LeeVanCleef
Joined: Oct 05, 2011
Posts: 744
France
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Posted on Mar 25 2012 10:40 AM
Well, you can guess what the F stands for...
I swore I wouldn't buy yet another guitar amp, as I already have 5 (not including 2 ss mini-amps I'm DIYing at the moment) and they cover pretty much every tonal shade I need.
Every tonal shade except maybe sparkling Fender cleans...
So here goes amp #6  :
Fender 75 with 15" speaker! image
So yes, it looks pretty humble in comparison with all the vintage magnificence posted on this forum on a regular basis, but I got it for a reasonable price (at least reasonable in regard to used Fender prices here) and I'm already in love with it. It's not vintage material (yet), but it was made the year I was born. My only regret is that it doesn't have the blackface looks like the head version:
Thanks to RobbieReverb & WR who wrote reviews of their own 75s on this forum. Yes, that search function does work! 
— Old punks never die... They just become surf rockers.
Last edited: Mar 25, 2012 12:17:30
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Surfabilly
Joined: Apr 21, 2006
Posts: 852
Connersville, Indiana, USA
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Posted on Mar 25 2012 12:25 PM
If your guitar/bass collection outnumbers your amp collection, that's not a bad thing (IMO, at least). Yes, it is kinda bad, when one makes the decision "guitar A will sound better than guitar H for this part," and both are (relatively) the same guitar. 
— Fast Cars & Loud Guitars!
Last edited: Mar 25, 2012 12:25:57
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Doctor_Morbius
Joined: Oct 26, 2008
Posts: 608
This Planet Earth
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Posted on Mar 26 2012 12:57 PM
Congrats on the new Fender amp. It may not have the Blackface look, but it does kinda have a dripedge thing going on.
— Cats 'n' Strats, 'cause that's how I roll - I eat reverb for breakfast!
Fenderus Collecticus
Strat Blender Pot Modification HERE
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squirt50
Joined: Apr 27, 2008
Posts: 82
Chicago.
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Posted on Mar 26 2012 01:07 PM
Looking good!
— I came. I saw. I left.
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seafoam_johnny
Joined: Jul 27, 2007
Posts: 1099
4 faces. (Where the buffalo roam)
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Posted on Mar 26 2012 01:17 PM
I sure like the switches on the front where I can see them and not have to lean over it to access them........
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clepak
Joined: Jun 11, 2006
Posts: 551
Liege (Belgium)
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Posted on Mar 27 2012 01:53 AM
How much did you score for that amp ? If you decide to part with it, let me know (I live in Belgium).
— Monkey Ju
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LeeVanCleef
Joined: Oct 05, 2011
Posts: 744
France
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Posted on Mar 27 2012 07:57 AM
Clepak, I got it for 500 euros, which is a steal for a PTP tube amp here, let alone a Fender (I think this was the last PTP series produced by Fender, before they switched to PCB for the red knobbers - there was also a 30W and a 140W version).
Je ne pense pas le vendre à moins de trouver un vrai blackface vintage - et pour l'instant c'est pas vraiment dans mes prix...  Surveille eBay et les sites de petites annonces, je crois bien que c'est un des seuls Fender à rester plutôt sous-évalué au niveaux des prix de l'occase.
I am enchanted with the clean channel. It's very sparkling and chimey and it breaks up pretty nicely. The pull boost switches for bass, med & treble are interesting if you use them sparingly. The lead channel is, well, a Fender lead channel  it's okay-ish so long as you don't push the gain. I'm a bit disappointed with the reverb, I had read it was pretty lush but I find it quite average. I found a pretty comprehensive review on Youtube, I'll post it below.
I've read on some Fender related website that pre-1985 Fender amps were now considered "vintage"... So that prompted two questions:
1. Since this amp is as old as I am, does that make me "vintage" too?
2. Now that I have an officially vintage Fender amp, how many points does that add to my surf cred? 
On a more serious note, I may consider going for a Blackface look anyway. That would require some silver or gold grillcloth, and a 75 head version faceplate which I suspect must be pretty unobtainable.
