I found these references on Wikipedia: The Twin Reverb II was replaced by The Twin, commonly referred to, though incorrectly as, the "Evil Twin" (Fender has only referred to the "TWIN AMP" or the '94 Twin Amp as being the "Evil Twin", not the red knob Twin) due to the addition of both a separate gain channel and a switchable overdrive on the clean, in 1987. The model [1994-2001 Twin Amp ('94 Twin Amp)] is referred to as the "Evil Twin". I bought a Fender Twin in 1999 or so and it had Evil Twin printed in the amplifier section of the amp. It has a black panel.
The millisecond I saw the Telecustic: "Yes! Awful! Pawn shop!" It's like Fender's design team said "How can we diminish one our beloved designs by making a worse Ovation?"
They had a stratosonic guitar that came out at the same time that was similar but more expensive. I think the telecoustic was the cheap version of that idea. I never heard anything about the more expensive one so it was probably crap also
2:56 No, that's actually NOT an Evil Twin, the Evil Twin is a Blackface Reissue of 94, which is awesome. The red-knob was evil maybe, but it is not the Evil Twin ua-cam.com/video/pE_IHOpqoO8/v-deo.htmlfeature=shared
Hey, you two geniuses. #2 Is "The Twin Amp". The 1994 - 2001 was the 94' Twin Amp (Evil Twin) then from 2002 - 2010 there was the successor the Fender Pro Tube Twin Amp. You guys are criticizing a product that you can't even properly identify nor differentiate. The "Evil Twin" 94' Twin Amp was a beast!! Louder then anything you'd ever need or want.
I've seen some mentioning of why the Fender Cybertwin amp didn't make the list. The Fender Cybertwin is a great amp with more possibilities that most people don't know about. The issue was when it came out it was priced steep for an "unknown" entity. It was priced between $1299.00 to $1399.00. I bought one when they first came out and still have it today. It was a little overwhelming in the beginning because of the numerous amps and multiple possible settings that it has. Once you figure it out, much simpler than at first glance, it's an incredible amp. A ton of technology within it caused the high price which thwarted the sales. The blueprints included with the amp were almost 3" thick. If you find one today, you can get it at a third of the original price and it's an amazing gem! You don't get one amp, you get multiple amps with the Cybertwin and almost any effect you could want.
2:52 That is the red knob "The Twin" not an "Evil Twin". The "94' Twin Amp" PR-266 is the "Evil Twin". Guitar Shorty played through 2 red knob twins; the sound was glorious.
I have one, bought new in 1996. They came with Texas Specials, not Tex Mex. There was a Custom Shop version and regular USA prod version (mine is the regular) both very nice. The neck is only narrow near the nut.
@@jkauffman58 I absolutely love the color. I got a 93 Amer deluxe plus Strat in butt ugly yellow but was looking for the blue Deluxe Plus when I found my. Only problem is I love the guitar from the day I picked it up in 96. Only ever found 1 in the blue and it had rosewood. That blueburst is a beautiful color.
i still play my evil twins... modded to the sunn model t (reissue) specs... it sounds great...but its like its made of massive stone...heavy like hell.
I’ve had one for over 25 years and I honestly play it more than my 1987 Les Paul Custom Black Beauty that sells for $3-4k on Reverb. Call it a flop, that’s understandable, but it has ZERO to do with it being poorly made. That’s objectively false and I’m gonna comment on that in a sec. I love my Venus.
I STILL want a 12 string Venus. REAL Seymour Duncan pickups that, from what I can tell, were unique to that particular model and the Fender XII bridge... It's also the only Squier I know of that actually had a MSRP of $999.99!! That's just INSANE!! The prices on the used market haven't exactly gone down either. TONS of these have been cannibalized for their bridge (wish I knew where the pickups went..) and so VERY FEW are around and in decent shape today. I would love to be able to afford one at some point, but I highly doubt it...
I've always considered the "Evil Twin" to be the blackfaced master volume amp. The red knob is just known as the red knob. Incidentally, when Robben Ford had short European tours and didn't want to ship his fabled Dumble, a red knob twin was usually ordered for backline. I've heard him play though one. He can get a very similar sound to the Dumble with it. He also released a live "unplugged" album recorded live at the original Yoshi's in Berkeley where he played a Telecoustic. Maybe it's not the gear, it's the player.
I came to check the comments about red knob evil Twin. I understand that the Pro tube Twin is the Evil Twin. Don't really know don't really care. Seems to me it would be the 130 watt Twin should be the evil Twin. I know my Pro tube Twin has punished Marshall's. Making me turn down just cause I'm louder. But that's at only 60 watts,(2 tubes pulled). With a 130 watts these Fenders should be mind blowing. Don't know, have nowhere to play LOUD tube amps anymore. I end up using practice amps and going through D I into P A anymore. 5 big beautiful tube amps that just gather dust.
A few years ago I came across a Fender Amp-Can at a yard sale , a lesser known Fender product for sure. Powered by an APC type battery or from AC outlet , two channels (guitar and mic) and sound is enormous for its size. Also carrying handle doubles as a prop to position it like a monitor speaker. Love this lil amp
we have some more:) We had a PRS one but they were very very unhappy about it....:( A tragic tale of not much of a sense of humor. Thanks for watching and well keep em coming!
I was playing in a top 40 band in 86 and the guitar player got rid of his MusicMan 50 watt combo for the Evil Twin. He sold it two months later. The volume jumps and ratty-sounding overdrive just killed it for him (and the audience)
James-appreciate your honest comments about the “PU” tele! As a sixties throw back surf rat I like the color and lines. So would the Ventures! Sometimes it is in the beauty of the wall hangers that count. Great job!
Should do a video of most underrated fender instruments too. I love the Toronado, and the opposite of the Jazz Tele: the offset Tele, which gives you all the cool and that Tele twang... of course, that still leaves three spots to be filled...
Totally! I think Squire is doing both this year....the Toranado and the Offset Tele...or that could already be last year. Actually, it is, cos now I remember, Squire is doing this killer HH Jaguar this year. I'm seriously considering it...in shoreline Gold. You know it, if it was two, three times the price, we'd be all over it.
