1963 Super Reverb * 1964 Twin Reverb * 1964 Tuxedo Bassman

[Toppscore]

1) 1963 Fender Super Reverb birth-date
2) 1964 Fender Twin Reverb birth-date
3) 1964 Fender Blackface w/Presence, White-knob Tuxedo Bassman birth-date

Hi! I own the above three amps, but am having difficulty knowing
when the first month of production was for each amp.

I have an "NG" 1964 Super Reverb; which month in 1963 did the SR ship?
I have an "NL" 1964 Twin Reverb.

And, I'm not sure which month Fender began shipping the
Blonde/Brownface Bassman circuitry with the "Presence" control
in black tolex and a blackface plate with white knobs.
How many months did Fender ship this "Tuxedo" Bassman???

Thanks for any and all responses

[tubeswell]

Not sure, but if I was you, I'd just focus on enjoying the sound.

[Firestorm]

It's usually difficult to pin down the precise date Fender models were introduced. In that era, Fender "officially" introduced most products at the Summer NAMM show, but the circuits were designed well before and often used in amps labelled as predecessor models (the transitional amps).

[Teleguy61]

Partial answer:
G= July
L= December

[Toppscore]

Thanks, guys. I understand my amp's production date. And they sound great with Fender Strats, Teles and my bass guitar. The Tuxedo Bassman is incredible when matched with my 1962 and my 1965 Fender Reverb tank units.


Sorry I did not make it clear earlier. Simply want to know what's the first month Fender actually shipped the first amps of these three models. The known history resources I've read just state the year of produciton. I know the 1950s Fender Bassman has records of each 1950s Bassman amp models' month of introduction.

It's said Fender shipped the SR in 1963, the TR in 1964 and the "Tuxedo Bassman" with it's unique features for a few months in 1964. I know many Fender collectors "know to the week" of many early Fender 1950s & 1960s amp models' first week/month shipment "birthdate". Some collectors keep track of issue dates.


Again, any "first month of shippping dates" is helpful:
1) 1963 Fender Super Reverb first month birth-date
2) 1964 Fender Twin Reverb first month birth-date
3) 1964 Fender Blackface w/Presence, White-knob Tuxedo Bassman first month birthdate.


Much appreciated. Thanks again

[Phil_S]

I think you'll find a fairly comprehensive history here, but not month of issue.
http://ampwares.com/amps/
You may be able to "reverse engineer" the first date of production based on information here:
http://www.superiormusic.com/page195.htm

[Toppscore]

I think you'll find a fairly comprehensive history here, but not month of issue. http://ampwares.com/amps/ You may be able to "reverse engineer" the first date of production based on information here:
http://www.superiormusic.com/page195.htm

Thanks, Phil S. I know Ampwares and the Field Guide well. Greg Gagliano and the Superior charts I know well, also.

I know the months of the Fender 5B6 Bassman production for late 1953 through April 1954, the end of the 5B6 1x15 Bassman shipments. I know the 1954 Fender 5D6 4x10 "DK" & "DL" Bassmans. I know fairly well the months for issue and production dates for the Fender 5D6A 5E6 5E6A 5F6 & 5F6A from 1955 through 1960. So, it's possible to know what month an amp model was first shipped.

Once I can find the first serial numbers and the date code year month, things fall into place.


For instance, with a little effort:
My 1964 Blackface, Black Tolex Bassman with the presence control
and the white knob "Tuxedo" look has a serial number = BP11922.

Looking at the Superior Chart, BP11922 is very close to the last serial number of BP12000. We can assume that my Bassman was shipped in
the last month of production of the Brownface/Blonde Fender Bassmans
but with the new Blackface plate and Black Tolex.

According to the Superior Chart, the Blackface Bassman amp heads began
shipping in 1964 with the A00100 serial number. Also, the first Blackface
Bassmans had the AA864 circuitry change which loses the presence control
and goes from the Blonde 6G6B seven faceplate knobs to the AA864 Bassman's
six faceplate knobs.

Therefore I can assume my 1964 6G6B Bassman was made in July 1968 ~
as Fender shipped the Blackface Bassmans during August "AA864" 1968.
Also, Fender had to stop purchasing Blonde Tolex and started using
Black Tolex on Blonde 6G6B Bassmans before the AA864 "Black" Bassmans
were ready to ship.

Without a date code, I'll conclude my 1964 6G6 BP11922 Bassman
with Blackface design and Black Tolex was shipped during July
or August 1964. Which my amps date code verify's.

But, this info is from an amp I own. Anyone keep track of the first
Blackface 6G6B amp's serial numbers and date codes?

What do you think?

[Toppscore]

Just thinking/concluding . . . . . .

Super Reverb AA763, AB763 (blackface)
A00100 to A00600 - 1963
A00600 to A06000 - 1964
A05900 to A13000 - 1965

Since the 1963 Super Reverb has an AA763 circuit code, can we assume
the Super Reverb actually shipped during July 1963? Or, is it possible that
another Fender amp had the AA763 circuit applied first and that the
Fender Super Reverb was given the AA763 circuitry but shipped during
a later month in 1963? What do you think?


==================
Twin Reverb AA763, AB763 (blackface)
A00100 to A01200 - 1964
A01200 to A04300 - 1965
A04300 to A07000 - 1966
A07000 to A10400 - 1967

We know the Twin Reverb was first shipped during 1964 with the
1963 AA763 circuitry. But, what month in 1964???
Since only 1200 Twin Reverbs were shipped in 1964,
and 3000+ Twin Reverbs were shipped in 1965, . . . . .
Maybe we can assume that Fender Twin Reverbs first shipped
during September/October 1964, or . . . . .
nearly a year later after the 1963 Fender SUPER Reverb first shipped.

What do you think or know?

[Reeltarded]

I dunno about July on the Super. I think later, but probably about as you say from what I have known of Twins.

[Toppscore]

I dunno about July on the Super. I think later, but probably about as you say from what I have known of Twins.

Thank you for the response. As I keep searching and investigating,
I conclude Fender shipped the very first 1963 Super Reverbs
during late Summer or early Fall 1963.

Now, if we had data info from the very first 1963 Super Reverbs
shipped with serial numbers starting from A00100 (or close) ~
the date code chart will spell out the exact birthday month - lol

Take care.

[Reeltarded]

You can't trust Fender serials to be consecutive, only know a range with the size of a batch if yiu can nail that down.

[Toppscore]

You can't trust Fender serials to be consecutive, only know a range with the size of a batch if yiu can nail that down.

IMHO, Fender only shipped 500 4x10 SUPER Reverbs in 1963, and 5,400 in 1964, gotta figure Fender started shipping the 500 during November "MK" and December "ML" 1963.

Fender Super Reverbs used the AB763 (July 1963) circuitry. Therefore, Fender first shipped the AB763 circuit chassis in other amp models during July 1963 and later completed and began shipping the 4x10 Super Reverb during November 1963.

My amp is "NJ" for October 1964, with two different chassis quality control markings (42nd week 1964). All four trannys are marked from 606430 to 606438.

This concludes my Super Reverb investigation as to discovering the first month Fender began shipping the 1963 Super Reverb AB763 during November 1963.

Fun detective work