FACTOIDS & TRIVIA

The blackface Fender piggyback amps (Dual Showman, Showman, Bassman, Bandmaster, Tremolux) are fine guitar amps, but aren’t as highly regarded as the earlier versions (blonde tolex amps) made from 1961 to 1963. The main difference lies in the tremolo circuit and negative feedback loop. The blonde amps had complex tremolo while the blackface models had a simpler tremolo. This circuit loaded down the signal in the blackface amps, but not in the blonde amps. In addition, the blonde amp's negative feedback loop had a variable resistor known as a Presence control, whereas the blackface amps had a fixed value resistor actived by the Bright switch. Still, the blackface piggyback models, especially the Bassman and Bandmaster, were extremely popular.

 Preamp:  Tube; 5 x 12AX7, 1 x 12AT7

 Rectifier:  Tube; 1 x 5AR4

 Speakers:  2 x 10" Kendrick/Eminence (non-original)

 Channels:  2; Normal and Bright, 2 inputs per channel

 Effects:  Tremolo

 Controls:  Normal - bright switch, volume, bass, treble; Bright - bright switch, volume, bass, treble, tremolo intensity, tremolo depth; footswitch for tremolo

 Head Dimensions:  8 H x 23 W x 8 1/2 D inches

 Speaker Cabinet Dimensions:  17 1/2 H x 28 W x 11 1/2 D inches

 Total Weight:  63 lbs