Good call. I actually owned a La Brea acoustic in the mid 90s. It was a substantial upgrade over the low end Ovation that I had before it. I wanted that amp but never got one. I went tube and have never looked back except for my acoustic amp.
I am surprised that you did not include early 90's Automatic SE, and Automatic GT, in there's most people consider them dogs, while I on the other hand consider them a sleeper. I currently own a SE, and owned another one in the past. Very under appreciated amp.
I have a red knob 'The Twin' (I'm not sure this was the 'Evil Twin' though). It's not the best amp ever, but certainly not the worst. It is incredibly heavy and incredibly loud, but can get that Fender sound from the clean channel. As long as you don't want to move it, it's fine.
The red knob first came out in '87. I have the original catalog to prove it. I love mine when it is working but I have had problems with it several times and thus its bad rep. It is presently in the shop awaiting its return. BTW, I had an extra cabinet and have the head and the speakers separate which makes it much more haulable. about 17 to 20kg each.
@@timdetmer I have an evil twin but not with red knobs. I've owned it since 95 and just recently began to act up. Volume will suddenly jump a few notches on its own. Ever experienced this?
Played bass in a band with a little lead player that had the Evil Twin. Carried it up flights of stairs all the time. He replaced the speakers with even heavier EVs. Damn him! Lol
Just to be 100% clear, Venuses are not highly sought after, but FujiGen/Tokai era Fenders are most definitely highly sought after cuz they were made very well. The notion that the Venus wasn’t well-made is pure nonsense. These two obviously didn’t do their homework before saying that
Just curious, I was under the impression that the red knob twins weren't the "evil twins" - rather they didn;t start calling them evil twins until 1994 when they switched to black knobs?
The problem was, she was a slide player, so the action is set up ridiculous. The idea that eye-pleasing wanted a gimped, yet hodrodded Stratocaster is a marketing mess up they'll never live down. I picked it up, brand new, first year off the wall at Samuel's Music, Effingham, Illinois. I never swapped a USA built Strat out for Jackson Roswell Rhodes in my life. Actually bought that Jackson, because this Strat upset my expectations(I was 14, 39 now) so greatly I needed a metal guitar to beat my rage into.
Two years ago there was and online music store that specializes FENDER flops like the acoustisonic guitars with the plastic back like the Ovation. They were selling numerous models I've never heard of in numerous colors and styles. I can't remember the name of it due to a stroke.
I had the black knob Evil Twin and loved it !!! Two complaints.....IT WAS HEAVY, and TOO LOUD to play at most of the places our little band played at !!! If it was not for the weight, I would still have one today (I try to keep my amps at 40 lbs or less)
I’d like to see it the other way around. A Jazzmaster body with Tele pickups/electronics. I say this from the perspective of a guy who owns two Jazzmasters.
Or the Coronado series, or the Bronco, or many other short lived instruments like the BassVI. There are so many that a top 10 can't cover it. However, the Telesonics and Straosonics made today are not at all like the older ones, and are highly cherished by everyone who plays them.
Coronado and Bass VI were both awesome instruments though, so it's not really a flop with those. Bass VI is just a niche instrument, but it's a great one. The only problem with the Coronado is it was too Gibsonesque.
My dream Fender is a Custom Shop Swinger with a Original Floyd Rose & locking nut made of all brass, brass locking Fender tuners, Seymour Duncan Hot P-Rails pickup set. 24 Frets, Abalone, Turquoise, & Jade Jumbo Triangle inlays, Purpleheart fretboard. In/out of phase mini toggle, series/parallel mini toggle, killswitch mini toggle & tesi-style killswitch as well. Also, a "dark" switch like the original Esquires had. I want the bottom horn more pointy like the top horn of the guitar. Not sure of the rest of the specs, but I want it to be a rad super 80's retro finish with a matching arrow headstock. Metal! \m/
The telecoustic was the first guitar I bought new. I started on an electric, so it worked for me as a beginner. I obviously moved on from it. I don't even remember what I did with it.
Another big flop: The 2014 Strat Dlx Plus, with personality cards. It was misunderstood, poorly marketed, seen as a gimmick by traditionalosts, and sales people didn't understand it. I owned one and it turned out that it was great guitar with interchangeable cards instead of S1 switches.
The Twin has a GREAT Fender clean sound. If it doesn't sound Fender enough for you, maybe there's just too many options for tone shaping for some! I got two black knob twins and i love them both. I have an original 76 MusicMan HD-130. That sounds very fendery but it's even heavier than The Twin! Is fendery a word?
Jazzmasters are mostly alder for the Fender stuff. Very rarely ash. They only use basswood for Jazzmasters in the Vintage Modified line, and likely the newer Indonesian CVs.
Gentlemen, with all due respect - please, please work on flip-flopping the ratio of joking around to providing useful musical information. It's about 80% to 20% in the wrong direction.
@@lawrencegenereux8567 The big problem is the chubby cat. I mean, WHO'S AMP WAS IT? LET THE MAN TALK ABOUT HIS DAMN AMP! I made a comment about him in the general section. He's actually the reason I'm "one & done" here. Skinny guy has a good presence, I like him. Frat boy is repulsive to me. But that's just me, & like I've told people on other channels: don't like it, dont watch. So, instead of keep whining about it, I'm outta here.
Thanks for the comment. We actually agree with you on this one. Our videos shot since this one have been way way better and I hope you come across some of them out there. Sincere thanks for the thoughts and we for sure listen! Best to you out there and well see you soon:)
Man! That Swinger is flat out, Bad A$$ looking! Such a great builder. That thing could really scream and be totally unique with some love. Were they American or could you get an American?
Fender could totally bring back the Stagemaster series. There’s a serious lack of modern options from fender seriously we’re not all into vintage gear lol
Try the Performer series if USA Fender is your thing. Tons of mods that fit the Midwest Emo/ Math Rock thing perfectly. My Mustang is always liked when somebody sits with it for just a few moments. Thay find the forward set neck vs the more inside set up for the neck on Strats/Telesales playing more quick, amd places the hand and elbow farther from the body, making moving around on it feel like you just initiated the lightning powerup in Rock Band.
