VOL.

18

Fender amplifier secrets revealed. Plus! Reviews of

new combos from Mesa/Boogie, Supro, & Bad Cat.

Digital Press
REVIEWS
MESA/BOOGIE
Badlander 25
By Dave Hunter
M esa/Boogie made its name
with the Mark Series amps,
WATCH THE which made classic rock
DEMO NOW players of many stripes stand up and
take notice. But the company’s next
comprehensive range, the Rectifier
Series, became favorites for a very
different set of players. With big,
powerful heads coupled with stacks
pumping efficient �x��" and �x��"
speaker arrays, the Single, Dual, and
Triple Rectifier models appealed to
a host of big-stage rock, grunge and
metal players, and the sizzling high-
gain and thumping lows became a
second, defining sonic template for
the company.
It’s hard to believe the Rectifier
Series has been with us for more
than �� years. In that time, the line
constantly evolved and grew. Later
Rectifier Series amps like the Trem-
O-Verb, Maverick, and Blue Angel
even broke the arena-stack mold that
defined the first Rectifier amps. That
trend continues in the form of the new
Badlander ��. Though the Badlander
�� features ready-to-rock Rectifier
Series preamp stages in both of its two
channels, it’s a compact ��-watt �x��"
combo fired by a pair of EL��s—a for-
mula that produces tones reminiscent
of its siblings, while yielding a person-
ality unique to the Badlander.
1 PREMIER GUITAR - DIGITAL PRESS ALL ABOUT AMPS VOL. �8
Head-On Collision
The Badlander ��’s control comple-
ment is familiar and relatively sim-
ple. Each channel features an iden-
tical set of independent controls: a
�-way gain/voicing switch offering
clean, crunch, and crush modes, fol-
lowed by knobs for gain, treble, mid,
bass, presence, and master volume.
There’s a global ��/��-watt output
switch at the end of the line, as well
as power and standby switches.
The single input and footswitch
jacks are also on the front. Around
back are connections for one �-ohm
speaker and two �-ohm speak-
ers, send and return for the effects
loop, and controls for the built-in
CabClone impulse response feature,
which include a XLR DI output with
ground lift switch, headphone out
with level control, individual �-posi-
tion cabinet IR selectors for each
channel, and a USB port to store and
load alternative IRs, including third-
party ones.
In addition to the two EL��s in
the output stage, the amp is driven
by five ��AX� tubes in the preamp
and phase inverter. Keen-eyed
observers might note one tube that
isn’t there: the rectifier that gave
the series its name in the first place.
That’s because the Badlander ��, as
with some other later Rectifier models, uses
silicon diodes (aka solid-state rectification) in
the place of a tube. But I didn’t feel like the
absence of a tube rectifier made a ton of differ-
ence in terms of feel or what I heard from the
amp. The amp is housed in a chunky, compact
cabinet measuring ��" x ��.���" x ��.��" and
weighs �� pounds. And a ��" Celestion G��M
�� Creamback broadcasts the Badlander’s
boisterous voice.
Lights Out Tonight
The Badlander ��’s personality is an enjoyable
blend of classic Mesa/Boogie voice and some
enticing new character traits. For some read-
ers, neither the Mesa sonic signature nor the
Rectifier Series preamp voicings need much
in the way of introduction. And those in the
know will be pleased to hear that the throaty
grind from the crunch mode and searing high
gain in crush mode you’d expect to hear is here
in abundance. But there’s also a nifty pinch
of something a little different. Maybe it’s the
signature sound of an EL�� output stage being
pushed to the point of a raw, edgy response.
Whatever it is, it makes this combo something
very much its own and more than a cookie-cut-
ter Rectifier done small.
PREMIER GUITAR - DIGITAL PRESS ALL ABOUT AMPS VOL. �8 2

