pre CBS Fender Twin Reverb Head. Value?

[David Cook]

I am thinking of selling this Twin(just the head)
What is a reasonable asking price
Runs great
Thanks

[Dale Foreman]

Can you give me serial numbers etc. so I can see what year?

[Dave Mudgett]

What do you mean by "just the head"? A Twin Reverb, especially a pre-CBS Twin Reverb, is a combo amp. If it's in a head-only cabinet, it's been modified. The Dual Showman Reverb head is basically a Twin Reverb chassis with a different nameplate and in a head cabinet. But they didn't hit until the silverface era, and definitely a few years after CBS took over the company.

True pre-CBS is before January 5, 1965, which is the date the sale to CBS was completed. The blackface amps continued until around 1967, when there was a transition in late-67 or early-68 to silverface with a drip panel around the edges of the speaker grille. A blackface Twin Reverb with everything intact will have a two-digit code on the tube chart, denoting the month and year of production. You can also use Greg Gagliano's Fender amp serial number research to help pin this down. Potentiometer and transformer dates are also very important to establish originality and production date. One or more non-orginal transformers can put a serious dent in the value. No one factor is totally determinative.

Every little detail matters in determining the proximate value of a vintage Fender amp. You can use things like the Vintage Guitar Price Guide to get a ballpark idea of value, which is based on a totally original amp in Excellent condition. You can also hone in a little tighter by looking at ebay or reverb.com sold listings for truly comparable amps. These 'sold' listings usually, but not always, state what the amp actually sold for, not just what people are asking. Asking is not getting.

But nobody can realistically give a knowledgebale estimate what you have or what it's worth without detailed pictures and accurate descriptions of everything. Every little aspect of condition and non-originality can affect this estimated value.

[Dave Hopping]

If it were ALL original and in decent shape, it might be worthwhile to re-mount it in a combo cab with some good speakers. Twin-Reverbs are heavy but there's nothing that sounds like one, especially a pre-CBS.

[Ken Metcalf]

Good luck.

[J Fletcher]

Didn't Lloyd Green split his Twin into a head and speaker cab ? And maybe Ricky Davis too ? There's a pretty good steel player in my area who also did that . A Twin in a head configuration is a practical idea , and I would think there would be buyers . If it was a nice job done , and the amp was in original shape with no work needed, my guess is $750 .Pictures would help .

[Stephen Cowell]

A true 'pre-CBS' BF Twin is a rare dog... they only made them from '64 on... and Fender sold out to CBS in '65.

That said, I don't think they command any more than the other BF Twins... same parts, same wiring... even the '68 silverface has the same parts and wiring, just some added cathode circuits in the finals.

If it is indeed 'just the head' then it's been chopped... all bets are off. If you're considering doing this to a vintage amp, please just buy the separate cabinets and keep the original un-molested. The amp will sell much better with original cabinet, and folks are always looking for separation kits anyway.

[Ricky Davis]

Yes; Rick Johnson built me and Lloyd Green; "Green cabinets", to split up the weight of Fender Twin and Speaker(s) and match our Green LDG's. We LOVE them and both me and Lloyd use Alnico mag JBL. I use the K-130 and Lloyd uses the D-130...MUCH LIGHTER speaker and well; you've heard me and Lloyd play LDG number 1 and 2...so there ya go. here's mine in bushes and Lloyd sitting pleasantly





Ricky

[Jeff Keyton]

Here's a cousin to those Rick Johnson split cabs above. This is a 1x15 Green Twin combo (RJ also did the Tweed cab next to it), the 1966 head came to me in a SF Dual Reverb cabinet-it's an amp version of a partscaster. Collector value may be lower, but practicality goes up with changes made to fit player's preferences. The Eps speaker sounds great to me, maybe not quite as good as the greyback JBL's in a 74 Twin that I used to have, but at about 50lbs, the amp doesn't feel like it's nailed to the floor either when it's time to move it. Also the EPS has no problem handling the output.

[Dave Grafe]

I sold my completely original, super clean 1964 TR with a pair of JBL D120F speakers last year for $2500. It would have been less than half that if it had been modified in any way. As yours has been removed from its combo cabinet you might get $800 for the head alone.

[Raybob Bowman]

mojotone.com has head cabs for the Twin chassis and reverb tank, if needed.

[Bob Carlucci]

Is the head in a cab?... If so, Its at least an $850 amp these days, maybe more.. Guys are paying absolutely STUPID prices these days for anything BF Fender.. Just saw a BF Super Reverb, head, chassis only, no cabinet, no transformer, no reverb tank, no tubes, needs total rebuild with transformer, tank,, PLUS needs a cabinet and speakers, sell for almost $800 shipped.. If your Twin has a well done "head cab", runs good, has all parts including tank,, it will sell for a good dollar on ebay,.. not so much here, or other guitar forums, but remember, ebay takes a niece piece of the pie.

A well done Twin reverb in head form, is a good, in demand item, thats still got good value, because good reproduction restoration parts are easily procured... I have seen them sell close to what a Showman head sells for, just a few hundred dollars less.... bob

[Donny Hinson]

I'll go along with what Bob said about the value, $850-$950 without the original cabinet and speakers. (Value would be almost double if it was all original and in decent shape.)

[David Cook]

Thanks everyone
The Head is in a small cabinet made by Rick Johnson and the date of manufacture is 1965