Fender Amplifiers: The Brown Panel Years (1960-1963)

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  • Опубліковано 29 січ 2025

КОМЕНТАРІ • 101

  • @MMGUITARBAR
    @MMGUITARBAR  2 роки тому +11

    Whoops, we made one small error: in the portion of the script where we talk about the one type of reverb unit that didn't match any available amp, we said it was a smooth blonde Tolex with gold sparkle cloth and a raised Fender logo. It should be smooth ***BROWN*** Tolex instead!
    Can't believe we didn't catch that in the script, but hey, we rattled off a lot of colors all at once in a such a quick segment.
    The responsible parties have been sacked.

    • @MY-qx3gd
      @MY-qx3gd 2 роки тому

      No Twins??

    • @giulioluzzardi7632
      @giulioluzzardi7632 Рік тому

      Don't sack em, teach em, really though not even funny.

    • @johnsmith-bk4ps
      @johnsmith-bk4ps 7 днів тому

      Are you sure about that? Smooth brown with gold sparkle?

    • @MMGUITARBAR
      @MMGUITARBAR  7 днів тому

      @@johnsmith-bk4ps Absolutely. They made a batch of them, and there's a great pic of a number of the Reverb Unit cosmetic variants (including the smooth brown one) in Fender Amps: The First Fifty Years.

  • @honkytonkinson9787
    @honkytonkinson9787 10 місяців тому +2

    Not sure why but I’ve become obsessed with Fender amps, especially the later tweed and brown panel amps. Appreciate the video!

  • @Tonetwisters
    @Tonetwisters 2 роки тому +9

    I learned a LOT playing through my older brother's brand new1960 PRO with a 15" speaker. And today, I am blessed to own a 1962 Bandmaster head, which is also a great sounding amplifier. What an incredible tremolo!! The browns are a bit warmer than the blacks, with an increased mid-range.

  • @cactus-mcjacktus
    @cactus-mcjacktus 2 роки тому +9

    including The Pixies was a nice touch, and as always, an incredibly well made video.

  • @ziccuj
    @ziccuj Рік тому +2

    Thank you for your excellent and informative video! For me the Brown/Blonde era is the absolute pinnacle of Fender amps. It is - like you mentioned - the perfect blend between Tweed and Blackface amps: just the right amount of breakup, definition and tightness - and so much tone! Also the looks are stunning all across the board. I have quite a few of them in my collection and I'm glad to share my view on them below.
    The 6G2 Princeton is a killer studio / session / recording amp with the most pleasant tube overdrive and a hypnotizing tremolo and can actually act as the single main amp on pretty much every gig if properly miked - been there quite a few times. At higher gain settings the tremolo - if engaged - actually steps out of the way when playing hard and it only creeps in the moment you stop hitting your strings. It's like having a compressor with a slow attack controlling the effect - very musical indeed!
    The 6G3 Deluxe on the other hand is a true mini-Marshall with ridiculous amounts (relatively speaking, of course) of gain on tap, and as I've read, the key factor in early ZZ Top tones. Paired with a Marshall 4x12" cab (or two!) it's a ridiculously fun rock'n'roll amp. It's funny that both 6G2 and 6G3 have a 2x6V6 output stage yet the latter really feels much more powerful. It has to do with slightly larger transformers and the fact that the Princeton is a 1x10" by design whereas the Deluxe uses a 1x12" configuration. Some Princeton owners actually have swapped their 10-inchers out for a 12" speaker.
    As for the bigger units, the 6G6 Bassman and its later -A and -B revisions have so much punch that it's just ridiculous. Especially the 6G6-B has that super snappy attack and delicious midrange roar that's been good enough for The Beatles, Brian Setzer and The Cardigans, just to name a few. It can stay reasonably clean for quite some time - and even when it breaks up, it's very very musical indeed. Because the Bassman has larger transformers, it seems to have more authority and bottom end than the Bandmaster even though they both share a 2x5881 power tube section.
    And speaking of the 6G7-A Bandmaster, albeit being slightly less powerful than the Bassman (40 watts vs. 50 watts), it is a ridiculously fine sounding amp with the lush Harmonic Vibrato circuit that's a cross between a chorus, a phaser and a Univibe - it's psychedelic, it's mesmerizing and just downright beautiful. Some might think it is a high-gain amp since there are 6 (yes, six!) preamp tubes. You'll have to remember though that three of them are dedicated to the Harmonic Vibrato circuit. Actually, if you're only using the normal channel, you can remove three of the preamp tubes.
    I also have a "Tuxedo" or "BFWK" (Black Face White Knob) 6G2 Princeton from 1963 that's a Brownface on the inside but a Blackface on the outside: black tolex and all. It's one of the later units from the time Fender was already transitioning to the Blackface era. You have to remember: Leo Fender never threw anything away, so while there were parts left, they built whatever they could from the remaining components - this is why you will find these interesting units, some better and some not-so-well documented. Actually the BFWK Princetons were produced for about a year.
    All the best from Finland and take care!