@@caiusmadison2996 What I meant by "modern" would be 7/8 strings, longer scale, Floyd Rose, Evertune, flatter than 12" radius boards....etc. Ya know, stuff us "kids" would play LOL They need to stop ignoring that market, NOW would be the time for the stagemaster series to really shine! Hell....potentially a 7 string with a single-coil in the bridge position for christ sake not all us "Djent kids" want to play humbuckers in every guitar
@@shawn2571 I’m just mentioning this because I wish SOMEONE would make a single-coil (strat/tele style) configuration 7 string guitar after all this time.
As I've mentioned a few times, you YOUNG guys are hilarious. 😂I was in the Demo Room when the Evil Twin was introduced to the Sales and Marketing Team. One Rep, Bob Gruenwald, put a condom on his head (covering his nose) and began to exhale heavily...(we DO have pics)...causing said condom to become HUGE in the middle of an otherwise Silent introduction.... The "Hindenberg" FULLY inflated....and the statement was clearly made. We released it anyway. ....... 🚽 . Food for thought...re: the Telecoustics. Did they suck? Yes? BUT....(all caps)......Had some Superstar picked it up and used it, EVERYTHING changes. Always keep this one FACT in your Frontal Lobe. The Stratocaster was on the Chopping Block when Jazzmasters and Jags became the big thing. We're talking.... it was a Done Deal. The Strat was going away. And then ....... along came Jimi. The Rest, as they say.....😳 RB
And then there is the Fender M80 grey carpet red dial. I still have mine from 1990. Just about to put it's third speaker in it after the liquid cooled black widow fell to bits. This time a Jenssen vintage. Wish me luck!
I often wonder what happened to Fender's Sidekick series amplifiers? When it came time to re-tube my AC30, I got a deal on a Sidekick 65, that was less than the cost of tubes! The amp never failed me! They are just not around anymore!
Glad you didn't have the M80 on the list. I had one in the 90's and it had the best clean sound of any amp i've used. Took effects processors and pedals very well. Still kicking myself for selling it years ago
I bought the Jazzmaster Tele because I’m not a fan of the regular Jazzmaster’s offset body shape. I replaced the neck with a 52 Tele neck and it plays really well. I think the original neck was the lamest part.
You missed the floppiest Fenders of all: The first series of Solid State amps. Designed and built before silicon transistors, the were all geranium and they all broke. Who knew? Your boss tells you to design a transistor amplifier, you design a transistor amplifier. After that, it's not your problem. They were awful pretty though.
I loved me Telecoustic. Ok, out of the box it was not realy playable, but after a fretjob, after correcting the neck angle and some other things and using a DI box, it became my mostly played accoustic guitar.
I agree! I wouldn't purchase any Gibson guitars from the late 90's until the present. Gibson is out to screw people over and i wouldn't waste my time or money on them!
How can I reach you guys directly? You said you would cut an awesome deal on the Jazz Tele. I've been playing for almost 50 years, and I'm a Fender guy, but I'm more of a collector now. this might be good to add to my collection for the historic value alone, if the price is right. Please let me know how to contact you to negotiate a price on this, Thanks
Now you should do the best "hidden Gems" from Fender. Top on my list is the Princeton Chorus 2x10. I bought it for $179 and didnt expect great things. Man was I wrong! I have some awesome (mostly MIJ) Boss pedals running into the front end and DAMN! Activate the stereo chorus with the settings all the way down and WOW!! A Metal Core has never sounded so glorious!!!!
One of the Fender amps that had a problem was the Performer 1000 ! Even with the volume at 1 or 2 , it was just to loud ! You could not control the volume !
Did a guitar dealer really call it "BASE-wood"? (Not that there is any particular association between Jazzmasters and basswood -- only the import ones were ever made of that. US and Mexico Jazzmasters have always been made of alder like Strats.)
I worked music retail from the late 70s to the early 90s. Back then we couldnt sell Jaguar, Jazz masters, the offsets and mustangs b/c the pawn shops were full of them for a 100 bucks. The way the industry has remarketed them to younger players is amazing considering we thought then they were 'failed designs'. That said the all-time worst guitar they ever made was the Coronado. People used to say things like ''what was fender thinking? Thats a joke of a Gibson ES copy' and 'they sound like cardboard' were all popular. We had 3 or 4 that never sold. We had to raffle them off and give them away in promotions. Back then we were selling Ibanez rg's 5 to 1 overall fenders excluding P basses which always sell.
I have one and they are actually really nice guitars. They are heavy but they sound awesome and the buttons allow for any combination of pickups. The trem tho, well I’ve never used it but, it’s an absolute pain to restring!
Theresa May They were top of the line when they came out, and I’m sure they’re worth quite a bit now. I still have an ‘83 advert brochure. Hang on to that axe.
1sttvbn I’ve had two of the strats a blueburst and a candy apple green with gold hardware, both maple boards. Sold the blueburst but still have the cag. I’ve never seen another in that colour, let alone with the gold hardware! I want a tele but they seem to be much rarer and near impossible to find in good condition in non sunburst or pewter.
I appreciate you guys not including the 80s Elite series in this list! Lol! I still have my original 1984 Telecaster Elite that I bought new in 1986! I love this guitar! I used to play it through two Fender red knob Super 60s in stereo! Lol! What’s old is old again!!! Hahaha!
Michael Hermsmeyer it’s funny you mention that because I have one of those as well, the old elites! Still have some love for some of the off shoots from fender!
Casino Guitars My Elite is heavier than my new Les Paul! Haha! I actually have an extra bridge. The gold plating started peeling and my dealer was able to find a second one! The old one is in my case!
That's NOT the evil twin. That's the twin red knob (The Twin) The evil twin was the blackface amp they made starting in '94. I have one, and they're actually pretty good. They're not sought after, but if you change out the speakers they can get a pretty great solid SUPER LOUD clean tone, think poor man's SRV dumble loud clean, a TON of headroom even with 65W speakers to replace the 100w "fender" ones that don't sound great. and most people don't look for fender for distortion, the dirty channel is pretty nice (again, good replacement speakers... warehouse et65s are amazing) The damn thing has 12 tubes, 4 power, 8 preamp including the 2 12at7s, preamp in, speaker in, effects loop, xlr balanced out, the largest spring reverb tank ever. The only thing it doesn't have, is amp modeling features and tremolo.
