| Author |
Topic: Value of 1965 Twin Reverb?? |
Bob Carlucci
From:
Candor, New York, USA
|
Posted 27 Oct 2006 2:08 pm |
|
I know.. whatever someone will pay for it...
actually I have a chance to buy one from a guy I work with.. He really seems to want me to have it... Tells me to take it home,keep it and play it a while, see if I like it and make an offer.. He bought it new in 65 and its been sitting most of the last 40 years.. His nephew recently blew it up to the tune of a $250 repair bill... He's having it fixed now..
According to a local expert In vintage amp restoration,Twins are WAY down.. I see nice blackfaces on ebay with 1200-1300 BIN prices with NO bids,,They were going $1500 a few years ago... Deluxes,Supers, Vibroluxes, are hotter than ever, but Twins and Pros are a tougher sell///
The amp in queestion is suppossedly in very nice cosmetic cond, but has non original speakers and replacement power transformer... I am not sure what to offer.. If he wants retail he can keep it, but I don't want to insult him either... He also has a non reverse Gibson Firebird III which I saw, and is pretty nice, but again, I am not desperate for it and don't want to pay retail.. I have seen these from $2000 to $4000 lately, but who really knows ???.. In any case, on this Twin.... any solid suggestions??..
Dave M, are you out there buddy??.... bob |
|
|
 |
Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
|
Posted 27 Oct 2006 2:15 pm
|
|
I've seen reasonable Twins going in the $500 to $700 range that need some face lifting.
I almost picked one up earlier this year for $500..but I wasn't into the repair part..maybe another time... |
|
|
|
Gene H. Brown
From:
Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada
|
Posted 27 Oct 2006 3:52 pm
|
|
If this is a 1965 Twin, it's a blackface and I've seen blackface twins go for two thousand dollars in good shape, but....if it doesn't have the original speakers or transformer, I would be taking some bucks off of that.
A good silverface will go for $750 to $1100.00 or so dollars also.
Hope this helps, I payed $700.00 for my silverface Vibrosonic (Twin with a 15' speaker", beautiful amp, none better in my mind.
Gene
------------------
If You Keep Pickin That Thing, It'll Never Heal!
;)
|
|
|
|
Dave Mudgett
From:
Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee
|
Posted 27 Oct 2006 4:35 pm
|
|
I believe that, relative to blackface Vibrolux Reverbs, Vibroverbs, and even Deluxe Reverbs, blackface Twin Reverbs have indeed lagged. They're big and heavy, pretty clean, and loud enough that many guitarists just can't get their tone at a reasonable volume. But a really clean, original example, in good electronic shape still, I believe, commands something like 1500-$2000 with no problem. I'm sure the book is higher, but my own personal upper end on one of these would be more like $1500. A buddy scored a real nice one about a year ago for that kind of money, and it's a nice amp in all respects. I think it's still worth that, but it's real clean and original.
But everything depends on condition, condition, condition. There's one on ebay now that has a replaced power transformer and modern Celestions in it that doesn't get a BIN at around $1500, at least not yet. But some others are over two grand, and have things like changed speakers and grill cloth, but no takers. I, personally, would not spend a lot more than a grand for one with significant issues like replaced power transformer and non-period speakers. But I prefer player pieces that can be had at a reasonable price.
Another point - quite apart from condition and originality, it matters a lot how it sounds. If it sounds strong but still warm, with a good reverb and tremelo sounds, has had recent filter caps and solid service, has a good set of NOS tubes in it, and so on, then it's worth somewhat more to me. If it doesn't sound so good or sounds weak, has the original filter caps in it, the reverb or tremelo is weak or bad-sounding, has some poor quality repairs, and/or the tubes are microphonic or otherwise have issues, that degrades the value, IMO. Unless you can do the work yourself, getting a bunch of these things fixed can cost in the hundreds of dollars. But on the other hand - if it's one you can get seriously checked out and really listen to - that is certainly better than an ebay crapshoot that you also have to sink a hunk of change in shipping.
So, I wouldn't worry about insulting anybody in making an offer. I look at an amp, try to make an honest and realistic appraisal about its condition - cosmetic, electronic, tonal, originality, and so on - and explain that in an offer. All IMO, of course.
Tony, if those are original blackface Twin Reverbs for $500-700 that just need some face lifting, that sounds like a pretty good deal, to me, unless they're basket cases. That is the normal price range for a decent but not perfect silverface Twin Reverb. Again, IMO. |
|
|
|
Larry Robbins
From:
Fort Edward, New York
|
Posted 27 Oct 2006 4:59 pm
|
|
Bob,
I would take your friend up on his offer to take it home and play it a while first, and then see what You think its worth. Non- original speakers and trans former...I would guess in the 600-750 range if YOU like it..Just my 2 cents....Good luck.
