Is The Fender Twin Reverb The Ultimate Clean Amp?

In today's video, James Ivey and Paul Drew from The Studio Rats take a look at a Vintage Fender Twin Silverface and decide if this really is the ultimate amp.
Fender Silverface
1968 was a transitional year for Fender amps, with tone that was still pure Fender but a look that was brand new. With a silver-and-turquoise front panel and classy aluminium "drip edge" grille cloth trim, the Deluxe Reverb received a fresh new face as it remained the ideal recording and performing amp. Small, light and moderately powered, it produced big tube tone, with world-class Fender reverb and vibrato effects. For countless guitarists ever since, the Deluxe Reverb has been the go-to amp for classic Fender sound.
The '68 Custom Deluxe Reverb Amp pays tribute to the classic look, sound and performance of Fender's late-'60s "silverface" amps. In a special twist, both channels boast reverb and tremolo, and the "custom" channel has a modified Bassman® tone stack that gives modern players greater tonal flexibility with pedals. The amp also features quicker gain onset and reduced negative feedback for greater touch sensitivity. The '68 Custom Deluxe Reverb's single 12" Celestion® G12V-70 speaker also delivers a more distinctively rock 'n' roll flavour.
The Studio Rats are core band members Paul Drew on guitar/production/mixing, drummer James Ivey and Dan Hawkins on bass. They collaborate with singers and musicians to produce radio-ready songs.

[@wallyneff3318]

The Fender Twin Reverb is the best stage amp. I have played my 1971 Silver Face for 52 years with only 3 re-tubes in those years. Clean amp for pedal platform.

[@kimmolingonheimo]

thanks, i cant affor d that amp, but I now know why I like the Imitations ( ZOOM G2, ZOOM MS-50 pedals ) SOO MUCH! I always thought Deluxe Reverb would be the one for me, but I think the thick clean Twin is the one!!!!!!!

[@electricj5]

Same

[@hkguitar1984]

👍 I've a 1977 Fender Twin that has had four re-tubes and the power filter caps replaced 4 times also. These amps were built like a Tank (and weighed almost as much). Right now, these days, I'm running my Twin at only 50W and use it in a dual-amp setup with a little 50W Marshall 1987 head and 2x12 cab, the two of them sound great together. After all these years, about the only thing I would change on my Twin is maybe add a couple more handles and possibly some larger wheels! 😉

[@TheChadPad]

@@hkguitar1984I have a ‘77 as well! I just got it! Did you know that the second channel is -6 decibels quieter than channel 1? Could be an alternative to pulling the two tubes. Hot tip!

[@hkguitar1984]

@@kimmolingonheimo TBH, the Deluxe Reverb is a fantastic amp, you wouldn't regret buying one of those. 22W is almost perfect power output as you can really drive the tubes into natural breakup while not making people's ears bleed. Even now with my Twin at half-power I run it clean w/reverb along side my 50W Marshall Plexi.

[@esmoroglu]

I have the Twin Reverb and it is a universally beautiful amp, it takes much power for break-up but this also makes it a pedal platform.

[@KozmykJ]

Some of the sweetest guitar sounds, driven and clean, I ever heard from a stage was Charlie Whitney playing a Les Paul through a Twin Reverb. No pedals that I could see. It has stuck in my brain since that night in the 70s. Streetwalkers at Cardiff Top Rank. 👍

[@strong_voice_of_truth]

That combination is magic

[@StratsRUs]

I used to have one in my youth.Heavy as f but youth was on my side then.I used to use pedals with it.Great video and it sounds beautiful.

[@voyxu143]

Back in the day I used to get these Silverface twins in mint condition for $2-250. It was my go to amp. It can handle any room, and sounds great when you put pedals through it.

[@mriosgto]

So true,they could not give those amps away, What gets me, all these people dont know that one resistor 120k- 470k 1/2 watt turns these amps in to a overdriven monster, do you remember the "Ice cube" that you unpluged the reverb tank and pluged it in and the reverb circuit became overdrive,. We were teen agers and all they had was one resistor between those values, We find them today , well say " hey thats the ul amp everybody hates them, take a hundred off " then we unplug the tank sneek the Ice plug in , crank it up and watch the look on there faces, we have done that for over 40 years, Ive made a major side job on only working on these amps, I love them .

