The ONE Fender Amp to Own

[markesquire]

If you could only have one amp, and it had to be a Fender, what would it be?

Blackface or Tweed?

More than enough power, or whatever's practical for most of the time? I do most of my playing around the house, so I currently have a PRRI, but that wouldn't work in some applications which need more volume. Maybe I could get a twin to be able to cover all bases, and get an RC booster or something to make it do the "warm" thing that the PRRI does around 5 on the volume knob.

[jeremyb]

Tweed bassman 4x10, tweed deluxe being a second choice :)

[jh45gun]

Well I got a Tweed Super Clone I built that I really like but I just today brought home a Fender PA 100 PA system (bought it for the head) which guys on this forum and other places say it is like a 4 channel Twin Reverb. Probably not quite as bright as a Twin Reverb but it has lush reverb and a very nice clean clean tone and you can get some nice twang out of it. One thing about it if you can find one they are cheaper then a Twin Reverb but then you have to have a speaker cab too which I do. Just an other option. I sure like the sound of this one. Made in the 70's and has 46l6s

[mad dog]

Lo power tweed twin, tweed pro right behind.

[TelZilla]

Financially Reasonable choice: homebrew 5E3 (whaddaya know, I have one of those!)

Pie in the sky choice: Low power Tweed Twin

[Wally]

Mark, I am a proponent of fitting the guitar and the amp to the type of music that the palyer. What music and what guitar...besides a Telecastaer...do you play? IF you want it all in one package, find you a Rivera-era Fender amp of appropriate wattage. Since you have the PRRI, I wo uld suggest a Concert II, SR II or a TRII. IF not a FEnder, then go for a modern Rivera. YOu can get a used R-55 for much less than $1K, and it will do tweed, BF Fender REverb or hi-gain. The Fender Rivera-era amps are much the same...except they are handwired compared to the PCB of the Riveras.

[Redryder45]

Brownface '61 Super. Flat Fender logo and two 10 inch Jensens. I helped a guy setup and carried one upstairs years ago, as I recall the amp had some good weight.

[maestrovert]

A one and only amp ?

1st choice: a Bf Deluxe Reverb, maybe a Sf DR or a DRRI if a bona fide Bf DR is unavailable...

why ? well, it's big n' loud enough for most any playing situation, without being too big n' loud....along with having tremolo and reverb, they're tonally versatile and usually take Fx and record well too.

Having two channels comes in handy also....someone wants to sit in ? you can leave your spare guitar plugged into the other channel ready to go on a moment's notice. an' if you ever break a string ? just grab your spare, roll on it's vol knob and play away !

imho, a Bf DR or DRRI is a great one and only amp.

[Sterling Indigo]

Great thread! Is there one amp to rule them all (cough/gollum/cough)?

Of course, I have two choices so I recuse myself. I've been involved in a senseless internal struggle of my own to decide which is better between the 57 Twin or the 57 Deluxe.

It will be interesting to see how this one turns out. I'll wager it may end up favoring the blackface however, once everyone has had a chance to chime in that is.

[markesquire]

This is interesting to see so many that would choose tweed. Most people I've spoken with think that Blackface is more versatile b/c it can become a bit tweedy with the right pedals, but it doesn't work the other way around.

Ideally, I would have a big tweed (bassman), big BF (twin), small tweed (deluxe), and small BF (Princeton).

I just can't afford all of these, and honestly, don't warrant more than 1 amp with the playing that I do.

If a twin and a bassman had a baby, it would be a Super Reverb with one of its non-reverb channel more tweed voiced. But then, I lose the beautiful trem of the PRRI.

Maybe I should just stick with the PRRI since it works about 90% of the time, and borrow an amp the rest.

[Wally]

Mark, reread my post. IF you want a do-it-all amp with a fEnder logo, the only choice imho woudl be a larger Rivera-era Fender. THere is versatility in those amps. You simply have to know how to set the controls.
The Rivera amps maybe even better at this type of job. THere is a 'tweed/Marshall' channel that will go hi-gain, and the BF Fender channel does surf or hot BF tones. These amps get it done very well, but they don't say 'Fender' on the front. Every thing they do is derived from Fender, though.

[Hecks]

Tweed Bassman. Yep.

[DMace]

Only one? BFDR. It's got 'verb, is just loud enough, but not too loud, sounds stellar clean, and breaks up nicely when cranked. Plus, it takes pedals beautifully. It's the Swiss Army knife of amps.

[djinn1973]

silverface pro reverb

[Chuck F.]

Vibrolux reverb

[Wally]

Originally Posted by DMace

Only one? BFDR. It's got 'verb, is just loud enough, but not too loud, sounds stellar clean, and breaks up nicely when cranked. Plus, it takes pedals beautifully. It's the Swiss Army knife of amps.

