Fender 68 Custom Twin or 2 x Fender 68 Custom Pro Reverb

[Maxxx]

So.. in preparation for the new Japan Ibanez GB10 that's coming my way I'm now sorting the amp side of things.

Since having so much delightful fun and joy with a Telecaster on my Roland JC40 the last few months I am completely addicted to stereo.

Question..

Do I get a single Fender 68 Custom Twin Reverb.

Or

2 x Fender 68 Custom Pro Reverb

[Maxxx]

This however has me a little concerned..

[orri]

A twin reverb does have double the amount of speakers, pre amp channels and power tubes but despite that, it is a mono amp.
Both pre amp channels use the same (mono) power amp section, which outputs the exact same signal into both speakers.

So 2x pro reverb if you want to use stereo effects.

[Maxxx]

A twin reverb does have double the amount of speakers, pre amp channels and power tubes but despite that, it is a mono amp.
Both pre amp channels use the same (mono) power amp section, which outputs the exact same signal into both speakers.

So 2x pro reverb if you want to use stereo effects.

Thank you Orri.

[bluejaybill]

Or maybe two Deluxe Reverbs? I sometimes do that at home, not sure if you need more power for gigging though.

Two Deluxe Reverb size amps get pretty loud! 40+ watts and two 12" speakers.

[bluejaybill]

Or maybe two Deluxe Reverbs? I sometimes do that at home, not sure if you need more power for gigging though.

Two Deluxe Reverb size amps get pretty loud! 40+ watts and two 12" speakers.

I do the same, and it's definitely more than plenty at home, and probably enough for most gigs!

[Jimmy Mack]

OMG. One DR can be so loud. Two ??????? Are you playing in an arena?

Played a gig yesterday and the other G player had a Deluxe Reverb. It was so LOUD! WE had to intervene and turn him down.

[andrew]

Why the '68 Twin Reverb and not a '65?

[DawgBone]

Sorry guys, a Deluxe is not "loud". It really doesn't have the headroom to keep a clean tone with a drummer who hits with authority. You'll get drowned out by a loud tenor sax. For a small-med volume restricted club it should work really nicely if you aren't mic'ing through the PA. Your pure clean tone is gone once you hit 4 on the dial and have to dig in with the pick.

Ain't no way I'd spend 2100 bucks on a new TRRI but that might be the OP's only option if he doesn't know a good tech in his area. Otherwise you could buy a used SF, the speakers you want, AND have it retubed, biased, recapped, and checked out by your tech for the same or less cash.

I wouldn't buy one of those "custom" series amps or a pro reverb either.

Ever considered a Music Man RD50 or HD130? The 50 is clean and can get plenty loud. The 130 is basically a Twin but bring a dolly....

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

Ever considered a Music Man RD50 or HD130? The 50 is clean and can get plenty loud.

I'm very surprised that you like the RD50, 'Bone - it's a hybrid with a SS preamp. The RD50 (either the 110 or the 112) sure can get loud, but it's hardly clean at high levels. Its real claim to fame is a smoooooth OD a la classic Chris Cain and Robben Ford. An RD50-112 has been Cain's main amp since his Boogie gave up on a gig and the only tube amp he could find at a music store close to the gig was an RD50-112 (of which he has a few, all loaded with EVM12Ls). He uses no effects - it's just the neck pickup on a bog stock 335 straight into the amp. A Dumble couldn't make him sound any better.

He always sounds the same, and it's a beautiful thing to hear - especially live. I had the pleasure of backing him at the Wilmington (DE) Blues and Microbrews Festival some years ago. Even through a rented amp (and I don't remember which one now - it wasn't a Twin and it was wide open), he sounded exactly like Chris Cain. I assume you know his work well, but many others won't. So here's the quintessential Chris Cain sound:

PS: FWIW, it appears that Robben Ford now agrees with the wisdom of a smaller amp with less power. He's stopped using his Dumbles and is now into low wattage tube amps. He loves (and sounds just as great through) his Little Walter King Arthur. It's 15W from EL84s, and he uses a 2x12 cab. But he also uses a Zendrive pedal, while Cain gets an equally gorgeous tone with no effects.

