What's so bad about The new Twin Amp ?

Scotland · September 26th, 2003, 02:41 AM

I have one and I think it is great. The Guitarist mag review said it was probably the best Twin ever produced so why do used ones sell for peanuts ? I have seen one on ebay listed at half the cost I paid and it didn't sell.

Cam · September 26th, 2003, 05:29 PM

I liked it. It was a good amp with perhaps more variety in tones available than with a "regular" twin reverb. I simply found a SF twin like one I regretted moving years ago. I prefer the SF twin sound. I tend to play with limited settings when using a twin reverb. So, amps come and amps go. I had the mid 90's version of the twin and missed the vibrato feature of the Twin reverb. I also like the easier servicing of twin reverbs ( all the usual ptp verses pcb arguments). All things said, I think the "Twin" is a good amp. I like the easier bias features as well as the balanced line out that my twin reverb doesn't have. Its a good amp. In the game of GAS if another one came along at the right price and I had the cash at the time, I'd consider snagging one. Speaking of gas I'm in the process of buying back a blues deluxe I once owned. The madness continues. My Sat. night gig money is already spent before the gig!!!!

Tremo · September 26th, 2003, 08:01 PM

First off, when it comes to equipment reviews in magazines, take anything you read with a grain of salt. The rags always give favorable reviews even for the crappiest POS. It's advertising revenue they're after. Recall the Fliegler pulled his advertising from GP magazine, as punishment, because their review of the Cyborg Twin was not good enough for his liking. Nice guy.....

The Twin Amp is just another of their modern, cheaply constructed, lots of bells and whistles mass market PCB amps. Ho hum. If you like it, more power to ya. Certainly it's better than a buzz can Mesa.

A 70s or earlier Twin Reverb is a real-deal classic PTP tube amp. Jeez, I even have one, but I never use it because it's too loud.

Honga Man · September 27th, 2003, 12:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tremo

A 70s or earlier Twin Reverb is a real-deal classic PTP tube amp. Jeez, I even have one, but I never use it because it's too loud.

Yeah, where do (or CAN) you play a Twin / Twin Reverb?

Big Cookie · September 27th, 2003, 01:40 AM

Twin Reverbs are great amps especially for clean. They record very well and while I would not attempt to get an organic (overdriven) blues tone from one, the clean is just amazing. Remember a 100w amp is only 3db louder than a 50w amp. The difference is headroom.

As to reviews, the big manufacturers spend in the excess of 6 figures a month in advertising in a relatively small industry. Believe nothing.

stantheman · September 27th, 2003, 03:03 AM

then break down and buy a Fultone Distortion Pro and stop crying. BTW there's a '68-'69 on E-Bay for under
$500 Bucks in cherry shape!! I own a Twin because there are times I want maximum headroom and a Twin with a Sparkle Drive is the only way I've found (so far)
to Dumbleize without havin' to blow 15K on The Real McCoy. When the rest of the clean freaks dig on this
combination the "deal" on Twin Reverbs will be done. If
I wasn't changing careers in the next 4 weeks I'd own that '68-'69 on E-Bay and one more besides. Twin Reverbs are the best deal in the "used world" nothing
else comes close "bang for the buck wise".

Tremo · September 27th, 2003, 09:27 PM

You can frequently find used Twin Reverbs at a lot of stores that specialize in used gear. They're not rare, particularly the SF versions. A decent SF in good shape can typically be had for $600 or so.

Dacious · September 27th, 2003, 09:53 PM

Best Fender I heard recently was a '73, MV Twin. Had all the stock tubes, and speakers. If you were a jazz or clean afficionado it would have floated your boat. The shop owner had priced it high so no-one would buy it and he had an excuse to take it home which he did. It's now his no.1 amp. Lovely old girl. $400 less than my VR (which are like hen's teeth here). If I didn't own that I might have tried to finagle it.