I love a good DR. HOwever, I can't consider it a 'swiss army knife' of amplifiers. IT just doesn't have the versatility to warrant that description, imho. None of the non-Rivera FEnders have that kind of versatility.
And...the Rivera amps are much more versatile than the amps that he designed for Fender.
Ex: a Rivera R-55 with the footswitch can access 6 levels of gain if you know how to set it up....all at the stomp of the buttons. I had a CHris Duarte LTd Edition Rivera that had 10 levels of gain...from clean to extreme scream....with the use of the footswitch board. That is getting to the 'swixx army' knife type of versatility.
Mark seem to want versatility. IT is a hard thing to find in one amp. Yes, one can use pedals, but hten you get outside of the tube domain to get your OD and gain. I prefer tube gain.

[Mr. Sparkle]

Brown Vibrasonic.

[tazzboy]

Low Power Tweed Twin if I could afford it.

[Marshall Thinline]

5E3!!

Enough said!!

[DMace]

Originally Posted by Wally

I love a good DR. HOwever, I can't consider it a 'swiss army knife' of amplifiers. IT just doesn't have the versatility to warrant that description, imho. None of the non-Rivera FEnders have that kind of versatility.
And...the Rivera amps are much more versatile than the amps that he designed for Fender.
Ex: a Rivera R-55 with the footswitch can access 6 levels of gain if you know how to set it up....all at the stomp of the buttons. I had a CHris Duarte LTd Edition Rivera that had 10 levels of gain...from clean to extreme scream....with the use of the footswitch board. That is getting to the 'swixx army' knife type of versatility.
Mark seem to want versatility. IT is a hard thing to find in one amp. Yes, one can use pedals, but hten you get outside of the tube domain to get your OD and gain. I prefer tube gain.

One man's Swiss Army knife is another's steak knife. I like simple- with reverb.

[Axis29]

I'm in the blackface Deluxe camp. I like Reverb and I agree it can get tweedy pretty easily. This is the ultimate sounding amp to me. With it and a germanium fuzz, I'm happy as I can be. Clean as it is, stomp on my fuzz and I got the grit I like. Love the reverb, and it's got plenty.

This is my only ding on Tweeds... No reverb. I miss it when I don't have it.

A Twin is too much amp most days for me.

A Vibrolux, is right there on the cusp. It's a great amp! But I kinda like 6V6 power just a hair better.

I keep hearing I need to try a Bassman, but haven't gotten the chance yet.

Wally has a good point with the Rivera era amps. I'm kinda interested in finding one to add to my arsenal. Lance brings over his Super Champ (actually he's been leaving it here the last couple of weeks) and it's a very versatile little bugger!

[Papa Joe]

That's easy.hands down a "BLACK FACE DELUXE REVERB" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[valiant]

Got to be the Princeton Reverb as it is fine for studio or practice and can gig but is also portable and has great reverb and tremelo....and as has been said you can add dirt but you can't add clean.......then again the brown Princeton 6G2 could be the best of both possible worlds being somewhere inbetween Blackface and Tweed and has great tremelo but could be used with a brown Fender reverb unit.
However while Fender do a handwired 57 Deluxe (5E3) they do not make a 6G2 Princeton or a handwired Princeton Reverb............. so it could be between the
Allen Hot Fudge (6G2) and the Headstrong Lil'King Reverb.
So if they count as essentially Fender design amps and could just be considered almost custom shop masterbuilds of old Princeton amps then could the best Fender amp be the exact handwired replica of the original 12 watt Princeton Reverb Amp called the
Headstrong Lil'King Reverb.

[jh45gun]

This is my only ding on Tweeds... No reverb. I miss it when I don't have it.

Yep and a good reverb pedal helps but it does not take the place of a Fender spring Reverb either on or off board. I found that out today playing my PA 100. The last Fender Reverb amp I played was my Super Reverb I got rid of in the 90's since then I have played Peaveys or my tweed builds with a pedal that gives me reverb and while they sound good the Peavey reverb is a bit shallow compared to the Fender and the pedals sound good but they do not quite get it either I do not think though I did before until I heard that Fender Reverb again. Thats one thing Fender sure got right besides the other great things he did.

[markesquire]

Deluxe Reverb Fans:

Do you really like the DR that much more than a Princeton Reverb? The PR has the same tube characteristics (6V6), same reverb, and has MUCH BETTER TREM (imo). I guess you don't get the extra volume from the extra watts and the 12" speaker . . .

[David Barnett]

To me THE ONE Fender Amp To Own would have to be one that can sort of "do it all". Small enough to play in your bedroom, big enough to gig with, clean enough to play clean but able to get nasty without peeling paint off the walls. For me that sweet spot amp is the blackface Deluxe-Amp or Deluxe Reverb-Amp.

But I'm glad that in real life we're not limited to just one.