— Old punks never die... They just become surf rockers.
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clepak
Joined: Jun 11, 2006
Posts: 551
Liege (Belgium)
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Posted on Mar 27 2012 08:24 AM
Thanks for the info.
You know, I bought a 67 Bassman for less than 500 € on ebay (shipping from US included) and it just needed some caps and tubes replacement (and I switched the 110 V transfo to a 230 V).
You may wonder why I asked about buying your amp but I'm looking for a combo tube amp (Fender of course) for travelling light.
— Monkey Ju
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IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10321
southern Michigan
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Posted on Mar 27 2012 09:22 AM
That's really nice clean sound, and great reverb in the video clip.
LeeVanCleef wrote:
On a more serious note, I may consider going for a Blackface look anyway. That would require some silver or gold grillcloth, and a 75 head version faceplate which I suspect must be pretty unobtainable.
My advice: leave it alone. I think it looks really cool as it is. Blackface Fenders are a dime a dozen, and you've got something slighly different and unique, though still obviously a tube Fender, and therefore very cool. Just my two cents.
Enjoy the amp!
— Ivan
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tubeswell
Joined: Sep 24, 2011
Posts: 1424
Wellington, NZ
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Posted on Mar 27 2012 10:04 AM
Well it may not be pre-CBS but its still a Fender tube amp and its got more than enough power for surfin. Info on these here FWIW
http://ampedia.redbeartrading.com/datasheet.php?amp_id=50
Schematic link
http://www.bazziamps.com.ar/diagramas/fender75.png
image
I see the reverb driver only uses 1/2 a 12AT7! (no wonder you think it sounds weak), but theres more than enough tubes in there to re-arrange everything and get more of a blackface vibe going on (if you want another amp project that is ;-).
— He who dies with the most tubes... wins
Surf Daddies
Last edited: Mar 27, 2012 10:47:57
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LeeVanCleef
Joined: Oct 05, 2011
Posts: 744
France
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Posted on Mar 27 2012 11:37 AM
@ Clepak: my 75 has a lot of power, but it's also pretty heavy (35-40 kg). Perhaps not the best Fender for travelling light?
@ IvanP: I don't know. The Mesa-like look is not my fav from Fender, and I already have 2 black-on-black amps, which I think is enough for anyone not in a Motorhead cover band... Besides I see all you guys pulling off gorgeous refin/restoration jobs on your vintage Fenders and I can't help feeling a little bit jealous... 
@ tubeswell: thanks for the info. I'm not planning to mod anything for now (putting my hands in that rat's nest of wires... ). One thing I read about the 75 is that it needs the original 2-plug footswitch to operate properly; without that footswitch the sound is altered. I've found a schematic of the footswitch so I'm going to give it a try. Perhaps the clean channel will sound even better image
Also, I was surprised to see that the pic you posted had a stubby plastic tipped power switch just like mine. I thought mine had been replaced, as all the pics I've found had the metal tipped switch (like the amp in the video), but apparently this is not the case.
— Old punks never die... They just become surf rockers.
Last edited: Mar 27, 2012 11:41:01
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Ariel
Joined: Aug 29, 2009
Posts: 1556
Israel
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Posted on Mar 27 2012 12:00 PM
LeeVanCleef wrote:
@ IvanP: I don't know. The Mesa-like look is not my fav from Fender, and I already have 2 black-on-black amps, which I think is enough for anyone not in a Motorhead cover band... Besides I see all you guys pulling off gorgeous refin/restoration jobs on your vintage Fenders and I can't help feeling a little bit jealous...
I guess I was the last one to arouse that with my blonde/sparkle job, but just my 2c:
man, save your effort for a new build, or something that really requires a restoration.
I concur with Ivan - this amp looks very cool and unique, and it doesn't need to be what it's not. (* unless you really want to...)
Congratulations BTW, hope you enjoy it.
Last edited: Mar 27, 2012 12:59:55
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