RE: twin reverb

["Smith, Richard" <rismith@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I have a 1968 (or possibly 1969) Twin Reverb, silverface, without the master volume pot.
As you've noted - - it's a big, loud, sonofagun, but it sounds great.
I've never been able to get the volume knob up high enough to make the amp distort.
However, I saw a "Volume Box" on E-Bay, 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=38074&item=3729432944&rd=1

and I was wondering if the use of this box would make it possible to turn the amp up 
to "9" or so, and use the Volume Box to keep the volume down.I don't want to naively 
use some gimmick that would hurt my amp.  Does anyone know if this "Volume Box" is safe?  

Richard J. Smith, R.A. 
rismith@xxxxxxxxxxx 

- -----Original Message-----
From: owner-harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:owner-harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of The Bernadettes
Sent: Friday, June 11, 2004 2:43 PM
To: PL500@xxxxxxx; harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: twin reverb


    Can't help but agree with Andrew's statement below.  I blew thru an early 70's master volume Twin Reverb for years and they make great harp amps.  Yes they're heavy, yes the build quality isn't as good as the blackfaces (but still much better than a lotta stuff built today.)  Anyway, these make great candidates for modification if you're inclined to go that route....I can attest as an amp tech who's repaired/modfied many a Fender silverface amp, the silverface (especially those made in the 60's & first 1/2 of the 70's) are the best bargains out there in the amp world.  
    I would say the statement about outperforming BF amps is more a matter of opinion than fact, no disrespect intended, but different people will have different opinions on what constitute "performance."  But in general I'm inclined to say that silverface amps do get a bad rap by vintge snobs who feel that it has to be blackface, brownface, or tweed.  I have a room full of tweed, blacks, and silvers (no brownfaces at the moment!!), but the silvers get the most stage time.  I can modify my silvers without a sense of guilt by somehow "ruining" a vintage amp, or use them in the rowdier clubs without fear of getting a valued tweed or BF amp trashed by some drunken fool spilling beer on the stage, whatever.
    As far as mods or tweaks to a 72 SF Twin...jeez I know more than I could ever list.  Play thru it first and get an idea of what you like or dislike about the amp then start thinking about mods.  I will say that if you can pickup a silverface amp at a reasonable price, even with quite a bit of tweaking, modification, and servicing by an amp tech, you can probably get an amp that will work as well as any of the high priced boutique amps for considerably less money....you just have to be willing to put in a little time and educate yourself a bit about what you're buying.  You should realize that a Twin is a big and loud amp that will  work best in a larger room, don't buy it if you're looking for a practice amp!

Good luck on your purchase,
Don D.
Whoever thinks that the SF Twins past 1972 are not good amps is a complete fool. To this day I must say I haven't heard a Silverface amp that hasn't matched or outperformed a Blackface amp on any given day. I hold the SF Twins to be great amps, I have heard Blackface Twins and Silverface Twins, and I must say that the sound from the SF Twins is a little better. For harmonica I would say the Twin is not ideal, but for guitar as a general rule they are the best overall sounding amp ever made. 
Over the last year I have heard around 5 to 6 different SF Twins (one had Altecs, one had JBL's) and around 3 BF Twins (2 of them had JBL's). Out of all of them the best sounding Twins were two of the Master Volume (post 1972) SF Twins (one had Altecs and the other had JBL's). This whole notion that BF amps are better does not hold up to scrutiny. Whoever does not regard the post 1972 SF Twins as good amps is either near deafness or completely devoid any inclination of good sound.

The vintage market is filled with people who believe somehow they can hear with their eyes and somehow buy the sound that a certain player has or had, the fact that the SF Twins are not held in high esteem by them is a sure sign that they are great amps. People who shell out $1,500 or 2 grand for a BF Fender Deluxe as a general rule are not to be taken seriously when it comes to tone or anything else. Good sound is not determined by how much money you shell out.

Andrew