  • @frankfrank7921
    @frankfrank7921 Місяць тому

    Fascinating. Though I only experience them through modelers or amp captures, I love this era of Fender amps.

  • @ginoames
    @ginoames 2 роки тому +5

    I don't usually comment until I've watched the entire video but here I am halfway through to say this is fantastic! Great info, tones, and production. This vid is fantastic. Great job to all involved.

    • @ginoames
      @ginoames 2 роки тому +2

      Oh, and that Bassman sounds rad!

  • @ZachariahConnor
    @ZachariahConnor 2 роки тому +3

    Delicious tones, tasteful playing, informative narration

  • @fusionsnackyam
    @fusionsnackyam Рік тому +4

    Pixies and Weezer through million-year-old Fenders-I love it! Seriously, you have immaculate taste.

    • @MMGUITARBAR
      @MMGUITARBAR  Рік тому +1

      Ha, thanks! Pretty much running through the limited number of tunes I know😅

  • @enricopallazzoofficial
    @enricopallazzoofficial Рік тому +4

    That sound of the Jaguar with the Super was amazing. I don't know why those Fender Brown/Blonde panel are so under the radar. I Like them a ton more than the black panel.

  • @StandbyCymbalist
    @StandbyCymbalist 2 місяці тому

    That Jag steals every clip it’s in, dripping with tone.

  • @JordanSeal
    @JordanSeal Рік тому

    Loved your version of one of my favorite Pixies songs. Just one highlight in a really great video.

  • @richardbspeck147
    @richardbspeck147 Рік тому

    Wow.! Thanx 4 that up-date on Brown Panel Fender amps.! I recently noticed some @ my guitar shop "Derringers" here in Adelaide, South Australia.

  • @damianjoseph9222
    @damianjoseph9222 Рік тому

    Wow, I loved this video. Thank you!

  • @nedmoff1
    @nedmoff1 Рік тому

    I never comment, but this video is really tasteful and informative. Well done!

  • @RoscoFORCollective-Ameri-tw3wd

    I sold that 1960 Super to M&M. Yes, the 'vibrato' is beautiful, but I wish the video had showed the creamy saturation you get when you turn it up. Best sounding guitar amp I ever heard, and a great harp amp, too.

  • @darwinsaye
    @darwinsaye 8 місяців тому +2

    Harmonic tremolo isn’t really proper “Vibrato”. It doesn’t raise and lower the pitch like moving a vibrato bar on a guitar; what it does is split the signal into two signals, then it dials one to be more bass and the other to be more treble, then it alternates the volume of each. It’s like having someone turning up the bass knob while they turn down the treble knob, and then turning up the treble knob while they turn down the bass knob on the amp while you play.