Let us know how you make out. I love Twins.
 |
|
|
|
Bob Carlucci
From:
Candor, New York, USA
|
Posted 28 Oct 2006 4:10 am
|
|
Good replies guys.. I am going to take it home and see what I think.. I consider ebay prices these days as "retail",,, actually sometimes ebay prices are OVER what a good vintage guitar shop would charge..
anyway,I feel BF Twins are down.. they are really not selling as high as a few years ago... I also see guys spending $750-850+ on clean Silverface Twins, but lately BF Twins just 3-400 higher go unsold..can't sat why that is..
anyway, I may make an offer on the Twin and the Firebird... He will never use then again,they have been unused for decades
[he hadn't open the FB case in 15 years}
and he doesn't seem like a ebay guy, and knows I drive a school bus as he does and am not made of money...maybe I'll get lucky!!!! .... bob |
|
|
|
Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
|
Posted 28 Oct 2006 6:01 am
|
|
I have an early silver face twin reverb (before the master volume control). I ordered it from Fender in 1966 with JBL speakers. It really is an outstanding piece of equipment, all original, heavy as can be but nothing you can do about that except put casters on it.
And no, it's not for sale.  [This message was edited by Erv Niehaus on 28 October 2006 at 07:03 AM.] |
|
|
|
Jon Light
From:
Saugerties, NY
|
Posted 28 Oct 2006 7:33 am
|
|
| You know the drill re: the need for a cap job, upgrading to a three pole plug, retubing & biasing----this will add $$$ to the bottom line. |
|
|
|
Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
|
Posted 28 Oct 2006 2:17 pm
|
|
The Twin market is depressed due to the plethora of used re-issues out there right now. Many players who bought the RI's expected them to be the "real deal", but they weren't. Many re-issues are being sold to unsuspecting people as real '60s BF amps. REAL pre '67 BF Twins are still bringing good money...if they're in good shape. (Most of them out there aren't.) About a $800 to a grand seems to be the average going rate, with mint examples bringing easily 50% more.
FWIW (for even less money), the 135-watt ultra linear version is a far better steel amp. Though the BF Twins can really rock for straight guitar, they just don't have the guts for most steel players, 60-80 watts only goes so far. |
|
|
|
Kevin Mincke
From:
Farmington, MN (Twin Cities-South Metro) USA
|
Posted 28 Oct 2006 2:39 pm
|
|
| Uh Erv, I'm coming over to your stable or corral yet! |
|
|
|
Marlin Smoot
From:
Kansas
|
Posted 29 Oct 2006 12:15 pm
|
|
I think eBay has ruined the art of a good deal. People with junk want top dollar not knowing what they have and people who know what they have want top dollar. I think eBay is an "okay" place to do some price research. Sure, sometimes you can find a good deal if you're ahead of the curve.
Just my view. |
|
|
|
Ben Elder
From:
La Crescenta, California, USA
|
Posted 31 Oct 2006 3:07 pm
|
|
| Not that you can mail-order it, but Elderly Instruments currently has a '67 BF for $2000, apparently nice shape and Jensen speakers. [This message was edited by Ben Elder on 31 October 2006 at 03:16 PM.] |
|
|
|
Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
|
Posted 31 Oct 2006 4:09 pm
|
|
A BF Twin is a great steel amp. Al you have to do is use a lower-gain preamp tube like a 5751 and rebias the power tubes on the colder side. You'll have headroom to spare and the tone will blow a 135-watt boat anchor Twin out of the water. The ultralinears are simply cold sounding amps due to the overstressed power supply, and there's nothing that can warm up the sound. Other than a fireplace....
A BF Twin, even with replaced parts, is a good clean-steel amp and not a bad investment. It's not going to attract collectors, and $750-$1000 should be abotu right...it REALLY depends on what the speakers are, because you might have to replace them.
If they are newer Jensens, you WILL replace them - they aren't made to original Jensen specs, just model numbers, by a totally different company. And Jensens eally have never been "tight" enough for steel. I'd look at the Weber California (my favortite "clean" speaker) or one of the big-magnet Eminence ceramics.
And as Jon said, if it's been unused for a while you can figure another $200-250 immediately for a cap job and new tubes. Even with a replaced PT, if the caps were replaced and it's been sitting for 10 years the caps are dried out. Amps HAVE to be run periodically to keep the electrolytic element "fluid", and when they dry, they go boom - and you buy ANOTHER PT. Plus 10 years is really max life, played or not, on filter and bias caps.
Hope that helps. Feel free to email if you need any more info.
Jim |
|
|
|
