Fender Tremolux-Amp guitar amplifier head with matching cabinet, 1963

**Phil in London** · 03-03-2015, 03:56 AM

I have a chance to get one of those for a good price, but it's too far in the countryside to motivate me to go there. Any experiences with these amps for playing jazz and blues? They do look cool, thats for sure, but if breaking up too early, it might not be right for me. Input of tube-masters, including mod-options, highly appreciated.

**Franz 1997** · 03-03-2015, 06:41 AM

I had a blonde tremolux once. Surprising clarity and volume, far more than you'd expect from a 25W (?) 2 x 10. Great sound, entirely suitable for jazz IMO. However, it was a very bulky amp, and so the lack of portability led me to move it on quickly . Mod options include more efficient 10s- the stock ones are low efficiency. Otherwise, maybe leave a 63 original alone? You're right, they look achingly cool.....

**boatheelmusic** · 03-03-2015, 07:02 AM

Time trip - that was my first "good" amp.

Shuld have kept it, along with my '64 preCBS Twin Reverb with JBL D120s !

**garryrenfro** · 03-03-2015, 08:05 AM

I have owned this 1965 with JBLs for about 40 years. It is one of my all time favorite amps, being quiet and having a beautiful voice. It will begin to breakup around 5-6. Above that volume is outstanding for blues. I used to play it out some, but for many years it has been strictly a studio piece. If I ran across a 1963 at a "good" price, I would grab it in a heartbeat.

**Phil in London** · 03-03-2015, 08:12 AM

cool stuff, thanks all!

**SamBooka** · 03-03-2015, 08:35 AM

Yep.. I have had mine for about 20 years now. I didnt play jazz on it.. for rock and blues it was a little underwhelming because it was a little too clean. Definitely worth a shot if it is a good price. You wont lose anything on it. Send pics!

**Greentone** · 03-03-2015, 08:48 AM

My experience with the blonde piggyback Tremolux amp is that it was uncommonly clean for a Fender. I played a Gretsch 6120 into it and it was very clean, very Fender-y.

**Phil in London** · 03-03-2015, 09:43 AM

here is the pic of the ad...

**wintermoon** · 03-03-2015, 09:47 AM

looks clean, but what's a Fenaer?
;^)

**Phil in London** · 03-03-2015, 09:48 AM

Greek company, subsidiary of Fender...

**John A.** · 03-03-2015, 11:00 AM

A studio I did some sessions in a ways back had a blond tremolux, and I got some nice blues tones out of it. As with most other Fender models the blond/brown versions sound a bit different from the blackface versions. Coincidentally, I just did a rehearsal with a funk/fusion group in a studio that had a blackface tremolux, and I really liked it. I had it turned up to around 5, and chords were clean, single notes had a touch of sustain, and it was quite loud. I was using a pedal for overdriven tones, so I can't really comment on what the tremolux sounded like when really cranked.

John

**bananafist** · 03-03-2015, 12:01 PM

Phil - is that in Hampshire? Pity about that switch on the front panel, maybe you can get a new brown face panel and restore it to how it should look. Otherwise it looks very clean. Pretty sure that amp was for sale in a Hants shop a year or so ago, a bit expensive at that time.
If you decide against it, I'd appreciate a heads up.

**Phil in London** · 03-03-2015, 12:26 PM

Agree, the brown face panel would be cooler. The front switch, on the other hand, may not be original, but probably quite practical...

I cant connect it to Hampshire, but that does not mean its not the same amp.

Will do

**SamBooka** · 03-03-2015, 12:44 PM

Oh.. that is the 6g9! (assuming the front panel is original).

Different beast all together. I never tried one.. had a friend who had one and liked it.

**Franz 1997** · 03-03-2015, 02:29 PM

I have a feeling the 6g9 ( I think mine was that version) has the cool semi-baxendall tone stack with the tapped treble pot. If it has, it's very jazz-friendly.

**SamBooka** · 03-03-2015, 03:05 PM

Originally Posted by Franz 1997

I have a feeling the 6g9 ( I think mine was that version) has the cool semi-baxendall tone stack with the tapped treble pot. If it has, it's very jazz-friendly.

Well bunch of difference from the AB763.. Tube trem instead of optical. Lotsa negative feedback. Tone stack doesnt look any different tho. Much lower plate voltages in the power amp.

Filtering and phase inverter look the same.

Both are fixed bias but the aa is adjustable.

**powerwagonjohn** · 03-03-2015, 03:28 PM

I have a 1964 Tremolux and it is a very nice and clean sounding amp. I have 3 different speaker/cab combinations I play through. It is a wonderful amp with tube rectifier so it does have great vintage sound. The added switch should equate to a good monetary deal. I would grab it as I know mine is not going nowhere.
Thanks John

**Franz 1997** · 03-03-2015, 04:28 PM

Originally Posted by SamBooka

Well bunch of difference from the AB763.. Tube trem instead of optical. Lotsa negative feedback. Tone stack doesnt look any different tho. Much lower plate voltages in the power amp.

No big deal, but the 6G9 schem I just googled had the tapped treble pot, and a cap hanging off the end of the pot. As I remember it, a mellower response compared to the standard AB stack.

**Treading Water** · 03-03-2015, 04:39 PM

I have owned a 1961 for 30+ years. Mine has a "tone ring"cabinet, but has been missing the tone ring - I have a single 12" spkr in it. Mine also has 6bq5 or el-84 valves. Most i have seen from this era have slight differences, and due to various "servicing" may or may not have origonal parts. Mine sounds good, but i run mine on reduced voltage here in the U.S. which seems to help with both noise and heat issues...

**Phil in London** · 03-03-2015, 04:45 PM

thanks treading water. So is the amp in general on the noisy side?

**Phil in London** · 03-13-2015, 03:21 AM

Just to let you know - I bought it. 850 £. Will be delivered next week :-)

**bananafist** · 03-13-2015, 12:26 PM

Sounds like a good deal, Phil. I think it is the one that was for sale in Southampton a couple of years or so ago. The switch (non-stock) was in the same place, and the speaker cab corners aren't Fender ones (exactly as the Southampton one). The shop in Southampton was asking £2000+, so at £850, the amp alone, has got to be worth the price easily. If you find it isn't your cuppa tea, give me a shout!

**Greentone** · 03-13-2015, 12:31 PM

Enjoy that amp!

**powerwagonjohn** · 03-13-2015, 02:00 PM

Enjoy your amp, I don't find mine noisy at all.
Thanks John

**Greentone** · 03-13-2015, 02:24 PM

The blonde piggyback Tremolux I used back in the day was a friend's '61 6G9. It was a very special amp. The amp only had about half the power of the typical Tremolux...but the sound! At the end of one gig in the Washington DC area, I was so impressed with the amp that I very carefully examined it. The power tubes were two 6BQ9 tubes--i.e., EL-84 tubes. This was most unusual because every piggyback Tremolux I had ever used had 6L6 tubes. Moreover, the twin blonde cabinets each housed a single ten-inch speaker. This amp is the best-sounding Tremolux I have ever played, other than a 5g9 tweed Tremolux. In fact, I may have preferred this amp to a tweed.

Other than the fact that your amp sports two tens in the cabinet, the amp I played and gigged with looked like the one you just bought. Blonde Tolex with dark grille cloth. Again, enjoy your amp.