From mschwa–(at)–as.com Wed Sep 13 14:48:36 CDT 2000
Article: 275180 of alt.guitar.amps
Path: geraldo.cc.utexas.edu!newsfeed.cs.utexas.edu!hammer.uoregon.edu!newsfeed.direct.ca!look.ca!newshub2.rdc1.sfba.home.com!news.home.com!enews.sgi.com!nntp.msen.com!nntp1.savvis.net!nntp4.savvis.net!nntp2.savvis.net!nwnews.wa.com!news3.nwnexus.com!barad-dur.nas.com!mschway
From: Mike Schway
Newsgroups: alt.guitar.amps
Subject: Re: Tweed vs Blackface Deluxe
Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2000 09:21:27 -0700
Organization: entropy tends to increase
Lines: 48
Message-ID:
References: <39BE4091.2C57FF7--(at)--esjobs.com>
NNTP-Posting-Host: c224737-b.frndl1.wa.home.com
X-Trace: barad-dur.nas.com 968775642 61546 24.14.226.82 (12 Sep 2000 16:20:42 GMT)
X-Complaints-To: new–(at)–as.com
NNTP-Posting-Date: 12 Sep 2000 16:20:42 GMT
User-Agent: MT-NewsWatcher/3.0 (PPC)
Xref: geraldo.cc.utexas.edu alt.guitar.amps:275180

Tweed deluxe: 12-14W clean (depending on output tranny, it can push up
to 20+ W with distortion). Much less clean headroom, but sounds great
when pushed. Volume control goes up to “12”, but it really starts
breaking up around 2 1/2 even with single coil pups. Above 6 or so,
there’s not really much difference in volume. Single tone control with
a fairly dark, smokey tone. Tone control needs to be around 8-9 (out of
12) before amp sounds at all bright (but it never gets as sparkley as
the BF). Of course speaker choice will influence the tone a whole
bunch. Can be pushed into glorious overdrive without your neighbors
calling the cops. Still with the right output tranny and speaker, it’ll
sound just as loud as the BF when pushed hard in a club situation.

Blackface deluxe: Brighter, snappier tone. 20-22W clean (up to 25W
w/distortion). Usually comes with reverb & tremolo (they call it
vibrato, but it ain’t). Separate bass and treble tone controls for a
bit more variation in tone, but really it’s a cleaner-sounding amp until
you push it hard (around 6 out of 10 on the volume pot). When played
clean, the DR sounds remarkably like the twin (though at lower volume).
Reason: nearly the same tone circuit (no MR control on the DR). Sounds
wonderful when pushed, tho not exactly at living-room volumes.

It’s really up to you. Personally, I prefer the sound of the tweed with
my tele, even when played in the clean range (which is really, really
narrow). I’ve built clones of both types (a non-reverb BF head and a
5E3 complete with tweed box), and owned a real ’67 DR, and they both
have their own merits. I just happen to prefer the darker 50’s tone.

–Mike Schway

In article <39BE4091.2C57FF7--(at)--esjobs.com>, tjaff–(at)–esjobs.com wrote:

>I am in the market for a smaller amp (I have a real 1965 blackface Twin
>Reverb), and am
>considering a Deluxe. Any opinions regarding tweed vs blackface deluxes
>for overall tone?
>Also, are the reverb-equipped tweed clones by Victoria or Clark
>recommended, or should I
>stick to the original design and use a reverb device with it? I would like
>to play the amp
>cranked for classic blues/rock tone. This will be for home/jamming/small
>club
>applications. I want the best tone possible. Recommendations?
>

——————————————————————–
Mike Schway | [Picture your favorite quote here]
mschwa–(at)–as.com |
——————————————————————–

From daver–(at)–sn.com Wed Sep 13 14:49:06 CDT 2000
Article: 275287 of alt.guitar.amps
From: “David Kieltyka”
References: <39BE4091.2C57FF7--(at)--esjobs.com>
Subject: Re: Tweed vs Blackface Deluxe
Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2000 23:49:45 -0400
Lines: 29
X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 4.72.3155.0
X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V4.72.3155.0
Message-ID:
Newsgroups: alt.guitar.amps
NNTP-Posting-Host: chi-tgn-gvr-vty18.as.wcom.net 216.192.151.18
Path: geraldo.cc.utexas.edu!newsfeed.cs.utexas.edu!cpk-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!news.gtei.net!newsfeed.cwix.com!cpmsnbbsb04!cpmsnbbsa09
Xref: geraldo.cc.utexas.edu alt.guitar.amps:275287

Mike Schway wrote:

> Volume control goes up to “12”, but it really starts breaking up
> around 2 1/2 even with single coil pups. Above 6 or so, there’s
> not really much difference in volume. Single tone control with
> a fairly dark, smokey tone. Tone control needs to be around
> 8-9 (out of 12) before amp sounds at all bright (but it never
> gets as sparkley as the BF). Of course speaker choice will
> influence the tone a whole bunch.

What speaker do you have in your Deluxe? I’m wondering because I can get
more clean headroom and high end out of my Deluxe (a ’60) than you describe.
I have a WeberVST P12R in mine, and also have the original Jensen P12R too.
I like ’em both a lot. The Weber is snappier than the Jensen (which,
granted, has seen *lots* of use). If I plug into the Instrument channel with
its volume at 6 and the Microphone channel’s volume at 12 I get a real nice,
lively clean sound with my Tele. This de-emphasizes the mids. It’s not loud
enough for gigging but dandy for recording. Now if I turn down the Mic
channel to around 9.5 the mids come forward and the volume just about
doubles. Sweet & dirty. Turning up the Instrument channel further adds more
dirt and saturation. With the Tele I keep the amp’s tone control between 4
and 6. This gives me a twangy high end without any trace of ice-pick treble.
Until recently I’ve always used RCA black plate 6V6s in this amp. Currently,
though, I have a set of Mazdas installed…great tone, right up there with
the RCAs IMO.

-Dave-

 

Buy the Book!

I cleaned up my tab for Sonny Boy's Help Me and made it into a short book. There's a Kindle version for 99 cents, and if you buy the paperback you get the Kindle free.

Playing "Help-Me" In the Style of Sonny Boy Williamson II: A step by step, note for note analysis of some of Sonny Boy's Signature Riffs