Fender 64 Deluxe Reverb Handwired. Worth it? Good with fuzz?

General discussion, shit shooting, banter and sexual innuendo

Moderator: The Captain

User avatar
Rocket Fuzz
Posts: 41
Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2020 4:03 pm

Re: Fender 64 Deluxe Reverb Handwired. Worth it? Good with fuzz?

Post by Rocket Fuzz »

jerms wrote: Mon Aug 31, 2020 11:45 pm
Rocket Fuzz wrote: Mon Aug 31, 2020 3:06 pm So I see a lot of folks recommending finding a 70s examples. I actually decided to pick up a 65 reissue and I have to say, this amp sounds great. I have read many complaints about it but if you dial in the treble right (i.e. turn it the eff down) and crank the amp it doesn't get much better. Great tones by itself, takes the fuzz great. I think I like the firmness the amp lends to the fuzz. To go back to my original question: I cannot imagine the handwired version sounding $1300 better than the standard reissues and its (gasp) PCB....
the biggest drawback for the reissues is the crappy Illinois filter caps that are used....
Seems fixable enough? What would you recommend?
User avatar
so&so
Posts: 506
Joined: Mon Nov 22, 2010 10:53 am
Location: Portland, OR

Re: Fender 64 Deluxe Reverb Handwired. Worth it? Good with fuzz?

Post by so&so »

I’ve noticed that my friend who does amp work for me uses F&T or Jupiter. To put it kindly, he’s very opinionated. I assume that means they’re good products.
User avatar
1bottlerocket
Posts: 8557
Joined: Tue Aug 26, 2008 8:45 pm
Location: The Land of Milk and Honey

Re: Fender 64 Deluxe Reverb Handwired. Worth it? Good with fuzz?

Post by 1bottlerocket »

burgersalad14 wrote: Mon Aug 31, 2020 12:52 pm
1bottlerocket wrote: Mon Aug 31, 2020 4:46 am I have quite a few Fender amps and I really like them all. As Jerms said, clipping the bright cap helps on the vibrato channel. I also use an Eminence Private Jack and had it rebiased to run 6L6 tubes. It reminds me of a low powered Twin or Pro. It's really nice. Forgot to add, it's a '71 Silver Face. You can find some pretty good deals on Silver Face DRs
Did you have to use a different output transformer?
Nothing was changed regarding the transformers. Jeff Bakos did the work on the amp. It’s easily reversible. The way he explained it was that you change the tubes and bias it up. The circuit is capable of handling the draw.
Never argue with an idiot, they bring you down to their level and beat you with experience
-Garfunk M. Rafferty
_________________________________________
For all things stomp: http://www.effectsdatabase.com/
Big Muff History Page: http://bigmuffpage.com/
User avatar
Rocket Fuzz
Posts: 41
Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2020 4:03 pm

Re: Fender 64 Deluxe Reverb Handwired. Worth it? Good with fuzz?

Post by Rocket Fuzz »

So I just had a chance to play the 64 handwired version at someone's studio. All I can say is WOW. I definitely do not have enough experience with vintage black face or silver face Fenders to compare (have played a few but never owned) but this custom shop version is above and beyond the standard reissue. $1200 better? No idea how to quantify that. But what I do know is the sensitivity, warmth, and round 3D-ness of each note sent me straight to order one. Cranked especially it blew the PCB version out of the water. Could be the better transistors, OT, speaker, who knows - maybe it's in my head! Oh well.

Most importantly: it sounded amazing with a D*A*M/Sola MKII at any volume.
User avatar
rootfifthoctave
Posts: 249
Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2017 8:37 pm
Location: UK

Re: Fender 64 Deluxe Reverb Handwired. Worth it? Good with fuzz?

Post by rootfifthoctave »

i should hope you find zero transistors inside a replica ‘64 fender amp!
User avatar
Rocket Fuzz
Posts: 41
Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2020 4:03 pm

Re: Fender 64 Deluxe Reverb Handwired. Worth it? Good with fuzz?

Post by Rocket Fuzz »

:badteeth: Sorry meant capacitors.
User avatar
vanguard
Posts: 596
Joined: Thu Sep 25, 2014 1:19 am

Re: Fender 64 Deluxe Reverb Handwired. Worth it? Good with fuzz?

Post by vanguard »

I think the bad rap black/silver Fenders get is overstated. I've used only a Super Reverb for years and years, including pedal tuning. Either channel is great, but I maybe like the normal channel better for fuzz. I set these Fenders with the bass and treble at zero. I get a nice mid boost that way. If I'm using a really dark guitar, I may turn the treble up a touch.
https://blackstrapelectrik.com/

Has anyone seen an Englishman called Gavin?
User avatar
Doc Holliday
Posts: 3262
Joined: Mon Mar 18, 2013 10:41 pm
Location: UK West Midlands

Re: Fender 64 Deluxe Reverb Handwired. Worth it? Good with fuzz?

Post by Doc Holliday »

British amps and American tweeds sound great with fuzz.
User avatar
Zacharia Matilda
Posts: 980
Joined: Mon Nov 21, 2011 6:55 pm
Location: Maine, USA

Re: Fender 64 Deluxe Reverb Handwired. Worth it? Good with fuzz?

Post by Zacharia Matilda »

Totally. Go British, or earlier Fender.

I’ve never had good luck with my ‘67 Vibrolux with dirt pedals of any kind. It’s one of Fender’s 6l6 amps so not the same as a Deluxe. I think the smaller bottle Fenders are better tone machines in general. I like the Vibrolux for clean tones but it’s overdriven sound is stiff. My ‘62 Super is a much better pedal platform, and the Deluxe Reverb I used to have was a much smoother amp when pushed. I think blackface Fenders are way overrated, especially the bigger ones. YMMV.
"What we need is a love bomb. A 100% gold plated, purified love bomb."
User avatar
Rocket Fuzz
Posts: 41
Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2020 4:03 pm

Re: Fender 64 Deluxe Reverb Handwired. Worth it? Good with fuzz?

Post by Rocket Fuzz »

Interesting discussion. So I actually swapped the 64 deluxe for the handwired 64 princeton to have something less loud for recording. In my own experience, and I use a P90 Les Paul and an explorer with Ox4 PAFs, these are special amps. The only stiffness I ever experienced is with the PCB reissue fender amps. They don't suck, they just have discernably less good tones than the better made stuff.

As always, it all depends on pickups and how you dial it in when using a fuzz. I wouldn't put a fuzz face in front a black face fender because they just don't do much magic without the breakup of a British amp IMO. But tone benders? I've learned over the past couple of weeks they can be amazing with the right fender. The Princeton hand wired breaks up real nice so that has been a great place to start.
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Ahrefs [Bot] and 6 guests