Best Fender amp for 60's country music sound.

Here it comes, the answer that always shows up later in the amp threads, but this time it will be the first one....a Twin Reverb. Can't go wrong doing classic country through a Twin Reverb.

 

If the twin can't do that, it can't be done...but really any fender tube amp that is old or a reissue should get you close. Ac 10 and blues jr are ok amps but they don;t sound like classic Fenders

 

Twin gets you headroom.

But a BF deluxe will definitely get you there.
Also possibly a bassman 50, any circuit AB165 or earlier.

Basically, clean bf fender with some 6L6S and you're good.

 

Any of the classic Fender blackface or silverface amps will work great with a Tele to produce that classic country sound. Sure, the Twin is the iconic amp for that sound. But they’re super heavy and louder than most of us will ever need. In a word, overkill.

But, for those reasons, you can usually find vintage Twins these days for cheaper than Princeton and Deluxe amps of the same vintage. So, if you’re after that iconic sound and don’t mind hauling around more amp than you really need, get a Twin.

Otherwise, get a Deluxe... or any of the classic Fender amps (Super, Vibrolux, Pro, Princeton... or even one of the heads, like Bandmaster Reverb or Dual Showman Reverb). Whichever you can get the best deal on.

 

Buying a Twin is cheaper by the LB. Thats what its come to.....


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Try this first?

I got a Joyo American Sound pedal for $40 on Amazon and you can get a wonderful Clean Twin sound dialing the Voice knob to 9 o’clock. At 3 o’clock it’s a 57 Tweed Deluxe. It sounds great through both my Pro Junior and Yamaha THR10C.

I also see these pedals used on Reverb for <$30.

The other amazing thing about these preamp pedals is that they work as a backup amp plugged directly into a PA.

 

I played with a popular country band here in the 60's. I remember 5 Twins on the stage on the 4th in 1966!

 

I don’t have a twin but I actually have its three little sisters. The 68 Princeton Reverb Reissue, the 68 Deluxe Reverb Reissue and the 68 Vibrolux Reissue. The Deluxe will do what you want and not break your back. The Vibrolux, because of the twin speakers, has a slightly fuller sound. Your choice.

 

Blackface deluxe.

 

Use what they used back then: Twin. Most of us would move into the "easily close enough" choice of a Deluxe in order to have a manageable volume and better portability. It's an easy amp sound to replicate; much harder is actual touch and attack that is pretty important to the sound -- more so than in much rock, blues.

 

You can get a "Soul Food" for the smaller Fender Amplifiers for "The Big Sky" tone.
That'll work fine all the way to a Champ.

....funny thing I almost bought a Dual Showman Reverb TFL5000D (The Head Version of a Silverface Twin Reverb) a few days ago but I've already had two previously...my 1969 had the edge. I also had a Twin with Altecs - never again will I use any speakers of that ilk...I had two Electro-Voice and Black Widows in Fender 212 small boxes also for the TFL's
I'm really amazed I never suffered a hernia.

They say what goes around comes around and I think that's true BUT right now You can't give away a big Amplifier and I think with advent of the 35 lb. Tonemaster Twin Reverbs that the sun has finally set on The Heavyweight Amplifier. I know people going through hell trying to sell Vintage Amps and people won't even come around for a sniff and "in the day" it all woulda sold in a weekend.

Even on the rare times I've seen live Music The Drummers are using electronic drums. I don't blame them either, the people don't care, the Bar Staff doesn't get percussion hangover, and they're not the last one to leave anymore...they fold up in less than five
minutes and if that don't take it...they sound refined like studio drums.

I think acoustic drums for bar bands are the next thing to go simply for the fact that when it's over the guys don't wanna wait for the drum kit to be disassembled and packed in cases and lugged out.

ps: Seen any Hammond B3 guys lately in Bars? That's been over for some time too.
We're in a new age - this even a dinosaur like myself understands...and my back thanks me.

pps: I opted for mid 80's Peavey Bandit 65 for $100. The idea of plunking down an exorbitant stack of money for a Cube Artist was revolting especially seeing that the Bandit 65 was one third the cost of the plug-in tone module for $300.
Sorry Roland, I like the 34 year old Peavey more than any of your products including my own almost vintage Cube 60.

Gentlemen I have seen The Light.

 

Getting the 60’s sound is as much about picking style as it is gear. Although, I was looking for an opportunity to post a picture of my twin just out of the shop with a clean bill of health.

 

My go-to amp for alt-country is a blackfaced silverface Deluxe Reverb with 5751 preamp in Vibrato channel 1st stage, JJ 6V6s, and lil Texas speaker.

 

Easily, a Twin Reverb. I have a 1972 Master Volume model, and it has that classic country sound. The master volume control really helps keeping the tone of the twin at reasonable volume.

I would also vote for a '65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue. I just gigged mine last night, and it was great. Had the classic Bakersfield twang when we did Buck Owens and Johnny Cash.

I do agree, though, that pick attack and dynamics also play a role in getting the classic country tone. Stay on the bridge pickup, and pick closer to the bridge saddles.

 

Peavey Bandit... Save a few bucks ...

 

Don't be sorry, any of the peavey bandits are damn good amps for the money. Anyone who can't believe that is in total denial.

 

Pretty sure a lot if not most of Don Rich stuff in the Buckeroos was done thru a tweed bassman...you can’t really go wrong with one, just drop a reverb/trem pedal in front of the input.

truth be known, the vast majority of my guitar gigs orbit in the classic country realm...I use either a Bandmaster Reverb set up with 210s like a Vibrolux, a Quilter IB45 or 101 Mini, or a Frenzel Super Deluxe with octal pre tubes...and they all get me exactly where I want to be. I’ve used Bandits, Special 130s, Boogie Mk II, and they all do the classic twang beautifully

 

I once saw a clip of J. Cash in concert sometime in the mid 70s. There was what appeared to be provided backline; his guitar player was playing a Tele thru a Sunn Concert Lead & matching 6x12 cab. It was a bit bright, but that might have been down to the shiny new Tele.. otherwise it was a typical country gig. I was at a Skatalites gig last year, again PBL, guitarist played a Strat thru a Hughes & Ketner halfstack.. NBD.

Most amps can do bright clean
( Marshall’s have higly underrated cleans) I grew up in a place that still has a active “ country” circuit years ago it was all big Fenders and matching suits, now its more Carhart & “ run what ‘ya brung”;in between it was all Wrangler & PV. A big old Fender will get it done but besure to figure in the real cost.. service, maybe speakers , hand cart, medical bills..

Last month I caught a guy using a Blackface 2x12, great shimmering clean tones on everything from pop to country to surf.. I took a peak during his break...Frontman 212r, third time that amp has fooled me in to thinking it was a Twin!
Have fun!