1990 Fender Red Knob Twin vs Marshall JCM 800 options

[MichiMarshall]

No the big 470's are the screen grid resistors. The plate resistors are on the pre amp tubes. They would be from the schematic: R6, R16, R106, R117, R23, R33, R42, R46, R114, R126, R127, R125. They are mostly 100k with a 220k, 91k, and a 9.1k also.

https://www.thetubestore.com/lib/thetubestore/schematics/Fender/Fender-The-Twin-Schematic.pdf

Anitoli,

Do you recommend getting 1/4 watt or 1/2 watt metal film resistors? Amazon sells metal film resistors packs.

 

[paul-e-mann]

My Fender red knob twin is giving me so much trouble with hum and intermittent pops and crackles. I really like this amp because of the scooped eq frequencies. It has the best of both world for Marshall AC/ DC overdrive, Guns n roses Appetite for destruction, metallica, Motley Crue. Which other amp has all these fabulous feature in a combo setting 2 x 12 and tube driven reverb? I really want a 2x 12 amp with all these features and scooped eq. Full tube overdrive and no diodes. Anyone?

DSL

 

[MichiMarshall]

No the big 470's are the screen grid resistors. The plate resistors are on the pre amp tubes. They would be from the schematic: R6, R16, R106, R117, R23, R33, R42, R46, R114, R126, R127, R125. They are mostly 100k with a 220k, 91k, and a 9.1k also.

https://www.thetubestore.com/lib/thetubestore/schematics/Fender/Fender-The-Twin-Schematic.pdf

No the big 470's are the screen grid resistors. The plate resistors are on the pre amp tubes. They would be from the schematic: R6, R16, R106, R117, R23, R33, R42, R46, R114, R126, R127, R125. They are mostly 100k with a 220k, 91k, and a 9.1k also.

https://www.thetubestore.com/lib/thetubestore/schematics/Fender/Fender-The-Twin-Schematic.pdf

Do you recommend 1/4 or 1/2 watt resistors? 100k 1/4 watt or 1/2 watts?

 

[anitoli]

I used Panasonic resistors that were 1 watt. Now they make resistors that are much smaller but still have the proper power ratings. The Panasonic 1w are the same physical size as a 1/4 watt. Normally they would be 1/4w.

 

[anitoli]

The two on the left are 1w ( panasonic is the light blue without stripes) the two on the right are 1/4w:

 

[6StringMoFo]

ahhhh my first gig worthy amp.

Memories.......

Fender M80 Chorus Half Stack 1980s-1990s Gray | Reverb

Mint condition with very few hours of use. Pickup only in Tuscola, IL. $500 firm.

reverb.com

 

[FleshOnGear]

I said what I said. Bad enough with the “bad back crowd” whining about a LP over 8# but I have heard some of the artists they revere over there… no way you can get under the bar listening to that bullshit. Besides, anything over 40w and 20# is a hate crime over there (unless it’s a pedalboard).

Man, the TGP crowd has changed a bit since I last posted there. Used to be nothing but blues lawyers, IIRC. Maybe I’m thinking of a different forum.

 

[V-man]

Man, the TGP crowd has changed a bit since I last posted there. Used to be nothing but blues lawyers, IIRC. Maybe I’m thinking of a different forum.

AFAIK, Blues lawyers aren’t obsessing over every $300+ reverb, comp and 12 second delay that comes out.

 

[V-man]

Okay but what would you recommend as a replacement for this amp? Friedman jake e lee model? I really prefer a full tube combo amp with tube reverb and an overdrive section. No pedal overdrive or distortion.

I believe you had a number of recommendations that field most (not all) of your preferences, even the 212 combo format:

JCM 900 DR Combo 4102/4502
JCM 800 Single channel 4103/4104
or
JCM 800 channel switcher 4211/4212

The clear takeaway is that Marshall does not necessarily offer the precise wishlist (though one may argue the 800 switcher). The JEL may be a perfect fit for your needs, IDK. This is the “Marshall amps“ section you posted in, where solutions and experience will be focused around those (notwithstanding Friedmans are M-inspired and we may happen to have an owner or two here)

 

[Dean Swindell]

My Fender red knob twin is giving me so much trouble with hum and intermittent pops and crackles. I really like this amp because of the scooped eq frequencies. It has the best of both world for Marshall AC/ DC overdrive, Guns n roses Appetite for destruction, metallica, Motley Crue. Which other amp has all these fabulous feature in a combo setting 2 x 12 and tube driven reverb? I really want a 2x 12 amp with all these features and scooped eq. Full tube overdrive and no diodes. Anyone?

If you like it that much - and these are GREAT sounding amps, just find a good tech to give it an overhaul; all new and better quality electrolytics, clean the tube sockets and jacks, replace whatever pots need it. All these amps are old by now and are going to have the problems you mention. All those problems will go away.