jumpnblues · September 28th, 2003, 10:39 AM

...get one, then for $130. or so buy a Weber MASS. Then you can have your "Twin tone" and eat it too! Or, something like that. But seriously, this works VERY well with ANY high wattage amp and it's very, very, transparent until you get the volume on the MASS down to about 2 where it begins to slightly cut some highs. But that is almost bedroom volume. Tremo is right IMO about going with a PTP wired vintage Twin Reverb. They're just far easier to work on or modify. So much of the time we have a favorite amp that we love the tone of but it's just too loud for small to medium sized venues. The Weber MASS is just the answer for these situations.
Another option to consider is an Allen Tone Savor 2x12". These are superb blackface based amps that are hand made, PTP wired, finger jointed pine cabs, electronic components of the highest quality available. It's like having a brand new vintage blackface Twin Reverb and then some. However, it will cost you over twice as much as a vintage one. But it would be a relatively trouble free lifetime keeper, save for tubes and a cap job in 30 years or so. Just some ideas. 8)

slinkyoz · September 29th, 2003, 05:34 PM

I use my SF Twin in small cafés and restaurants,etc. It's all about tone, depth and clean chords, not volume. I have the volume on about 3, and control it from the Tele. Good jazz sound, with a touch of Cornell Dupree...

jumpnblues · September 29th, 2003, 05:49 PM

...and your approach to playing, but if a person plays with some overdrive, 3 on a Twin Reverb ain't gonna' cut it without some assistance from some kind of device. I'm bettin' you have a gorgeous tone though.

slinkyoz · September 29th, 2003, 08:35 PM

it could be severely punishing.
Yeah, I guess I'm kinda happy with the sound - SF MV Twin has D120s in it (cleanliness is next to godliness...) Paisley RI with Callaham control plate and compensating steel saddles (nice) and Texas Tele PUPs, which I'm about 85% convinced about...

PS - If you're not starting to get happy with your sound at age 53, it could be time to reconsider the whole thing...

September 26th, 2003, 02:41 AM	#1 (permalink)
Scotland Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Aberdeen, Scotland, Yewrup Age: 54 Posts: 6,371 3 Photos	What's so bad about The new Twin Amp ? I have one and I think it is great. The Guitarist mag review said it was probably the best Twin ever produced so why do used ones sell for peanuts ? I have seen one on ebay listed at half the cost I paid and it didn't sell. __________________ All those who believe in psycho-kinesis, raise my hand !

September 26th, 2003, 05:29 PM	#2 (permalink)
Cam Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Alberta Canada Posts: 872 6 Photos	I had one.... I liked it. It was a good amp with perhaps more variety in tones available than with a "regular" twin reverb. I simply found a SF twin like one I regretted moving years ago. I prefer the SF twin sound. I tend to play with limited settings when using a twin reverb. So, amps come and amps go. I had the mid 90's version of the twin and missed the vibrato feature of the Twin reverb. I also like the easier servicing of twin reverbs ( all the usual ptp verses pcb arguments). All things said, I think the "Twin" is a good amp. I like the easier bias features as well as the balanced line out that my twin reverb doesn't have. Its a good amp. In the game of GAS if another one came along at the right price and I had the cash at the time, I'd consider snagging one. Speaking of gas I'm in the process of buying back a blues deluxe I once owned. The madness continues. My Sat. night gig money is already spent before the gig!!!! __________________ Relic Schmelic! Play the darn thing! Wipe it down after and put it in it's case!

September 27th, 2003, 01:40 AM	#5 (permalink)
Big Cookie Banned Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ennis, Texas Posts: 693	Twin Reverbs Twin Reverbs are great amps especially for clean. They record very well and while I would not attempt to get an organic (overdriven) blues tone from one, the clean is just amazing. Remember a 100w amp is only 3db louder than a 50w amp. The difference is headroom. As to reviews, the big manufacturers spend in the excess of 6 figures a month in advertising in a relatively small industry. Believe nothing.

September 27th, 2003, 03:03 AM	#6 (permalink)
stantheman Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: White Mountains Posts: 4,762	If you want your Twin to sag like a Deluxe.... then break down and buy a Fultone Distortion Pro and stop crying. BTW there's a '68-'69 on E-Bay for under $500 Bucks in cherry shape!! I own a Twin because there are times I want maximum headroom and a Twin with a Sparkle Drive is the only way I've found (so far) to Dumbleize without havin' to blow 15K on The Real McCoy. When the rest of the clean freaks dig on this combination the "deal" on Twin Reverbs will be done. If I wasn't changing careers in the next 4 weeks I'd own that '68-'69 on E-Bay and one more besides. Twin Reverbs are the best deal in the "used world" nothing else comes close "bang for the buck wise". __________________ Somebody Loan Me A Dime

September 27th, 2003, 09:53 PM	#8 (permalink)
Dacious Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Godzone Posts: 2,610 35 Photos	Best Fender I heard recently was a '73, MV Twin. Had all the stock tubes, and speakers. If you were a jazz or clean afficionado it would have floated your boat. The shop owner had priced it high so no-one would buy it and he had an excuse to take it home which he did. It's now his no.1 amp. Lovely old girl. $400 less than my VR (which are like hen's teeth here). If I didn't own that I might have tried to finagle it. __________________ My other Telecaster is a Thinline The Tele Bible, Ch 1, v 10 Love thy Telecaster, covet not thy neighbour's Strat!