Those in the know will be pleased to hear that the throaty
grind from the crunch mode and searing high gain in crush
mode that you’d expect to hear is here in abundance. But
there’s also a nifty pinch of something a little different."
Even though the ��/��-watt power
switching is very handy and the mas-
ter volumes work well together to
deliver usable sounds at lower sound-
pressure levels, I found the Badlander
�� really sounded best at higher vol-
umes. And at that point, man, it’s very
much the beast that Mesa intended.
Few of us associate the Mesa/Boogie
brand with clean tones, but they are
surprisingly good here—crisp, clear,
and punchy, with chime and shim-
mer that lean to the Vox-y side of the
spectrum. Set to �� watts with the
master volume cranked, there’s even
enough headroom to keep a Les Paul
impressively clean—all at volumes
that should keep up with most drum-
mers in the average club-sized venue.
In the ��-watt mode, clean tones tend
to sound a little rounder with a little
more natural compression, while over-
drive settings are slightly softer around
the edges and segue into break-up a
little quicker. In general, though, the
lower-power setting still sounds and
feels much like the amp at full-power.
While all three gain modes sound
awesome, the crush mode offers
the most fun of the three. It yields
a crispy crackle in the highs and a
sizeable serving of bass thump, espe-
cially relative to the cabinet size and
power. It’s the sound that launched a
thousand hits—at least in grunge and
hair-metal realms. And it put a huge
3 PREMIER GUITAR - DIGITAL PRESS ALL ABOUT AMPS VOL. �8
RATINGS
Tones
Ease of Use
Build/Design
Value
PROS A fun new twist on
smile on my face every time I dialed the legendary Rectifier
it up. Crunch mode sounds were less template that offers
immediate. Sometimes, they sounded impressive clean and lead
tones—all in a size that
a touch congested compared to clean fits into the front seat of
and crush. And dialing up perfect, your Mini Cooper.
organic volume shifts when moving
between clean and crunch could be CONS I found the crunch
voicing a bit congested
tricky. When pushed hard, the crunch at some control settings,
mode still delivers great rock ’n’ roll and at lower volumes in
sounds. But it is, perhaps, the least particular.
intuitive mode of the three.
$1,849 street
The Verdict mesaboogie.com
I’m impressed with the new
Badlander ��. It offers plenty of clas-
sic Mesa/Boogie character with a Vox-
like twist. The construction is rugged
and robust. And the controls are
generally easy and intuitive to navi-
gate and put into practice. Because
the cabinet is relatively small, it can
contribute a little boxiness to some
sounds. Still, the cabinet’s depth helps
to compensate, and keeps the low
end full for an amp of this size, which
should please long-time Mesa/Boogie
players used to fat sounds. Add in the
bonus of the built-in CabClone IR,
which delivers robust big-cab tones
for front-of-house or recording needs,
and you have an impressive combina-
tion of versatility, convenience, and
power. And for big Boogie Rectifier
fans that have less use for a full-size
stack these days, it’s a very practical
alternative.
PRS HDRX 100 & 50
AMPLIFIERS

© 2021 PRS Guitars / Photo by Marc Quigley

T H E A RT o f E N G I N E E R I N G
“We’ve had the opportunity to examine one of Hendrix’s touring amps and understand not just
the circuit but the modifications and the parts choices that were made as Hendrix continued to
use the amp. We kept historic specs where it made sense, and we made substitutions based on
availability, safety, and experience. In the end, I think we have made a great-sounding amplifier
with exceptional build quality and enough power to blow your pantleg when you play it.

These HDRX amps are intended to sound exactly the same as Hendrix’s touring rig, not look
exactly the same. But we know this is hallowed ground. We feel privileged to reach back into
history and bring something special into the current music landscape.” - Paul Reed Smith
REVIEWS

BAD CAT
Black Cat
By Dave Hunter

WATCH THE
DEMO NOW
B ad Cat has won over a lot of
players in the time since the
California maker built its
first high-quality, hand-wired ampli-
fiers in ����. Then, the company
have a lot in common. Bad Cat
hired Matchless co-founder Mark
Sampson to design Bad Cats at a time
when Matchless was on hiatus, and
Bad Cat amps from the period were
was an unapologetic follower of the even built with Matchless-branded
Matchless template (which itself signal capacitors in their circuits.
borrowed more than a little from If Bad Cat were a bit derivative
Vox). And in fact, the two companies at first, they consistently evolved,

