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Fender Super Twin (reverb) heads

KOakes

KOakes

Guest
Mar 19, 2013
6
1
www.richfieldmusic.com
#1
I know this has been on here a bit. However, quick question... First a little back story...

I recently purchased a pair of these amazing g... er, bass amps, for a sweet deal. One is a '75, the other an '80 (super twin reverb). The guy I bought them from kept impeccable records of service, etc. They are just the heads in aftermarket shells. Both seem to be in great shape. Pretty sweet score! After a long time playing, I have never owned a tube amp, still lots to learn. But I only need one.

And now my question... I'm planning on keeping the '75, and selling the '80. Since I got these at a super deal for the pair, I'm not really sure of the value of one. What's one of these worth? Just looking for a ballpark as a starting point.

One other thing... I'm thinking of replacing the shell. I want something different, not the vintage fender look. Something a little more "custom" looking with woods, etc. Any ideas of a place to get some ideas?
 
#2
How in the world did they end up in aftermarket shells? Although I'm not familiar with using super twins as a bass amp head, so maybe guys take the heads out of a combo and put them in a custom head only box? You could send the head to Steve Kudela and get a really mindblowing custom exotic wood enclosure built! That would not disappoint I can assure you. Of course now I'm thinking what one might sound like ...must resist, GAS coming on.
Bill
 
#3
Apparently it's a thing now. Since these amps were pretty much useless as guitar amps (louder than anyone would ever need, aside from Ted Nugent I hear), there is a movement in converting them into bass heads. I must say, it makes an amazing sounding amp. The clarity is astounding! I'm still fiddling around with it to get a little "fuzz" sound to it. But it kicks serious butt! I took it to practice last night and it cut through so well in the "mix". Needless to say, I'm very happy with this purchase.

I can't see a situation that would necessitate an SVT at this point in my life, 180 watts through my 4x10 seems to be more than ample (no pun intended). My neighbors are not happy with me and my A/B-ing these two amps constantly lately, I'm sure.
 
#5
Surprisingly, these amps (at least in their "native" guitar combo form) aren't that valuable. Even though they are US-made tube amps with point-to-point wiring, guitarists do not want them. They are quite a bit different from the classic silverface Twin Reverbs. They have active equalization instead of the traditional fender tonestack, they have a terrible sounding distortion channel. They also use an oddball CompacTron preamp tube that has 3 tubes in one envelope. And of course, they use six output tubes. My bandmate was using a SuperTwin on his guitar rig, and it didn't sound that great, even though it can get very loud.

Large combo amps have fallen out of favor with guitarists, people don't want anything bigger than a 1x12 combo unless they play metal. They're not needed for playing live anymore now that large, channel PA systems are common. (PAs used to be strictly for the vocals.) Guitarists find them heavy, bulky and too loud for home practice. A 12-watt Princeton Reverb is worth much more than 100-watt Twin Reverb of the same vintage.
 

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