[@voyxu143]

@@mriosgto All mine were stock. Sounds like a cool mod. I have thought about buying an old silverface twin as I don't have one currently, but damn, they are heavy....!!! When I was young my back could take it. These days, the weight is certainly a consideration.

[@mitchmatthews6713]

My 70s Guild Starfire, my British-made Marshall Guv'nor, and my 1973 Fender Twin Reverb. One of the greatest rock-n-roll rhythm guitar sounds I have ever heard. I recorded that setup dozens of times for my and friends' recordings.

[@robertclarkguitar]

I love this Amp. This channel isn't far out of that same appreciation.

[@TheStudioRats]

Cheers Robert

[@DBroce]

I’ve had one since I was thirteen, (Mmm years ago) and it will always be my favorite amp.

[@strings2wood]

Classic for a reason. I prefer it to the Super Reverb. It pairs beautifully with a Vibro King which is also exceptional.

[@GraniteSoundtrack]

Great video! Loved the twin!

[@hkguitar1984]

Back in 1977 I purchased a brand new Fender Twin Reverb. That Twin was with me through my terrible teens as well as young adulthood of the 1980s. All these years later that very same Twin is still seeing regular play in my Home Studio. Its a fantastically robust design/build (early/mid 1970s), I couldn't be happier with it. And for only $400 brand new in 1977, well I've indeed gotten my money's worth out of it!

[@mikebarnard2689]

It’s so true what you say, folk spend thousands on a “ pedal platform “ amp, digital/ analog reverb and tremolo pedals… this comes with the best sounding reverb and trem.. whack a Bluesbreaker in the front end … Job Done. Love the smell of a powerful hot valve amp.!!!

[@johnhudak3829]

I have gutted and redone all my reissue Fenders to be like the old ones….except my Twin. All I did was put some Jensen alnico speakers in it. My God…that amp is PERFECT and I don’t want to risk losing the sound it produces so I ain’t touching it! It is the perfect blend of everything I love in a guitar sound. This is my favorite channel…y’all nail it every time. Keep up the good work!!

[@sixpicker82]

What Jensen alnicos? P12N?

[@TheChadPad]

@@sixpicker82just match the wattage. Use as low a wattage speakers as you can get away with. Some twins are 135 watts if they’re made from 1976-(81?)

[@glenlaforce3322]

As always Paul great tone. Sounds great. James has lots of toys gathering in the studio.I love my Two Rock CRS.

[@TheStudioRats]

I wish I still had my Two Rock CRS

[@desipelletier2981]

People are afraid of playing twins cause with a twin you got to know what you are doing it doesn't hide mistakes

[@tanker1960]

68 reissue, I agree. Lol

[@BobGuido]

My favorite Fender amp, period. Please make a paid capture library of this for NAM (Neural Amp Modeler)

[@Nnmtes]

The best sounding clean amp, full stop. It's stood the test of time and been on more stages around the world than any other amp. But yeah they're LOUD 😮 The solid state version is pretty close, and has attenuation which is handy

[@kevinwalter8828]

That tone with the bluesbreaker is amazing

[@onefatstratcat]

My first real amp was a 68 Bassman with the 2/12 tilt cab... while the cab was not open it still had a really really nice clean

[@JohnMcGFrance]

Sounds great, but I’d go for the Fender Tonemaster version because my back couldn’t deal with the weight of that thing. And you attenuate the power to crank the Tonemaster at lower noise levels.

[@dorianford6227]

Just got 65 Reissue Twin a couple months ago. Previously an Orange Player( had a Rockerverb 50 MKIII and a Rocker 32) I truly feel I am gonna stick with a Twin for life. Takes a minute to get adjusted to but boy such a timeless sound

[@jackgreenwood1817]

Quite a drastic change from the Orange, what brought that on? I've had the '65 reissue Twin for many years now and have never looked back

[@dorianford6227]

@@jackgreenwood1817 it was indeed drastic. Most of my favorite bands guitarist that have touched my soul was playing through a Twin and it’s more appropriate for the genre of music I play. Orange was too pokey in a band mix and a Fender Twin just sat in the mix perfectly. My other guitarist plays a Pro Reverb so we sound more unified. It’s a team player amp and I learned having a shit ton of midrange is not always best. Everything I play out of a Twin sounds cool and classic, I just respond better to it from a creative standpoint than I did Orange. Orange I felt made me feel like a guitar hero and caused me to overplay.

