Fender Super Twin

Gary Morrison · Post by **Gary Morrison** » 6 Apr 2002 5:30 pm

I've read about lots of amps steel players use. Does anyone use a Super Twin? I've had mine for over 25 years, and it's 'steel' going great!

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 6 Apr 2002 5:58 pm

Gary, I used one for several years. With its power (and the graphic equalizer) it is the most awesome amp I've ever used or heard. It allows more tonal variations than anything ever made...before, or since.

The downside is that it's terribly heavy (almost 100 lbs.), expensive to re-tube (6 of them 6L6's!), and the reverb was designed into the wrong part of the circuit (certain tone settings wipe out all the reverb.)

Still, with the addition of a simple stomp-box delay, it remains..."King of the single-unit amps".

(IMHO)[This message was edited by Donny Hinson on 06 April 2002 at 06:00 PM.]

Jim Phelps · Post by **Jim Phelps** » 8 Apr 2002 6:38 am

I had one of the earlier ones without reverb or the equalizer. It belonged to a friend of mine who offered it to me cheap. I had tried it on a gig once and hated it, it had the most flat, dry, cold, hard and lifeless tone I'd ever heard! I bought it because the price was right, it was in perfect shape and mainly just to get the 2 old Celestion speakers that were in it. After I got it home I checked the tubes with my old tube tester and found a really weak 12AT7 in one of the preamp circuits, I didn't have another but remembered from my "radio days" that 12AT7, 12AX7 and 12AU7s can be interchanged although there is some difference in gain...in a radio circuit. I wasn't thinking that in an audio amp there would be a big difference in tone as well. It turned out that with that 12AU7 in there, that amp had the sweetest most beautiful sound I've ever gotten out of an amp to date. I actually had other musicians crawling over my gear trying to figure out how I was getting "that sound". It did reduce the gain of the preamp quite a bit. Later I came across a bunch of mil-spec 12AT7s and thought "now I can finally put 'the right' tube in there..." and then it sounded horrible again. I actually switched the tubes back and forth on a gig to A/B them and you could sure hear the difference. With the 'AU7 it had the most crystal-clear highs and sweet mids and full bass you'd ever heard. I just wish I could remember which 12AT7 it was, there are a few in there.

Jim Phelps · Post by **Jim Phelps** » 8 Apr 2002 6:40 am

P.S. Forgot to add, I got stupid and traded the amp for a guitar, don't even remember what. I thought I needed a louder one, was playing in a band where nobody was mic'ed...darn! I haven't found an amp that could get that sound yet, and I've tried a lot. I used an old analog-delay unit with it and never missed not having reverb.[This message was edited by Jim Phelps on 08 April 2002 at 07:45 AM.]

David Phillips · Post by **David Phillips** » 12 Apr 2002 11:40 am

I recently aquired a non reverb Super Twin and have wondered if other steel players used them. With 180 watts and the 5 band eq it seems very loud, clean,and flexible (as well as heavy). I'm not decided on it as a first choce yet but I find it an interesting option

Ed Miller Jr · Post by **Ed Miller Jr** » 16 Apr 2002 6:03 pm

I Have a super twin reverb. I love the tone for steel and six string. I've pretty much retired mine from active service. I should take it out more, I was in better shape when I was hauling in and out all the time

Now it just gets used for my steel amp.
Ed[This message was edited by Ed Miller Jr on 16 April 2002 at 07:03 PM.]