Re: Req: Amp Help, Please...

[Barry Schaede <barrys@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Wed, 14 Jun 1995, Joe Terrasi wrote:
> Question #1: Does this mean the speaker was produced in week 7 of '58? Does
> it HAVE to be a six-digit number?

No the number can be 5 digits also. This would also work with the tube 
chart information.  H J would be a 1958 made in October of that year.  
The clincher of course would be to check the manufacturing codes on the 
potentiometers in the amp.  These codes have 6 or 7 digits.  The first 3 
digits are the manufactuer's code.  137 CTS, 304 Stackpole, 140 
Clarostat, 134 Centralab, 381 Bourns, 106 Allen-Bradley.  If there are 7 
digits total the 4th and 5th numbers indicate the year of manufature and 
the last 2 digits (6th and 7th) the week 1-52.  With 6 digit codes the 
4th digit is the last number of the year the potentiometer was 
manufactured. 
  
> Question #2: Did Fender continue to produce the tweeds longer than the book
> says?
Fender often ran models and years with overlap.  There were twwed amps 
made in 1960 although not very many.  This is not the case with yours 
however as it appears to have been made in 1958.  I have a 1963 Fender 
Bassman head in blonde rough tolex with an oxblood grill and a blackface 
and a presence control.  This is a very good example of mixed and matched 
cosmetics and circuits.  This amp should have been a blackface black 
tolex or at the very least had smooth tolex with a light grill.   

> The Tube Amp book also states that it was rare for Fender to let speakers
> sit around for more than a couple months before installing them. According
> to the dates on my stuff, I think the speaker is more than two years older
> than the amp.
> 
> Question #3: Is that possible or likely?  I don't think this is the 
case with your amp.  The amp and speakers were made in the same yearOften 
times speakers get switched though.  You have to remeber that when these 
amps were made they were amps not antiques.  If your buddy had an amp 
that sounded great with a speaker that didn't come with your's you'd go 
out and swap the speaker without a thought to the lost collectors value.  
A good example of this is all the spray painted black amps that started 
out brown or white tolex.  I have a Conert amp that would be worth a 
small fortune if it wasn't painted black.  It was originally white and 
very few were ever made this colour.

 
> Question #4: Given that the tweed is in relatively bad shape, how would
> this amp be appraised?  (Don't get me wrong - I'm not selling it!)
Tweed tremoluxes were not poular guitar amps.  They're down on power and 
consequently not so collectible for the guitar guys.  They're who drives 
the market.  That said if I were you I would want at least $500 for the 
amp if I were selling it maybe more.  If it were a 1958 Bandmaster or 
Bassman we'd be talking over $2000.   BTW I just checked another source 
and they claim that the Tremolux was made in tweed until 1960.  The 
Tremolux is in a tweed Pro cabinet with the added effect of tremolo.  
This used a 12AX7 tube (both sides) and consequently the output of this 
amp is much lower than the Pro's.  15 watts vs 26 watts. They also made a 
single 10" speaker version of this amp in a smaller twwed box called the 
Vibrolux.  It was only 10 watts.  The Tremolux was a single 12" and the 
Pro was a single 15".


FJM If I can enjoy listening to the intracacies of chromatic reed 
polishing and the role of emotions in playing then a little tech talk 
about Fender amps isn't going to kill anyone.