Fender Concert question

[steadygarcia]

Hi guys. What can you tell me about the Fender Concert? Specifically a 1962 model. I checked the usual places like the Fender Amp Field Guide, but I'm now looking for any info from those who may have played and/or owned one. I know a guy who wans to sell me his 1962 concert. He's asking $1,500 (Canadian) and he describes it as:
-Original tolex
-replaced grill cloth
-Power tranny replaced (by local tech Paul Gamache), rest are original
-Tremolo sounds great
-Original Oxford speakers
-$1500

Any thoughts about this?

 

[Bottle_Rocket]

That's a nice amp but I think a Super Reverb would be more useful.
The power tranny is a big part of any vintage amp. Make sure the speakers are not cracked, the amp is 47 years old!
If everything is original than I imagine you would need to have some work done to it. The Caps almost certainly need to be replaced if they are original. Different grill cloth while not efecting the sound cuts down on it's value. Most of them came with Jensens. The Oxford speakers were not the best.

All that being said it seems like a good deal if you are willing to put some $$$ into it.

Herei s a comparison between a vintage Super Reverb and the reissue.
http://www.guitarplayer.com/article/65-fender-super/feb-07/25592

 

[steadygarcia]

I already have a '68 Super (SF), which is indeed a great amp. So you're saying the Concert would be in the same vicinity tonally?

 

[Bottle_Rocket]

I already have a '68 Super (SF), which is indeed a great amp. So you're saying the Concert would be in the same vicinity tonally?

Is it a Super Reverb or just a Super? I don't think they made just a Super in '68.

I think it would still sound similar. SS rectifier on the Concert not sure that is a good thing when you think of vintage Fender tone. Some later models of the Silverface Super Reverb came with a SS rectifier. I think yours came with a tube rectifier

The Super was the follow up to the Concert and Tweed Bassman.

There is something special about the vibe of a rare Brownface amp but I would certainly give it a listen before I bought it. I bet your SF Super Reverb sounds better.

You may have a different opinion though.

 

[steadygarcia]

Is it a Super Reverb or just a Super? I don't think they made just a Super in '68.

I think it would still sound similar. SS rectifier on the Concert not sure that is a good thing when you think of vintage Fender tone. Some later models of the Silverface Super Reverb came with a SS rectifier. I think yours came with a tube rectifier

The Super was the follow up to the Concert and Tweed Bassman.

There is something special about the vibe of a rare Brownface amp but I would certainly give it a listen before I bought it. I bet your SF Super Reverb sounds better.

You may have a different opinion though.

Yep, mine's a Super Reverb ... I didn't actually realize there was a non-reverb model Super. And yep, mine's got a tube rectifier. I'll give th Concert a listen for sure. He's also selling a '71 Traynor YSR-1 head and matching 2x12 cabinet, which is like a YBA-1 but with reverb and tremolo, so I may end up picking that up instead - only $650 - hehe!

 

[Bottle_Rocket]

If yours is the 70 watt version than all bets are off. I dont think it is.

Don't know much about Traynor amps.

It would not take too much to turn your amp into blackface specs. Get the Concert only if you want the cool look and vibe not for it's tone which is dubious based on the info here.

 

[steadygarcia]

Mine's the AB763 circuit, it's a very early '68. It's 45 watts, not 70. One of the good ones

 

[slider313]

The price is a bit out of line with a replaced power tranny. These amps sound great with the right speakers and the Oxfords leave much to be desired. I had a '61 with Eminence 102 alnico's that sounded great. In my opinion they sound nothing at all like a Super Reverb and have more of a 4X10 Marshall bark. The only thing they have in common with a SR is the 4x10" speakers. I would think $850-$1000 is more like it.

 

[Bottle_Rocket]

The price is a bit out of line with a replaced power tranny. These amps sound great with the right speakers and the Oxfords leave much to be desired. I had a '61 with Eminence 102 alnico's that sounded great. In my opinion they sound nothing at all like a Super Reverb and have more of a 4X10 Marshall bark. The only thing they have in common with a SR is the 4x10" speakers. I would think $850-$1000 is more like it.

The early Marshalls were based on the Tweed Bassmans as were the Concert so I can understand your comparison.

I've never played a Concert so I defer to your opinion. We both agree on the dubious value of this amp. Although you seem to put a more realistic price on it.

 

[wgs1230]

A brown Concert, properly set up with good speakers (and don't write off the early 60s Oxfords til you've heard them- the alnicos are a different proposition from the later ceramics) is a fantastic amp. Agreed with Slider, that it's closer to a Marshall than a bf in some ways... until you turn on the 3-tube "harmonic vibrato" circuit, which no Marshall or any other British amp has ever matched. It's the best on-board tremolo ever, and 4x10 is as good a way to hear it as any other (some guys like the 2x12 Twin or the Showman through a 4x12).