I've got a rackmount M-80 upstairs that sounds.... Umm... Sounds goooood. There is an intermittent buzzing from inside the chassis and I have dubbed it "The Fender Fire Hazzard".
Fender Mustang amps. Gawd! Fender dipping into the modeling amp world when a sizable chunk of modeled amps are Fenders. Sold great. I can't stand them. The Cyber Twin sounded better, but I couldn't afford one while they were available. Had they expanded on the concept rather than ditching it for the Mustang, this would be a great amp teaching tool. Fender Tonemaster. The original Tonemaster had a stirling quality: it was consistent. It wasn't the best sounding amp, but it sounded good. And it sounded the same regardless of which one you had. A fine quality for a touring musician, if you'd agree. One blows up, swap it out for one bought locally. Dial in the old settings, and all is well again. I understand these have skyrocketed in value. And now an entire line of Solid-state amps are in the offing under the Tonemaster badge.
I had to listen to it again! We've got a couple of them left, we'll make you a great deal on it! Great, give me a great deal on a Jazz Tele! I'll purchase one!
A work colleague of mine was at a party in northern england many moons ago and in the morning asked a person who was sleeping on the settee if they would like a cup of tea. "Please" was the reply and it was Courtney Love lol.
How can you try to talk down about amps or guitars you have never had? I've not seen any of your stuff before and certainly won't be looking for any in the future.
Played an evil twin at a rehearsal studio last year and had no idea what it was until now.
Man that thing, what a powerhouse
It’s young Tony Stark and that dude from The Cure.
"Hi, im Robert Downey Jr..."
Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Smith
Together again! Yes!!!
😂😂😂
😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂
As mentioned elsewhere - the red knob "The Twin" is NOT the Evil Twin... (the real Evil Twin is the '94 Twin Amp - see Wikipedia)
I found these references on Wikipedia:
The Twin Reverb II was replaced by The Twin, commonly referred to, though incorrectly as, the "Evil Twin" (Fender has only referred to the "TWIN AMP" or the '94 Twin Amp as being the "Evil Twin", not the red knob Twin) due to the addition of both a separate gain channel and a switchable overdrive on the clean, in 1987.
The model [1994-2001 Twin Amp ('94 Twin Amp)] is referred to as the "Evil Twin".
I bought a Fender Twin in 1999 or so and it had Evil Twin printed in the amplifier section of the amp. It has a black panel.
Yes the Evil Twin didn't have red knobs and it is a pretty nice Amp.
The millisecond I saw the Telecustic: "Yes! Awful! Pawn shop!" It's like Fender's design team said "How can we diminish one our beloved designs by making a worse Ovation?"
They had a stratosonic guitar that came out at the same time that was similar but more expensive. I think the telecoustic was the cheap version of that idea. I never heard anything about the more expensive one so it was probably crap also
I almost bought one a half dozen times. Don't really regret not getting one.
I saw Robin Trower use a bunch of Evil Twins once. Sounded Great.
Probably because he's Robin Trower.....still LOVE "Too rolling stoned" and "Bridge of Sighs"
2:56 No, that's actually NOT an Evil Twin, the Evil Twin is a Blackface Reissue of 94, which is awesome. The red-knob was evil maybe, but it is not the Evil Twin ua-cam.com/video/pE_IHOpqoO8/v-deo.htmlfeature=shared
Hey, you two geniuses. #2 Is "The Twin Amp". The 1994 - 2001 was the 94' Twin Amp (Evil Twin) then from 2002 - 2010 there was the successor the Fender Pro Tube Twin Amp. You guys are criticizing a product that you can't even properly identify nor differentiate. The "Evil Twin" 94' Twin Amp was a beast!! Louder then anything you'd ever need or want.
I've seen some mentioning of why the Fender Cybertwin amp didn't make the list. The Fender Cybertwin is a great amp with more possibilities that most people don't know about. The issue was when it came out it was priced steep for an "unknown" entity. It was priced between $1299.00 to $1399.00. I bought one when they first came out and still have it today. It was a little overwhelming in the beginning because of the numerous amps and multiple possible settings that it has. Once you figure it out, much simpler than at first glance, it's an incredible amp. A ton of technology within it caused the high price which thwarted the sales. The blueprints included with the amp were almost 3" thick. If you find one today, you can get it at a third of the original price and it's an amazing gem! You don't get one amp, you get multiple amps with the Cybertwin and almost any effect you could want.
This is all 100% truth. The fatal flaw of the Cybertwin is that is it not as cool and sexy as a real vintage Fender tube amp.
Check out Def Leppard Phil Collen playing White Lightning solo in his Cybertwin.
What scared off a lot of my peers was that Fender struggles to make a PCB reliable, let alone a PC in an amp.
2:52 That is the red knob "The Twin" not an "Evil Twin". The "94' Twin Amp" PR-266 is the "Evil Twin". Guitar Shorty played through 2 red knob twins; the sound was glorious.
I LOVE the red knob Fender amps! They sound and look AMAZING ❤
I love the perfect level of camera awkwardness here, where it’s a little spicy without being cringey.
What about that Fender Deluxe Stratocaster that uses those funky cards for the tone shaping that came out a few years ago?
pls more info
The Bonnie Raitt strat was relatively high end with hot Tex Mex single coils and a narrow neck.
I dug the smaller neck on it. I am a hobbit . Small hands . Sounded excellent.
I have one, bought new in 1996. They came with Texas Specials, not Tex Mex. There was a Custom Shop version and regular USA prod version (mine is the regular) both very nice. The neck is only narrow near the nut.