5 PREMIER GUITAR - DIGITAL PRESS ALL ABOUT AMPS VOL. �8

 The clean channel offers tons of glassy
chime, plenty of clarity, and great note
separation—but with a lovely harmonic
swirl that adds depth and dimension and
keeps the Black Cat from sounding brittle."
regularly adding features and altogether new
designs. The new lineup is totally revamped,
however. And while they use old model names
like the Cub, Lynx, Hot Cat, and Black Cat
model names, each amp has new features
and is built around circuit-board construc-
tion. Thankfully, the new Black Cat’s many
British-flavored sounds are good enough that
you probably won’t think too much about
details like point-to-point versus circuit-board
manufacturing.
Feline Features
Though they are relatively common, even
among big name builders, $�K amplifiers with
circuit-board construction still give some play-
ers pause. But the quality of production I see
here falls in line with respected recent offerings
I’ve encountered from Mesa/Boogie, Friedman,
Tone King, and Soldano. The Black Cat’s
revamp means some style changes, too, and
some long-time fans may mourn the loss of sig-
nature features. The illuminated cat eyes in the
logo plate, for instance, are gone, and there’s no
EF�� preamp tube in the circuit either.
Still, the revamped Black Cat bridges versatil-
ity and simplicity nicely. Bad Cat reduced the
Black Cat’s power from �� watts to �� watts.
But it’s still generated by a pair of EL�� output
tubes, cathode-biased for class AB. (Older
��- and ��-watt Black Cats, the Cub, and other
models that used cathode-biased EL��s were
billed as class A.) The preamp is driven by three
��AX� tubes, rectification is solid-state, and
the reverb is now digital rather than tube-and-
spring driven. Hefty custom-spec transformers
are mounted on the underside of the chassis.
The two footswitchable channels are desig-
nated clean and lead, and each has an inde-
pendent volume and master volume control.
They share treble, bass, and cut controls, as
well as reverb level and intensity and speed for
the bias-modulated tremolo. The back panel
features an input for the included �-button
footswitch that handles channel switching
and tremolo on/off. There are also a send and
return for the buffered effects loop, speaker
outs rated at � ohms, � ohms, �� ohms, �x�
ohms and �x�� ohms, a line out, and power
and standby switches.
The rugged cabinet is made from Baltic
birch ply and measures ��.��" x ��" x ��.�",
and the amp further signals its roadworthi-
ness by way of a substantial ��-pound carry
weight. The single ��" speaker is a ��-watt
Celestion that Bad Cat says is a variation on
the Vintage ��. And though the black vinyl,
gold-grille cloth, and gold piping look a touch
PREMIER GUITAR - DIGITAL PRESS ALL ABOUT AMPS VOL. �8 6

businesslike, they also tie a visual
line to Bad Cats old and new. I think
most guitarists will find the simpler
light-up logo plate elegantly under-
stated as well.
Nine Lives
I tested the new Black Cat with two
very classic and familiar guitars—a
Gibson ���� Les Paul reissue and a
Fender ���� Telecaster reissue. With
both instruments, the new Black Cat
combo hinted heavily at Bad Cat,
Vox, and Marshall tonalities of yore,
but with flexibility and range I don’t
remember hearing before in Black
Cats. The clean channel offers tons
of glassy chime, plenty of clarity, and
great note separation—but with a
lovely harmonic swirl that adds depth
and dimension and keeps the Black
Cat from sounding brittle. Pushed
toward maximum volume, it starts to
break up just enough to add bite and
texture. But there’s a lot of headroom
for a ��-watt amp, and the Telecaster
in particular stayed characteristically
clean through much of the volume
range with the master maxed out.
Like many of its predecessors,
the Black Cat is predisposed toward
brightness, so I usually kept the
treble around �� o’clock. Easing
back on my Telecaster’s tone knob a
couple of ticks helped further rein in
any ice-picky tendencies. The amp’s
cut knob is a huge asset, too, reduc-
ing the high-frequency content at the
output stage as you turn it up. The
tremolo delivers a rich, toothsome
throb with great range of speed and
depth, and I doubt many players
apart from die-hard surf devotees
7 PREMIER GUITAR - DIGITAL PRESS ALL ABOUT AMPS VOL. �8
RATINGS
will bemoan the replacement of
springs with digital reverb. It sounds Tones
evocatively atmospheric without Ease of Use
obscuring the core tone. Build/Design
Switching over to the lead channel, Value
I found delectable Vox drive tones
that, at times, verge on Marshall- PROS A well-conceived
like without being dead-on plexi or reboot of a beloved amp.
JCM��� copies. Higher-gain sounds Great clean and lead
tones. Tasty tremolo and
are girthy and tend to sizzle and reverb.
saturate once you situate the volume
past � o’clock. I probably enjoyed CONS Shared EQ settings
the amp most with the volume knob sometimes require
in the ��:�� to ��:�� zone with the compromises.
Telecaster, and a hair lower with the
Les Paul. At these levels, the Black $2,099 street
Cat provided a broader, more organ- badcatamps.com
ic, and very rock ’n’ roll kind of snarl
and bite that you can easily drive
to more screaming heights with an
overdrive. The low end can get a little
loose in higher gain settings, and the
shared EQ section sometimes means
you can’t dial an EQ profile that
works perfectly for both channels. In
general, though, it’s cool to have so
much range in the lead channel.
The Verdict
If you like Brit textures that exist
outside strict Vox and Marshall
confines, the new Black Cat is an
impressive all-around performer. It
offers plenty of rich voices that work
for a wide range of playing styles and
a well-considered feature set. Build
quality is excellent too, even without
Bad Cat’s vaunted point-to-point cir-
cuit construction. This amp revamp
might have some players cherishing
their old models. Change tends to
do that. But the new cat in town cer-
tainly has plenty to offer.
 “I love the Little Walter amplifiers
and highly recommend the ToneSpeak products.”
“I’ve learned a lot from Phil Bradbury at Little Walter Tube Amps. Especially about speakers since being
introduced to him and his amplifiers. In particular, the ToneSpeak speakers we’ve been using in
Phil’s 2x12 cabinets have been a revelation – a refreshing new sound for me.”

