1968 Blackface Twin??? Legit or no?

[cdc3jj]

I've got a buddy with a 1967/68 twin reverb that has a black faceplate which looks original, ab763 circuit but a pt and ot with 1968 date codes. He says the amp is original but I've never seen 68 codes in a blackface. I know tube charts are deceiving but was there some overlap in 68 where they used up the last of the black faceplates? Or is it more likely someone changed the plate before my buddy got the amp? I'm only concerned because it may become my amp soon. Thanks.

 

[tele_player]

Might be real... Does the internal wiring have plastic, or cloth, insulation?

Robert

 

[zenas]

Should be a drip edge silverface in 68. TRs got the CBS "upgrades" pretty much right away.
Now that's all according to what we've all read on Fender amp history. History can be wrong so who knows ?
Have you had a real good look inside yet? Might be signs of soldering in there. I'd look at pin 8 of the power tubes first.

But really if it sounds good and the price is right who cares. If on the other hand it's priced like a rare 68 BFTR then I'd be going over it with a fine tooth comb.

 

[Peteyvee]

A true '68 won't have a tube chart with the two letter date code stamped on it. Does this amp have a stamped tube chart and if so what are the two letters?

 

[TheoDog]

If the faceplate is proper, there might have been a service history involving "nos" OT and PT at some point... Probably before NOS was a term.

 

[slider313]

I'm going to say it's not original. I say it was changed before he got it. Remember, this was CBS/Fender and, the new model cosmetics were in full swing by '68. Most early silverface amps were '67's.

 

[Mattbedrock]

I don't know enough to make a judgement myself, but I have a Dual Showman from the same era that has blackface cosmetics but date coded parts that date to late '67 - early '68. The chassis itself is ink stamped with a number that includes "0868" which may be 8th week of '68. The circuit itself is a weird mix of Ab763 and Ac568 features.

The grill cloth and logo are replacements that I installed. The head cab was a basket case when I got it - no tube chart left.

Original bias cap from early '68? Ink stamped chassis # 0868. The chassis serial number is A11354.

Original filter caps from 43rd week of '67? The OT is the only thing coded to the typical BF era of '66. But it is also the wrong transformer for a Dual Showman - it's an 8 ohm version. So....
One of the last BF's from early '68 or a mongrel of mismatched parts? Hard to tell. But I've seen plenty other examples of transitional Fenders with mixed parts and circuits. Your Twin could be either, IMO.