  • @dylanclay5267
    @dylanclay5267 2 роки тому +2

    This was a great video! The brown panel era is probably my favorite fender era. I have a 62 bandmaster with just the most beautiful harmonic tremolo I’ve heard

    • @MMGUITARBAR
      @MMGUITARBAR  2 роки тому +2

      A '62 Bandmaster was my first introduction to Brown Panel amps! They're such beasts, and next to the Concert, possibly the most overlooked gem in the range. Something about that particular circuitry/wattage/cabinet really makes the Harmonic Vibrato shine. -Mike B

  • @jerrywatt6813
    @jerrywatt6813 4 місяці тому

    Great show that pro amp looks like new unbelievable thanks !

  • @rodrockmixing1817
    @rodrockmixing1817 Рік тому

    Great video! Thanks so much! Please make more interesting videos for us. 🎸

  • @brucedelaney9606
    @brucedelaney9606 7 місяців тому

    Awesome video. There were 5 styles of Fender amps. Tweed, brown face, black face, silver face. But the first were the Woodies. Not to mention all the ones that came after the 60s. keep up the good work

  • @adamyoung7999
    @adamyoung7999 2 роки тому +1

    Excellent presentation. I learned a lot, mainly that you have a YT channel! Seriously, fantastic stuff, bro.

  • @Corporations8MyBaby
    @Corporations8MyBaby Рік тому

    Great episode! I have a 63 Concert with a lush AF harmonic Vibrato and a 6G3 Deluxe made in 1962 just like Tommy Tedesco's. My concert has 4 original Oxfords but my Deluxe does not *yet*... but the Eminence I am using sounds amazing. I will offer that my Brown Panel deluxe reads as putting out 20 watts (each 6V6 reading 10 w) - so moving from this to my friends Black Panel non reverb Deluxe might sound different in the clarity and highs, but the power feels identical. 20.

  • @ellisfarrier
    @ellisfarrier 2 роки тому

    Thank you for such an informative video!

  • @jonathanhorne6503
    @jonathanhorne6503 7 місяців тому

    My primary amp is a 62 brown Bandmaster. I put it into a 2-10 combo cabinet. Wonderful amp. A previous owner replaced the output transformer with a period correct one from a Twin amp. Its output is now 8 Ω. It’s loaded with a pair of 16 Ω AlNiCo Celestion 10” speakers in parallel.

  • @davidwonpu353
    @davidwonpu353 2 роки тому +2

    Because we all care about aesthetics, the brown tolex cases with gold interior are my favorite too!

  • @NewPraetorianBlues
    @NewPraetorianBlues 9 місяців тому +1

    That Deluxe is in such immaculate condition. I see brand new amps in Guitar Center that look more beat than that.

  • @giulioluzzardi7632
    @giulioluzzardi7632 Рік тому +1

    That room is what I imagine Santas Grotto is like. I found a blonde Tremolux when I was a nipper but thought it was too wimpy sounding so I swapped it for a 100watt Hiwatt which blew up when the bass player used it when I was at school. I shoulda kept the weedy Fender.

  • @Tonetwisters
    @Tonetwisters Рік тому +1

    I think that was, "General Tire and Rubber." My brother figured out where to buy Tolex in Jacksonville FL in 1964 and made (2) 2X10 PA cabinets in gray. I paid for the 10" Jensen Concert speakers and he made the cabs. We used big Atlas stands and paired them with a Bell PA amp and carried around our own PA system. Back then, my brother played a Jazzmaster through a Fender PRO amp that were both brand new in 1960; and I played a 1954 Stratocaster through a brand new, 1964 Super Reverb, blackface amp. I still have that amp PLUS a 1962 Fender Bandmaster amp. The tremolo (12AX7 driven ... the Tremolux was 5881 driven) is fabulous! And back in the day, it was "ALnico" speakers.

  • @jegr3398
    @jegr3398 5 місяців тому

    The brown amps really are fascinating. So ugly but such incredible tone. I was lucky enough to aquire one years ago, a 63 Concert. Wonderful amp, one of my prized possessions.

  • @jeffroq
    @jeffroq Рік тому

    Great video. I always wanted a tweed amp but the reality is the brown faced amps are much more versatile. I bought Suhr hombre and that's now my do it all amp with a couple of pedals it does the lot.