 

[Caffeinated]

The JCM800 Split channel combos have Reverb and a loop. 100w or 50w & 1x12 or 2x12 versions

I have the 2205 50w head. I unplugged the reverb tank and use a delay in the loop.

I had the 100w version of this in the 90s. It was an amazing amp and did all the sounds you mentioned. ACDC noises were on the clean channel which sounded quite like a 70s MV when cranked.

 

[Caffeinated]

Reading through, I'd agree that a proper amp tech for a proper service on your Evil Twin is probably the best option for you based on this thread.

Oddly, a lot of my reason for the JCM800 back then (apart from they were cheap - second hand that was a £300 combo) was exactly the same 'omg need the overdrive in the amp not pedals' thing. I got over it and have three overdrives and a fuzz on my board now.

 

[John Stedman]

Reading through, I'd agree that a proper amp tech for a proper service on your Evil Twin is probably the best option for you based on this thread.

1987 - 1994 Fender "The Twin" amps (red knobs) are not "Evil Twin" amps. Only the 1994 - 2001 Fender "Twin Amp" (aka '94 Twin Amp) was ever referred to as the "Evil Twin" in Fender's advertising of the period.

I too had this confused for years, thinking "Evil Twin" referred to the red knobs of "The Twin". It was only when I researched and purchased a 1994 - 2001 Fender "Twin Amp" that I came across information which cleared up the differences between these models. I looked through old issues of Guitar Player and sure enough, the "Twin Amp" was marketed as the "Evil Twin".

Fender Twin - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Axderson1987]

Checkout the Rivera M100 combo or the Fandango! I went into the rabbit hole of finding a Marshall+Fender amp a while back and those two really have the notoriety of being just that, and they are well built!

 

[Resident 217]

From what Ive seen of amps sought out by travelling musicians to rent, the big F twins are right on top.
But they have to work very well.

 

[RLW59]

The Red Knob Twin isn't a Marshall, and maybe not one of the truly great Fenders.

But it's a very, very good Fender. The overdrive channel isn't to everyone's liking, but the clean channel is basically a classic Twin Reverb. But with all the modern bells and whistles -- great fx loop, expanded eq, rear panel bias test & adjust, switchable output power and impedance, even a series output jack in addition to a standard parallel output.

Robben Ford and Steve Cropper used Red Knobs exclusively for decades.

A lot of "Marshall In A Box" pedals are voiced to be run through Fenders. The Red Knob is an outstanding pedal platform.

 

[RLW59]

1987 - 1994 Fender "The Twin" amps (red knobs) are not "Evil Twin" amps. Only the 1994 - 2001 Fender "Twin Amp" (aka '94 Twin Amp) was ever referred to as the "Evil Twin" in Fender's advertising of the period.

I too had this confused for years, thinking "Evil Twin" referred to the red knobs of "The Twin". It was only when I researched and purchased a 1994 - 2001 Fender "Twin Amp" that I came across information which cleared up the differences between these models. I looked through old issues of Guitar Player and sure enough, the "Twin Amp" was marketed as the "Evil Twin".

Fender Twin - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

It's true that Fender first used the nickname "Evil Twin" for the "Twin Amp", never for "The Twin".

But I think guitarists started calling "The Twin" the "Evil Twin" before the "Twin Amp" replaced "The Twin". Particularly after they changed "The Twin's" red knobs to black pointer knobs and the "Red Knob" nickname no longer applied.

The channel switching Twins have always needed nicknames because they have unfortunately non-descript official names. In conversation where you can't see capitalization or quotation marks, the proper names all make people think of the Twin Reverb.

 

[John Stedman]

But I think guitarists started calling "The Twin" the "Evil Twin" before the "Twin Amp" replaced "The Twin". Particularly after they changed "The Twin's" red knobs to black pointer knobs and the "Red Knob" nickname no longer applied.

Hmm, that could be.. and then Fender ran with it in advertising for the "'94 Twin Amp". Mine needed some cosmetic work and service for hum/bad caps, but it's a real work horse now. Plug in a Les Paul Special, crank it up and it's the sound of punk rock, very Steve Jones.

 

[MichiMarshall]

Very nice amp. Its a shame here in Panama you have to learn to fix it yourself. Techs dont troubleshoot correctly. Imagine measuring all those preamp resistors and changing all those preamp and power tube sockets to discover what was the cause of the hiss, crackles, hum whatosever?

 

[eastwood6]

I used to get red knob Fenders a lot with the rented backlines on the corporate event circuit I played back in the ‘90’s. For all the hate, I usually was able to get usable tones with them without a lot of work.

For giggles I once requested a Marshall half stack in the rider for a gig, got a 4-hole non-master-volume 100 watter and 4x12 cabinet on stage in a hotel ballroom. Barely had the amp on “1” and it was burying the band. Glad I brought my Big Muff with my travel pedalboard as I wouldn’t have been able to play any of our rock set without it. Lesson learned!