VINTAGE AMP COLLECTION
I have been collecting vintage Fender amps for many years. Amazing samples have passed through my hands during that time. Some were in mint unused condition, others had seen many nights in smokey bars. Their stories would be fascinating. I have reverse engineered nearly all my amps in the quest to find the mojo that is built into these old beauties. If you are going to make authentic replicas of these early models, then you need to reference the originals. Below are some of my collection both past and present.
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1946 FENDER MODEL 26 DELUXE "WOODIE"
A very original example of one of the first Fender Amps. It was built in the 33rd week of 1946 (around 19th August). I bought it from the original owner. He said he "got it from a friend in California named Leo just after the war". He used it for about 10 years and then put it in his shed for 50+ years until I bought it. To me it is a piece of music history. It occasionally gets displayed at guitar shows and at Ampfest in Sydney. Amwatts is developing a clone - a reproduction authentically based on this piece of amp history. Stay tuned.
1946 FENDER DUAL PROFESSIONAL
Here is an even rarer 46 Dual Professional. Not as original as the "Woodie" above but still very rare. It was made in the 39th week of 1946 (about September '46). These amps are alleged to have been built to use up a surplus order of 10 inch speakers that Leo got in a bulk buy. The cabinet is the first of the finger jointed cabinets and was covered in "airline linen" to cover the unsightly corners. It has been recovered and regrilled, but not with just any covering. The cab was sent to an American WWII aircraft restorer. He had some of the original fabric and even mixed up the glue to original specifications. It has been painstakingly restored to it's original glory. The NOS mohair grill cloth was replaced at the same time. These amps weren't lacquered over the cloth, they were left raw. The transformers are completely original and are working as good as the day they were made. The chassis logo has all but faded but otherwise this is a fine sample of the earliest of Fender amps. It is unknown how many were made, but my research leads to no more than 50.
1949 FENDER SUPER
Here is another split front amp. It has been a workhorse and is in what I call "players" condition. It has original Tweed - the earlier green tinged style that was only used in the late 40s. The speakers have been replaced years ago. It currently has a set set of Weber 10A125's which superbly complement this amp. It runs 3 x 6SC7s in the preamp and 2 x 6V6s with a 5U4 rectifier. This amp is PURE VINTAGE TONE. If you ever wondered what is meant by that, then 10 minutes with this amp and you will understand. It has the original transformers and only minimal parts have been changed to keep it running (with NOS parts of course). This is my main gigging amp in small rooms. Amwatts is currently in the process of authentically reproducing this vintage tone machine. Stay Tuned.
1952 FENDER 5C1 CHAMP
Now we delve into the early 50s. Here is an original 1952 Champ 5C1 that I received a while ago. The only changes made on this amp are that the filter caps and the speaker cone have been restored. This is a great little crunchy amp that is fantastic for recording. It is definitely a simple yet effective design. This is the same as the earlier 2 tone Champion 600's, just with the later tweed. Unplug the speaker and attach it to a larger 2 x 12 and this amp is a great Blues & Boogie amp. Perfect for bedroom Rock 'n' Rolling.
1955 FENDER 5E3 DELUXE
This amp has spawned clones worldwide. The originals are hunted and collected by enthusiasts. This came to me in original condition with the speaker blown. I installed a 1960 Jensen Alnico and it came to life. The circuit is well known to the kit making market and is one of the most popular reproduction amps. Play one and you'll see how good they really are. But as good as they are they do have some flaws. When pushed hard with high output pickups they can flubb out in the bottom end and create some nasty overtones that aren't pleasing to the ear. They also have a tendency to some parasitic oscillations due to the positioning of various components. This is the amp that I used as a benchmark to develop the Amwatts 50s Tweed 15WD Combo. I set out to improve all the flaws in the amps design yet keep the classic tones of it unspoiled. It was great to have an amp that I could constantly refer towhilst developing my own improved version. I was so happy with the results of my Amwatts 15WD Combo that I have sold this amp to another collector.
1960 FENDER BROWNFACE SUPER
This is my desert island amp - a 1960 5G4/6G4 Super. It has a 40 watt head driving 2 x 10" alnico speakers. This particular amp is a hybrid from the Tweed/Brown changeover period. The tube chart says it is a 5G4 but that means the amp should have the controls reversed - this one doesn't. It does have the Tweed era grill cloth and the light pink earlier tolex. It's a killer amp. Big lush tone that can be pushed hard and breaks up nicely. The tube tremelo is superb - much bigger and fuller than the later Blackfaces. This amp is a great hybrid between the earlier dirty tweed circuits and the later super clean Blackface circuit. An amp for every collection.
1964 BROWNFACE VIBROLUX
This is a January 1964 Brownface Vibrolux. The Blackface was introduced at the same time so I presume this is one of the last. It's basically a Brownface Deluxe with 6L6s. The circuit isn't much different to the more popular deluxe. It is very similar to the the Super but only has a 1 x 12" Jensen Alnico speaker, which is a rare find. All the members of the Brownface family are fantastic amps.