– Robben Ford

TM

is proud to be the
speaker of choice for

by

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REVIEWS
SUPRO
Amulet
By Dave Hunter
WATCH THE
DEMO NOW
I f current trends are any indica-
tion, lower stage and studio
volumes are with us to stay, and
Supro, in particular, has built a lot
of low-power amps to serve this seg-
ment of the market. The Amulet
is the latest in a line built to satisfy
small-amp appetites and deal thick,
vintage-leaning tone.
The Amulet’s ��-watt, �x�� combo
configuration delivers a lot of flex-
ibility: a simple control panel, nice
tremolo and reverb sections, and
a useful attenuator, which offers
power scaling ranging from ��, �,
or a single watt. The output stage,
meanwhile, is Class A and driven
by a �L�GC tube, rather than pairs
of smaller �V�s or EL��s, which
drive the most common ��-watt
tube amps. Together, these design
features make Amulet an interest-
ing and unique Princeton Reverb
alternative.
Young, Free, and Single
The Amulet’s control panel will
make any ����s combo amp fan feel
right at home. Volume, treble, bass,
reverb, and tremolo speed and depth
make up the control compliment,
save for the �-position output power
switch. The Amulet is a looker, too,
like just about everything we’ve
9 PREMIER GUITAR - DIGITAL PRESS ALL ABOUT AMPS VOL. �8
seen from the revitalized Supro.
Housed in a compact ��.�" x ��" x �"
poplar cabinet and weighing just ��
pounds, it’s covered in stylish black
Scandia vinyl with cream piping and
a cream grille cloth. A large leather-
ette handle makes for a super-comfy
carry. The speaker is a Celestion G��
Creamback rated at �� watts.
Given the single-ended output
stage, you could view the Amulet
almost as a beefed-up Champ with
extras. The past couple of decades
have seen a variety of creative Class
A offerings, like the THD UniValve,
Victoria Regal (and double-single-
ended Regal II), Emery Sound
Microbaby, Blackheart Little Giant,
the original Carr Mercury, and oth-
ers. But only the Carr came with a
built-in attenuator like the Amulet’s,
so it’s nice and rare to see power scal-
ing in this circuit type, at this power
level, and at this price. Amulet’s true
class-A output and the associated
second-order harmonics add to the
brew, which most will hear as lively,
deep, overtone-rich, and more multi-
dimensional in overdriven settings.
The whole of the Amulet’s circuit
is tube-driven. There are ��AX� pre-
amp tubes for the preamp gain stage,
reverb gain make-up, and tremolo
sections, and a single ��AT� driving
the front end of the spring reverb. Inside, a rug- lush reverb and rich, warm tremolo to taste, and
ged-looking printed circuit board is populated there are some superb atmospheric cleans to be
with quality, through-hole components and found—offering great sonics for retro swamp-
board-mounted tube sockets. rock, surf, alt-country, and indie textures.
The Amulet offers nice shades of breakup
Good Luck Charm between � o’clock and � o’clock, but roars
The Supro Amulet is a pretty handy box of when it’s cranked. Assuming that you’ll want
tricks, given the small package. At lower settings to use this capability often, the ��-watt setting
on the volume knob and ranging up to about will likely be too loud for many home studios.
�� o’clock, it sounds clean, crisp, and detailed, But you can still hit this sweet spot at � watts.
with body and balance. And despite the mod- And apartment dwellers and bedroom jam-
est �� watts, it feels powerful enough that you mers that need to use the �-watt position will
could maintain those clean tones in a small club still find lots of nice tones. At its sweetest,
with a volume-conscious rhythm section. Add though, Amulet generates chewy, thick, rowdy,

