1966 Pro Reverb questions - Average price? Pros/Cons?

[RichSZ]

Hey all,

Saw a '66 Pro Reverb 2x12 w/ Jensens for sale but it was listed quite high at $2200.

Just wondering what a more reasonable value is for this amp in fair/good shape.

It does have a 3-prong power cord so I assume this is not original. Looks to have two footswitches with it as well.

Any advice or pros/cons about this amp will be well appreciated.

Thanks,

Rich

[Tag]

Originally Posted by fzfwyv

Hey all,

Saw a '66 Pro Reverb 2x12 w/ Jensens for sale but it was listed quite high at $2200.

Just wondering what a more reasonable value is for this amp in fair/good shape.

It does have a 3-prong power cord so I assume this is not original. Looks to have two footswitches with it as well.

Any advice or pros/cons about this amp will be well appreciated.

Thanks,

Rich

I have an all original 65. Great amp, but spend a little more and get a Bruno Cowtipper. Much better sounding amp.

[TopJimmy5150]

I paid $1200 for my '67 back in August. It was in fair/good shape, also. Mine has the original Oxfords and all old glass. That price seems VERY high.

Pros: Fender Sparkle, warmth, BIG sound. Lighter than a Twin Reverb, breaks up earlier than a Twin. It will continue to appreciate in value. Takes pedals well. It's basically a 2x12 Vibroverb.

Con: Small OT means some farty lows. Very Heavy.

The Pro Reverb has been considered by many to be the best amp ever made.

[thepimpdaddy]

TJ - Does the "breaks up earlier" change if you run the old Pro thru a stouter set of speakers?

[TopJimmy5150]

I've never tried another speaker in it, so I can comment on that. I've toyed with investing in some period-correct JBLs but if I lose any of amp's current qualities, I'd consider it money poorly spent. I'd love to lose the farting out, but from my research it sounds as if any change to improve that issue will effect/degrade other qualities the amp possesses now.

[JimAnsell]

i paid 1200 for mine too.
it was used at gc. all old tubes, telefunken gz34, new electroytics, good shape, original utahs.

i've seen them go anywhere from 1100-1800. check the completed ebay listings.
blackfaces will do nothing but go up in value.

[p.snail]

I'm curious about these amps also, how do the silverfaces compare. I see them going for 5-600 on ebay. Are they of inferior quality. '66 is still CBS isn't it? Just curious because the silver ones are more in my neck of the woods price wise.

[ES350]

The early SF Pro Reverbs are great deals---a few changes if you want to get them to BF specs (pull the 2000 pF snubber caps, change bias setup, etc). Last one I bought was cosmetically challenged with no speakers---300$.

[RichSZ]

Originally Posted by TopJimmy5150

That price seems VERY high.

I'll give you one guess as to what mega-chain has it for sale :NUTS at that price.

-Rich

[bug0711]

Originally Posted by Tag

I have an all original 65. Great amp, but spend a little more and get a Bruno Cowtipper. Much better sounding amp.

Yeah, go out and spend more than what you've already stated as being too much.

[TopJimmy5150]

All Blackface Pro Reverbs were built after CBS takeover, but the design is all pre-CBS....it's the pre-CBS Vibroverb Circuit in a 2x12 configuration.

[zenfreud]

You have some very good options. If the decision is strongly influenced by the potential for appreciation, vintage Fenders seem to keep going up. Seems like the tulip craze to me, I'd pay no more than $1200 for a BFPR, just doesn't seem worth it to me. But if it were me, and I wanted vintage Fender tone at a reasonable price, I'd get a SF Twin for under a grand, you get bigger iron which gives tighter bass. Admittedly a Twin will be hella-loud before it breaks up, but a Pro will be pretty loud (by most club standards) before it breaks up too. No, not as loud as a Twin, but its not a bedroom amp. The Pro and Twin are both bears to load.

If you'd consider non-Fender options, look at a Fargen or Allen (to start, I'm sure there's others in the Fender tonal camp) and you won't have to worry about the upkeep on the 30 to 40 year-old electronics. I had my BFVR serviced by two different techs in the last year, expensive and time-consuming. It truly is like owning an old car, has character but at a price.

[CarlH]

Originally Posted by fzfwyv

Hey all,

Saw a '66 Pro Reverb 2x12 w/ Jensens for sale but it was listed quite high at $2200.

Just wondering what a more reasonable value is for this amp in fair/good shape.

It does have a 3-prong power cord so I assume this is not original. Looks to have two footswitches with it as well.

Any advice or pros/cons about this amp will be well appreciated.

Thanks,

Rich

Unless the amp is a collector, mint condition, amp, the price is too high. The price for a BF Pro Reverb should be between $1,200 to $1,800, even for a clean one. The Jensens (if they are original to the amp) make it worth more. My bet is that the Jensens are not original to the amp, which lowers its value. Very few came with Jensens.

In terms of wattage, the BF Pro Reverb is a step up from a Vibrolux Reverb and a step down from a BF Super Reverb. The Super Reverb has a bigger output transformer and the same power transformer, and the Vibrolux Reverb has a smaller power transformer and the same output transformer, if I am not mistaken.

I don't think mine is heavy at all. I have a '66 with vintage Jensen C12Ns in it (not original to the amp). I think mine weighs about 55 pounds, which is light for a 2x12 combo.

They are very nice amps. I like mine.:AOK

[RichSZ]

This is all great information guys. Thanks!

I'm stopping by there today to see what sort of deal I can walk away with.

-Rich

[LR1400]

Originally Posted by Tag

I have an all original 65. Great amp, but spend a little more and get a Bruno Cowtipper. Much better sounding amp.

Or spend a lot less and get a Hot Rod Deville. Better Sounding amp. Fatter and thicker on all notes but for sure on the lows. Little more HiFi but I dug it better than the Pro Reve:AOK