  • @nick16754
    @nick16754 2 роки тому +1

    What would be the 60s period "correct" grill cloth to get for a '63 Vibroverb reissue? Would that be the Wheat cloth that it originally came with, or would it be that Oxblood cloth we see on the Pro here?

  • @nahknahk
    @nahknahk 2 роки тому +1

    Awesome video Mike! That blue Jazzmaster stole the show for me though

  • @colmkelly5524
    @colmkelly5524 2 роки тому +2

    Killer content as always

  • @maxpeck4154
    @maxpeck4154 2 роки тому +4

    Thank you for pointing out the difference between vibrato and tremolo. Like nails on a chalkboard to hear things like "My Jazzmaster has a smooth tremolo on it...". However, at 5:50 you mention that vibrato = pitch but the sound clip sounds like harmonic tremolo. In other words, a slightly dreamier variation in volume than bias tremolo and not a variation in pitch

    • @MMGUITARBAR
      @MMGUITARBAR  2 роки тому +2

      This is all in the context of the available on-board effects of Brown Panel amps, not a general overview of the concepts themselves

    • @maxpeck4154
      @maxpeck4154 2 роки тому

      @@MMGUITARBAR gotcha. Excellent video!!!

  • @petemccarry2326
    @petemccarry2326 Рік тому

    I have a ‘62 Super. It doesn’t have much headroom, but it has great breakup around 3 on the volume knob.

  • @DKentization
    @DKentization 2 роки тому +1

    diggin the 60 Jazzmaster with factory gold hardware. NICE!

  • @kbirridia
    @kbirridia 2 роки тому +1

    Is it just the lighting, or is that EH 6V6 starting to red-plate at 9:48? Good timing on this, I happen to have my 6G4/6G4-A transition Super on my bench. :) Great amps.

  • @kellygrant3074
    @kellygrant3074 2 роки тому +1

    That special into deluxe is pretty cool tone.

  • @GATOR202
    @GATOR202 10 місяців тому

    Pretty good summary.The one big exception that you left out is the sixty two vibrant reverb two ten. Stevie and I both considered it the greatest amp finder ever made. Gator

    • @MMGUITARBAR
      @MMGUITARBAR  10 місяців тому

      Just hitting a few of the Brown Panel high points, and by no means intended to be comprehensive!
      I think you're referring to the Vibroverb, which was released in '63. Lovely amp, but not one we had on-hand, given the tiny production totals.

  • @punkmusiclessons
    @punkmusiclessons 10 місяців тому

    "Hey" solo!! recognized immediately 😊

  • @fatbackfunk
    @fatbackfunk Рік тому

    Outstanding video, both presentation and demonstration of all that to die for gear! I'm infatuated with my 62' Deluxe, glorious tone and mojo for days, as you know. And that green special is gorgeous and sounds fantastic. Oh and BTW, what's that song at 9:53 ? I recognize it but for some reason, I can't remember what it is. Anyway, thanks for sharing!

  • @markstowe9011
    @markstowe9011 Рік тому

    HEY - been tryin’… to get a brown amp 😩 Nice little Pixies jam. I’m really wanting a brown panel Super - it’s the sound I’ve been after without realizing it for years. My search for a more affordable clone or alternative is never ending I think

  • @colmkelly5524
    @colmkelly5524 2 роки тому +6

    It’s a shame you can only give one like to a video on UA-cam.

  • @nevermorehollows
    @nevermorehollows 2 роки тому +1

    You get extra credit for the Yuri space race comment!
    Clever.

  • @ash-alder
    @ash-alder Рік тому

    Fantastic Demo! What was the song played to demo the Fender Super? That Jaguar/Super combo is a match made in gear heaven.

  • @TwangThang57
    @TwangThang57 3 місяці тому

    The only amp I truly regret selling is a June ''61 6G6 Bassman - Tube Rectifier - ToneRing cab with original speaker. It was purchased from the original owner in all original condition. I traded it for a Dreadnought from a boutique builder, as I was playing way more acoustic at the time. I currently own an early '64 6G6-B "Tuxedo" Bassman. Great amp, but I just don't connect with it the way I did with the 6G6.

