Is there a twin reverb in a lighter package?

Alex Piazza · Post by **Alex Piazza** » 8 May 2006 5:35 am

I love the sound of a good tube amp for steel. especially when Im switching back and forth with a six string. Im contemplating buying an old blackface twin, but I dont want to lug it to gigs 3 times a week. Any suggestions on a similar sound in a smaller package? Any thoughts on a blues deluxe reissue?

Gary Spaeth · Post by **Gary Spaeth** » 8 May 2006 5:39 am

fender used to make a showman reverb head which i think had the exact same circuitry as a twin. i pulled the speakers out of my twin years ago and carry a seperate 15 cabinet and carry cords and etc in the twin. much lighter.

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 8 May 2006 6:57 am

http://www.steelguitarblackbox.com/page8/rtppage.html

David Doggett · Post by **David Doggett** » 8 May 2006 7:44 am

All Fender tube amps built in the same era tend to sound similar, but just have different volume. I have played the following amps from the silverface era: Super Twin Reverb (180 watts), Twin Reverb (135 watts), Dual Showman Reverb head (100 watts), Pro Reverb (60 watts), Vibrolux Reverb (40 watts), Deluxe Reverb (20 watts), Princeton Reverb (12 watts). They all had the clean tube Fender silverface sound, with slight variations depending on the tubes and speakers. I think the same is true of blackface era Fenders all sounding pretty much the same, but with less clean headroom than silverfaces. And the Tweeds all had a similar sound, except for the Bassman. The '80s Rivera era Fenders had their own sound. Also, the '90s reissues don't sound like the originals to me, except the handwired Tweed Twin reissue. The modern tube Fenders such as the Hot Rod and Blues series have their own sound.

For that Twin sound in lighter package you can put a twin chassis in a Dual head cabinet. If you always mic your steel amp and don't need Twin volume, you might try a Pro. But they are as big and almost as heavy as a Twin. The next smaller size is the Vibrolux, which sounds pretty different because of the two 10" speakers. But I have plugged a Vibrolux into 2x12s or 1x15, and it sounds just like a Pro or Twin or Dual, only with less volume.

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Student of the Steel: Zum uni, Fender tube amps, squareneck and roundneck resos, tenor sax, keyboards

[This message was edited by David Doggett on 08 May 2006 at 08:48 AM.]

Chris Erbacher · Post by **Chris Erbacher** » 8 May 2006 3:35 pm

i have a twin that is loaded with jbl's and i had a cab made for the head, and one for the speakers, it works like a charm, that would be my advice if you get one.

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 8 May 2006 3:43 pm

Get your twin, and put the chassis in a head cabinet, and put your speakers into extension cabinets. Rick Johnson can build what you need, and his prices are righteous. You won't be sorry!

Buck Dilly · Post by **Buck Dilly** » 8 May 2006 5:15 pm

Q: Is there a Twin Reverb in a lighter package?
A: NO, If there was Fender would have made it by now.
Just an opinion.

Chris LeDrew · Post by **Chris LeDrew** » 8 May 2006 6:44 pm

I'm selling my SF Twin because I refuse to lift it anymore. I'm still relatively young (35) but every time I gig with it, my back takes days to recover. 85 pounds and one handle is not a good combination. Even with wheels you still have to carry it up over steps. I love the tone and thought I could handle the labour involved in moving it, but I've given up.

I would consider a Twin head w/ 15" cabinet - but for now it'll be my 65-pound Session 400 or 35-pound 112 MusicMan (which I'm using a lot these days, boosted by a Boss GE-7 EQ.)

LARRY COLE · Post by **LARRY COLE** » 8 May 2006 8:19 pm

http://www.rickjohnsoncabs.com/
The best way is to split the head and cabinet. Rick Johnson is the best. He built Lloyd's and Ricky Davis's cabs.

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Playing For JESUS,LC. WILLIAMS U12,SHO-BUD PRO1,CARVIN TL60,GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM,YAMAHA L-10A ACOUSTIC,ROLAND JW-50 KEYBOARD,G&L AND BC RICH BASS'S

Jeremy Steele · Post by **Jeremy Steele** » 9 May 2006 7:08 am

I just bought the guts of a Peavey Deuce on eBay and made a head cabinet for it...I use it with one or two EV 12" SROs (in separate cabinets) depending upon the size of the venue...this amp uses 4 6L6GC tubes...It may not be a Fender Twin, but it's pretty close, and plenty powerful, and MUCH less money.

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 9 May 2006 9:43 am

I go with the Dual Showman Reverb Head - same guts. As stated, Rick Johnson can make a head and cab to split the load. But I wouldn't chop an old Twin cab - it's worth a lot more in original condition if you sell it.

These are not exactly the same, they mostly have solid-state preamp sections - but the Music Man 130-watt amps and the Peavey Deuce or Mace are great amps for a lot less. Of course, these aren't light either, but same deal - put 'em in separate head and cab. Music Man made a head-only version. I believe Albert Lee used one of these for some time, maybe still does. Great amps -very good for combining lead guitar and steel, to my taste.

Another possible option is the Lab Series amps. They're all solid-state, but sound great for guitar - I've never tried one for steel, but they are quite Twin-like to my ears on guitar. BB King has used one for many years. They make a 2-12" version and a 1-15" version. Again, not light, but no reason one can't split these either.

One of the things that separates a Twin Reverb, to my ears, is the size of the box and the fact that the large transformers and high power clean it up, soundwise. There are smaller amps like Boogies that condense the package, but they don't sound like Twins to me. That's what makes the head/cab configuration so appealing to me.