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.
Fender Tremolux AB763 (September 1964)
Power Amp: Tube; 2 x 6L6GC, 35 watts RMS @ 4 ohms
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.