  • @telecasterbear
    @telecasterbear Рік тому

    Even my recent Fender Champion 40 now has fender tilt legs on it.

  • @davidsalzman6677
    @davidsalzman6677 11 місяців тому

    Nice video! As pleasing as the harmonic vibrato circuit is, it is not "vibrato". It doesn't change the pitch of a note. Luv the brown era!

  • @ronchorivera
    @ronchorivera 2 роки тому

    Where are the mics?

  • @adamyoung7999
    @adamyoung7999 2 роки тому +3

    I’m a Fender guy, but that green Les Paul sound blew my mind. Curious what mic you’re using and where you place it in relation to the amp.

    • @MMGUITARBAR
      @MMGUITARBAR  2 роки тому +4

      Adam, believe it or not we used the mic on the Zoom H8 for this one. Had another audio issue and subbed it in last-minute, and honestly we loved it. It's just a few feet from the amp catching a little bit of the room. Worked really well we think!

  • @piggycity
    @piggycity 8 місяців тому

    Hey…Nice Pixies ❤ cover

  • @reverendg5937
    @reverendg5937 4 місяці тому

    Hell Yeah!!! I'll take a dozen of them!!!! 😂😂😂 🎸🎸🎸🎸

  • @bradruhfel4883
    @bradruhfel4883 2 роки тому

    Does the 100w Tonemaster from the custom shop fit in here? Have you played one?

    • @michaelwoods9005
      @michaelwoods9005 2 роки тому

      Was it made from 60-63?

    • @bradruhfel4883
      @bradruhfel4883 2 роки тому

      @@michaelwoods9005 nope. 1990s but it has the same look.

    • @charlesbolton8471
      @charlesbolton8471 2 роки тому

      @@bradruhfel4883
      The Custom Shop Rumble Bass Head/Cabinet from the 90s also has the same “look”, but it doesn’t fit in with these amps either.
      However, the Custom Shop amp introduced in the 90s that actually DOES fit in with these (other than NOT being produced in that era) is the Vibro King. It is a 63 Vibroverb with a extra speaker and more power. Fender also reissued both the 63 Vibroverb and the Reverb Unit in the 90s, but they don’t fit in either because they aren’t 100% faithful to the originals (and obviously not made in that era).

  • @shckltnebay
    @shckltnebay Рік тому

    Better get that Deluxe to the shop, one tube was red plating!!!

  • @mothroyale9076
    @mothroyale9076 2 роки тому

    Wow, glad I've seen your channel. That's a subscribe and like from me.

  • @createlovehappy
    @createlovehappy 2 роки тому

    was there a princeton in that family of amps back then?

    • @MMGUITARBAR
      @MMGUITARBAR  2 роки тому

      Yes indeed! Princetons existed in the Tweed era too. Funnily enough, we took in an extremely early example of the Brown Panel era Princeton the week after we made this video.

    • @charlesbolton8471
      @charlesbolton8471 2 роки тому

      The only amps from the Tweed Era that didn’t transition to Brown Panel are the Champ that stayed Tweed until 1964 when it transitioned to Black Panel and the Harvard which in its original version ended in 1961, but in 62-63 was built to use up inventory of Tweed Princeton cabinets.

  • @MichaelSmith-rn1qw
    @MichaelSmith-rn1qw 4 місяці тому

    While the statement that Fender shifted from Alnico speakers to ceramic magnet speakers beginning in 1962 is "mostly" correct, I have a 1979 Vibro Champ that I bought new that has an Oxford alnico speaker. Speaker code 4657909. I don't know if this was a one-off where they found an alnico in the warehouse or got a good deal on a batch of them. Not a very good speaker.

