Fender tube amp sound

[koula901]

I've looked over the specs for all the Fender tube amps at their web site and it seems that they all pretty much use the same tubes. they vary in wattage and weight, and maybe in circuitry. I think that some of you have vast experience with several fender models. Is anyone able to articulate the differences in sound among them? Does sound quality vary a lot or just a little?

[Kuz]

Wow, that is a BIG question.

 

Fender basically used 6L6 or 6V6 power tubes but there are MANY different tones/sounds due to:

-different circuits (components, transformers, ect)

-power output differences

-speakers (number & configuration)

-reverb, tremelo, ect

 

SO you have Tweed tones, Brownface tones, Blackface tones, Silverface tones, ect

 

I am sure the AMP WHISPERER will comment soon!!!!

[koula901]

Wow, that is a BIG question.

 

Fender basically used 6L6 or 6V6 power tubes but there are MANY different tones/sounds due to:

-different circuits (components, transformers, ect)

-power output differences

-speakers (number & configuration)

-reverb, tremelo, ect

 

SO you have Tweed tones, Brownface tones, Blackface tones, Silverface tones, ect

 

I am sure the AMP WHISPERER will comment soon!!!!

 

Thanks, Kuz . . . I was afraid it was a complex question. I'll just have to try each model out! I do know that I loved the Bassman sound.

[Sticky]

I do know that I loved the Bassman sound.

 

That's a great sound. Jim Marshall would agree!

[Gitfiddler]

Koula~ As Kuz pointed out, there are some subtle, yet significant differences in the different Fender amps. One huge tone factor is cabinet size and speakers.

 

Victoria Amps (one of the best boutique Fender clones) recognized that and made their amps available in multiple speaker configurations (single, double or triple speakers) for the same amps, but different cab sizes.

 

You are right to check out as many amps as you can. Ultimately you will have to find the one that works best for you. Hey, thats what GC is for, right?!

[slider313]

Basically the blackface Fender amps with two or four 6L6 power tubes sound similar except for the amount of clean headroom from say a 2x12 Bandmaster to a Dual Showman running a 2x15 cabinet or different models using different speaker configurations which would "move" more, or less air. The reverb amps have more gain but all sound similar except for, again, the headroom and use of a different number of speakers. The lower powered Deluxe Reverb with a pair of 6V6's, for about 22 watts, sounds similar to it's larger siblings but breaks up sooner. The blackface amps that sound different than the others are, the Princeton Reverb which uses a split load phase inverter instead of the long tail type shared by its larger siblings and the Champ which is single ended class A, also using a split load phase inverter.

[ingeneri]

Basically the blackface Fender amps with two or four 6L6 power tubes sound similar except for the amount of clean headroom from say a 2x12 Bandmaster to a Dual Showman running a 2x15 cabinet or different models using different speaker configurations which would "move" more, or less air. The reverb amps have more gain but all sound similar except for, again, the headroom and use of a different number of speakers. The lower powered Deluxe Reverb with a pair of 6V6's, for about 22 watts, sounds similar to it's larger siblings but breaks up sooner. The blackface amps that sound different than the others are, the Princeton Reverb which uses a split load phase inverter instead of the long tail type shared by its larger siblings and the Champ which is single ended class A, also using a split load phase inverter.

 

This covers most of it. Just to add, the Deluxe Reverb and Twin have the same circuit. In addition to the Deluxe running on 6v6 power tubes vs. 6l6 in the Twin, I've heard the Deluxe is eq'ed like a Twin with the bright switch permanently on.

 

I'm far from an expert, but you can learn alot about this question from threads on the net from amp techs on how to make one Fender amp more like another. Just google "how to make your Princeton a single channel Deluxe" or h"ow to make your Deluxe a single speaker Twin", etc... It gets more and more troublesome and complicated the more accurate you want to get, but these threads do spell out the difference between models pretty well.

[koula901]

Thanks for all your knowledgable feedback, guys. You are the best! : )

[rjsanders]

I've looked over the specs for all the Fender tube amps at their web site and it seems that they all pretty much use the same tubes. they vary in wattage and weight, and maybe in circuitry. I think that some of you have vast experience with several fender models. Is anyone able to articulate the differences in sound among them? Does sound quality vary a lot or just a little?

 

 

a couple of their popular little amps, Blues Jr. & Pro Jr., use EL84s, too. there's a wealth of info on the Fender Amp Field Guide page.

 

there's an identifiable sound for blackface amps ('64-'67) that carried over to the later silverfaces & reissues of today. my brother & i had BF Tremolux, Bandmaster, & Bassman rigs. later i got into Rivera-era ('82-'85 & later) Fenders that sounded very blackface + extra gain goodies in them. i also got a tweed Tremolux along the way, ca. '59 model, which led me to the tweed/early Marshall path. the first Marshalls used the '59 Fender Bassman circuit, just used different parts and stuff.

 

to me the BF sound is bright & has a dip in the mids right where the guitar's fundamental notes are, and has tight lows. the Tweed sound ('50's) is warmer, sweeter (often due to use of AlNiCo speakers), sometimes muddy or flubby lows when pushed. Tweeds tend to break up sooner, BFs later.

 

you can hear tweeds in a lot of stuff recorded in the '50's - blues, rock, rockabilly. blackface sounds i love incl. '60's BB King. they tended to be favored by country guys, too, and jazzers like Wes Montgomery in the '60's.

 

sounds are very influenced by lots of variables: guitar used, players' picking hand technique, etc. a big one is the preamp circuit, aside from power amp & tubes. e.g., i've got a Heritage Victory heard with two channels. Ch 1 is voiced to sound like a Vox AC50, Ch 2 like a Fender tweed (somewhere between Deluxe & Bassman). mostly all accomplished via the preamp stuff. (Paul Cochrane, best known perhaps for the Tim & Timmy pedals, is the designer for the Heritage amps. just a wiz of a designer & builder & i learned a lot of what little i know from him).

 

[rjsanders]

forgot to mention the Heritage Victory is a 22w amp running 2x6V6's