Fender Tweed Pro

[Iced Tea]

The infernal tone quest bug has but me again and I’ce been on the lookout for a Fender Tweed style amp to replace my Deluxe Reverb reissue as my main gigging amp. The DR is nice but the scooped mids tend to make the P90 on my ES125 a bit shrill. So on Saturday I went to a local Guitar shop and tried out a 57 Tweed Pro reissue. The tone was incredible, super fat, round and warm.

Does anyone have experience using the Pro? It seems to me that the 15” speaker does wonders.

[Greentone]

The 15 is part of the recipe. The tweed era circuit also pushes the sound in a different direction than the DR.

Tweed amps have a fuller midrange than blackface amps do. The 15 complements the circuit nicely.

I have had a tweed Pro now for a dozen years and love it.

[Little Jay]

+1 on Greentone's comment.

The ES125 benefits from a bit more midrange indeed. On my Twin I tend to set the mid-pot all the way up. A simple mod for your Deluxe Reverb would be to put a 25K mid pot to get a little more mids.

[Gitfiddler]

This is THE Fender amp that I'd love to test drive. At $2,499 it ain't cheap, but from reading online comments about it, sounds like a real tone machine.

I haven't found a bad review of one yet!

Fender ’57 Custom Pro-Amp Review | Premier Guitar

MusicPlayers.com: Reviews > Guitars > Fender Custom 57 Pro Amplifier

[Greentone]

You can make one for less that will sound the same. The Fender, however, will hold its value.

Life is full of tradeoffs.

FWIW, I think the Fender is worth the $2.5K price. It's that good.

[Petimar]

I'd also consider an Ampeg Gemini II. Next to the Gibson EH185, my all time fav amp!

And a LOT less $$$$$.

[Greentone]

The Gemini II is an unbelievably great amp. Medium power; sensational reverb; baxandall tone stack (this is exceptionally good to have--you can easily dial in a flat sound, or adjust from there); and one of the best 15" speakers ever--Jensen.

I used to use one in an early 70s band and loved it compared to the Fender amps we had, too. (Pro Reverb, Bassman, Showman)

[mad dog]

There is something special about the old tweed pro. I've owned a couple amps in that zone: Victoria 35115, Sewell Wampus Cat., Ampeg Gemini II. All great in their own ways. The Vicky 35115 was the overall champ I'd say.

The common elements to me are the 1x15 format, plus non-mid scoop voicing of the later Fenders.

The 1x15 I'm playing now is a variant of the fender tweed deluxe, one that can use 6L6s or 5881s as needed to push into the pro territory. It's a L'il Dawg DLX. Starts with a 5E3 deluxe circuit, has much bigger transformers. I run mine with 6v6s out of preference. It has only one tone knob per channel, so in terms of EQ, is not directly equivalent to the tweed pro. It came to me in an oversize Mather 1x15 cab with an Eminence Legend 151 ceramic.

Jim at L'il dawg can build a true pro type if you like. For me, this DLX is a perfect bridge between the 5E3 tweed dlx and 5E5 tweed pro. Louder, much bigger sound than the former, easily capable of scaling in volume and headroom, as tweed pro does itself in comparison to the tweed deluxe.
MD

[neatomic]

one of the great amps!!...was popular with the western swing boys..the 15" worked for thick wooly toned jazzy guitar and for the pedal steel players too!!!...pedal steel players always want the 15's....

cheers

[leroydobbs]

There is something special about the old tweed pro. I've owned a couple amps in that zone: Victoria 35115, Sewell Wampus Cat., Ampeg Gemini II. All great in their own ways. The Vicky 35115 was the overall champ I'd say.

The common elements to me are the 1x15 format, plus non-mid scoop voicing of the later Fenders.

The 1x15 I'm playing now is a variant of the fender tweed deluxe, one that can use 6L6s or 5881s as needed to push into the pro territory. It's a L'il Dawg DLX. Starts with a 5E3 deluxe circuit, has much bigger transformers. I run mine with 6v6s out of preference. It has only one tone knob per channel, so in terms of EQ, is not directly equivalent to the tweed pro. It came to me in an oversize Mather 1x15 cab with an Eminence Legend 151 ceramic.

Jim at L'il dawg can build a true pro type if you like. For me, this DLX is a perfect bridge between the 5E3 tweed dlx and 5E5 tweed pro. Louder, much bigger sound than the former, easily capable of scaling in volume and headroom, as tweed pro does itself in comparison to the tweed deluxe.
MD

Greetings MadDog!
I had Joe Bob (Sewell) we spoke a few times about that some years back. Good to see ya!

To the op tweed pro is wonderful.

Its been my main for a dozen years and I have many Fender, Vic etc in carious configurations.

My pro was the 3rd amp I ever built from scratch. As others have said they can be built equal to or > fender reissues for reasonable $.

All the best!

