F
ender’s tweed amplifiers,
made by the company from
roughly the late ‘40s through
1960 or so, are frequently
the first amps that come to mind any
time the words “vintage tube amp”
are uttered. Besides the fact that old
Fender tweeds frequently top any
list of most valuable vintage guitar
amps, the tonal characteristics of these
amps have in many ways become the
de facto standard of “vintage tone.”
Tweed models vary somewhat in
features, sound, and construction, but
in general, the thing that these twillcovered beauties of yore have become
known for is a raw, loose sort of sound
that exhibits plenty of touch sensitivity
and a musical, spongy compression
commonly referred to as “sag”. They
are at their best when turned up,
and this sound of a roaring, wide-open
tweed combo is considered by many to
be the holy grail of dirty guitar tones.
The standard thing to do at this point
would be for me to mention how
expensive vintage Fender tweed amps
have become, lamenting the bygone
days when one could snag them at
pawn shops for a couple hundred
bucks, and saying something to the
effect of “they just don’t make ‘em
like they used to,” but that’s not how
I roll. I intend to illustrate that the
good ol’ days are NOW, and that they
do, in fact, make them like they used
to (maybe even better). Players that
want the look, feel, and wild, untamed
rock tones of a vintage Fender tweed
have more options now than ever, as
beautiful, precisely recreated clones
of these amps abound, and sell at far
lower prices than the originals. So,
unless you’re a collector interested
in owning a rare museum piece, a
modern clone is the way to go. Here
are some of our favorites:
VICTORIA AMPLIFIERS 20112:
Victoria’s Mark Baier has been
meticulously recreating 1950’s era
Fender tweed circuits by hand about
as long as anybody, and his company’s
amps are probably the most wellknown and highly respected of
the clones. Billy Gibbons and Keith
Richards are but two of the famous
tweed fanatics that use them, and
it’s safe to say that those guys know
a thing or two about vintage tweed
tones. Victoria makes a wide range
of models based on classic Fender
circuits, but its “narrow panel” 5E3
Fender Deluxe-based 20112 model is
especially sweet. This 6V6-based, 14watt, 1x12 combo is like a tone time
machine, transporting you back to
a time when amplifiers were simple,
tube rectifiers were the only option,
and a resonant, finger-jointed pine
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