[@bbbro34]

I have a mid-70s Fender Dual Showman, which is pretty much a Twin in head/cab form...on it there's the master switch which is actually a two-stage pullpot, and when you pull it out it drives it harder, kind of like a semi-dirty channel.

[@stevemiell4555]

One of yer best vids ever guys! 👍

[@cgavin1]

Have been working/gigging a 1973 SF twin which I had converted to BF for a few years now. Legend 1258 and a GA-SC64. RFT V2 and Tung Sol 6L6GC STR small bottle power tubes. Bangs! For drive I use a Hudson Broadcast and a Bigfoot Engineering King Fuzz. You could use anything really. Best amps ever made. Too loud? Not if you're sensible with it. Bias colder and you don't get as much headroom (I run mine at 20ma). 3 on the volume, no master in circuit and control the volume with the overdrive. If its a really small venue I'll stick a screen in front to prevent beaming.

[@Turboy65]

Don't overlook its slightly lower powered brother, the Pro Reverb. Two power tubes instead of four, otherwise very much the same amp in all versions. Just as nice, without being quite as loud. It's my favorite Fender.

[@javiceres]

Is it as clean as the Twin?

[@sparkyguitar0058]

When I started learning guitar many yrs ago, my teach had a Ampeg stack for him and a Super reverb for me to use. My 1st Fender experience. Later I bought a used silverface Twin that was modded by B Egantor in the Detroit area. It was stolen yrs ago. In the 90's I got a pro tube Twin and thought I got the bee's knees. But the damn thing is so loud that I never really got to use it right until I got a volume knob add on that went through the pre amp on the back. Then I could actually use this amp. But soon afterwards I ran into a sweetie of a deal on a Boogie S O B. Another great clean amp with major volume. 2 great clean loud amps that kick ass and don't take prisoners.

[@StephaneBergeronPixelyzed]

This amp sounds great but, for me, my old "red knobs" 1989 Fender Twin was the ultimate clean amp. Loud, headroom for days and a bell like chime very few amps I've heard have been able to get close to. And its dirt channel is great which the red knobs was not. I loved it years ago but no longer my cup of tea ;) You had to have the pulled Presence knob in exactly the right spot for its distortion to sound good but once in the sweet spot it was pretty great. Very mid focused but different than a Marshall. Now I use mostly pedals for gain. Unfortunately, it's not in working order now as it was dropped at our last gig right before the pandemic lock downs. Since then, the amp that took its place for me is my now trusty Revv Dynamis 7-40 head. At 40 watts it's not nearly as loud as my Twin but has plenty of headroom and volume for today's stages. And it does not break my back... that red knobs Twin weighed a ton! The Dynamis has a similar chime and attack as my red knobs Twin but it's rounder and is the perfect pedal platform for my current needs either in my 1x12 Revv cab or my Marshall 4x12. This kind of amp have been my go to for decades as pedal platforms but I must say, in recordings, that Dynamis red channel is pretty sweet with Marshal like mid bark and 3 voicings as most Revv amps have for the gain channels of their amps. That's a flexibility my Twin never gave me. Keep on the great work guys!

[@johnnygreenway3579]

Really liked the clean tones.

[@davewessell666]

i picked a up fender concert from 93 a couple of years ago , sounds like a twin, 60watts significantly lighter my perfect amp , twin cascading gain channel and more two rock / bassman setting with pull push pot on the clean channel

[@loudguitar]

I'm a Super Reverb guy, but I have always loved the Twins I played. If it had a half power switch, it would be absolutely perfect.

[@musicandres]

Yo tengo un Twin 65 reissue del 2005 y cada vez que lo prendo me sorprende, hermoso ampli

[@IamMusicNerd]

Certainly one of the best, but for me the Magnatone Panoramic Stereo amp is the best clean tone I have every heard.

[@Funkybassuk]

GigSounds in Streatham! I used to pop in there in the ‘90s. Small world!