Lee Dobbs




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[mad dog]

Greetings MadDog!
I had Joe Bob (Sewell) we spoke a few times about that some years back. Good to see ya!
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Lee: Great to hear from you! Do you still have Joe Bob? Very cool amp.

I keep forgetting the tweed pro type I've been chasing for years - 50s to early 60s Gibson GA77 or 77RV. It's a hotter, darker take on Leo Fenders 5E5 formula. With - depending on the year - octal preamps.
MD

[Encinitastubes]

How heavy is the tweed Pro compared to an Ampeg Gemini II?

[Greentone]

IIRC, about 10 pounds lighter for the Pro.

[neatomic]

ampegs were always weighty!!...gemini w 15's are great though...and of course the classic fliptop bass amp...that was a nyc recording studio standard until the 80's!!!!!

you can shave some pounds off fender pro with neo mag speaker... eminence has a vintage jbl inspired 15" neo mag speaker- the eps-15c

https://www.eminence.com/pdf/EPS_15C.pdf


the pedal steel guys are all over them...

cheers

[leroydobbs]

Lee: Great to hear from you! Do you still have Joe Bob? Very cool amp.

I keep forgetting the tweed pro type I've been chasing for years - 50s to early 60s Gibson GA77 or 77RV. It's a hotter, darker take on Leo Fenders 5E5 formula. With - depending on the year - octal preamps.
MD

I was actually 2nd to own Joe Bob after Doug built him.
I don't have but still track his movements best I can. Maybe someday :-)
I really owe a lot to Doug for his kindness when I was starting out building and before. He is first class. Likewise Mike Clark.


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[John A.]

In the book "Amps!: The Other Half of Rock 'N Roll" by Richie Fliegler, there's a comparison of the different versions/generations of Pro's, up through brownface. Worth reading for anyone looking at tweeds, since (at least according to this), there are starkly different versions of tweed Pro's.

this link should work:

Amps!: The Other Half of Rock 'n' Roll - Ritchie Fliegler, Jon F. Eiche - Google Books

but if not, google "fliegler fender pro"

John


John

[leroydobbs]

In the book "Amps!: The Other Half of Rock 'N Roll" by Richie Fliegler, there's a comparison of the different versions/generations of Pro's, up through brownface. Worth reading for anyone looking at tweeds, since (at least according to this), there are starkly different versions of tweed Pro's.

this link should work:

Amps!: The Other Half of Rock 'n' Roll - Ritchie Fliegler, Jon F. Eiche - Google Books

but if not, google "fliegler fender pro"

John


John

Indeed the various iterations of the Pro are quite different from each other, like all Fender models. With that said, they are all pretty wonderful. Fender's reissue would be a 5E5A narrow-panel version. That's also the version I built that has been my gigging amp since 2006. At about 28 watts it has the most volume and clean headroom of the tweed versions. The others are cathode biased and have a bit less power, compress more, etc. Some have octal preamp tubes. Again they're all great in their own right but best known version (and most "clones") would be 5E5A.
They all have the 15" and similar dimensions/weight.

[Greentone]

I believe that I have played every version of the Fender Pro, except the late-40s wood cabinet version, from the earliest tweed-like Pro up through the Pro Reverb. In all of its guises it remains one of my very favorite amps.

If I had to pick one or two, though, I would choose the early-50s 5C5 (octal preamp tubes, cathode biased power tubes, Jensen P15n speaker) and the brownface Fender Pro Amp. The 5C5 has the sweetest, clearest "Fender" clean tone, IMO, of all of the Fender amplifiers. I played my bandmate's pristine 5C5 and evaluated it when he purchased it. (It was completely original, even down to the tubes. It was hardly used, at all.) This amplifier is essentially the amplifier that Fender established its reputation with among steel guitarists in southern California in the 50s. It sounds great for any music, but it sounds absolutely beautiful for jazz.

The brownface amp is, if anything, just a bit better. It is the last development of the more or less original Pro Amp before the complete redesign of Fender's amps during the blackface era. At that point (blackface), Fender went from a prominent midrange sound to a scooped midrange sound. Most people today associate the latter with "The Fender Sound."

[John A.]

I believe that I have played every version of the Fender Pro, except the late-40s wood cabinet version, from the earliest tweed-like Pro up through the Pro Reverb. In all of its guises it remains one of my very favorite amps.

If I had to pick one or two, though, I would choose the early-50s 5C5 (octal preamp tubes, cathode biased power tubes, Jensen P15n speaker) and the brownface Fender Pro Amp. The 5C5 has the sweetest, clearest "Fender" clean tone, IMO, of all of the Fender amplifiers. I played my bandmate's pristine 5C5 and evaluated it when he purchased it. (It was completely original, even down to the tubes. It was hardly used, at all.) This amplifier is essentially the amplifier that Fender established its reputation with among steel guitarists in southern California in the 50s. It sounds great for any music, but it sounds absolutely beautiful for jazz.