@@jkauffman58 I absolutely love the color. I got a 93 Amer deluxe plus Strat in butt ugly yellow but was looking for the blue Deluxe Plus when I found my. Only problem is I love the guitar from the day I picked it up in 96. Only ever found 1 in the blue and it had rosewood. That blueburst is a beautiful color.
i still play my evil twins... modded to the sunn model t (reissue) specs... it sounds great...but its like its made of massive stone...heavy like hell.
The Squire Venus is a grail guitar of mine. I played one, and I liked it.
the venus is a very nice guitar, i have one and i love it!
This is nice to read, I am the original designer. Check out the real history. It's online. -Tim
I’ve had one for over 25 years and I honestly play it more than my 1987 Les Paul Custom Black Beauty that sells for $3-4k on Reverb. Call it a flop, that’s understandable, but it has ZERO to do with it being poorly made. That’s objectively false and I’m gonna comment on that in a sec. I love my Venus.
I remember thinking about getting a 12 string Venus when they came out.
Do it!
I STILL want a 12 string Venus. REAL Seymour Duncan pickups that, from what I can tell, were unique to that particular model and the Fender XII bridge... It's also the only Squier I know of that actually had a MSRP of $999.99!! That's just INSANE!! The prices on the used market haven't exactly gone down either. TONS of these have been cannibalized for their bridge (wish I knew where the pickups went..) and so VERY FEW are around and in decent shape today. I would love to be able to afford one at some point, but I highly doubt it...
I saw one dirt cheap, still NOS 10 years after they were discontinued. And I didn't buy it. *Sigh*.
I've always considered the "Evil Twin" to be the blackfaced master volume amp. The red knob is just known as the red knob. Incidentally, when Robben Ford had short European tours and didn't want to ship his fabled Dumble, a red knob twin was usually ordered for backline. I've heard him play though one. He can get a very similar sound to the Dumble with it. He also released a live "unplugged" album recorded live at the original Yoshi's in Berkeley where he played a Telecoustic. Maybe it's not the gear, it's the player.
They sound fantastic, this dude probably doesn’t know how to dial a tone
I came to check the comments about red knob evil Twin. I understand that the Pro tube Twin is the Evil Twin. Don't really know don't really care. Seems to me it would be the 130 watt Twin should be the evil Twin. I know my Pro tube Twin has punished Marshall's. Making me turn down just cause I'm louder. But that's at only 60 watts,(2 tubes pulled). With a 130 watts these Fenders should be mind blowing. Don't know, have nowhere to play LOUD tube amps anymore. I end up using practice amps and going through D I into P A anymore. 5 big beautiful tube amps that just gather dust.
I'm confused. I don't think the red knob "The Twin" is the "Evil Twin".
The red knob Twin is not the Evil Twin, the Evil Twin is a 94 model
A few years ago I came across a Fender Amp-Can at a yard sale , a lesser known Fender product for sure. Powered by an APC type battery or from AC outlet , two channels (guitar and mic) and sound is enormous for its size. Also carrying handle doubles as a prop to position it like a monitor speaker. Love this lil amp
Amp can, Amp can . . . where you gonna run ?
Yay, Do it again. Lots of other companies with flops.
we have some more:) We had a PRS one but they were very very unhappy about it....:( A tragic tale of not much of a sense of humor.
Thanks for watching and well keep em coming!
It’s funny you say this. PRS is definitely the company you think of that take themselves way too seriously.
Dale Castor oh boy, you are not wrong there:)
@@CasinoGuitars would be a real shame if that video leaked and got posted by an unaffiliated random youtuber ;)
@@dalecastor8821 Paul's TED talk should be on loop in the museum of taking yourself too seriously
6:32 That body is Ash. The thinline version of this with the Philtron pickups would be perfect donor for a Tele-neck Baritone conversion.
Did Jonathan oust James' seat? I never seen James before on a video.
The Evil Twin was out in 1986. Same year the American Standard Strat made it’s debut.
I was playing in a top 40 band in 86 and the guitar player got rid of his MusicMan 50 watt combo for the Evil Twin. He sold it two months later. The volume jumps and ratty-sounding overdrive just killed it for him (and the audience)
"It was made poorly, It was not launched properly, nobody really wanted this" Are you describing Courtney Love?
This joke is about 25 years late, and isn't really funny in 2020.
The joke is always funny if Courtney Love is the butt of it. She's trash.
Hole made some excellent music to bad your consumed by negativity
That woman disgusts me she still trying to make money off a Kurt's death... Now she's bringing her daughter along with her....
It was and is funny. She is anti matter and destroys everything she comes in contact with
James-appreciate your honest comments about the “PU” tele! As a sixties throw back surf rat I like the color and lines. So would the Ventures! Sometimes it is in the beauty of the wall hangers that count. Great job!
The sad thing about the parallel universe is that they made the cooler version which is the offset tele.
I even like that new Squier Jazzmaster body with Tele neck, pickups and electronic
Love the sound of the Parallel Universe Jazzmaster Tele... it's that color I can't get past.
@@Trinin That's exactly what an offset Tele is, Tele neck, jazz body, Tele hardware.
I frikken love the hardtail H/S Courtney Strat! It's not vpcos it's a Love, it's because it's so close to my perfect Fender!
My first band in 2005 had a lead guitarist playing a telecoustic through a Fender Rumble combo, the early 2000 designs.
Tone for moments!
I had an “ m80” amp single 12 in the 80s . Really loud with tone of a boss katana
Should do a video of most underrated fender instruments too. I love the Toronado, and the opposite of the Jazz Tele: the offset Tele, which gives you all the cool and that Tele twang... of course, that still leaves three spots to be filled...
Totally! I think Squire is doing both this year....the Toranado and the Offset Tele...or that could already be last year.
Actually, it is, cos now I remember, Squire is doing this killer HH Jaguar this year. I'm seriously considering it...in shoreline Gold. You know it, if it was two, three times the price, we'd be all over it.
I got a Squier Toronado a few months and I love it! It was a toss up between that and the offset tele. Keep on thinking I might get the tele too haha
What about the fender la brea acoustic or the fender Ultimate chorus amplifier
Good call. I actually owned a La Brea acoustic in the mid 90s. It was a substantial upgrade over the low end Ovation that I had before it.
