Something new (to me) about tweed amps

[charliechitlins]

Here's something I've never heard discussed about Fender tweed amps...
I have a '59 Princeton that I always assumed had some sort of bogus logo plate.
Something got me curious and I started to search Google images, and I saw many Princetons (mostly, '60...mine is a Nov. '59) with the same logo.
Now I'm pretty sure mine is genuine.
Yay!
One is my '56 Deluxe and the other is the Princeton.
...
OK...I guess I can't upload a pic here.
The difference is the '56 Deluxe has a regular script small "e" and the 59/60 has what looks like a big "E" ...like a backward 3.

 

[HotBluePlates]

... I have a '59 Princeton that I always assumed had some sort of bogus logo plate.
... I started to search Google images, and I saw many Princetons (mostly, '60...mine is a Nov. '59) with the same logo.
...
The difference is the '56 Deluxe has a regular script small "e" and the 59/60 has what looks like a big "E" ...like a backward 3.

Are you talking about the plate on the 1960 Princeton in the pic below (far-right, big box Princeton behind the Champ)?

 

[Figaro]

The backward 3 E gives better tonez...

 

[Jr Deluxe]

You mean ton3z.

 

[charliechitlins]

Are you talking about the plate on the 1960 Princeton in the pic below (far-right, big box Princeton behind the Champ)?

Yup.

 

[TELECOLLECTOR]

@HotBluePlates

Damn it to hell and back.

I am, and will remain, humbled.

I WANT to start a nice collection of original Fender tweeds but simply have one 1962 champ - albeit in near mint condition.

But the others seem to be so elusive (or ridiculously expensive) that I am befuddled ( a recent and unwanted condition) how to proceed.

You seem to have the secret! I am enjoying them from afar.

 

[HotBluePlates]

Yup.

I too have never seen that discussed. I have a WAG...

Fender guitars used the same "backwards-3" letter E starting (at least) way back at the 1950 Broadcaster (see below). That style of font for "Fender" on the guitars stayed in place up through 1963 (2nd picture, a 1963 Strat). Yet the amps had a couple of fonts, none of which matched the guitars.


I suspect Fender decided to try to have amp logo plates which matched the guitar logo font, beginning with the 1960 Princeton. I don't know why the other amps didn't get a similar plate. Maybe because there was already a stock of the other plates and/or only a limited quantity were made.

In 1964, Fender changed the logo font on their guitar headstocks (bottom pic, 1964 Strat). If I squint, it reminds me a lot of the Fender logo in the top-left corner of amp baffle boards, installed on the 1965 & later amps.

Like you, I never noticed till you brought it up & don't know the answer. I haven't seen discussion of it in a simple internet search. So who knows for sure?

(FWIW, we could also discuss the number below the pilot light on 60's amps from Fender, saying "Design & Circuits Patented ___"; I've got a strong theory on what that is...)

 

[HotBluePlates]

@HotBluePlates

Damn it to hell and back.

I am, and will remain, humbled.

I WANT to start a nice collection of original Fender tweeds but simply have one 1962 champ - albeit in near mint condition.

But the others seem to be so elusive (or ridiculously expensive) that I am befuddled ( a recent and unwanted condition) how to proceed.

You seem to have the secret! I am enjoying them from afar.

Oh no!! Those aren't mine!!! I swiped the photo off the interwebz of some of Mike Slubowski's collection. Mike posted that photo some time back on the Les Paul Forum. You can see (and hear) a portion of Mike's collection in the "Greg Koch Explores an Original _____" series of videos on Youtube.

Oh yeah... Gibson also made a Custom Shop Collector's Choice model based on Mike's 1959 Les Paul Standard.

 

[TELECOLLECTOR]

Are you talking about the plate on the 1960 Princeton in the pic below (far-right, big box Princeton behind the Champ)?

Oh no!! Those aren't mine!!! I swiped the photo off the interwebz of some of Mike Slubowski's collection. Mike posted that photo some time back on the Les Paul Forum. You can see (and hear) a portion of Mike's collection in the "Greg Koch Explores an Original _____" series of videos on Youtube.

Regardless, my humbledness (surely an approved TGP word) remains!

Thanks for the photo.

Even if it is painful.