
Canada
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Posted 14 Nov 2008 7:48 pm
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Gibson, I like to give credit where credit's due. Fender has obviously responded to a situation here with this amp, and I give them credit for doing so. Fender does indeed monitor this forum, and it would not be fair for me to be vocal only when something goes wrong. The first one they sent me crackled, blew fuses, and had a faulty or damaged speaker. This one is quiet, great-sounding, and has not showed any weaknesses despite 5 days of constant abuse here at the house on deafening levels for hours at a time. I'll have it out on a gig tomorrow night which will be the real test, although I foresee no problems following my merciless handling of it all week.
_________________
Jackson Steel Guitars
Web: www.chrisledrew.com |
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Gibson Hartwell
From:
Missoula, Montana, USA
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Posted 15 Nov 2008 9:08 am Fender Support
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| I here you Chris. I had one strange issue with my amp years ago which hasn't repeated itself. I posted something up here on the site about it and a Fender rep contacted me off the forum. I was pretty impressed with that. Even if they do have some QC problems they certainly do seem to give good support, in my experience. |
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Bo Legg
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Posted 22 Nov 2008 4:06 pm
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I don't want to hijack this topic but I have 2 questions about the 65 twin RI. 1. I have a RI with the 2 12s in it.
1. Is the speakers the only difference between mine and the custom 15?
2. Has anyone got some setting to make the 2 12s sound good with the PSG or is it just impossible?
I'm sure this has been ask before but I couldn't find it. |
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Tim Whitlock
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 24 Nov 2008 1:16 pm
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Bo-
1. The Custom 15 cabinet is a little bigger than the RI. Other than that I think the only difference is the speaker.
2. I could not get the stock Jensen speakers in the RI to sound good for steel on any setting. I replaced the 2 - 12's with a JBL D-130F (and later with a Weber Neo 15) and it makes a huge difference. IMHO if you put good speakers in the RI it makes a good steel amp, although some do seem to like the stock speakers. |
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John Groover McDuffie
From:
LA California, USA
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Posted 24 Nov 2008 1:34 pm
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FWIW I think the Fender/Eminence 12" speakers which Fender used to install in the '65 Twin RI (and still use in the "Hot Rod" amps) sound much better than the Jensen C-12-Ks they are installing now. The Jensens have a more pronounced high end that I find displeasing. My comparisons were done with lead guitar but I would think the same would be true for PSG.
I think in really loud situations 2 12s cut through better than 1 15. |
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