[Stringswinger]

I'm very surprised that you like the RD50, 'Bone - it's a hybrid with a SS preamp. The RD50 (either the 110 or the 112) sure can get loud, but it's hardly clean at high levels. Its real claim to fame is a smoooooth OD a la classic Chris Cain and Robben Ford. An RD50-112 has been Cain's main amp since his Boogie gave up on a gig and the only tube amp he could find at a music store close to the gig was an RD50-112 (of which he has a few, all loaded with EVM12Ls). He uses no effects - it's just the neck pickup on a bog stock 335 straight into the amp. A Dumble couldn't make him sound any better.

I had a Musicman RD100-112 with an EVM speaker. I have also had a 1970 Silverface Twin with JBL's (I might need to see a Chiropractor today just from thinking about that amp ). Both amps were clean machines and got very loud. The Twin pushed more air (it seemed louder) and to my ears, the Twin had the better tone. 12 AX7's bring a lot to the party.

I have had a few of the modern Fenders with their printed circuit boards. All seemed less that solid for lots of gig work and none sounded as good to me as the vintage P2P Fender amps that I have owned. I would not recommend them. And I have nothing against the circuit boards, as I have owned many Mesa amps that used PCB's, and all were totally gig worthy. IMO, the modern Fenders are not made for pro use.

A good tube amp will cost you, either by paying the big bucks to get a new boutique version (which includes the Fender Custom shop amps), or by buying a vintage version and paying to have it made gig worthy. And then there are the problems associated with the tube amps (weight and finding good tubes).

There are some great solid state amps these days and some better hybrid amps than Leo's Musicman amps (IMO, you want the tubes in the preamp, where you really hear the nuance. I don't understand tubes in the power amp only with solid state rectification).

Milkman makes a Class D solid State amp with a 12AX7 in the preamp. Lightweight, reliable and with all the tube tone you need for small gigs or going into a PA. It is a new world out there when it comes to guitar amps.

The Amp 12" Combo: Lightweight 50W Guitar Amplifier by Milkman Sound

[DawgBone]

I'm very surprised that you like the RD50, 'Bone - it's a hybrid with a SS preamp. The RD50 (either the 110 or the 112) sure can get loud, but it's hardly clean at high levels. Its real claim to fame is a smoooooth OD a la classic Chris Cain and Robben Ford. An RD50-112 has been Cain's main amp since his Boogie gave up on a gig and the only tube amp he could find at a music store close to the gig was an RD50-112 (of which he has a few, all loaded with EVM12Ls). He uses no effects - it's just the neck pickup on a bog stock 335 straight into the amp. A Dumble couldn't make him sound any better.

He always sounds the same, and it's a beautiful thing to hear - especially live. I had the pleasure of backing him at the Wilmington (DE) Blues and Microbrews Festival some years ago. Even through a rented amp (and I don't remember which one now - it wasn't a Twin and it was wide open), he sounded exactly like Chris Cain. I assume you know his work well, but many others won't. So here's the quintessential Chris Cain sound:

PS: FWIW, it appears that Robben Ford now agrees with the wisdom of a smaller amp with less power. He's stopped using his Dumbles and is now into low wattage tube amps. He loves (and sounds just as great through) his Little Walter King Arthur. It's 15W from EL84s, and he uses a 2x12 cab. But he also uses a Zendrive pedal, while Cain gets an equally gorgeous tone with no effects.

I learned about that amp from a bandmate of mine who had a couple of them. He would run his guitar into a BBE sonic stomp for a little added sparkle and then into the amp. It was a great sound. A few years after that I found out about Chris Cain (and his rig of choice), gotta love that guy. Great player and a guy who definitely plays blues in a way I like very much. So he was using what kinda Boogie prior? A boogie Mk 1 or something? I've been considering some alternative amp pathways for the future, MM, maybe a Super, maybe a Boogie?