I wanted that amp but never got one. I went tube and have never looked back except for my acoustic amp.
I played through an Ultimate Chorus, it was good.
I am surprised that you did not include early 90's Automatic SE, and Automatic GT, in there's most people consider them dogs, while I on the other hand consider them a sleeper.
I currently own a SE, and owned another one in the past.
Very under appreciated amp.
Love the jazz tele! What deal will you cut me ??
James and Baxter two of my favorite people in So.pine N.C. Great guitar store !
I keep thinking Tim Burton and 1980’s Robert Downey JR when I see you guys.
ratelvis I love that!!!! Thank you:)
Casino Guitars Also because of y’all I’m looking for a dirty twin now hahaha
I have a red knob 'The Twin' (I'm not sure this was the 'Evil Twin' though). It's not the best amp ever, but certainly not the worst. It is incredibly heavy and incredibly loud, but can get that Fender sound from the clean channel. As long as you don't want to move it, it's fine.
The red knob first came out in '87. I have the original catalog to prove it. I love mine when it is working but I have had problems with it several times and thus its bad rep. It is presently in the shop awaiting its return. BTW, I had an extra cabinet and have the head and the speakers separate which makes it much more haulable. about 17 to 20kg each.
@@timdetmer I have an evil twin but not with red knobs. I've owned it since 95 and just recently began to act up. Volume will suddenly jump a few notches on its own. Ever experienced this?
I have 2 red knob Showman heads and Cabinets..Pulled 2 tubes to reduce the wattage.. Thsi solves all the issues with HEavy and Loud!!!
Played bass in a band with a little lead player that had the Evil Twin. Carried it up flights of stairs all the time. He replaced the speakers with even heavier EVs. Damn him! Lol
The claim that the Venus was "made poorly" is also b.s. They were good-quality guitars (made in Japan) and are pretty sought-after today.
Just to be 100% clear, Venuses are not highly sought after, but FujiGen/Tokai era Fenders are most definitely highly sought after cuz they were made very well. The notion that the Venus wasn’t well-made is pure nonsense. These two obviously didn’t do their homework before saying that
Just curious, I was under the impression that the red knob twins weren't the "evil twins" - rather they didn;t start calling them evil twins until 1994 when they switched to black knobs?
the bonnie rait strat is a great guitar. wish thay bring em back.
The problem was, she was a slide player, so the action is set up ridiculous. The idea that eye-pleasing wanted a gimped, yet hodrodded Stratocaster is a marketing mess up they'll never live down. I picked it up, brand new, first year off the wall at Samuel's Music, Effingham, Illinois. I never swapped a USA built Strat out for Jackson Roswell Rhodes in my life. Actually bought that Jackson, because this Strat upset my expectations(I was 14, 39 now) so greatly I needed a metal guitar to beat my rage into.
Two years ago there was and online music store that specializes FENDER flops like the acoustisonic guitars with the plastic back like the Ovation. They were selling numerous models I've never heard of in numerous colors and styles. I can't remember the name of it due to a stroke.
I had the black knob Evil Twin and loved it !!! Two complaints.....IT WAS HEAVY, and TOO LOUD to play at most of the places our little band played at !!! If it was not for the weight, I would still have one today (I try to keep my amps at 40 lbs or less)
How do you explain Mick Taylor Popa Chubby and Steve Cropper all using a red knob Evil Twin.!!!
I like the Jazz Tele. Im going to order the Squier version.
They actually sound fantastic!
morgan ghetti The Jazz Tele is one of the coolest guitars they make
I’d like to see it the other way around. A Jazzmaster body with Tele pickups/electronics. I say this from the perspective of a guy who owns two Jazzmasters.
Hollister Kopp google “fender offset tele”
Daniel C alrighty then, I will.
My Fender Swinger had a 3/4 neck on a body with the bridge positioned for a full sized neck. Impossible to intonate!
The Fender swinger looks like it has a great sized neck width starting at 1st fret. I’d bet if it fit, it would be a great neck for a Strat.
What about the Fender Katana?
Or the Coronado series, or the Bronco, or many other short lived instruments like the BassVI. There are so many that a top 10 can't cover it. However, the Telesonics and Straosonics made today are not at all like the older ones, and are highly cherished by everyone who plays them.
Coronado and Bass VI were both awesome instruments though, so it's not really a flop with those. Bass VI is just a niche instrument, but it's a great one. The only problem with the Coronado is it was too Gibsonesque.
Also, the Bass VI sold well. Just about every big studio owned one, and tons of bands were using them to record. Even the Beatles used one.
@@Skiptracer1981 It didn't sell well enough. Got axed relatively quick.
@@Skiptracer1981 Coronado was too noisy when plugged in. It had feedback that was way overboard, and people didn't like it for that reason.
My dream Fender is a Custom Shop Swinger with a Original Floyd Rose & locking nut made of all brass, brass locking Fender tuners, Seymour Duncan Hot P-Rails pickup set. 24 Frets, Abalone, Turquoise, & Jade Jumbo Triangle inlays, Purpleheart fretboard. In/out of phase mini toggle, series/parallel mini toggle, killswitch mini toggle & tesi-style killswitch as well. Also, a "dark" switch like the original Esquires had. I want the bottom horn more pointy like the top horn of the guitar. Not sure of the rest of the specs, but I want it to be a rad super 80's retro finish with a matching arrow headstock. Metal! \m/
The telecoustic was the first guitar I bought new. I started on an electric, so it worked for me as a beginner. I obviously moved on from it. I don't even remember what I did with it.
Another big flop: The 2014 Strat Dlx Plus, with personality cards. It was misunderstood, poorly marketed, seen as a gimmick by traditionalosts, and sales people didn't understand it. I owned one and it turned out that it was great guitar with interchangeable cards instead of S1 switches.
Love my red knob the twin. Sounds fender enough for me. 😁
The Twin has a GREAT Fender clean sound. If it doesn't sound Fender enough for you, maybe there's just too many options for tone shaping for some! I got two black knob twins and i love them both. I have an original 76 MusicMan HD-130. That sounds very fendery but it's even heavier than The Twin! Is fendery a word?
