Fender, the beloved guitar, amp, and effects company, has been producing excellent amps since 1946. Over the years, the products have evolved and changed so much that it’s difficult to keep them all straight, let alone understand which sound may be right for you and your music. I’ve broken the following information up into eras – most vintage enthusiasts use the same categories to discuss the amps. Modern models that are being sold today are mentioned at the end.
It’s important to note that the vintage amp market is ludicrously expensive, and will likely only continue to appreciate. As with classic cars, the number of available units will never increase, and as time marches on, more and more amps will be lost, only further pushing up the price of surviving models. I do not personally own any vintage Fender amps, but I have had the pleasure of playing several so far. I have scratch-built and repaired most of these models, though. The nice thing about Fender is that most amps are still derived from their original ancestors, so you can get the sound of a vintage piece at a fraction of the cost by buying a newer reissue. Likewise, you (or someone you know, like Justin at Songbirds) can build a new amp to the exact specifications of the vintage ones, allowing you to experience the exact sound and feel of the original circuit.
*Note: If you come across a vintage Fender amp and are in the United States, it’s advised to operate it with a variac set at 117 volts AC. If you aren’t experienced with amp repair, vintage gear, or electronics, it’s recommended to send it to a repair tech or someone with experience before even powering it on. You could get hurt or shocked – for example, vintage tweed amps were made with a sheet of asbestos covering the chassis… oh, the past!
Now, without further preamble, let’s look at the Fender eras of amp manufacturing:
Woody: The very first Fender amps were only made for a year and a half. Starting in 1946, they were constructed with a stylish wooden cabinet and came in three models: Princeton, Deluxe, and Professional. These circuits would grow and continue to be the cornerstones of Fender for decades to come. They are small and rather quiet by modern standards, but Fender was able to make a name for itself by producing amplifiers that were reliable and sturdy in a relatively empty market. Needless to say, if you ever come across an original Woody model, you’ll be sticker shocked as they are incredibly rare!
Tweed: The Tweed era is the true beginning of Fender amps as we know and love them. While still rare, you can find original Tweed models every so often. Most importantly, they sound incredible and, in my opinion, offer some of the finest tones that Fender has ever produced with their products. These amps are lacquered with a fine twill fabric and have a small chrome chassis. Tweed models include the Champ, Princeton, Deluxe, Tremolux, Vibrolux, Bassman, and more. Most of the named models are variations on the same circuit. It’s helpful to think of the amp as building blocks. For example, the Champ is the most simple circuit, and the Princeton is essentially the Champ but with an added tone control. The Deluxe is like a Princeton but with higher wattage output and two channels. The Vibrolux is like the Deluxe, but there’s a tremolo circuit added on. You get the idea.
The most important trait of all Fender tweed amps is that they are simple. Nearly all of them are made with all-tube topography, and some, like the Deluxe, are built with undersized output transformers. Both of these features mean that tweed amps produce the purest, most natural sound of real tube breakup and distortion. If you’re looking for incredible edge-of-breakup touch response and rich tube sound, you can’t go wrong with the Deluxe or other amps in the tweed family.
Brownface: This era was short-lived, but marks a vital transition from tweed to the powerhouse Fender amps that we love. Built between 1959 and 1963, brownfaces (named for their cocoa brown control panel), offered a few new bells and whistles, pushed the capabilities of volume, and were a bit higher fidelity than their tweed predecessors. Brownface amps are serious performers and can fetch a pretty penny due to their rarity. You may also see them with blonde control panels or Tolex. These amplifiers introduced more negative feedback in the circuit, meaning that they are capable of staying cleaner at higher volumes. They have two channels and independent tone circuits. Fender introduced standalone reverb units that could be piggybacked onto other amps during this period, and later brownface models like the Vibroverb were the first to incorporate onboard reverb. Most existing Fender model names were carried through to the Brown and Blonde faces.