[@nedim_guitar]

Tremolo could be an underrated effect. I've never been a fan of Fender amps, but that's because I never got to try one cranked.

[@JuddLofthouse]

Excellent post 👌

[@TheStudioRats]

Thanks Paul

[@judgegroovyman]

8:04 I see your Star Wars reference :) “that’s no moon”;)

[@BladeDoomer86]

Absolutely the greatest stage amp, and cleans for days.. But stadium loud! Tone Master for home use 😬

[@ratta2006]

I bought my first Fender 45watt Super Reverb Back in 1979 my first Fender Amplifier from the minute I plugged my guitar in..I even remember it was a F major chord...I knew what all the fuss was about...I have owned at least 7 vintage Fender Twin Reverbs..I have a 100 Watt silver 1976 silverface atm...You can not equal the sound with anything else..You just can't.

[@GuitarJawn]

I have a 73/74 Twin Reverb and I love it to death. I bought a 68 Pro Reverb Custom recently and it's like a baby twin.

[@justinmacdonald8061]

Twins are awesome I have a 71 with celestians -amazing

[@MrMoneyHelper]

The Fender Twin Reverb is the ultimate loud clean amp. I think there are small 5 watt amps that make a different sound but are just as pleasurable. The Roland JC120 would be second place for a loud clean 212 combo amp.

[@squirelova1815]

Your bones will "break up" before your Twin Reverb does, either from 'cranking' it or carrying it around. Robbie Krieger sure made his Twin sound like the "Ultimate Amp" but that was probably his Exquisite skill.

[@miguela.migallon5055]

De los que he visto el bassman 59 es el mejor pero hay muchos amplificadores que no conozco... Saludos !!!

[@Geetarhed]

It's heavy to cart around but one of the best

[@EduardoSanMartinp]

best cleans ever and for ever. ningún modeler siquiera se le acerca

[@dougckelly]

It's got a master, do you need to run it with the load box? and what Load box did you use?

[@MaPa60]

Sounds nice, especially with the tele. Would I want one? Not really. Tubes, repairs, noise ect ect.

[@dannop8795]

Can anyone help me with this choice: Twin with Carvin V12 versus Twin with Jensen Special Design speakers? Thanks very much!

[@iplaymytele]

I have a 1971 Twin that Looks and Sounds like a NEW amp...! This is I believe the 6th Twin for me in my illustrious career as a professional musician... I am a 69 Years Old.., and have Owned just about every name brand amplifier that deserve to be on a professional stage.. Even now I have 6 Tube Amps in my stable of sound in the studio...! But when I want to make a Sonic statement , and want people to hear how beautiful my telecaster or any of my guitars sound... I use my “No Master Volume “ 71 Twin Reverb ...❤️🎶👍 ( The Jeff Galey Channel )

[@aquilarossa5191]

Did he say Streatham? My primary school over 40 years ago was between there and Tooting. Penwortham. It looked just like the school in the Another Brick In The Wall video. Then we moved to Milton Keynes and later on to NZ. Back then the common London slang for saying hello was "wotcher". Wotcher. Re. the amp. My nephew has an RI version. The normal channel is broken for now, so I can not test, but would that channel be better as a pedal platform than the vibrato channel? The vibrato channel is not exactly neutral sounding.

[@YogiTheGuitarist]

I'd love a bassman! keep it!

[@AndyDrudy]

I have my 80's Evil twin (with red knobs). Very fragile now and the cab has seen better days - but its the best sounding amp ever!! Too fragile to gig with now unfortunately.

[@andrewelstein4852]

What pedal did you guys kick on around 6:25 sounded fantastic with this amp?

[@TheStudioRats]

New Marshall Blues Breaker

[@mapletree2009]

I love my Twin. What’s a reliable load box for it? I’ve never otherwise had the volume above 3, never. Anyone have a solution, or other Twin tips?

[@TheStudioRats]

We were using an ua ox for this and it works really well.

[@tanker1960]

I use a Bugera load box. It work great, after you dial in the eq on the amp. No issues. My body does not hurt now standing in front of the amp.

[@hansgettheflammenwerfer69420]

I have always wanted one until I tried the blackstar 6L6 studio 10. It's so clean sounding.