Jazzmasters are mostly alder for the Fender stuff. Very rarely ash. They only use basswood for Jazzmasters in the Vintage Modified line, and likely the newer Indonesian CVs.
Also the Venus was based on an original design by Mercury Guitars, if I remember right.
Japanese line as well had basswood. So CV lines.
Gentlemen, with all due respect - please, please work on flip-flopping the ratio of joking around to providing useful musical information. It's about 80% to 20% in the wrong direction.
Be honest, this is brutal. 2 minute video stretched into this. Fan boys need not reply.
@@lawrencegenereux8567 The big problem is the chubby cat. I mean, WHO'S AMP WAS IT? LET THE MAN TALK ABOUT HIS DAMN AMP! I made a comment about him in the general section. He's actually the reason I'm "one & done" here. Skinny guy has a good presence, I like him. Frat boy is repulsive to me. But that's just me, & like I've told people on other channels: don't like it, dont watch. So, instead of keep whining about it, I'm outta here.
Thanks for the comment. We actually agree with you on this one. Our videos shot since this one have been way way better and I hope you come across some of them out there. Sincere thanks for the thoughts and we for sure listen! Best to you out there and well see you soon:)
You guys got any stratosonics?
Man! That Swinger is flat out, Bad A$$ looking! Such a great builder. That thing could really scream and be totally unique with some love. Were they American or could you get an American?
Fender could totally bring back the Stagemaster series. There’s a serious lack of modern options from fender seriously we’re not all into vintage gear lol
Au contraire, the entire indie scene
Try the Performer series if USA Fender is your thing. Tons of mods that fit the Midwest Emo/ Math Rock thing perfectly. My Mustang is always liked when somebody sits with it for just a few moments. Thay find the forward set neck vs the more inside set up for the neck on Strats/Telesales playing more quick, amd places the hand and elbow farther from the body, making moving around on it feel like you just initiated the lightning powerup in Rock Band.
@@caiusmadison2996 What I meant by "modern" would be 7/8 strings, longer scale, Floyd Rose, Evertune, flatter than 12" radius boards....etc. Ya know, stuff us "kids" would play LOL They need to stop ignoring that market, NOW would be the time for the stagemaster series to really shine! Hell....potentially a 7 string with a single-coil in the bridge position for christ sake not all us "Djent kids" want to play humbuckers in every guitar
Why does that sound like Kramer guitar? Didn't that kid in Eddie and the cruisers 2 play one?
@@shawn2571 I’m just mentioning this because I wish SOMEONE would make a single-coil (strat/tele style) configuration 7 string guitar after all this time.
Do you guys still have a jazz tele in stock?
As a proud owner of the jazz Tele I love it :) But you are right
As I've mentioned a few times, you YOUNG guys are hilarious. 😂I was in the Demo Room when the Evil Twin was introduced to the Sales and Marketing Team. One Rep, Bob Gruenwald, put a condom on his head (covering his nose) and began to exhale heavily...(we DO have pics)...causing said condom to become HUGE in the middle of an otherwise Silent introduction.... The "Hindenberg" FULLY inflated....and the statement was clearly made. We released it anyway. ....... 🚽 . Food for thought...re: the Telecoustics. Did they suck? Yes? BUT....(all caps)......Had some Superstar picked it up and used it, EVERYTHING changes. Always keep this one FACT in your Frontal Lobe. The Stratocaster was on the Chopping Block when Jazzmasters and Jags became the big thing. We're talking.... it was a Done Deal. The Strat was going away. And then ....... along came Jimi. The Rest, as they say.....😳 RB
And then there is the Fender M80 grey carpet red dial. I still have mine from 1990. Just about to put it's third speaker in it after the liquid cooled black widow fell to bits. This time a Jenssen vintage. Wish me luck!
Nobody even remembers the solid-state amps Fender made for about ten minutes in the late '60s!
I often wonder what happened to Fender's Sidekick series amplifiers? When it came time to re-tube my AC30, I got a deal on a Sidekick 65, that was less than the cost of tubes! The amp never failed me! They are just not around anymore!
The first and only time I played a Teleacoustic, my first thought was, "Wow, Fender made a guitar even worse than the Kramer/Ferrington!"
We were very horrified at its creation as well. What a strange strange guitar:) Thanks for sharing!
Glad you didn't have the M80 on the list. I had one in the 90's and it had the best clean sound of any amp i've used. Took effects processors and pedals very well. Still kicking myself for selling it years ago
I bought the Jazzmaster Tele because I’m not a fan of the regular Jazzmaster’s offset body shape. I replaced the neck with a 52 Tele neck and it plays really well. I think the original neck was the lamest part.
Courtney Loves signature didn’t sell well, not because the guitar was shit, but because it’s a Courtney Love signature
Ugh! Courtney. 🤮
You missed the floppiest Fenders of all: The first series of Solid State amps. Designed and built before silicon transistors, the were all geranium and they all broke. Who knew? Your boss tells you to design a transistor amplifier, you design a transistor amplifier. After that, it's not your problem.
They were awful pretty though.
I loved me Telecoustic. Ok, out of the box it was not realy playable, but after a fretjob, after correcting the neck angle and some other things and using a DI box, it became my mostly played accoustic guitar.
What about the Katana?
Man, that was one ugly guitar. Son of The Arrow.
We'd be here all day if you did one of these videos about Gibson
I agree! I wouldn't purchase any Gibson guitars from the late 90's until the present. Gibson is out to screw people over and i wouldn't waste my time or money on them!
All week*
Great comment
What about their Super Sonic amp series?
How can I reach you guys directly? You said you would cut an awesome deal on the Jazz Tele. I've been playing for almost 50 years, and I'm a Fender guy, but I'm more of a collector now. this might be good to add to my collection for the historic value alone, if the price is right. Please let me know how to contact you to negotiate a price on this, Thanks
The teleacoustic definatly deserves the #1 spot as it is god awful creation from the depths of hell itself.