I've thought about one of those MM amps recently because they are loud and more portable than a Twin and would make a nice grab and go travel rig and sound great cranked. I mentioned to the OP cause they have a lot of power and are compact, and still can be set pretty clean and loud when needed also. I caught this video of Kingfish using Cain's complete rig and sounding pretty ferocious. Starts about :40

[bluejaybill]

OMG. One DR can be so loud. Two ??????? Are you playing in an arena?

Played a gig yesterday and the other G player had a Deluxe Reverb. It was so LOUD! WE had to intervene and turn him down.

I know, it's actually too loud for me! I actually usually use a Princeton size amp (Fat Jimmy) and a Little Jazz for that, somewhat quieter. But also, when I play in stereo, the output is split in half to the two amps, and that helps!

My point was that two 40 watt Pro Reverbs- yikes! It's been a long time since I was able to fire up that much amp!

EDIT: Actually, I remember when the last time was- in the '80's in NYC when I used a pair of tweed Bassmen in stereo with a Roland tape Chorus Echo! That made a nice racket! No wonder I have hearing aids!

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

I learned about that amp from a bandmate of mine who had a couple of them. He would run his guitar into a BBE sonic stomp for a little added sparkle and then into the amp. It was a great sound. A few years after that I found out about Chris Cain (and his rig of choice), gotta love that guy. Great player and a guy who definitely plays blues in a way I like very much. So he was using what kinda Boogie prior? A boogie Mk 1 or something? I've been considering some alternative amp pathways for the future, MM, maybe a Super, maybe a Boogie?

I bought a Boogie before it became a Mk 1 and used it for about 30 years with zero failures. I changed the tubes once as preventive maintenance. I’m pretty sure CC used a similar amp, but (as the story goes) his failed on a gig and he never went back.

I started looking for a lighter alternative to the 65+ pound Boogie with EVM after about 20 years of dragging it around. I also had at least one Twin all along, but I don’t like effects and the Boogie gave me the blues and pop tones I needed. So it handled anything and everything, and I had a 1x12 Boogie Thiele EVM cab to make a half stack if I needed it. With 100W on tap and a speaker that could handle it in the combo cab, I never actually needed it.

I still think a Boogie 1x12 is the best all around tube amp ever. But TBH, my Quilter OD202 in a BlockDock 12HD is mighty close and it’s 1/3 the weight of the EVM-loaded Mark 1. The high gain tones are decent, but I use a Smokin Amp Co Zensation in front of it to get more cream in my blues & fusion tones. I still don’t like effects, but the Zensation sounds great even at low volumes. I do want to try a Wampler Dual Fusion, which really impresses me in video reviews.

[jads57]

Another consideration is Fender powered cab along with just one full amp for stereo possibilities.
I have several Quiter Aviator combos 1x8”,1x12”, etc to use along side my Fender 1x10” TM powered cab if the gig calls for it.
And even though I don’t play as loud as before, people still refer to me as Johnny D’Loud Selva, Lol!

[jim777]

Why not get the amp you like most and a chorus pedal? The 'JC' in JC40 means jazz chorus, after all.

[Litterick]

OP was asking in November 2022. OP probably bought an amp some time ago.

[jim777]

OP was asking in November 2022. OP probably bought an amp some time ago.

I never even looked at the date on the OP

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

OP was asking in November 2022. OP probably bought an amp some time ago.

Nevertheless, the added discussion has been informative and fun. I just hope it doesn’t give the OP buyer’s remorse

[Stringswinger]

Nevertheless, the added discussion has been informative and fun. I just hope it doesn’t give the OP buyer’s remorse

The amp technology changes so much that two year old amp discussions can become bad information, so some updated posts are good to keep players informed.

At least that is my excuse for posting in a zombie thread.