PREMIER GUITAR - DIGITAL PRESS ALL ABOUT AMPS VOL. �8 10


vintage-flavored overdrive and loads
of compression without totally sac-
rificing dynamics.
While the amp’s natural overdrive
is expressive in the right setting,
it’s awesome with overdrive pedals,
too—particularly with amp vol-
umes around �� to �� o’clock. One
of my favorite pedal/amp recipes
was a grinding, plexi-like Friedman
overdrive with the Supro set to ��
watts and a clean-but-almost-dirty
volume. With a Telecaster out
front, the Amulet had the sting of
Jimmy Page’s early Led Zeppelin
solos. Single-ended amps are rarely
blessed with much low-end thump.
Faster onset of compression and
sag is usually part of the brew, too.
TAD
REDBASETM
TAD 12AX7/ECC83
REDBASETM
Selected
7025/E83CC
HIGHGRADE
11 PREMIER GUITAR - DIGITAL PRESS ALL ABOUT AMPS VOL. �8
RATINGS
The Amulet is no different in either
regard, but it has a way of remind- Tones
ing you how these characteristics Ease of Use
can be real virtues and makes the Build/Design
Amulet an exciting amp live or in Value
the studio.
PROS Appealingly retro.
The Verdict Compact. Practical power-
The Supro Amulet is a super-like- scaling functions. A great
low-power pedal platform.
able and super-useful amp. The
retro styling is a winner. Tones range CONS Natural overdrive
from crispy to juicy at a range of can get a little soft and
output levels thanks to the built-in squishy when pushed hard
attenuator. The reverb and tremolo (if you don’t like that sort
of thing).
are both very good, and it pairs
beautifully with overdrive pedals. If,
to your ears, that adds up to fun and $1,199 street
musical versatility, you’d be wise to suprousa.com
give the Amulet a listen.
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SILVER & BLACK

All Hail the Champ!

BY JENS MOSBERGVIK

T his month, let’s talk about the black-

and silver-panel Fender Champ,
the tiniest of vintage Fender amps.
Weighing only �� pounds, it is super
portable and easy to carry wherever my
The author
found his mint-
condition 1966
Vibro Champ on
eBay, completely
music takes me. It’s actually so small original with
that I put it between my kids in the the Oxford 8EV
car’s backseat when we go on vacations. speaker.
Before I share what I’ve learned about
the Champ, let’s have a quick look in the
rearview mirror.
Early in the Fender black-panel era,
in ����, the company reintroduced the
previously tweed Champ with a new
look and debuted the Vibro Champ. The
single �"-speaker combo configuration
and single-ended �V�-based power amp
section was continued from the tweed
Champ. These Champs produced only
� watts, and the minimal control panel
offered volume, treble, and bass—plus
tremolo speed and intensity on the
Vibro Champ. Unlike many other mod-
els, Fender kept these circuits almost
unchanged during the silver-panel era,
through ����. After that, many popular
and different offspring of the Champ
have been produced, with both transistor
and tube-driven circuits.
My appreciation for the Champ came
late in life. When I was younger, I used
my Super Reverbs for everything and
never considered amps with anything
less than one ��" or two ��" speakers. I
When I want to play Elmore
saw no need for smaller amps with boxy James Delta blues stuff, I use my
tones fit for bedroom use only. But as I
started to educate myself on Fender amps, ES-335 with my Vibro Champ.
I needed a Champ to study. I had to play
it, experiment with tubes and mods, and
learn everything about it. So, in ����, I

13 PREMIER GUITAR - DIGITAL PRESS ALL ABOUT AMPS VOL. �8

found a minty ���� Vibro Champ on eBay for
$���, completely original with the Oxford �EV
speaker. One of the easiest
ways to beef up a
With the Champ, Fender followed their
Champ is to replace
scooped, black-panel tone-stack recipe with the speaker.
the �.��� μF, �.� μF, and ��� pF tone caps and a
fixed �.�k mid resistor. As with the big brother
Princeton Reverb, it lacked a mid control,
bright switch, and a bright cap. The tone is
straightforward, natural, and annoyingly mod-
est and clean. Different from its Fender sib-
lings, it hardly breaks up when pushed. In fact,
the Champ stays clean all the way up to ��,
but with loose, flabby bass and tinny speaker
distortion. Humbucker guitars are able to get
some cranked tones from Champs due to their
hotter output. When I, for example, want to
play Elmore James Delta blues stuff, I use my
ES-��� with my Vibro Champ. It thrills me
how single strings and soft picking come out
clean, while hard pick attack and chords sound
hairy and cranked.
Over the decades, players and techs have
leaned towards modifications to get more
distortion from the Champ. Personally, I’ve
learned to like the clean and scooped tone,
and I don’t want to lose the original character
of the amp. But I wouldn’t mind a little more
volume and punch, since it would open up a Speakers because they offer vintage Fender-
few important uses—like band practice with style tone for a reasonable price. The WGS
a loud drummer. And when it comes to modi- speaker makes the amp significantly louder,
fications, I like easy and reversible mods. So with more attack, firmer bass response, and
here is what I have done to my Vibro Champ: without changing the Champ’s character.
First, I changed the rectifier tube from �Y� to As I’ve alluded, my Vibro Champ follows me
GZ�� for increased plate voltage on the �V� wherever I go and is a part of my family. In the
power tube, which gives me a little more clean back of the amp, I keep an overdrive pedal, a
headroom. (A solid-state rectifier would also reverb pedal, and a tiny ���/��V transformer so
work.) Second, I replaced the original Oxford I can plug into one of the car’s ��V sockets. So,
�EV speaker with a Warehouse G�C. I have I am always Fender-ready.
never looked back. I like Warehouse Guitar May the tone be with you!

