new amp day! Fender Deluxe Reverb!

antichef

antichef

pornk rock
Tomorrow's my 25th wedding anniversary (we get started real young down here in the southern usa), and I got my wife a new vehicle that's sort of silver in color because it's the "silver jubilee", and she asked what I wanted...

She doesn't know the difference between a silver face and a black face, so I went for it - the local store had this 1964 Deluxe Reverb in stock and now it's mine:

IMG_20160118_150331.1.jpg

It's in really great shape - I don't know much about these, but I understand that it's pretty much all original except for maintenance - it has a 3 prong power cable, for instance. It sounds really great.

I have always been more of a Marshall guy, but I really dig this thing. It breaks up actually a little earlier than I was hoping, but the break up sound is kickass, and I can still get great cleans a lower volumes.

Thanks sweetie!! I love you!!!
 
Great score! I have the reissue '65 Deluxe, bought it new about fifteen years ago. It is my favorite of all the amps I've owned. You'll hear it on most every song I post on the Clinic. I'd love to have an original. Enjoy it and learn its tricks. It makes a surprising variety of tones, though for my money that clean tone with just a bit of hair is where the soul of the amp is. Congrats on your 25th.

Edit: Just to add, my reissue has a pretty early breakup as well. Volume knob on 5-6 with a single coil through input 1 on the reverb/vib channel, 4-5 or even earlier with a humbucker through input 2. By the time it gets up to 7 or so, the sound level is pretty close to maxed out. Above that, it becomes noticeably more compressed. Always wondered how this compares to the original. It can get loud, but not silly loud. Ideal for home recording.
 
nice amp!

They are actually wonderful lead machines ..... the breakup is a different one than marshalls and sounds glorious.

I find them to be not quite loud enough clean for live use with a drumber, but in the studio they're awesome.
 
Grats on the anniversary and the amp. That thing looks awesome.. in great shape for it's age. Needs a badge tho! :)

I lovve 60s Fenders. Got a Bassman and a Twin Reverb, both '67s. The Bassman breaks up real early (3-4), earlier than a Deluxe I think. But the Twin could blow the basement windows out with clean tone. I've often thought I could get any sound I want between them, but now you've got me wanting a Deluxe. What does it have for a speaker, the original Jensen?
 
THanks Track rat and everyone!

Robus - your description of the breaking up is pretty much the same as what I'm seeing. Lt. Bob - leads - yes! I need to try with some pedals.

fat_fleet - I hadn't thought about the badge. They told me it was the original speaker, but I wouldn't know. It says Fender on it, not Jensen, and it does look pretty old. I've had Fender branded speakers in some newer amps and I didn't like them, but this one sounds wonderful.
 
Nice freaking amp man! I have the recent "reissue" of the '68 deluxe reverb, but it's more of a tribute than a reissue. Instead of the tremolo and normal channels, it has a vintage (Bassman) and a custom channel. I'm sure that neither of those channels have much to do with how their ancestors sounded, but I love that amp to death. Congrats on both the anniversary and the new amp (and the mysterious silver vehicle).

On my '68 DR, 4.5 seems to be the happy sweet spot on the volume. It's just on the edge of breakup, and gets just a little dirty when I really dig in to my guitar strings nice and hard. Curious how this compares to the real thing.
 
antichef said:
They told me it was the original speaker, but I wouldn't know. It says Fender on it, not Jensen, and it does look pretty old. I've had Fender branded speakers in some newer amps and I didn't like them, but this one sounds wonderful.
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Does it look like this?

s-l1600.jpg
 
Is that what the original Jensens looked like? I have one of the early reissues. The speaker is an Eminence but looks just like that. Those speakers got mixed reviews, were said to sound stiff and harsh. Mine is so broken in now, it has mellowed over the years.
 
Lt. Bob said:
nice amp!

They are actually wonderful lead machines ..... the breakup is a different one than marshalls and sounds glorious.

I find them to be not quite loud enough clean for live use with a drumber, but in the studio they're awesome.
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I have a friend in a 3 piece band. (Blues Rock Hendrixy style stuff)

He has an original DR, and built a matching 1 12 extension cab. His keeps up with the drummer just fine.

As to the DR, one of the all time classic fender amps. Heard on a kazillion recordings.

Congrats on the score! :thumbs up:
 
Tadpui said:
Nice freaking amp man! I have the recent "reissue" of the '68 deluxe reverb, but it's more of a tribute than a reissue. Instead of the tremolo and normal channels, it has a vintage (Bassman) and a custom channel. I'm sure that neither of those channels have much to do with how their ancestors sounded, but I love that amp to death. Congrats on both the anniversary and the new amp (and the mysterious silver vehicle).

On my '68 DR, 4.5 seems to be the happy sweet spot on the volume. It's just on the edge of breakup, and gets just a little dirty when I really dig in to.
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That silverface reissue is nice. Not vintage specs but the new features seem useful. One of these days I might spring for the '68 Princeton.
 
Here's the speaker - not my finest photography, but hopefully you can see it

IMG_20160118_185611.1.jpg

Edit - after some web searching it looks like maybe this is an Oxford ceramic? Nobody's favorite apparently but so far it seems consistent with being the original speaker. Lots of info out there - wow - it will take some time for me to digest it all
 
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Robus said:
That silverface reissue is nice. Not vintage specs but the new features seem useful. One of these days I might spring for the '68 Princeton.
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I can't speak highly enough of the Princeton. I use one for almost everything live now. Roll back the volume on the guitar and nice and clean, roll up the volume and there's wonderful breakup. Throw a tube screamer or a blues driver in front and now you've got some added volume. And they mic well for bigger shows.

Here's mine!
Princeton.jpg
 
Nice find!
My old Bandmaster 2x12 (68 or 69) had those blue Fender speakers. Has the amp ever been re-capped or had a new power transformer?
 
I'll try and take some guts shots soon. Since today is my actual anniversary, I think I'll have to follow up a little later

I think the reverb is messed up - it sounded OK in the store but now I think maybe the springs are hitting the inside of the tank or something.
 
RFR said:
He has an original DR, and built a matching 1 12 extension cab. His keeps up with the drummer just fine.

:
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not clean it doesn't .... when I want clean I want a pristine clean, NOT that dirty tweed clean that you use on blues and Hendrix .... I want a pristine almost pedal steel clean and the 22 watt of a Deluxe will not provide that clean loud enough over a drummer.

I've owned two of them plus about 150 other amps ..... I've played approximately 15,000 paying gigs not counting jams and such and I actually gigged an old Delux about a month and a half ago.
yes ..... it sounded glorious at full roar, As I said already, .... no it didn't provide enough clean at any decent volume.

Wonderful amp ..... didn't criticize it at all ..... one of the best sounding amps of all time ..... but for live use it breaks up to soon if you want a really clean clean.
 
Lt. Bob said:
not clean it doesn't .... when I want clean I want a pristine clean, NOT that dirty tweed clean that you use on blues and Hendrix .... I want a pristine almost pedal steel clean and the 22 watt of a Deluxe will not provide that clean loud enough over a drummer.

I've owned two of them plus about 150 other amps ..... I've played approximately 15,000 paying gigs not counting jams and such and I actually gigged an old Delux about a month and a half ago.
yes ..... it sounded glorious at full roar, As I said already, .... no it didn't provide enough clean at any decent volume.

Wonderful amp ..... didn't criticize it at all ..... one of the best sounding amps of all time ..... but for live use it breaks up to soon if you want a really clean clean.
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Bob, would you use a big solid state lump if you want loud cleans?
 
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