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Topic: Used Twins - an informal ebay survey |
Bill Terry
From:
Bastrop, TX
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Posted 14 Feb 2001 9:47 am |
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Seems that Twin Reverbs always generate a lot of reponse and some debate about price, value etc. I did a very 'informal' survey of sold Twins on ebay (Jan and Feb of this year):
Twin Reverbs - SF only, no reissues
Number of sales: 19
Average sale price: 487
Maximum sale price: 650
Minimum sale price: 387
Twin Reverbs - '65 reissues
Number of sales: 4
Average sale price: 611
Maximum sale price: 785
Minimum sale price: 485
I limited the data to complete working amps only, no chassis only or non-working amps. Interesting to me that the reissues seem to bring higher prices.
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bterry.home.netcom.com
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 14 Feb 2001 2:51 pm
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Interesting. Of course, blackfaces are a whole 'nother story! I think the SF's are cheaper because there are so many of them out there. Also, the reissues are not that much better...just newer. From your survey, I'd say the SF's are a good buy now!
These amps have a good sound to start with, but their real beauty is the endless easy mods you can make to them. They're kind of the "327's" of amplifiers! |
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Craig A Davidson
From:
Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin USA
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Posted 16 Feb 2001 6:08 pm
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It's funny about the price difference but I can say being an owner of a SF and now a 65 reissue I prefer the 65. Seems to be fatter and cleaner. Don't even have to run a 15 inch speaker under it.
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JB Arnold
From:
Longmont,Co,USA (deceased)
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Posted 17 Feb 2001 6:28 pm
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The reissue I have is a blackface reissue-sounds great-locally, the orginal blackfaces are bringing quite a hefty price if theyr'e in goos condition, assuming someone will part with it.
John
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Fulawka D-10 9&5
"All in all, looking back, I'd have to say the best advice anyone ever gave me was 'Hands Up, Don't Move!"
www.johnbarnold.com/pedalsteel
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Bill Terry
From:
Bastrop, TX
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Posted 17 Feb 2001 6:46 pm
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Re original BF Twins: Yep, there were two or three sold on ebay during the same time that I collected the info above. I think two went for 900 or 950 and one went for 1100 or something like that.
I sold the last BF Twin I had in the early 80's for 450.00.... and was glad to get it.
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bterry.home.netcom.com
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Drew Howard
From:
48854
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Posted 17 Feb 2001 8:14 pm
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Boll,
What a coincidence! I checked Ebay this afternoon for silver-face Twins...
Drew Howard
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http://www.newslinkassociates.com
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Rich Paton
From:
Santa Maria, CA.,
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Posted 17 Feb 2001 8:48 pm
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Red Rhodes and the Fender Twin Reverb amps...
Didn't Red have a significant role in the design of the Blackface Twins? FWIW, I'm quite certain that he told me that.
I bought an early-production '65 Twin Reverb re-issue amp, and it came equipped with some very lame tubes. I contacted him in L.A. and later made the 3 hour drive to his home shop to have him re-tube and bias it.
At the time (ca. 1992) he was, I believe, the chief amplifier (and GT has produced some superb, if pricey) amps. design engineer at Groove Tubes in Sylmar.
When I went in I had to laugh, because the floor of his garage workshop in North Hollywood was literally ankle-deep in discarded bad tubes and a lot of rejected (there at his shop) Groove Tubes.
You are probably faniliar with the GT procurement/qualification methodology of buying millions of Chinese tubes at a good low price, and testing them all to find out which of them actually work. Hence the huge buildup of junked N.O.S. (new old sh*t) GT's everywhere. There were little mountains formed of junk 12AX7-style tubes piling up on workbenches, shelves & all other horizontal surfaces. It was great! Crunch, crunch every time I took a step.
He had not seen a re-issue Twin model, and was quite anxious to open it up and check out whatit was all about. He basically liked it, but surmised that the transformers were probably pretty cheesy, compared to the "old iron" Fender gear. No big surprise there.
I hardly knew the guy, but I do miss the opportunity to hang out with him and gather tube amp knowledge & lore from a true master in the field. |
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Herb Steiner
From:
Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064
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Posted 18 Feb 2001 2:51 am
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Yes, I too miss Red. He told me I had to get a Twin, so in 1968 I went to Sol Betnun's music store and swapped my 1957 Strat and $150 for a BF TR.
I should have held on to the Strat, in retrospect. 
Red also told me he helped design the Twin Reverb, but Al Petty says he never worked at Fender. He might have been a player/consultant like Noel Boggs and some other guys.
Incidentally, I bought my second Sho-Bud in 1970 from Aspen Pittman (owner of Groove Tubes/GT Technology), when he worked at the original Guitar Center on Sunset Blvd., where Freedom Guitar now sits.
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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association
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