  • @drewhbend
    @drewhbend Рік тому

    " melt faces and destroy worlds" Mike

  • @stephanekerihuel4608
    @stephanekerihuel4608 Рік тому

    yeaaaaaaaaaaah !!!!!!

  • @CaptainRon1913
    @CaptainRon1913 10 місяців тому

    Dick Dale was the artist who perhaps worked closest with Leo Fender and engineers, to make Fender what they became. Dick blew up many amps for Leo to improve on.

    • @MMGUITARBAR
      @MMGUITARBAR  10 місяців тому

      If you hear Dick Dale tell it, he invented Leo Fender

  • @snörre23
    @snörre23 10 місяців тому

    I wonder why there was no Brown Champ.

  • @evanlundgren3039
    @evanlundgren3039 8 місяців тому

    Weezer! Bassman riff at 13:16! Nice

  • @kevmac1230
    @kevmac1230 Рік тому

    No bass?

  • @georgejetson1923
    @georgejetson1923 2 роки тому +3

    Brownface

  • @maxpeck4154
    @maxpeck4154 2 роки тому +1

    I apologize for having to be the 70th like

  • @BlackDogOriginal
    @BlackDogOriginal 2 роки тому +1

    Brown face fenders are under appreciated.

  • @sandvarch2789
    @sandvarch2789 Рік тому

    Are they called brown panel and black panel Fenders, or brownface and blackface Fenders? I always heard vintage Fender amps described as blackface, brownface or silverface. I hope this isn’t because there are actually people that might find it offensive. Which would be ridiculous…

    • @darwinsaye
      @darwinsaye Рік тому +2

      Fender didn’t call them either names. Those were nicknames later applied by the public, so it doesn’t matter. Both are accurate descriptions to differentiate them, but neither is the “correct” name, because neither is official.

  • @Rhythmicons
    @Rhythmicons 7 місяців тому

    You said "And a blondemassman" like it isn't special haha 1:02.

  • @sempercompellis
    @sempercompellis 2 роки тому

    its odd; ive never heard them called "brown panel amps"- I wonder if it is a regional thing??? I am sure there is a non-cringy explaination.

    • @MMGUITARBAR
      @MMGUITARBAR  2 роки тому

      "Brown Panel," while relatively recent, is becoming the default descriptor for this era of Fender amp production (not regional!), following suit with "Black Panel" as the default terminology for the amps Fender produced from late 1963-67.

    • @bryanlemeilleurtexas
      @bryanlemeilleurtexas Рік тому +1

      It's a response somehow connecting blackface theatrics to blackface as a descriptor of a piece of musical equipment. You can't make this stuff up. I'm still gonna use "face" because I have a brain and can differentiate between shared verbiage as it applies to separate topics.

    • @sempercompellis
      @sempercompellis Рік тому

      @@bryanlemeilleurtexas Oh I know bud- i fully well know- I was trying to embarass this soft titted couch gladiator- Imagine,18 year olds braved the beaches of normandy yet this coward can't even bring himself to use the word "brown".

    • @sempercompellis
      @sempercompellis Рік тому

      Are you trying to suggest this guy is a spineless coward....? no way..i just don't believe it. I mean even for just consistency's sake...why stop there...why not just delete the word black from your vocabulary??? HOw about all words beginning with "B".....COme on people get on board...we need to be the change we want to see in the world. @@bryanlemeilleurtexas

    • @johnsmith-bk4ps
      @johnsmith-bk4ps 7 днів тому

      Your correct, these have always been called brown tolex amps not brownface , same with white tolex amps, black tolex blackface amps were started to be called blackface in the seventies as oposed to the whiteface amps with black tolex. Later the term whiteface changed to silverface

  • @MrTL666
    @MrTL666 10 місяців тому

    Brown and Black Face you mean....

  • @Aeidotronics
    @Aeidotronics 2 роки тому

    Familiar mannerisms to other Mike.

    • @MMGUITARBAR
      @MMGUITARBAR  2 роки тому +1

      We're just like the Olsen Twin. One Mike and a spare fake beard. Been foolin you all for years!