Fender Twin Value?

Richard Tipple · Post by **Richard Tipple** » 8 Jan 2004 4:34 pm

I have a chance to buy a 1978 Black Face Fender Super Twin and was wondering what a fair price on this amp would be.
It has some wear on it,covering a little worn and front face covering needs repair.
The amp sounds great and everything works.
The guy is asking $475.00 ?????

Roger Kelly · Post by **Roger Kelly** » 8 Jan 2004 5:56 pm

I'd buy it before he finds out what it's really worth...

You can't go wrong on that price.
It's 180 watts of clean power. Great Amp.!

Alvin Blaine · Post by **Alvin Blaine** » 8 Jan 2004 7:16 pm

The Super Twin isn't a popular amp with most guitar players. It's a nice LOUD clean amp though. The price range listed on those is $350-500. If the tolex needs some work I wouldn't go over $400 on it unless it has JBL's.[This message was edited by Alvin Blaine on 08 January 2004 at 07:19 PM.]

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 8 Jan 2004 9:51 pm

The 2004 Vintage Guitar Magazine Price Guide lists the value of that amp at $550 to $650 in excellent condition. You said this one has some wear and some minor damage, so $475 sounds about right.

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Tim Harr · Post by **Tim Harr** » 8 Jan 2004 10:02 pm

I have always heard that it is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it.....

Alvin Blaine · Post by **Alvin Blaine** » 9 Jan 2004 2:03 am

I have always heard that it is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it.....

Exactly!
The highest that one has sold on eBay in the past few months was in the $350 range.
The Vintage Guitar Guide is compiled be dealers and is a little on the high side at times. They have a '67 Blackface twin at $1800 and bought one last year for $650(from a vintage dealer) and there have been several sell on ebay for under $800 in the past year.
There is a Super Twin on ebay right now and the bidding is up to $266.01
ebay LINK[This message was edited by Alvin Blaine on 09 January 2004 at 02:06 AM.]

Garth Highsmith · Post by **Garth Highsmith** » 9 Jan 2004 9:45 am

.[This message was edited by Garth Highsmith on 09 January 2006 at 08:50 PM.]

David Doggett · Post by **David Doggett** » 9 Jan 2004 10:01 am

Read up on it here:
http://www.ampwares.com/ffg/

The Emerald City one certainly looks like a standard Super Twin. The factory rated output was 180w, but Fender seemed to always inflate the wattage, and probably meant that to apply to the minimum wattage required for appropriate speakers.

Does anyone know if the Super Twin chassis would fit in a Dual Showman Reverb head cabinet? This could solve the weight problem and make the Supers really desirable for clean tube sound for steel.

Bob Carlucci · Post by **Bob Carlucci** » 9 Jan 2004 11:34 am

I owned a Super Twin for Many years.. I don't think it will fit In a Showman Reverb Cabinet.They are LOUD!!!.. and have a good sound for steel. Stupid heavy! I would take the speakers out and sell them ,and cut the cabinet down to a smaller size and use a seperate 1x15 cabinet. Thes are not "desirable" vintage amps.. they are not highly regarded by guitarists,but they are a GOOD all tube steel amp bob

Jim Palenscar · Post by **Jim Palenscar** » 9 Jan 2004 1:11 pm

I may be wrong but wasn't the Black Face replaced by the Siver Face and not reintroduced as the Black Face until '80 or '81?

David Doggett · Post by **David Doggett** » 9 Jan 2004 1:47 pm

According to the Fender field guide, the Super Twin was introduced in '75. That's post CBS, but there is no picture of the faceplate. In '77 they added reverb and it had a black face.

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 9 Jan 2004 1:55 pm

I have a Super twin. I don't know what "stupid heavey" means, but they do seem to be glued to the floor! The amp weighs 95lbs. I lifted a regular twin with JBL's the other day that had my Super Twin by 15 lbs. Heavey is heavey---get a dolly. It has a 5 band eq, so you can dial in a tone that best suits you. This amp has a distortion feature that isn't very good. The reverb is poor compared to a regular twin. But, It is 180watts rms, and lots of headroom. Use a digital reverb if you want and you have a real nice powerful clean tube amp. Of course the stock fender speakers leave a little to be desired. I've not tried my EV 12l's in it yet, but am sure curious. Don't mistake this for a regular twin, these two amps are NOT the same. It is a completely different beast than a regular twin. The Super Twin has 6 power tubes and huge transformers, and is not as easy to do mods on as a regular twin. But with the eq, you probably won't need mods. $475 seems reasonable. Hope this helps. I use mine for steel and tele. I still prefer my '71 twin, though.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 9 Jan 2004 5:04 pm

A 180 watt, point-to-point wired tube amp, with two twelves and a built-in equalizer for $475? Yeah, it's worth it. Even the ones on ebay that sell for $350 wind up costing $450, due to the shipping/handling costs.

Did I mention it's the "King of Tone", too? (It'll do what no other combo amp will do.)

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 14 Jan 2004 5:21 pm

I just hooked up my EV 12L's and WOW!! Cleaner tone and better string definition yet!! I messed around with the eq and got this amp to out shine my '71 regular twin!! You wouldn't believe the LOWS I got out of this amp!! And the sparkley highs!! I didn't play it soft, either. I tried to break this amp, but it took what I dished out (my house is now exterminated). Much more headroom than my '71 regular twin---3 times. I had my Super Twin for sale, but I have decided to keep it. It's just too nice of an amp!! Then I hooked up my Tubefex, and was astonished at my sound!! This amp is a real "undiscovered" tube amp. You just have to figure out how to use the eq on it. Don't worry about the weight, all twins are more or less glued to the floor. It goes with the tone. Get a hand truck or baggage dolly, or adopt a gorilla.