[@thadlogan51]

I've been ready to pull the trigger on a 68 deluxe reverb but I've been reading comment after comment on how noisy they are compared to the 65. I'm also torn about buying a twin vs a deluxe. I'm guessing the twin sounds way better...fuller with 2x12 speakers vs the 1x12 in the deluxe. I'm worried the 68 twin will be noisy/hiss just like the 68 deluxe reverb amp. They say they are noisy because they added tremolo to both channels and feedback reduction which creates tons of noise.

[@TheStudioRats]

I’m wouldn’t be concerned, and I’d buy the Deluxe.

[@thadlogan51]

​@@TheStudioRatsthanks! Now I need to decide between a deluxe 68 and 65. If 68 is noisy I may buy the 65... but I'll have to test in person... thanks again... great video!

[@jerrymckenzie1858]

Yes. Yes it is.

[@tomminystrom]

Many are searching for that "guitar hero" tone that we all have heard in some album.. But that tone was probably made plugin guitar straight in to desk and reamped and effects added without asking much instructions from "guitar hero". Point is we should play more, that's where the real sound is, it is in good music. edit: im also guilty of this tone hunting, that is why im here.

[@rumy6871]

I think the celestions make the drive sounds quite nice. Jensens are best when clean. Ymmv.

[@IsaacLausell]

I did not get how did you do the gained sounds. Was it done it done with one or two gain pedals?

[@TheStudioRats]

A Marshall Blues breaker

[@IsaacLausell]

@@TheStudioRats ah, thanks

[@richardstephan4337]

What model of Telecaster is that?

[@therethere2p2e5]

dude is it similar to boss katana s secret twin amp sound ?

[@davidhamilton7780]

Hard to beat as a live amp as long as you have someone to lug it about for you...

[@TAM-gz5tc]

I think a twin is the most versatile amp because1 it has all the power you need on stage 2 it has a great clean tone 3 you can always dirty up a clean amp using pedals but you can not clean up a dirty amp 4 it is small for the power it gives you no stage 5 but it is heavy. Today I use many amps but will always keep my twin.

[@jackgreenwood1817]

I love my Twin, I have the '65 reissue and so no master volume. My way round it is to hit the front HARD with my always on KTR turned out quite loud as a big clean boost. Don't get me wrong, the amp is still loud, but it gets the preamp to that sweet spot at around 4.5 on the volume control rather than running it about 6.5 - 7 where sound guys look at you as if you're joking. It was always a dream amp for me, now I've had and used it week in week out for about 8 years it's still my dream amp. The best pedal platform going.

[@deanmccaskill5495]

Dude I just brought home a 65 Reissue Tein Reverb yesterday. I feel like there is something wrong with it though. As I turned it on… the jewel was very dim. I dunno if that means anything but like… shouldn’t 4 blow me out of the room? 4 was …. tame. It’s like it’s on 1/3 power. It sounds ok and all. My Deluxe Reverb is louder. Is this a common problem?

[@davidbarlow431]

Sounds like you may have a dead power valve. Don't know if it's urban myth, but I've heard running an amp with a dead power valve can damage the output transformer. If its under warranty then take it back, if not get it to an amp tech. The twin should be considerably louder than the deluxe so something isnt right, even if my guess is wrong.

[@deanmccaskill5495]

@@davidbarlow431 So it was just the speaker cable was making bad contact and some spray cured it! The damn light coincidentally was the same although unrelated issue. I got a great deal on this thing. I bought it sort of sight unseen and my OCD bell rang hard immediately. There was a big stain on the grill cloth like Pepsi and the Rolex was dirty and lifting. A little glue, some cleaner, most important some contact spray… a proper loud AF Twin Reverb! (Mot that I need another heavy loud AF tube amp. I just counted them. 14 GD Tube amps in this little house! Holy what is wrong with me? I stopped counting guitars after 30. Up to 10 Gibson LPs. I dunno man I think I need help! Thanks for the reply!!

[@deanmccaskill5495]

“Tolex” not Rolex.

[@JS-nf1sn]

I'm always wondering why you can buy a vintage hardwired fender for way less than the new equivalent. That won't be like that forever.

[@LeStraTele]

Why does Fender not put an effects loop on most of the amps?