[trag-o-caster]

Originally Posted by David Barnett

To me THE ONE Fender Amp To Own would have to be one that can sort of "do it all". Small enough to play in your bedroom, big enough to gig with, clean enough to play clean but able to get nasty without peeling paint off the walls. For me that sweet spot amp is the blackface Deluxe-Amp or Deluxe Reverb-Amp.

But I'm glad that in real life we're not limited to just one.

What he said!

[maestrovert]

Originally Posted by markesquire

Deluxe Reverb Fans:

Do you really like the DR that much more than a Princeton Reverb?

i personally prefer the Prince(an' i have both), for recording and low vol jamming and practice...
BUT
You asked about a one and only Fender amp, and imho the DR is a bit better for gigging purposes....In addition to the advantages you've noted, the DR's cab is a bit larger, and it has another(non reverb) channel....

[JohnnyCrash]

No one amp EVER "does it all."

I build amps based on what they do best. Then again I record more than I gig/rehearse.

So in this regard, I'd have a "Marshall," and a BF Fender Reverb amp (preferabley a dual 6L6 variety).

I love the brick thick sounds of 5E3's, but quite frankly 50w MV Marshalls do the rock thing best (therefore their classic "rock" amp status). I dig the chime of a Vox, but... well, OK I amend my statement - do not settle for a swiss army amp - settle for three: a BF Fender reverb, a Vox AC15 or AC30 (with Celestion Blues), and a Marshall.

Nobody ever likes to hear that one amp can't do it all, but they can't. Sorry.

If you're in a soul or old school blues band, get a tweed (old rockabilly, get a bigger fixed bias tweed). If you're in a '60s blues or country band, get a BF Fender Reverb. If you're in a rock band, get a Marshall. If you're in a cover band, get a Line 6. If you record... you'll need 3 amps. I've got more than a dozen amps and I still scratch my chin and stare at my amps during any given track recording.

[Mike Bruce]

Or sometimes it's the unusual that really grabs you. I really like the Princeton Recording Amp. Don't have one...yet.

Mike Bruce

[leebman]

My vote is the princeton, I tried a deluxe ri but it wasn't that much louder. I also tried a rivera didn't like it at all, amps that can do everything tend to make me spend all my time trying to dial in a different sound that is never quite right. With the princeton just plug in and pretty much every setting is good apart from treble on full and bridge pickup ouch !!! If there was one other amp I'd buy it would be a tv front deluxe I use to have one and it was fantastic, but no reverb no trem.

[Bill]

If I couldn't use a pedal, and didn't need lots of volume, I'd take a Super Champ. Extremely versatile amp. For instance, I A/B'ed my Super Champ with a Princeton Reverb and a '59 Princeton. The Super Champ could cop the other two amps' sounds with ease, except for the tremelo of the PR, which the SC doesn't have.

I suppose the bigger River-era Fender amps would be similarly versatile but with more volume.

If I could use an overdrive pedal, I'd opt for a blackface Deluxe Reverb or my silverface Pro Reverb.

[Tim Armstrong]

For my own purposes, playing the music that I do, my Princeton Reverb is the perfect amp. Note the mic hanging down in front of it, this means it can be as loud as whatever PA system we use! I have some pedals to get gnarlier tones if I need them....



Tim

[indiobravo]

+1 on the Princeton Reverb. that's what i would have if i could swing it.

[stantheman]

Originally Posted by markesquire

If you could only have one amp, and it had to be a Fender, what would it be?

Blackface or Tweed?

More than enough power, or whatever's practical for most of the time? I do most of my playing around the house, so I currently have a PRRI, but that wouldn't work in some applications which need more volume. Maybe I could get a twin to be able to cover all bases, and get an RC booster or something to make it do the "warm" thing that the PRRI does around 5 on the volume knob.

One Amp?
Nah - I ain't playing.

[Chris S.]

For me it's the Super Reverb, has been since the mid-60s. I play all kinds of gigs on all sorts of different stages, including the occasional outdoor gig, and the SR does it all.

Close second is a 5E3 clone, followed by a nice compromise in the DR. And lucky me, I own one of each. (Which may be proof there is no "THE one.") ;-) CS

[Dave Hopping]

Blond/oxblood Showman 15".

[tuuur]

Bassman 100. WHy?
- because I can use it as a bass amp
- because I can use it as a guitar amp
- because it's loud
- because it's got the tone
- because I own one!

[imsilly]

Blackface Super Reverb.

Combines my favourite speaker setup, reverb, tremolo, does cleans and dirt equally well.

Maybe too loud for some, if that is the case a Princeton Reverb.

Though I wouldn't be upset witha Deluxe Reverb or Vibrolux Reverb. I dear god how I want a Vibrolux Reverb!

[telebluesrocker]

For versatility its got to bee a new fender supersonic- not what normally comes to mind but it has killer clean and overdrive sounds.I love my fender Bassman 4x10- truely a classic combo that i can use for everything with pedals.