PREMIER GUITAR - DIGITAL PRESS ALL ABOUT AMPS VOL. �8 14

SILVER & BLACK
Fender’s Pro Reverb—This Underdog Can Growl!
BY JENS MOSBERGVIK
A s a guitar player, I consider guitar amps
to be tools. The more varied work I do,
the more tools I need. There are some
amps that excel in one or two things but often
disappoint outside their playing field. These
amps require experience to dial in good tones
and to pair with guitars and other gear.
This month’s amp is an underdog—a jack-
of-all-trades but master of none. It is a tool you
can bring with you to any type of practice or gig,
small or large, and it will deliver. It truly lives up
to its name: the Pro Reverb. So, let me explain
why I love this amp … but also what annoys me
about it, and what I do to get around that.
In ����, Fender offered a single-speaker Pro
amp with front-mounted controls. Various Pros
with top-based controls had been in Fender’s
line since ����. In ’��, the Pro was replaced
by the Pro Reverb, loaded with �L�GC power
tubes in a classic Fender push/pull class-AB
configuration. The Pro had either a single ��"
CTS ceramic speaker or a Jensen C��N. The
Pro Reverb came as a �x��, with either Jensen
C��Ns, Oxford ��L�, or Oxford ��T� speakers—
the latter a very underestimated speaker and
comparable to the more famous C��N. In ����,
a silver-panel model followed and was available
through ����. Several other speakers, including
models by Utah and Rola, came throughout the
’��s. And around ����, a ��-watt version of the
Pro emerged, with master volume and a push/
pull boost, for a roughly five-year run.
The differences between the single- and dual-
speaker black-panel Pros were most importantly
the speaker configuration and the addition of
reverb in the vibrato channel. There were two
different versions of the output transformer: the
�-ohm ���A�A and �-ohm ���A�A. This smaller
output transformer is found in several medi-
um-sized amps, such as the Vibrolux Reverb,
15 PREMIER GUITAR - DIGITAL PRESS ALL ABOUT AMPS VOL. �8
Bandmaster, Tremolux, and also the rare and
coveted ���� Vibroverb.
How does it sound to play through a Pro
Reverb, with its combination of the classic
black-panel AB��� tone stack, dual �L�GCs,
a large and bass-y �x�� cabinet with a �U�GB
rectifier tube and a small output transformer?
Beautiful, full, clean tone at lower volumes
and wildly cranked tones when pushed—
much more than you’d expect from such a big
Fender amp. Very few amps can do both of
these sonic profiles.
The large open-back cabinet means you can
point the Pro in almost any direction and fill
the room or stage. At home, I sometimes want
the most natural break-up from the amp at
lower volumes, so I simply disengage one of
the speakers and insert a ��AX� in the phase
inverter slot. I think the Pro Reverb delivers the
most elegant and balanced cranked tones of
all black-panel amps. I also love that the amp
offers a bright switch that will support pedals
and guitars well.
One annoying thing about the Pro is the lack
of a mid pot. Since it is that good at deliver-
ing cranked tones, I would like more mids for
heavier distortion at lower volumes without
having to disengage speakers or swap tubes. A
mid dial would also improve EQ control, for
playing clean. Without a mid knob, I often have
to dial the bass knob all the way down due to
the bass-y cabinet and flabby output transform-
er. The solution is, as always, installing a switch
on the back of the amp that toggles between
the stock �.�k mid resistor and a ��k. The Pro
Reverb is the amp that benefits the most from
this mod, I think.
Finally, do we really need a Pro Reverb in
our toolbox? The Deluxe Reverb and Vibrolux
Reverb are also low/medium wattage amps.
Both are lighter, more snappy, more practical at
home or in the studio, and don’t carry two large
��" speakers, which are overkill for the Pro’s
light output transformer. The Super Reverb also
breaks up—and with more punch, bass, treble,
and attack overall. It is also more touch sensi-
tive. The clean-voiced monster Twin Reverb is
�� �/� to �� pounds heavier but does not require
more space than the Pro Reverb.
Given all the superior amps mentioned
above, the answer to my question is still “yes.”
Our underdog can almost do all of what these
legendary Fender amps excel at. But none of
them will sound as warm as the Pro Reverb
when cranked.
Please find a Pro Reverb and plug in your
Telecaster for a real Keith Richards experience,
with one of the best rhythm tones there is. Also,
try a Les Paul or SG in the bridge pickup posi-
tion and you might consider selling all your
overdrive pedals. A semi-hollow ES-style guitar
with P-��s in neck and the amp dialed-in clean
will urge you to learn jazz! Please, don’t just take
my word for it. Go experiment.
PREMIER GUITAR - DIGITAL PRESS ALL ABOUT AMPS VOL. �8 16
SILVER & BLACK