Blackface: Named for their all-black control panel and commonly matching black Tolex, these amps are probably what you picture when you think of the classic Fender amplifier. They were produced between 1963 and 1968, and plentiful reissues and lookalikes are still made today. All of the models from this era were derived from the AB763 circuit (an internal Fender code for July, 1963). Most amp enthusiasts consider the AB763 to be the pinnacle of Fender’s innovation. Each one included tremolo, reverb, or both, and boasted the loudest and cleanest tones thus far. Midrange controls were added to the tone amps’ tone stacks, and an emphasis was placed on high fidelity, making the blackface era a far cry from the original sounds of the tweed era. An important moment in Fender’s history occurred in 1965 when the company was sold to CBS. Most enthusiasts agree that quality dipped across the board during the CBS era, but vintage blackface amps are largely exempt from this degradation. Silverfaces, however…
Silverface: You’ve figured it out by now – these amps have a chrome or silver faceplate. This is the biggest era yet and encompasses the time between 1967 and 1981. The last three years of the 1960s covers “drip edge” silverfaces, a unique cosmetic design that varies from the “silver panel” silverfaces of the 1970s. Drip edge silverfaces are the cream of the crop for this era and are only cosmetically different from the blackface era. In my opinion, I find a drip edge amp to be ultra classy and sleek.
In the ‘70s, Fender was well into its CBS occupation. Word had gotten around that the new ownership was cutting corners with quality, and rumor had it that the internal amp components weren’t as good. This isn’t necessarily true, but silverfaces quickly earned the reputation of being cheaper and the “working musician’s amp”. This resulted in them getting beat up, lugged around, dropped, water damaged – you name it. Silverfaces from this era are rife with modifications, damage, and strange tweaks that aren’t original to the design. This is the first time in Fender’s history that their amps received negative public feedback.
Speaking of feedback, the emphasis shifted from unique tone to overall volume. Concerts were getting louder, and CBS altered the AB763 circuit to compete with the newly required decibel output. Silverface amps from this era use an “ultra-linear” circuit, a feature (or a detriment, depending who you ask) that essentially prevents the amp from ever breaking up and distorting. Silverfaces are clean machines and can remain sparkling when pushed to extreme volume. Most players want the natural tube overdrive that Fender championed, but lovers of hi-fi may enjoy silverface amps.
1985 to Now: Fender was bought again in 1985, and the CBS era was officially over. Fender saw a sharp pivot across the board towards a return to quality. The beloved amp designs of the tweed and blackface eras were resurrected and continue to be reissued to vintage specifications. Upgrades and modifications of the original circuits were (and continue to be) incorporated with the needs of the modern player in mind while never sacrificing tone. Some of the current best-selling amps include the Blues Deluxe, Blues Junior, and Bassbreaker – all derivatives and improvements on the original tweed Bassman circuit.
You’ll see a lot of Hot Rod amps on the used markets, so let’s discuss. Fender made the Hot Rod Deluxe and the Hot Rod Deville, the latter being slightly cleaner and sparkly. They were introduced in the late 1990s and continue to be produced today. These amps are known for their huge output – the volume is enough to peel the paint off the walls. Most players use an attenuator with these models or only use them for big, outdoor gigs. In general, the clean channel for this series is exquisite, but the overdrive channel leaves a lot to be desired. If you’re comfortable getting your distortion tones from pedals and need high volume, these Hot Rod models may be for you.
Fender released their line of Mustang amps in the 2010s and still produce them today. Let me tell you, this is the amp that I wish that I had when I was learning to play guitar as a kid. This is a digital modeling combo amp that includes around thirty presets that emulate the tones of famous amps and musicians. They’re limited in versatility with live rigs – I’d never play a gig with one, but they are loads of fun and sound great in the house.
Naturally, the company continues to innovate and release newer models. For example, Fender recently released the Champion 100, a solid state model that seems to do it all for an incredible price. Of course, all entry and intermediate amps are solid state – but for the bells and whistles that they boast, plus the price, you can’t beat it!
This has been a ton of information, but I hope that I helped clarify some of the mystery and confusion of Fender’s history with amps. To recap, short and sweet, vintage Fender amps sound incredible but are extremely expensive. Modern reissues and custom builds can produce the vintage circuit sound for a fraction of the price. Fender amps made through the 1950s up until 1968 are the pinnacle of design, but your mileage may vary with models made through the CBS era from 1965 until 1985. Modern models riff on the classic circuits of the 50s and 60s with tone and taste in mind.
Let me know if you have any questions or need advice on your next amp upgrade!
