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From The Vaults, Vol. 1 - Fender Twins

by. Angelo DeStefano

What do B.B. King, Kenny Burrell, George Benson and Grant Green all have in common along with pretty much any jazz or blues guitar player that plugged into an electric guitar amplifier in the 1960s? They all played through Fender Twins.

For collectors and tone connoisseurs alike, no twins are more desirable than those that pre-date the 1965 takeover of Fender by CBS. That was the era of the "blackface" twin, the most coveted twin of all. Eighty-five watts of pure tube driven power running through two Jensen 12 inch speakers. Not to mention the ace in the hole... a spring reverb made by none other than Hammond. The same company responsible for every guitar players best friend... the Hammond B3 organ. Combine that with the tilt back legs that allow you to angle the amp upward for a more balanced sound and you have the recipe for a true classic.

It's been documented that the house amp at Rudy Van Gelder's studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey was a Fender Twin. That's where all of the historic 60's Blue Note recording sessions were held. Lucky for us, that gives us the privilege of hearing the Twin in full regalia. Put on a Blue Note classic like Grant Green's "Idle Moments" or Kenny Burrell's "Midnight Blue". Check out that dank, organic tone coming through your speakers. That's what a Fender Twin sounds like in the hands of a master.

Angelo DeStefano is a professional guitar teacher from Philadelphia, PA