Getting the Most Out of a Classic Twin Reverb

BY JENS MOSBERGVIK

I f an alien came to earth and wanted to hear an

American guitar sound, I’d play him my Twin
with a set of Jensens.”
I found this statement many years ago and
it summarizes my feelings about the Twin
Reverb, the flagship of Fender amps. So, let me
share my insights about the biggest brother in
the Fender family and discuss speakers, tube
swaps, and how to unlock its secrets. My goal
is to turn you all into educated fans of this leg-
endary amp that has somewhat lost its place in
the modern world. But first, a few facts.
Fender released the Twin Reverb as we
know it today in 1963 as one of the first black-
panel-era amps. It was a dual-channel combo
with two 12" speakers, a diode rectifier, reverb,
tremolo, and four 6L6GC tubes producing 85
watts. It was targeted at professionals and was with master volume. They aren’t very popular
the most powerful amp Fender had ever made. today but will work well as a cheap practice
During the earlier tweed era, the Twin arrived amp if you can find one in good condition.
as a 2x12" combo amp—first, a low-power The cons of the Twin Reverb are weight
25-watt version with a single power tube pair; and loudness. Depending on the speakers, a
then, after 1958, a high power-version with four Twin weighs 73 to 88 pounds. The 13-pound
6L6GC tubes and 80 watts. JBL D120F speakers that came in the original
The blonde Tolex Twin came in 1960 and black-panel Twins were, in my opinion, too
looked more like the black-panel classic that heavy for the amp, as were the four 10" JBLs
we know today, with separate normal and in the Super Reverb. While these speakers are
vibrato channels on the faceplate. Reverb and highly collectible, the weight of these ceramic
a diode rectifier were added to the black-panel JBLs will eventually tear the wooden cabinet
Twin Reverb, which had all the features and apart. So, you cannot transport these amps
the biggest iron that Fender could offer at the around for regular touring.
time. It was the first and only black-panel amp My favorite vintage speakers for the Twin
with a full tone stack on both channels, with Reverb are the lighter Jensen C12N (7 pounds)
bass, mid, treble, and a bright switch allowing or the Fender Oxford 12T6. The Oxfords
you to dial in everything between a Dick Dale sound surprisingly tight and good, and not as
Strat surf tone and a mellow jazz sound for, mushy as the Oxfords you find in other, low-
say, a big box Gibson. The silver-panel Twin powered Fender amps. The 1965 reissue black-
Reverb went through several changes from 1972 panel Twin Reverb’s modern Jensen C12Ks
onwards, mostly in the power circuitry. There sound unforgivingly stiff to my ears. Even if
was a 100-watt and 135-watt silver-panel version they improve after years of playing, I prefer

