Fender ‘57 Twin vs Fender ‘57 Bandmaster, with Fender Stratocaster Journeyman Clapton

This video is here to share the results of a comparison between two beautiful Fender Custom reissues of late ‘50s tweed era amps.
This Twin is a 5e8a circuit low power reissue from 2010, modified with 2x12 Jensen p12Q speakers, everything else is stock, including tubes.
The Bandmaster is a 2013 reissue, everything is stock, including the 3x10 Jensen p10rf speakers.
The guitar is a superb Fender Stratocaster “Journeyman” Eric Clapton Made by Fender Custom Shop in 2021.

[@pavure]

Amps don't matter, your skill does!! What a blues man

[@giulioazzoni6640]

Thank you very much man! You are too kind to me. The Blues are my musical love

[@tonecast1]

Sounds great! I'd love to hear the 5E8A Twin with you playing a guitar with humbuckers. The Bandmaster has more clarity. It's super cool to hear the two amps side by side like this. Great video and great playing!

[@giulioazzoni6640]

Yes, soon we will do the comparison with Gibsons with both humbuckers and p90s. Next time the Twin will be with the stock Weber/Eminence speakers back again

[@tonecast1]

@@giulioazzoni6640 Sweet! Looking forward to hearing that!

[@giulioazzoni6640]

@@tonecast1thank you very much Jim! See you soon around here

[@lucaformicaatomica]

Complimenti che suonone! Bellissimi entrambi ma per il mio gusto personale preferisco di poco il twin 57 😎 secondo te ci si riesce anche solo ad avvicinarsi con un blues deluxe?

[@giulioazzoni6640]

Grazie Luca! Sì, per mia esperienza anche un Blues Deluxe tirato ad alto volume romba con una bella distorsione, a patto di usare il canale clean e non aver paura/vincoli di alzarlo oltre 7-8. Chiaramente la distorsione è meno musicale e pura del Twin e del Bandmaster, per via della qualità delle componenti, ma sicuramente fa la sua figura. La pasta è sempre quella di 2 x 6L6 pre amplificate da 12ax7, poi è inevitabile che le differenze tra coni, circuito, rettificazione (che nei ‘57 reissue è valvolare) si sentano bene. Buona Musica!

[@Official_Cyberwolf_Ledgic]

How loud is the Bandmaster compared to a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe (Gen. 2) amp

[@giulioazzoni6640]

The Hot Rod Deluxe volumewise is in between the Twin (40 Watt, big OT, 2x12) and the Bandmaster (26 Watt) although the Bandmaster fills the room much better thanks to its 3 speakers. It has an incredible bottom end

[@PedroHenrique-hu2hk]

Do you remember what volume the Bandmaster was at?

[@giulioazzoni6640]

Sure, it was 7.5-8 while all the other knobs (treble, bass, presence) were at 6.5-7. I was plugged into the “inst” channel. Same regulations for the Twin: everything at 7, plugged into bright channel

[@kramerbc8482]

Sounds fantastic. Which amp is which?

[@giulioazzoni6640]

Thank you Kramer, the first one at the beginning of the video is the Bandmaster, a 2013 replica of the mighty 5e7 tweed amp. You can distinguish it from its squared front shape, it comes with 3x10 jensen p10rf which indeed sound warmer than common p10r. The guitar was plugged into the “INST” channel, which corresponds to the “bright” channel of the Twin that is where I was in. The second one, on the left, is the Twin, with 2x12 jensen p12q speakers that I installed for some time, before getting back to the stock Weber/Eminence ones. No pedals involved, only guitar-cable-amp. Both amps were set with everything at 6,5 and volume at 8. Me and my friend Paolo did this to satisfy our curiosity about the sound result of a high grade Fender Clapton Stratocaster with these tweed amps. Due to the temporary speakers change, the difference in perceived volume was not dramatic between the two amps. The bandmaster is brighter and characterized by a beautiful low end, while its low efficiency speakers tame the volume of upper-mids and high frequencies. When the Twin has its stock speakers is much louder, but with Jensen p12qs it becomes much alike the Bandmaster volumewise. Still with the Jensens, in the room the Twin is a bit louder (40Watt vs 26 W of the BM) warmer, darker but not too much, punchier and it projects more, with very prominent upper mids and a nasal character. Cheers

[@kramerbc8482]

@@giulioazzoni6640 Thank you, Giulio, for the detailed answer. I enjoyed your playing.

[@KingKull1971]

Definitely a Freddie King Fan🤔

[@giulioazzoni6640]

Yes I do love the great Freddie “Texas Cannonball” King and recognize his importance in Blues Rock history, although I prefer Clapton’s guitar language which, in my humble opinion, is an evolution of Freddie’s one, combined with other old bluesmen’s echoes. Thank you

[@KingKull1971]

@giulioazzoni6640 I think you sound more like Freddie King than Eric Clapton. Clapton plays creamier, and Freddie plays raw yet sophisticated.

[@giulioazzoni6640]

⁠@@KingKull1971 yours is a great compliment that, in any case, I don’t deserve. Thank you very much