[@electricj5]

Low gain amps don’t really need effects loops. A lot of the magic of tweed amps happens at the phase inverter stage, not a good thing to screw up with a loop.

[@rumy6871]

Best? No but awesome for stages and is a godsend when playing with a brass section.

[@danielosullivan3110]

I only had unreal pleasure from my Epiphone Galaxy 25❤👍

[@Johnnybananass-_]

its great till you have to lift it,.. also due too their age and era every one ive come across has different speakers so all have different tones, some have JBL's some had eminence, and they never sound alike. these are great Amps for reggae . if you want the best clean amp IMO I love my roland jazz chorus jc120.

[@Johnnybananass-_]

I meant their age and era being that was when every person had options of replacement parts and everyone started ripping their gear to bits and adding new parts etc, like routing maulers into 70s heavy body Strats ..haha. the smaller reissue silver face deluxe is a lovely amp as an all rounder,

[@cgavin1]

Its very true that the speakers really do make a difference. Its also worth adding that the original speakers would have been considerably less efficient than modern ones. ~93db vs 100db. 3db is almost "100%" louder to the human ear so partly why these big amps have died out in general use is that you will struggle to get a modern speaker that isn't going to be instantly too loud.

[@tah5w]

Please put that twin on Tonex!

[@TheStudioRats]

In the next pack

[@TAM-gz5tc]

TWIN OWNERS consider this. Put in a loop with level control before power amp. All problems solved.

[@nedim_guitar]

Use an AB box! One chain into the clean amp with reverb, and one chain into a more cranked amp with much less reverb and a distortion pedal. I mean, why make it simple? 😂

[@pads-zr9ln]

The question is would you go for the tonemaster if you were just a bedroom guitarist and needed to keep the noise down

[@TheStudioRats]

I’ve never tried one I’m afraid. But no I would get the valve version and an attenuator

[@funnylatin]

It’s the JC-40 but this is more accessible

[@philliphanford2792]

Well the stability of the answer to this question is in question from day to day. Now to go search for a reason to existence, nah, mow the lawn instead maybe take out the garbage.

[@svbarr]

Hard as Hell to move but a super six is louder and clean. And a late BLACK FACE Dual Showman with JBL's is the king of surf amps because they are insanely loud - just add outboard reverb....

[@ROBYRH4]

when you play a real amp and with some favorite pedals there is no digital simulator that satisfies you!!! in the end the Digitals all sound the same every modeler in the end always sounds the same on the mixer desk. real amplifiers always have soul

[@zepeps]

those chairs with arm rest.... those are not a players friend

[@Utubewrk123]

Yea guys they make reasonably priced chairs with a long comfortable back that you can either remove the arms or don’t put them on or put them on and you can push them up. Much more comfortable to play.

[@mujjiemazoo]

I have no use for a twin reverb. Already had 5 back surgeries. Princeton has the best tone anyway

[@user-zv7lm8uk7h]

It was the greatet Cleant amp... until TONE X PEDAL.

[@johnmiller3804]

Is Paul The Ultimate Guitar player? ….. Yeah

[@TheStudioRats]

Far from it but thanks John.

[@EdBenji]

Its a great amp but try to lift it out of the car?

[@Dovvik]

A Twin with reverb on 10 would never sound like this. Is this a fake?

[@TheStudioRats]

You say it would never, and yet It does. What possible reason would we have to fake this.

[@Dovvik]

@@TheStudioRats I have no clue but any (non modded) Twin with reverb on 10 would resonate like 12 cathedrals in the grand canyon.

[@theprisonier]

No

[@ebeep]

No.

[@juandaza000]

2023 Click bait... Please, continue.

[@gitarman666]

Just not gonna get that from a modeler Don’t care what anybody says

[@alguitarchristie]

No,it's not! A Fender Bassman is the ultimate clean amp! Twin reverbs are to bright at low volumes.

[@Julius-vz7pb]

Yes

[@jupitermoongauge4055]

What's the point of getting it retolexed ?

[@jmo1366]

Fender Twin is the best amp. It's takes pedals the best, and has unbeatable clean tones..

[@snow_monkey]

that one has an extra knob

[@Straydogger]

Master volume knob is on the right side. 70's Twin.

[@snow_monkey]

@@Straydogger you're telling me what I already pointed out