17 PREMIER GUITAR - DIGITAL PRESS ALL ABOUT AMPS VOL. �8

to replace them with the lighter Jensen P12Q,
which has a smaller voice coil and a vintage
steel basket, or Warehouse Guitar Speakers’
brighter G12C/S. The G12C/S delivers a great
authentic Fender tone at a reasonable weight
(10 pounds) and price. But don’t solely trust my
speaker advice. Speakers are like ice cream—
everyone has their favorite. With the right
speakers for your ears, a reissue Twin Reverb
will deliver all the goods for you.
While other Fender amps typically break up
at around 4 with a Strat, the Twin Reverb stays
clean up to almost 6—and those clean notes are
sharp as a knife’s edge and will hold up against
heavy drummers and bass players. This is exactly
what the amp is made for: being played un-miked
in, say, a gospel band in a 300-seat church every
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Sunday, or on Friday nights in a cowboy bar in
Bakersfield, circa ’63. It is designed to not break
up. You therefore need to have your expectations
set correctly—or be adept with pedals—to really
appreciate the evil Twin.
A simple trick to lower the headroom is to
disengage one of the speakers and pull the
two inner or outer power tubes. You will, then,
essentially, have a 1x12" 40-watt amp while
still benefiting from the ambience of the large
speaker cabinet. Other than that, there are no
mods that I recommend with this amp. The
Fender Twin Reverb is made for big occasions,
and once you learn how to use it correctly,
you’ll enjoy a very physical tone experience
together with everyone else onstage—who will
have no problem hearing this amp. I promise.
PREMIER GUITAR - DIGITAL PRESS ALL ABOUT AMPS VOL. �8 18
SILVER & BLACK
Why Did I Ever Sell These Amps?
BY JENS MOSBERGVIK
I ’ve hunted tone since I was a teenager,
browsing through guitars, amps, pedals, and
all the components that they are made of.
I still buy or sell stuff every other month or so,
mainly because it’s fun, but I also learn a lot in
the process. This practice has helped me develop
confidence in my preferences about what guitar
tone to use in various styles of music.
It’s also fun sharing experiences with other
tone hunters. So, I’d like to share the three
amps that I most regret having sold. These
memories bring me both pain and joy, and I
hope they are useful in helping you to avoid
similar mistakes.
There are two main reasons why I regret sell-
ing amps. Either I did not have the knowledge
to understand or appreciate them, or I needed
new sounds and did not have the know-how
to achieve them. In the first category, I have to
mention a ���� Super Reverb, which was my
second Fender tube amp after my No. � Super
Reverb, which I talked about in my March ����
column titled “Meet My ���� Super Reverb—
The Greatest Amp I’ve Ever Played.” The ’��
was a drip-edge transition model with a silver
faceplate and black-panel innards, in very good
condition. It was an AB��� circuit with cloth
wiring and blue Mallory caps. It even had four
well-performing, original CTS alnico speakers
with square magnets mounted on the excellent,
vertically floating baffle. My ���� Super with
CTS ceramic speakers was louder, punchier,
heavier. It had the black faceplate and was
almost twice as expensive. Altogether, this led
me to sell the ’�� and keep the ’��. Fifteen years
later I came across several other transition-era
Super Reverbs and started learning to appreci-
ate the mesmerizing clean tone, transparency,
and excellent dynamics of lightly driven low-
powered CTS alnicos. With the bright switch
19 PREMIER GUITAR - DIGITAL PRESS ALL ABOUT AMPS VOL. �8
off, they deliver superior cranked tones as well.
In fact, transition-era Super Reverbs probably
have the best Fender clean tone I can think of.
It hurts knowing that I had a very good one,
when they were available for a lot less money.
If you see a transition-era or early ’��s silver-
panel Super with CTS alnicos, go for it.
Another example is a mid-’��s, beaten-look-
ing Princeton Reverb that I bought for $��� in
����. It was my main gig amp for years, and I
did many modifications to make it fuller and
louder. I plucked out the stapled and glued-in
particle baffle board and inserted a floating
plywood baffle with a broken-in ��" Jensen
C��N speaker. I installed a ��k mid-boost pot,
to alter between clean, scooped tones and a
British growl. I also installed a larger, Deluxe
output transformer and a smaller coupling
capacitor to prevent the flabby bass frequen-
cies from entering the power amp section and
the somewhat inefficient split-phase inverter.
The firmer lower end and improved attack
allowed hard picking-hand playing, which I
appreciated as a die-hard SRV fan in my ��s. I
remember replacing the bias resistor and find-
ing the right pair of �V�s for the deepest pos-
sible tremolo effect, too.
I also put on a black-panel-style grille cloth
and faceplate, and treated the Tolex with black
shoe cream for a shiny and healthy look, hid-
ing the many ticks and scars. I sold it because
someone offered me good money, even though
I had spent more than I got in return. Now, I
miss having a portable and punchy amp that
I am not afraid to lend out or haul around on
gigs without a flight case. My happiest mem-
ory of this amp was a blues cruise on a large,
motorized sailboat on the Oslofjord. We had
to tie ropes around the drum kit, and I secured
the amp against the sail mast when the waves
and wind increased. This warrior amp could
do everything—much more than my current
mint black-panel ’�� Princeton Reverb, which
cost the same as a car.
Finally, there was a practice amp I sold
because I didn’t use it often enough. In my pre-
vious column, “All Hail the Champ!,” I talked
about my favorite travel amp—my ’�� Fender
Champ, which can only deliver clean tones.
Well, I used to have another small amp with
even better clean tones and some of the best
tube-driven preamp crunch you’ll find. It was
a �E�-circuit narrow-panel tweed Deluxe-style,
built from a point-to-point amp kit, with high
quality components. I experimented with sev-
eral ��" speakers and found a surprisingly good
pairing with an inefficient, modest Oxford
speaker from a silver-panel Deluxe Reverb.
The tone was fat and creamy and worked
incredibly well as a vintage rock voice. It, too,
now is gone.
I’d love to hear stories about your “lost”
amps. Share them on PG’s social media feeds,
or drop a letter!
PREMIER GUITAR - DIGITAL PRESS ALL ABOUT AMPS VOL. �8 20
 Digital Press
I PREMIER GUITAR - DIGITAL PRESS ALL ABOUT AMPS VOL. �8