Looking for Suggestions on a Twin RI

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bradicusmaximus
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Looking for Suggestions on a Twin RI

Post by bradicusmaximus »

Here's the backstory on this:

A couple years ago I was playing some gigs with a band down in Nashville and figured if I'm making the trip down to the Mecca of Country music, I need a Twin. So I braced my bank account for the blow and picked up a shiny new Fender Twin Reissue. I did my gigs with it and then played with it for a while more and realized that I didn't like it. It was very ho-hum. I put it away and kind of forgot about it.

Several months ago a client of mine brought in a 1965 Showman head. This thing had some major cool factors to it and had a great sound through whatever cabinet I put it into. I wound up buying the head from him. But then I thought about my twin.

After stripping the whole thing so there was no going back, I wanted to figure out something good I could do with it. My original thought was blackface it with a real AB763 circuit. But then I started thinking that since the sky's the limit, maybe I could do something a bit cooler with it.

So here I am asking for some ideas from you guys. What would you do? Would you just make it what it was billed to be or would you do something a bit crazier?
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Jammin'John
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No

Post by Jammin'John »

I wouldn't mess with it. I would sell it.
Silverface Twins are cheap and plentiful. I would fix up one of those.

JJ
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lord preset
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Re: Looking for Suggestions on a Twin RI

Post by lord preset »

Since you've already stripped it you could make it AB673 on the reverb channel and make the normal channel with a tweed tonestack. But since you already have the Showman for blackface tone, you could rebuild the Twin as a Dumble ODS clone. Fuchs does these conversions all the time.
bradicusmaximus
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Re: Looking for Suggestions on a Twin RI

Post by bradicusmaximus »

I considered going the silver face route since I get them come through from time to time. But, that would entail me buying a silver face - I already have the RI.

The Tweed voicing on the normal channel is actually a pretty cool idea that I may think about. I tossed around the Dumble idea around at one point, but didn't really take it that far. I may revisit that idea though.

I'm kind of intrigued by the tweed channel though. Hmmm ... :lol:
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Re: Looking for Suggestions on a Twin RI

Post by Stevem »

My first question is this, what does the bulk of your playing style need in terms of tones and volume level?
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sliberty
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Re: Looking for Suggestions on a Twin RI

Post by sliberty »

I don't even like old Twins. Sell it. Or gut it and start over with a better circuit. Almost anything with character would be better in my opinion. But I know not everyone agrees.
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Jammin'John
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Re: Looking for Suggestions on a Twin RI

Post by Jammin'John »

sliberty wrote:I don't even like old Twins. Sell it. Or gut it and start over with a better circuit. Almost anything with character would be better in my opinion. But I know not everyone agrees.
+1
They are the accepted backline because they are readily available and they are LOUD !

However. I have a Low Powered Tweed Twin that is fantastic !

JJ
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Milkmansound
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Re: Looking for Suggestions on a Twin RI

Post by Milkmansound »

I have a pine 2x12" cabinet for a twin chassis up in the for sale section :D
matt h
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Re: Looking for Suggestions on a Twin RI

Post by matt h »

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TimmyP1955
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Re: Looking for Suggestions on a Twin RI

Post by TimmyP1955 »

Make a nice quad 6L6 with a pre in the CH2 area, and connect that to a JBL K120. Make a simple preamp in the CH1 area, and feed that into a dual EL84 amp (modded Hammond AO35 organ amp) mounted in the bottom of the cab, and feed that into a G12M25.
pops
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Re: Looking for Suggestions on a Twin RI

Post by pops »

Think i would make it into two separate amps in one cab. One with 2-6L6's and one with 2-6v6's add another output tranny and each to it's own speaker. You can drive both channels with the same input and since you have separate volume and tone controls you can bled for a great sound. Maybe clean on the 6L's and gritty on the v's then blended together for the sound you like. Thought about this about 15 years ago, bought the parts but ended giving my friend the cab for his twin and use the rest for other projects. Still would like to do it. Two amp sound, one amp cab. Just a thought.
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bradicusmaximus
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Re: Looking for Suggestions on a Twin RI

Post by bradicusmaximus »

Thanks everyone for the replies. You guys have given me some ideas to work with on this project.

I like the vibe of a classic twin though my biggest complaint, which is kind of what makes a twin a twin, is that it is crystal clean. I would like to give this thing a bit of hair.

I really like the idea of a tweed-like channel along with a slightly lower power reverb channel. I'm thinking something like a tweed bassman and a deluxe reverb together. Or if not a tweed - maybe something like an early marshall style circuit.

The big challenge ahead is to work this all out in my limited capacity. lol
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dragonbat13
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Re: Looking for Suggestions on a Twin RI

Post by dragonbat13 »

Just an idea to throw at ya.

My steady silver face/Black face twins next version is gonna be a standard reverb channel, with the normal channel used as a tone stack for the reverb.

Havent put much research in it, but the stock reverb is way too surf city for me.
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ampmike
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Nice guitar

Post by ampmike »

Jammin'John wrote:
sliberty wrote:I don't even like old Twins. Sell it. Or gut it and start over with a better circuit. Almost anything with character would be better in my opinion. But I know not everyone agrees.
+1
They are the accepted backline because they are readily available and they are LOUD !

However. I have a Low Powered Tweed Twin that is fantastic !

JJ
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