September 26th, 2003, 08:01 PM	#3 (permalink)
Tremo Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Silicon Valley, CA, USA Posts: 3,623	First off, when it comes to equipment reviews in magazines, take anything you read with a grain of salt. The rags always give favorable reviews even for the crappiest POS. It's advertising revenue they're after. Recall the Fliegler pulled his advertising from GP magazine, as punishment, because their review of the Cyborg Twin was not good enough for his liking. Nice guy..... The Twin Amp is just another of their modern, cheaply constructed, lots of bells and whistles mass market PCB amps. Ho hum. If you like it, more power to ya. Certainly it's better than a buzz can Mesa. A 70s or earlier Twin Reverb is a real-deal classic PTP tube amp. Jeez, I even have one, but I never use it because it's too loud.

September 27th, 2003, 09:27 PM	#7 (permalink)
Tremo Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Silicon Valley, CA, USA Posts: 3,623	You can frequently find used Twin Reverbs at a lot of stores that specialize in used gear. They're not rare, particularly the SF versions. A decent SF in good shape can typically be had for $600 or so.

September 28th, 2003, 10:39 AM	#9 (permalink)
jumpnblues Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Midwest Age: 58 Posts: 1,587	If you like the tone of a Twin Reverb... ...get one, then for $130. or so buy a Weber MASS. Then you can have your "Twin tone" and eat it too! Or, something like that. But seriously, this works VERY well with ANY high wattage amp and it's very, very, transparent until you get the volume on the MASS down to about 2 where it begins to slightly cut some highs. But that is almost bedroom volume. Tremo is right IMO about going with a PTP wired vintage Twin Reverb. They're just far easier to work on or modify. So much of the time we have a favorite amp that we love the tone of but it's just too loud for small to medium sized venues. The Weber MASS is just the answer for these situations. Another option to consider is an Allen Tone Savor 2x12". These are superb blackface based amps that are hand made, PTP wired, finger jointed pine cabs, electronic components of the highest quality available. It's like having a brand new vintage blackface Twin Reverb and then some. However, it will cost you over twice as much as a vintage one. But it would be a relatively trouble free lifetime keeper, save for tubes and a cap job in 30 years or so. Just some ideas. 8) __________________ jumpnblues "Heaven St." (Original Blues Instrumental): http://www.box.net/shared/static/z96atf0zn2.mp3 http://www.myspace.com/drbluezz

September 29th, 2003, 05:34 PM	#10 (permalink)
slinkyoz TDPRI Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: australia Posts: 43	Anywhere you want... I use my SF Twin in small cafés and restaurants,etc. It's all about tone, depth and clean chords, not volume. I have the volume on about 3, and control it from the Tele. Good jazz sound, with a touch of Cornell Dupree... __________________ once a jolly swagman, always a jolly swagman...

September 29th, 2003, 05:49 PM	#11 (permalink)
jumpnblues Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Midwest Age: 58 Posts: 1,587	Slinkyoz, I'm with you... ...and your approach to playing, but if a person plays with some overdrive, 3 on a Twin Reverb ain't gonna' cut it without some assistance from some kind of device. I'm bettin' you have a gorgeous tone though. __________________ jumpnblues "Heaven St." (Original Blues Instrumental): http://www.box.net/shared/static/z96atf0zn2.mp3 http://www.myspace.com/drbluezz

September 29th, 2003, 08:35 PM	#12 (permalink)
slinkyoz TDPRI Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: australia Posts: 43	I concur... it could be severely punishing. Yeah, I guess I'm kinda happy with the sound - SF MV Twin has D120s in it (cleanliness is next to godliness...) Paisley RI with Callaham control plate and compensating steel saddles (nice) and Texas Tele PUPs, which I'm about 85% convinced about... PS - If you're not starting to get happy with your sound at age 53, it could be time to reconsider the whole thing... __________________ once a jolly swagman, always a jolly swagman...