The brownface amp is, if anything, just a bit better. It is the last development of the more or less original Pro Amp before the complete redesign of Fender's amps during the blackface era. At that point (blackface), Fender went from a prominent midrange sound to a scooped midrange sound. Most people today associate the latter with "The Fender Sound."

I had an early brownface Pro (with the oxblood/tan cloth and plastic handle). It didn't sound much like any tweed amps I've ever tried -- much cleaner, brighter, and louder. I'd say it was more like a blackface amp than a tweed.

John

[Gitfiddler]

I believe that I have played every version of the Fender Pro, except the late-40s wood cabinet version, from the earliest tweed-like Pro up through the Pro Reverb. In all of its guises it remains one of my very favorite amps.

If I had to pick one or two, though, I would choose the early-50s 5C5 (octal preamp tubes, cathode biased power tubes, Jensen P15n speaker) and the brownface Fender Pro Amp. The 5C5 has the sweetest, clearest "Fender" clean tone, IMO, of all of the Fender amplifiers. I played my bandmate's pristine 5C5 and evaluated it when he purchased it. (It was completely original, even down to the tubes. It was hardly used, at all.) This amplifier is essentially the amplifier that Fender established its reputation with among steel guitarists in southern California in the 50s. It sounds great for any music, but it sounds absolutely beautiful for jazz.

The brownface amp is, if anything, just a bit better. It is the last development of the more or less original Pro Amp before the complete redesign of Fender's amps during the blackface era. At that point (blackface), Fender went from a prominent midrange sound to a scooped midrange sound. Most people today associate the latter with "The Fender Sound."

I was not aware of this. I've found that most of the mid-80's Rivera era (Champ II, Princeton Reverb II, Deluxe Reverb II and Concert) amps tend to have a mid-hump tone. The sole exception is the mighty Super Champ, which is all Fender scooped mids (unless the Mid boost is pulled). My theory is Rivera was chasing Boogie and tweaked his series to sound thicker. But was that actually a step back in time tone-wise?

Were other Brownface Fenders mid-heavy?

Always interesting amp stuff from Mr. Greentone.

[powerwagonjohn]

I have a 1962 Fender Pro with an Altec 418 and a 1966 Gemini II with a JBL D130F these are both great amps and I don't think I could part with either one. I have never heard a Gemini II compared with a tweed Pro but the only tweed Pro I have ever played was a Victoria clone. Considering the 1962 Pro cost me over a $1000.00 more than the Ampeg, I would consider the Ampeg a real steal! The 62 Pro definitely has more midrange than my 64 Tremolux or my 67 Bassman but the Ampeg wins the midrange challenge hands down!
Thanks John

[citizenk74]

From Gitfiddler: "Were other Brownface Fenders mid-heavy?" Brownface Vibroverb owner here. Yes, deliciously so. With two 10" speakers, lush reverb and "vibrato," a sweet, sweet amp indeed.

[jschiele]

I have a 1952 Pro which is original except for one or two tubes and two bypass caps (still running the original filter caps!). It’s definitely my best sounding amp and I love it very much... however the amp I gig the most is my Henriksen Bud. If I carry an amp to a gig or rehearsal the smallest and lightest that will do the job wins (almost) every time.

[leroydobbs]

From Gitfiddler: "Were other Brownface Fenders mid-heavy?" Brownface Vibroverb owner here. Yes, deliciously so. With two 10" speakers, lush reverb and "vibrato," a sweet, sweet amp indeed.

The 2x10s in parallel vs the 1x15 will do a couple things- most significantly that will hollow out ai
W of the mids and "sweeten" somewhat, giving a little more lushness and 3-D effect to the sound (assuming same cab size). Will also be a little heavier.
All else being equal, the 15" has a dif character from tge 10"s, especially w more than one 10" involved.
This remains so when the OT impedance is matched to each load- its the comb filtering that makes biggest difference.
With that said, as stated above brown VVerbs have a plenitude of available mids. Great amps (old ones or correctly built repros that is).

Also worth noting that the SS recifier in brown versions will stiffen the attack and remove some compression. May or may not be an "improvement" to your ears.



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[citizenk74]

The 2x10s in parallel vs the 1x15 will do a couple things- most significantly that will hollow out ai
W of the mids and "sweeten" somewhat, giving a little more lushness and 3-D effect to the sound (assuming same cab size). Will also be a little heavier.
All else being equal, the 15" has a dif character from tge 10"s, especially w more than one 10" involved.
This remains so when the OT impedance is matched to each load- its the comb filtering that makes biggest difference.
With that said, as stated above brown VVerbs have a plenitude of available mids. Great amps (old ones or correctly built repros that is).

Also worth noting that the SS rectifier in brown versions will stiffen the attack and remove some compression. May or may not be an "improvement" to your ears.

My is the ancient original and uses a 5U4GB to rectify the voltage to the 2 6l6s. It is built like the proverbial tank and the tilt-back legs (Leo's greatest invention, in my book) make it a room-filling crowd pleaser.