Now you should do the best "hidden Gems" from Fender. Top on my list is the Princeton Chorus 2x10. I bought it for $179 and didnt expect great things. Man was I wrong! I have some awesome (mostly MIJ) Boss pedals running into the front end and DAMN! Activate the stereo chorus with the settings all the way down and WOW!! A Metal Core has never sounded so glorious!!!!
The fender katana look it up on reverb
What, no Katana? I've only ever seen one, in a pawnshop, and certainly never onstage. There must be a lot of them hiding under beds somewhere.
Robben Ford used to like the red knob Twin as a rental
That's awesome! Thank you for sharing:)
I think you forgot the Fender Machete amp.
They haven’t done high gain since :/
Those Machete amps kick ass, I have the combo. Marketing flop for sure though.
The entire Fender Mustang amp series is one of they're Biggest Flops. IMO
One of the Fender amps that had a problem was the Performer 1000 ! Even with the volume at 1 or 2 , it was just to loud ! You could not control the volume !
Did a guitar dealer really call it "BASE-wood"? (Not that there is any particular association between Jazzmasters and basswood -- only the import ones were ever made of that. US and Mexico Jazzmasters have always been made of alder like Strats.)
Yeah, I caught that. My brain made the Record-Scratch Noise.
I worked music retail from the late 70s to the early 90s. Back then we couldnt sell Jaguar, Jazz masters, the offsets and mustangs b/c the pawn shops were full of them for a 100 bucks. The way the industry has remarketed them to younger players is amazing considering we thought then they were 'failed designs'. That said the all-time worst guitar they ever made was the Coronado. People used to say things like ''what was fender thinking? Thats a joke of a Gibson ES copy' and 'they sound like cardboard' were all popular. We had 3 or 4 that never sold. We had to raffle them off and give them away in promotions. Back then we were selling Ibanez rg's 5 to 1 overall fenders excluding P basses which always sell.
You guys forgot the Fender Elite, you know, the one with buttons instead of the selector switch and the funny trem.
Yep, 1983
I have one and they are actually really nice guitars. They are heavy but they sound awesome and the buttons allow for any combination of pickups. The trem tho, well I’ve never used it but, it’s an absolute pain to restring!
Theresa May They were top of the line when they came out, and I’m sure they’re worth quite a bit now. I still have an ‘83 advert brochure. Hang on to that axe.
1sttvbn I’ve had two of the strats a blueburst and a candy apple green with gold hardware, both maple boards. Sold the blueburst but still have the cag. I’ve never seen another in that colour, let alone with the gold hardware! I want a tele but they seem to be much rarer and near impossible to find in good condition in non sunburst or pewter.
I appreciate you guys not including the 80s Elite series in this list! Lol! I still have my original 1984 Telecaster Elite that I bought new in 1986! I love this guitar! I used to play it through two Fender red knob Super 60s in stereo! Lol! What’s old is old again!!! Hahaha!
Michael Hermsmeyer it’s funny you mention that because I have one of those as well, the old elites! Still have some love for some of the off shoots from fender!
Casino Guitars What color? Mine is Red Sunburst with Gold hardware!
Michael Hermsmeyer classic burst as well! She’s loud and heavy:) les Paul heavy, the bridge was cut a bit off center, and I’ll never sell her!
Casino Guitars My Elite is heavier than my new Les Paul! Haha! I actually have an extra bridge. The gold plating started peeling and my dealer was able to find a second one! The old one is in my case!
Michael Hermsmeyer thats really funny! Must’ve been a time when heavy=awesome!
That's NOT the evil twin.
That's the twin red knob (The Twin)
The evil twin was the blackface amp they made starting in '94.
I have one, and they're actually pretty good.
They're not sought after, but if you change out the speakers they can get a pretty great solid SUPER LOUD clean tone, think poor man's SRV dumble loud clean, a TON of headroom even with 65W speakers to replace the 100w "fender" ones that don't sound great. and most people don't look for fender for distortion, the dirty channel is pretty nice (again, good replacement speakers... warehouse et65s are amazing)
The damn thing has 12 tubes, 4 power, 8 preamp including the 2 12at7s, preamp in, speaker in, effects loop, xlr balanced out, the largest spring reverb tank ever.
The only thing it doesn't have, is amp modeling features and tremolo.
I've got a rackmount M-80 upstairs that sounds.... Umm... Sounds goooood.
There is an intermittent buzzing from inside the chassis and I have dubbed it "The Fender Fire Hazzard".
Fender Mustang amps. Gawd! Fender dipping into the modeling amp world when a sizable chunk of modeled amps are Fenders. Sold great. I can't stand them. The Cyber Twin sounded better, but I couldn't afford one while they were available. Had they expanded on the concept rather than ditching it for the Mustang, this would be a great amp teaching tool.
Fender Tonemaster. The original Tonemaster had a stirling quality: it was consistent. It wasn't the best sounding amp, but it sounded good. And it sounded the same regardless of which one you had. A fine quality for a touring musician, if you'd agree. One blows up, swap it out for one bought locally. Dial in the old settings, and all is well again. I understand these have skyrocketed in value. And now an entire line of Solid-state amps are in the offing under the Tonemaster badge.
good video baxter & james.
I liked The Twin !
8:10 Are you describing the Venus or Courtney Love?
How did the 'Cybertwin' not make your list?
Three words...Rad, Hot, Jam....80s gold
I really want to hangout with you guys. You always reply to my comments! I have to make a trip down south!
Lol at “base-wood” - bruh I have a basswood RG and an Alder RG, both MIJ, they sound exactly the same...
Basswood... Carpenter cringe
I had to listen to it again! We've got a couple of them left, we'll make you a great deal on it! Great, give me a great deal on a Jazz Tele! I'll purchase one!
Id take a machete any day, wish i could go back a get one
I saw one new at Sam Ash in NYC for $400-$500 a few years ago. Wish I pulled the trigger.
A work colleague of mine was at a party in northern england many moons ago and in the morning asked a person who was sleeping on the settee if they would like a cup of tea. "Please" was the reply and it was Courtney Love lol.
How can you try to talk down about amps or guitars you have never had? I've not seen any of your stuff before and certainly won't be looking for any in the future.