Also agree that $1.5 is high with the non-original iron & grille. $1-1.2K is more like it.

(Btw, the non-reverb Super was a 2x10 amp in the tweed/brown era. The brown model is fairly close to the output of the Concert, but b/c of the smaller speaker compliment it overdrives easily. Another great amp.)

 

[slider313]

I'm not sure I've ever heard alnico 10" Oxfords before. I do know some speakers with bell covers are automatically assumed to be alnico. Many brown bell Oxfords were actually ceramic as were the blue bell Jensens Ampeg and Gretsch used in the early to mid '60's

 

[steadygarcia]

All great info, thanks everyone. I'm curious to hear this amp, and I suspected it was over-priced since all the vintage gear that this guy is currently selling is pricey. Of course, keep in mind that $1,500 Canadian is considerably less in US$.

 

[wgs1230]

I'm not sure I've ever heard alnico 10" Oxfords before.

IIRC, the model code was EV10K. Very similar magnet to the 8" they OEM'd for the Champ. The 10s turn up in some of the transitional center-volume browns- I've heard them in a Super. That said, I wouldn't write off the ceramics, either; there are a lot of excellent bf/sf SRs in circulation with those speakers still on the baffles.

 

[slider313]

IIRC, the model code was EV10K. Very similar magnet to the 8" they OEM'd for the Champ. The 10s turn up in some of the transitional center-volume browns- I've heard them in a Super. That said, I wouldn't write off the ceramics, either; there are a lot of excellent bf/sf SRs in circulation with those speakers still on the baffles.

I,personally,never cared for the ceramic Oxfords. I have a few amps that came with them and they are in boxes in favor of different speakers. Even my '61 Vibrolux.

 

[NatStrat79]

Don't count the concert out too quickly. There is nothing wrong with the solid state rectifier in the brown concert. The blackface twin reverb has a solid state recitifier and countless guitar players swear by them.

I have a 1960 brown concert with original jensen p10q's and the output transformer is the same model that came in the tweed bassman. There is no way you could get me to trade it for a blackface super reverb. The harmonic tremolo is amazing and with the jensen p10q's soften it up just enough while the solid state rectifier still allows it to retain some clarity and punch at higher volumes.

It might not break up as easily as a super reverb with the tube rectifier but both amps are powerfull enough that getting any amount of real overdrive will just about kill your hearing.

I take the brown concert over the super reverb because it has more midrange and actually sounds warmer at lower volumes because of that. Plus It makes me feel original, because let's face it how many players have you seen playing brown concerts on a regular basis?

 

[steadygarcia]

Don't count the concert out too quickly. There is nothing wrong with the solid state rectifier in the brown concert. The blackface twin reverb has a solid state recitifier and countless guitar players swear by them.

I have a 1960 brown concert with original jensen p10q's and the output transformer is the same model that came in the tweed bassman. There is no way you could get me to trade it for a blackface super reverb. The harmonic tremolo is amazing and with the jensen p10q's soften it up just enough while the solid state rectifier still allows it to retain some clarity and punch at higher volumes.

It might not break up as easily as a super reverb with the tube rectifier but both amps are powerfull enough that getting any amount of real overdrive will just about kill your hearing.

I take the brown concert over the super reverb because it has more midrange and actually sounds warmer at lower volumes because of that. Plus It makes me feel original, because let's face it how many players have you seen playing brown concerts on a regular basis?

So would I be doing ok to offer him $1K (Canadian) for the Concert? If I'm hearing correctly, inspite of the new PT and the Oxfords, I should still go for it?

 

[blackba]

yes $1k would be what you should offer. I would go up to $1.3k at max.

I love my 1960 Brown super. Its a different sound from your Super Reverb, so you are not really duplicating tones here. In addition to the Brown super I also have a '69 Fender Bandmaster reverb which is some what simiilar to your Super reverb.

I have read someone say that they had never met a Brown/Blonde era fender that they didn't like....

 

[drbob1]

That's a killer sounding amp, much softer on the attack than your Super and the tremelo is unbelievable. $1500 canadian is what, $1200 American? Not a bad deal. Heck, the speakers are worth $400! I'd try and talk him down, but if it sounds good, I'd still buy it!

 

[jumpnblues]

Had a '61. Very loud and clean, but nice tweedish breakup late on the volume dial. Mine had Weber speakers (2 10F150s and 2 10A125s) which were pretty efficient. I had to use an attenuator to get it to breakup levels but the tone was killer. It's just not a very practical amp for small to medium venues without attenuation. I still kinda' wish I had mine for jazz and clean stuff.


Tom

 

[steadygarcia]

I'd be buying it more for my studio, and definitely quieter gigs. I listened to some YouTube clips. The tremolo almost sounds shimmery and Leslie-ish ... is that a fair assessment, or was that the poor sound quality of YouTube?