New Fender Amp

[Ed_Chambley]

http://shop.fender.com/en-US/guitar-amplifiers/vintage-pro-tube/64-custom-deluxe-reverb/8180000000.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=blast-091217-fender-us&utm_term=fender&utm_content=largemod-64customdeluxe


Well maybe not NEW!

[terminalgs]

Spend $2,500 and it comes with a $60 speaker. 

[Ed_Chambley]

I saw that too, but the blue caps seem interesting.

[mresistor]

Why would a person want tremolo on both channels ?

[bnwitt]

I've been watching the poop on that amp since summer NAMM.  I am wondering if they are going to use quality components or PC trace boards and such.  Their SRV Vibroverb reissue was pretty well made but the lead dress was terrible and that gave the amp noise artifacts.  Plus, for $2,500 back them, most folks expected more from Fender.  Didn't take too long for it to be discontinued.

Some of you may remember I built several of those SRV Cesar Diaz mod VV years back with Doug's layout and brownface Tremolo.  When the Fender reissue VV was still being made, I had several players comparing ours (and I say ours because a lot of you in this forum were involved in designing it) next to the reissue and hands down the Hoffman amp won as quietest with best tone.  Fender has the no how (pun intended) and purchasing power to do this right at a fair price.  I don't know why they keep missing the mark on their hand wired amps like this but then again when CBS owned the company they screwed Leo's stuff up too.  I guess it's bean counter syndrome.

[bnwitt]

Why would a person want tremolo on both channels ?

Why would a person want opto coupler LDR tremolo on any channel?

[bnwitt]

I saw that too, but the blue caps seem interesting.

The blue caps have been available for several years now from Sozo.  They are 4 times the cost of a Mallory 150 and 11 times the cost of a Xicon.  I've tried them and found no justification for the price.

[sluckey]

"In a slight departure from the design of the original model, this amp offers luscious spring reverb and rich, pulsating tube-biased tremolo effects on both channels."

This quote from the link that Ed posted makes me think the tremolo is similar if not identical to the brownface tremolo circuit that Hoffman uses. That would also explain trem on both channels.

[bnwitt]

Maybe, but it could also just be a mod that puts it on the normal channel like they did with the 68 Custom Deluxe Reverb.

https://robrobinette.com/AB763_Modifications.htm#robrob_Normal_Channel_Reverb_Mod

  We'll see soon I hope.

[Ed_Chambley]

I saw that too, but the blue caps seem interesting.

The blue caps have been available for several years now from Sozo.  They are 4 times the cost of a Mallory 150 and 11 times the cost of a Xicon.  I've tried them and found no justification for the price.

John Gaynor quit making the blue caps quite a while back. These are different size per value.  What I mean is he doesn't oversee the Manufacturing and he doesn't sell direct anymore.  CE Distributes.


The blue molded Sozo are longer and thinner unless Fender is requesting different sizes.  At least it appears they are.  Please, if you know different let me know.  I know John, but haven't spoke to him since he got his Yellows stolen.


Here is Musician Friend selling them.


http://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessories/fender-pure-vintage-blue-amplifier-capacitors/j22251000001000?cntry=us&source=3WWRWXGP&gclid=Cj0KCQjwi97NBRD1ARIsAPXVWWDzcjaqQozvMWFGnEFmbds83SAxmUpgXR5QGGhdhtV0x5FVNlaDPiQaAkbiEALw_wcB&kwid=productads-adid%5E156403583515-device%5Ec-plaid%5E143220055242-sku%5EJ22251000001000@ADL4MF-adType%5EPLA

[bnwitt]

Ed,
looks like you are right.  Those Blue vintage Fender's are even more ridiculously priced.  $11 to $15 each.  Holy Moly.  They should make the amp play itself.

[Ed_Chambley]

Probably made by Jupiter.  The price includes marking the outer foil.  Thats got to be worth at least $8.


Anyway, I can purchase them in a different way.  Let me check on what the REAL price is.  I am a collector of Blue Molded and use them for me since I have a couple of collectable Fenders.  I just am not a fan of using old caps in new builds.  Experimenting I will and I really like the old Aerovox paper caps.


I guess my interest is I get asked for the blue ones I have all the time from friends and I would like to have something to offer them.

[mresistor]

"In a slight departure from the design of the original model, this amp offers luscious spring reverb and rich, pulsating tube-biased tremolo effects on both channels."

This quote from the link that Ed posted makes me think the tremolo is similar if not identical to the brownface tremolo circuit that Hoffman uses. That would also explain trem on both channels.

That would be way better IMO than a roach based tremolo circuit.  Still wonder why one would want or need it on bother channels..?  But I guess that some folks might.


I don't see a trem roach in the picture of the innards.

[EL34]

Testing topic reply

[HotBluePlates]

Why would a person want tremolo on both channels ?

...  Still wonder why one would want or need it on bother channels..?  But I guess that some folks might.

Lots of talk about this amp here and here.

Bottom line is the Deluxe Reverb has a 47pF bright cap on the Vibrato channel volume pot.  That's a pretty hefty impact, unless you turn that channel's volume up to 7-8.  I know that's what I do now on my own Deluxe Reverb.

So people have advised for a while the Normal channel is "so much warmer".  Sure, cause it doesn't have the bright cap.  Fender appears to have responded by putting reverb & trem on both channels, as folks gripe about the warmer Normal channel, "... but it doesn't have Reverb!"

[bnwitt]

I tried to upload a hi rez photo of the chassis gut shot but it wouldn't work in this thread for some reason.  I would say the hand wiring is a bit messy but not much different than an original.  Fender may have gotten it right this time.  That being said, it's price may prevent high sales numbers unless the timing (during this low wattage era) is just right.  The reissue Vibroverb didn't sell well but that may have been due to it's high power output at the beginning of this era.  In my opinion the BFDR is one of the top gig/studio amplifiers ever built and when it has a brownface tremolo it can't be beat for most genres.  If I were a gigging musician I'd have a BFDR, an AC15 and a JCM 2000 DSL401.  Those three amps pretty much can do it all.

[Ed_Chambley]

Here is the demo with a Voodoo 60 Bridge.  This amp is getting some high reviews.  That cheap speaker seems to be liked since it is 93db spl and breaks up easily.  Check it out.  It gives up the goods easily.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXZJyYHnixU