PLAYER'S REVIEW - Fender The Twin amp (Red Knob) by Steffen Brix (4K)

[@jeffrowlette]

I have a red knob twin....almost never played! Basically NOS. Was too heavy too gig with, and too loud for my house.... Been in my closet for 35 years.

[@AndyDrudy]

I have one of these. Its the best sounding amp I own by a mile. The problem with it is that the pots are suface mounted to the circuit board and the solder is constantly cracking and so therefore needs constant repair. I now leave it in my studio and don't move it. But it sounds amazing. I will never sell it.

[@philbrown6601]

I have a Fender Red Knob Twin and agree it's a great sounding amp

[@garywood3804]

Brilliant demo and playing. Had mine for over 25 years and I still love it more than any other amp ive ever played or heard.and for gigging it is amazing but its very very heavy. I have developed special muscles to lug it onto the back seat of my car which most humans dont have. I have Fender the Twin special design upper back muscles honed by years of gigging.

[@steffenbrix]

Hehe....I have some of those muscles too!! And I always use two amps in stereo!!

[@fieldfullofthistles]

@@steffenbrix Cool! Two amps is always amazing but not usually practical for me. ATB Gary check my site if you like Peter Green.

[@archo0518]

lol, I had those muscles also for 20 years of gigging, but finally gave up and sold it. These are great live gigging amps. They are very loud and always cut through the mix.

[@1dragon9447]

Heavy. Older I get the heavier mine is. Great demo.

[@mattdelany6799]

Tory Slusher is the best guitarist in the world by 100 miles.

[@roberthensley1906]

Hello, Steffen, hope all is well with you. I recently purchased this amp especially after watching this particular video and I have to say I am extremely happy with my purchase. I just wanted to say thank you for such a great demo and your excellent playing ability really shows off the amps capabilities. If I could please ask what your actual setting are on both channels that would be so helpful, thank you in advance and I wish you all the best.

[@ChrisA-hu5pz]

I just brought mine in to the shop. Haven't use it since the 90's. lol

[@Pstaines439]

Such tasty paying!!! I subscribed instantly. I wanted one of these so badly in 1990, but couldn't afford it, so bought a solid state PRO185 instead. It was WAY overkill for me.... now 30yrs later I've just picked up The Twin.... can't wait to get it running.

[@Jazzzzer456]

Nice demo...I like and own that same Yamaha G100 212 behind the twins. God bless😊😊

[@jeffreyduncan989]

Just bought one for the studio and it’s amazing… 👍👍👍

[@perthmike7]

Some great tips on getting the best sounds out of these amps (I have one) thanks 👍🏻

[@BrianCope-ff4yq]

Sorry I posted before you mentioned the Yamaha’s I didn’t notice them until you pointed it out.One of my favourite amps I own is a 1982 Paul Rivera designed fender concert.

[@BorostateBlues]

I love my red knob “The Twin” amp, I keep fighting the urge to buy another one but I really want a Soldano

[@jbognap]

You're getting a great sound out of Lace Sensors and a Fender Red Knob. Maybe you found a great combo. Please do the Power Chorus.

[@joshfrankem4372]

I bought a 96 strat+ with LS pick ups without really knowing what it was. I’ve fallen in love with the LS though. They sound great through anything. I play country/blues gospel music in my church band everyone compliments on how good it sounds

[@GordonZoot]

Had mine for 35 years - nothing better than 6L6 valves for a clean Jazz tone

[@MrRoundwound]

Hi,Steffens. I bought my red knob twin about 15 years ago. I haven’t used it much lately,in favour of my 62 bandmaster. After your tutorial,here,I believe I will revisit it. Great playing,man. Top shelf,in fact. Mange yak,from British Columbia

[@carrielittlecplaster1620]

please do the power chorus vid. theres one down the street from me 200dls. Hv two princeton chorus amps. I love the red knob series as well!

[@robertogomesmusic]

The best amp I have ever had!

[@robertogomesmusic]

Hi Steffen, Thank you for the review!!! Unfortunately my The Win is gone, I bought it brand new. It was destroyed in an accident while touring in São Paulo state here in Brazil. I’ve been using tube amps since 1975 ( I am 62 now…rsrsr) I’ve owned many tube amps through the years and the Fender Red Knobs “The Win” was my all time favorite. Now I have been using a JCM 900 dual reverb 100 watts combo/ two 12 inches celestions, that is kind of misunderstood amp by some guitarists as well and a victim of criticism specially from people that have never used it…rsrrs. If you have the time and curiosity about some of the possibilities of its sounds , you can check out some of my JCM sound on my 2019 solo album Urban Lights. open.spotify.com/album/2Lun00be6iRveNhOzcqAKO?si=DM0PuilBRiC1JrZvM8P_Hw I used a 1972 Gibson Les Paul Deluxe with mini humbukers, except on the track “Space Rover” where I played a Feder Strat. I only used a Cry Baby on “Visual Thinking “. Reverbs and delays from plugins. No pedals. ( Mics: Neumann TLM 193, KM184 and SM57) Best regards! Take care!

[@alainhbt7056]

What nice chords you are playing 👍, great tones this amp, thank’s for démo

[@srenfriisalexandersen9423]

Great review , Steffen. And phenomenal playing - as usual :-)

[@bee17167]

Still have mine is the best amp i have ever owned and i have a lot of tube amps.

[@frutosramirez1016]

Hi! Great sound!

[@Toosha1974]

Hi Steffen Great review, great sound. I tell people all the time about this amp. It sounds great with the instuments I have, Fender strat plus deluxe, Les Paul Gary moore signature, but mainly a Col Clark Fat lady AC 3. This is the most versatile amp Fender has ever created, except for its weight. I thought at first it was the lace sensor pickups, but when i plugged in the other guitars it was the universe that I could control. great work!

[@SoloSi2024]

Ok for Steve Cropper....

[@flouresc]

Hi steffen , Great video. I also have the twin red knob as well with the power chorus . The power chorus sounds absolutely amazing 😍 iv had it for many years and I use it both at home and live. Many ppl compliment the sound . I sold a jc 120 and kept the fender power chorus 😍

[@marcelsmeets4162]

Hello Steffen, thanks for the great video. I own 2 of these but converted them to a head and speaker box for the obvious reasons. Question: You say you pulled the outer tubes, however the manual states to pull the INNER tubes, which I have done. Is there a difference???

[@KentGrill-Als]

This is a great amp but for me it took a change of speakers. Mine has now got celestion g12-65's in it and that makes All the difference. The drive channel is amazing now!

[@steffenbrix]

Cool... I'm not a big Celestion fan. And I'm into Fender amps only for clean tones. But we're all different :)

[@drmarcfpelletier]

Great playing, inspiring!

[@THE-CRT]

Can you try nirvana on it? Specifically in utero please

[@twistycats7482]

Best amp alongside our original Matchless Chieftain and 68 SVT.

[@songboy40]

You sound great. Thanks for the video. I love my THE TWIN. These are not Rivera era amps, though.

[@DaleJollySoulWarrior684]

I have one ! I love it

[@williamfinch216]

I have one of these amps and have it up on Marketplace - just took the add down as I need to get to know this amp a little better.

[@garywood3804]

don't sell it! its awesome. atb

[@youngandrew66]

Tasty playing

[@WolfRun59]

One of the best amps I ever owned. I’d probably still have it if it wasn’t so darn heavy. Taking it to and from a second floor apartment on the stairs was never much fun.

[@steffenbrix]

I hear you!!

[@FlamesAt1000ft]

Yeah,..have one and it’s so powerful & clean!!! And yes the Big Low End is cool to me,..you can just dail down your preferences and get on with your playing!!! Whether that’s on a Strat, Tele,..Les Paul or fav Semi Hollow Body,…you can GET DOWN the way one likes! 👍🏾😅✨🎸🎛️🔊🔊🎶✨😍mine‼️

[@MixbusStudioQc]

Thank you very much !!!

[@northfortyrecords]

Great video, great playing, man. I too have always loved the Twin tone, even the Red Knobs. I also notice you have Lace Sensor pickups on that Strat. My bandmate from the 90's had a Strat with Lace Sensors into a 94 Twin and I always thought his tone was spectacular. I think the Lace pickups have a lot to do with that. Are your Lace pickups in this guitar 3 of the same, like three Golds? Or do you have a rainbow setup. Thanks!

[@northfortyrecords]

Oh hah I watched further and heard that they are Lace Hot Golds. :)

[@steffenbrix]

@@northfortyrecords 😊 yeah... I have both in several guitars - these days I prefer the regular golds 😊

[@fdasfdas7313]

Great review, thanks Steffen. This helped me to get a much better tone from my red knob twin after some 25 years (don't laugh}. Could i ask, is your amp loaded with the stock speakers? I know that Robben Ford had put some Celestions into his.

[@fernandodelarasillasiri3368]

Hi, great review of the amp. I had the same amp and liked very much. What pedals do you use to get the driven sound out of the clean channel I listen in your other videos. BTW super nice playing. Thanks.

[@steffenbrix]

BOSS BD-2, OD-3.... EMMA Stinkbug...are some of my favourite drive pedals

[@FlyingZffect]

Very curious how you can have the volume knob so so high without it being extremely loud. Are you using a power break?

[@BrianCope-ff4yq]

You get a great sound.Those twins tended to get overlooked.I used to have a red knobbed 75 1x12 valve combo.Have you still got/use your Yamaha G100’s.Excellent video Steffen 🎸🎶😊

[@steffenbrix]

Thanks Brian. Do you remember the name of that red knob amp? 🙃

[@BrianCope-ff4yq]

@@steffenbrix sorry I meant to say the red knob was a super 60.The 75 I also had wasn’t a red knob it was just called a 75 I don’t think they made them long.The red knob super 60 was like half a twin.

[@steffenbrix]

@@BrianCope-ff4yq oh yeah...I've had a Super 60. Cool amp. But it doesn't have the mid cut function. So it wasn't vintage voiced enough for me in the end. But good amp 👍

[@BrianCope-ff4yq]

@@steffenbrix yes I didn’t mind the clean channel but didn’t like the drive channel at all it was too grainy.

[@danieldaniel-yq2gj]

...para Cosmopolitan magazine?

[@sirvidia]

No Paul Rivera connection on this amp, to be clear. He did the earlier Twin Reverb II which has a great clean channel, but awful overdrive channel. This amp is actually much better on that front, although the Twin II was handwired, albeit very messily!

[@steffenbrix]

Wrong.... I actually have seen a video of the man going through this amp 👀🎸

[@sirvidia]

@@steffenbrix Paul Rivera? he started in 1981 left in I think 1983. EDIT: He got fired in 1984. He lists his amps in the interview below and his dates. have a look: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jImVkoRvrdN_o5I

[@sirvidia]

Any Fender amp made between about 1981 and 1989 gets listed on ebay as "Paul Rivera era" but he was there for three years only

[@richardshank9583]

@@steffenbrix he's referring to an earlier model. Not your model. He is correct the twin reverb 2 which was riviera designed which he is also correct in saying that in comparison to the older twins the twin 2 amps were a mess inside.

[@sirvidia]

@@richardshank9583 I'm also correct in saying Paul Rivera has no connection with the amp in this video ;)

[@alfiehaigh8412]

I''m new to valve amps and tubes, by "pulling the tubes" do you mean removing them from the amp? Would ideally like to use the amp for recording purposes, but sometimes I have to record at home as well, so would be ideal for me to be able to make the amp a bit quieter when needed! Any tips or advice would be appreciated

[@steffenbrix]

Yes...take out two tubes..and change the impedance...

[@alfiehaigh8412]

@@steffenbrix brilliant, thank you. As a novice do you recommend getting someone to do this or should it be relatively easy to learn how to take them out?

[@andyb.1643]

By removing the two inner tubes, you go from 100 to 50 watts. Turning the low power switch reduces the power even more. Disconnecting one speaker does even more. You can get an attenuator to install in the effects loop also helps. I've done all these things to my The Twin over the years. Yes, it's a big, heavy monster, and yes, it's loud as hell, but I'll never get a different amp. They can bury me in mine. I'd take it with me if I could...

[@steffenbrix]

@@andyb.1643 yes...tried everything too. Didn't like attenuater before the speaker! Tried a "Hot Plate"...

[@kennylynch9317]

The OG speakers weren't ideal so in comparison to stock amps of the day they got overshadowed. So once someone switched then out they were discovered as a hidden gem

[@steffenbrix]

OG?

[@TheMorganOrgan]

Original

[@cirenosnor5768]

How about a tech’s review. Of things like what the repair bill is for these amps because of things like those upside down circuit boards…where the components can’t even be seen for a basic sight evaluation…to look for things like burnt resistors n’ such How it sounds is subjective. Serviceability less so. Complete disregard for service work To say they’re a bit more difficult is a understatement

[@steffenbrix]

That's a cool idea...but I am first and foremost a musician - and I have so little time to do that in itself - so I don't think there will be tech videos from me. There some great youtube channels for that. Terry's D-lab for instance...he's my favourite! :)

[@paulmue4595]

​@@steffenbrix D Lab's Terry is the best! If Ihad live in the US I would have done everything to become his apprentice

[@craigkubitzki8154]

38 minutes of clean tone and it sounds great but does the gain just sound like dog shit on this amp? Just wondering why didn't want to use it.

[@levijessegonzalez3629]

stock speakers?

[@steffenbrix]

Yes!

[@carlossalazar4508]

Which pickups are you using?

[@steffenbrix]

Lace Hot Golds in this one...

[@anonymousmc7727]

Mines has a hum when you turn it on😢

[@steffenbrix]

Yes...they do have too much. I ended up selling because of this 😞

[@TheMorganOrgan]

Get it serviced by an amp tech. It’s likely in need of a a tune up, particularly if it has the original power supply capacitors.

[@steffenbrix]

@@TheMorganOrgan I was an amp and guitar tech for many years...it wasn't the caps. I'm pretty sure I narrowed it down to switching noise in the rectifier diodes. And I've tried several red knob amps. Same problem. But I love the design and sound of them.

[@TheMorganOrgan]

@@steffenbrix Likewise, I have two of them I’m in the process of servicing/restoring. I’ll let you know how I get on with any hum in mine once they are finished. These are very underrated amplifiers, which your playing and ear for tone make sound exceptional 👏🏻 🎸

[@steffenbrix]

@@TheMorganOrgan thanks! I would love to hear if you get rid of the hum...if I remember correctly it was mainly 100 Hz...maybe 120 Hz where you live?

[@arturrozirozlach7591]

I have one with 50 watt mod. 100 was way too much.

[@hhattingh]

Never knew these amps existed? I'm assuming as with all decent amos this is not something for home playing..smh

[@vainestlamb5917]

I thought it was called the evil twin lol

[@petarzutic1165]

No evil twin is a successor i think

[@gniac]

Damn how can you play at that volume and be so cloose to the amp 😧 tath thing is crazy loud

[@richardshank9583]

You need to grow some resilience. I've stood dead next to my 76 twin when I had it while playing it on almost 7.

[@mattdelany6799]

Tory Slusher is the best guitarist in the world. Check her out. You might just quit and sell everthing.

[@mca1960]

Oh, another of those every day clean players (Mark Knopflers). Show the overdrive channel, dude. Not only clean. Every guitar player knows how a Fender clean tone sounds like.

[@steffenbrix]

Hahaha.... I can't stand overdrive demo videos - so I'm afraid you have to go elsewhere! All these terrible fizzy fuzzy distortion videos where you can't hear the sound of the guitar or the amp. Big no thanks! :) A Fender amp is not really about the overdrive, btw....

[@mca1960]

@@steffenbrix SOME Fenders are not for overdrive, that's right. But, there are some really good overdrive Fenders out in the field. I think, you didn't try them ? (I play only clean all day). There must not be a fizzy thin overdrive sound. It's all about the players, sitting behind them, ore standing in front of. 😁

[@steffenbrix]

@@mca1960 I've worked in a guitar shop for 12 years...playing and repairing guitars and amps. I've tried everything... Anyway, if you're only here to create bad vibes - please move on to another channel.

[@mca1960]

@@steffenbrix Bad vibes ? No. My first real tube amp was a Fender. I've played over the years some Fenders, Marshalls, Oranges and Rockman, yeah. But I never simplyfied a Fender only to the clean channel or sound. Fender has a lot more to offer as playing Strat /Tele with a Fender. That's what I'm try to saying. Especially those red knob Fenders can deliver really usefull sounds. I own a red knob Fender Champ 12, which I love. For both: the clean AND the overdrive.

[@macarius8802]

@@steffenbrixI'm with you all the way! Keep doing what you're doing !

[@gerardoromano3436]

This amp has not Mixed reputation, they gave BAD reputation. Bad QUALITY components, pots, jacks, printed circuito boards, dropping resistors for the preamp that Burns the boards, múltiple usless fuses inside the amp, for just a bit off money you can get a 65 reissue or a 70ś silverface

[@Geert890]

The Twin was the flagship amp only 3 years before the release of the 65 reissue. The input jacks are bad quality imo but I don't think the pots are. 65 reissue is a PCB as well so I wouldn't know why that matters. But they are really heavy and have like 11 tubes so that's a bit hard to manage maybe.

[@steffenbrix]

This amp sounds (and looks) the best 👍❤️