The Steel Guitar Forum

Yet another amp question...Has anyone tried this new amp? Seems like it would work quite well, but I'd like some steelers opinions before I start considering dropping another 1000 bucks

Thank you, and hope you're all well

The reissue Fender Twins have a tone that bugs my ear.
A Steel King, Session , Nashville, would be a safer bet. or a sliver face Twin IMHO
Ken

I was looking at the steel kings, but was a little turned off at the idea that it was solid state...still worth looking into though?

I've got one Brett, if you are refering to the Twin Custom 15, basically a reissue twin with Fenders 15 inch speaker. I think it's a great practice/recording amp, but it would need to be miked at just about any live gig. It's a black face reissue and it breaks up way too soon. But it sure sounds good with my 73 LDG. If your ever out my way, your welcome to try it out.

If you're talking about the new '65 Twin Custom 15, I think it's the best steel amp I've ever played thru.
I did a gig the other day with one, and I've got one this weekend that I'll be using it on.
I've got a first generation Session 400, as well as a Nashville 1000, and I used to have a Session 500, and this Twin was the best of the bunch.
Clean, loud and warm...those tubes really make a difference after years of solid state Peaveys.
I was running a SuperPro with BL705's, using a stock pot volume pedal, straight into the amp...no fx.

And, Cindy Cashdollar loves hers.

http://www.cindycashdollar.com/favorites/

"Fender Twin Custom 15- A beautiful tube amp with more punch and response for lows and mids with the 15" speaker."

Hey, Skipper -- Where are you playing this weekend? It's hard to get away these days but would love to come hang if it's anywhere nearby.

I have been banging around on a Custom 15 myself and I'm digging it! Let's talk soon. Boo

I knew I had a good feeling about this one...Think I might try one out in the next few days. Thanks for all in the info!!

Save some bucks and find a silver face Twin, 2 x 12's cut better than a 15" IMHO. There's scads of them floating around still and they can be had for the neighborhood of $600. Try Craigslist.

The Custom 15 wasn't out yet when I bought my 65 Re-Issue Twin, or I would have bought the Custom. I had to cut my own baffle for a JBL D-130, but it's a fabulous sounding amp. Plenty of power for clubs. Unfortunately, I hear some Forum members experienced defects with their Custom 15. If I were in the market now, I think I would look for an a good deal on an older silver-face Twin and put a 15 in it.

hrmmmmm

I put a D130 in my RI Twin and it's all I'll ever want or need... and it doesn't break up way too soon.

I have one and really like it.

Also, the choice of power tubes in the Twin RI can determine when it breaks up. And, Torres Engineering will take you new Twin RI chassis, throw the PCB away, and rebuild/hand wire point to point, the whole enchilada for $495 into a full on Blackface like the 60's only better in my opinion.

I think old tubes amps are a pain unless you have buddy that is an amp tech.

http://www.torresengineering.com/reisfenamppo.html

I have a 1973 Fender Vibrosonic with 1 15' JBL and I split it up into two pieces to get rid of the weight problem and I wouldn't take $2000.00 for this amp, it has nothing but tone written all over it. If you can get a Vibrosonic, I sincerely do not think you can beat it for tone, JMHO though. My good friend Ken Fox from down Georgia way mad this amp what it is today, tone wise. As far as I am concerned, there is no one any better to make a Fender Amplifier sing, and imagine this, he's one heck of a nice person on top of all that!!!!!!!
Thanks
Gene

I really like this amp. For what it is worth, I had some minor problems with mine but for the most part it has been good. I had one strange power occurrence years ago and I posted on the forum about it. Without me contacting them, a fender rep emailed me with a number of suggestions.

I've got a buddy in town here who gigs quite a bit with his Custom Twin and I don't think he has had any problems.

If I had found a good deal on a non-master volume Twin at the time, had time to make a new baffle and shop around for a speaker, replace caps, etc., I probably would have gone that route for easy servicing in the future. I'm not excited about having circuit board in my amp, but as long as it's working I don't care too much.

I like the tone A LOT. Here's a recording I did with it a while back (Oklahoma):

http://www.myspace.com/burkejam

Jerry, get some different power tubes, and get it rebiased. Gib, don't worry about the master volume. You just turn it up all the way, or have it removed. My split Twin started life as a Quad with a master volume. My tech removed it, and the hole was covered by the new faceplate. He biased it right, and measured the output at 100 watts on the button. Clean to the top. He's a really good tech!

Drew Howard wrote:Save some bucks and find a silver face Twin, 2 x 12's cut better than a 15" IMHO. There's scads of them floating around still and they can be had for the neighborhood of $600. Try Craigslist.

If you go the SF Twin route, definitely try before you buy, there's a lot of crappy ones out there!

that's what im wary of...enough twins to sink a ship out here in LA, and about a dozen really nice ones

I disagree! A crappy old Fender can be easily fixed, as long as x-formers aren't trashed, any tech can fix 'em for a very reasonable charge.

John Billings wrote:I disagree! A crappy old Fender can be easily fixed, as long as x-formers aren't trashed, any tech can fix 'em for a very reasonable charge.

True, but you have to take into account how much you pay for it up front and then how much you'll sink into it to bring it up to snuff. And if the cabinet is falling apart, or is some heavy piece of particle board crap, you have to take into account the price of a new cab. Trying to refurb an old amp can be prohibitively expensive, and at some point you might just as well buy a new boutique! But that's what the try before you buy is all about.

Here's my old Silverface Quad Reverb
Bought as a bare chassis for $280. Had to buy power tubes, I have enough of the others to last a couple of lifetimes. Caps were around $25/35. Cabs were about $350. Got the speaker and money for a Vibro Champ. I think the faceplate was $35/45. Tech tuneup wasn't much.




Just an old Fender. They can be fixed.

I recently got this 1970 example for $250 from a guy who needed the money quick:



Tune-up: $60
Tubes: $100
New Custom 15" Cabinet: $200 with shipping
New 15" Speaker: $150

Total: $760

I may flip the beat original cabinet and speakers for around $200.

Grand total for a point-to-point 1970 SF Twin Custom 15"......$550.

Hey Brett! Just a quick tip when trying out the "Custom 15". When "tweaking" this amp to find your sound make sure the "bright" switch" is ON. Compare the sound when you turn off the "bright" switch without changing any of the other controls. You will think you were playing through an entirely different amp...for me the "bright" setting is it. Got so used to not using the pull bright switch on my various Peaveys over the years that it never dawned on me to try it on the "Twin" Thought about letting it go until I saw the light(I mean bright!) Regards, RK

Brett,
I played one (twin w/15) in the early 70's with my D-12 MSA. It sounded good, but no balls when needed for larger venues. This was prior to everyone being mic'd thru the sound system days, so that's to be considered. I purchased my first session 400 w/JBL in 1974 and never looked back.
Great stuff/sound as long as you don't need lots of raw power.