Making Amplifier history
More than any other gear manufacturer Fender® has become synonymous with all things rock ‘n’ roll: from Buddy Holly to Eric Clapton, Pete Wentz to Sting to John Mayer and everything in between. Fender®’s iconic instruments and amplifiers are known the world over as the instruments that started the rock revolution.
The very first amplifier produced by Leo Fender and Clayton Orr Kauffman under the K&F brand was a 4 Watt amplifier made in 1945, to be used with the Lap Steel guitar, a popular instrument of the day. Fender® started making amplifiers under its own brand in late 1946, starting with the model 26; in 1947 three more models all based on the Model 26 appeared: the 8” Princeton, the 10” Deluxe and the 15” Professional.
The Champion™ 600 was a 1949 cream and brown “Naugahyde” finish student amp sold as part of a set with a matching Lap steel guitar. Although not designed to distort, due to development of more powerful guitar pick-ups such as those found in the Fender® Telecaster® and Stratocaster®, this unit was able to produce a saturated, distorted tone that made it a studio favorite. Not only that, but its volume control goes to 12!
The Fender® Deluxe™ was one of the first amplifiers designed by Leo Fender for his new line of Electric Solid-Body Guitars, excellent for recording or playing on stage with the tweed-covered variant that entered into production in 1952. This iconic amp covering is why the 1950s are known as Fender®’s “Tweed” era. Also from this period is the ‘59 Bassman®, considered one of the most versatile amps of all time, able to produce a variety of tones from crisp and clean to a saturated crunch.
Fender® started to convert to Tolex amp coverings in mid 1963, marking the introduction of their legendary “Blackface” amps. From that period the '64 Vibroverb™, the '65 Twin Reverb® and the '65 Deluxe Reverb®. Many of these “Blackface” amps were made pre-1965, when Columbia Records bought the company from Leo Fender, so they are also referred as “pre-CBS”.
Also from the mid 60’s to the early 70’s is the Fender® Vibratone, a Leslie-type rotary speaker cabinet capable of adding phasing and chorusing effect.
In 1985 CBS sold the company to a group of Fender® employees, which became known as Fender® Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC). Shortly after, Fender® started to reissue some of the pre-CBS era’s most legendary amps, as well as a new generation of amp designs worthy of the Fender® name.
The Amplifier Custom shop was established in 1993, making limited edition hand-wired amps for discerning pros and collectors. One of the first models produced was the legendary Vibro-King®, prized by players from Robert Cray to Pete Townshend, and the '64 Vibroverb™ Custom, based on vintage amps that “Amp Doctor” Cesar Diaz modified for Stevie Ray Vaughan.
In recent times, Fender® Musical Instruments Corporation has produced new models with channel switching, high gain overdrive, active EQ, and digital processing, continuing their tradition of legendary amp design. The Super-Sonic™, the MH-500 Metalhead™, the Cyber-Twin®, the TBP-1 bass preamp and the Bassman® 300 are prime examples of these innovative modern amp designs. |
System Requirements
