Fender Blackface Vs Silverface Amps

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Mark1960Mark1960 Frets: 326
I've been reading a few aricles recently on Fender Amps, and two words keep coming up regularly and that is "Blackface" and "Silverface". I can see why the amps are called one or the other by looking at the colour of the "Face", but is there any other link? I.E. did the "Blackface" range come before the "Silverface" or is it a power rating - Under 40W it's a "Silverface" and over 40W is "Blackface", or perhaps its the number of speakers? I have looked for these differences but can not spot the links. Can anybody enlighten me? Thanks.
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Comments

  • ESBlondeESBlonde Frets: 3576
    edited February 2019
    Yes the range of amps got a 'face lift', several in fact.

    Early Fender amps are called 'Tweed' or brown face and roughly represent the 50s. The black face versions came next and roughly cover the 60s. The Silver face range then followed lat e60s into the 70s (also known as the CBS era). Then the Red Knob range etc.

    The actual differences vary from one model to the next as do the dates of the upgrades.

    These days the 're-issues' try to capture the characturistics of particular classic models like the Princeton which is available as a '65' or a '68' version.In that case the 65 is a black face and the 68 a silver face, more importantly there are sound differences:-



    Edit,

    Heres a quick summary and overview which says it better.



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  • Mark1960Mark1960 Frets: 326
    Many thanks for that - very interesting and informative!
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71960
    Originally the Blackface amps came first - 1963 to 1968 - and the Silverfaces later - 1968 to 1981*. Each model remained basically the same in terms of size and speaker configuration, but the larger models increased in power and some gained extra midrange and master volume controls, and some either a 'pull boost' or 'pull distortion' circuit after about 1972-1976 depending on the model.

    As that link says, the current "68" Silverface "Custom" amps are *not* reissues of Silverface amps, they're slightly tweaked *Blackface* reissues - not in the same way that the original Silverfaces were from the original Blackfaces - and marketed with a misleading name and a different control panel to differentiate them from the "65" reissues.

    Confused? You have every right to be... they have nothing to do with 1968 whatever, so why they're called that I don't know. They should just have called them Silverface Customs. Blame the guitar industry's year-obsession, probably.


    (*There is a slight further confusion, in that the very last amps made in 1981 and 82 returned to Blackface control panels, but retained the late-Silverface circuitry.)

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • Mark1960Mark1960 Frets: 326
    Thanks Inter - Appreciate the insight into the murky world of amlifier branding
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  • hywelghywelg Frets: 4302
    This can be helpful too. Gives circuit numbers for various amps, etc




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  • Mark1960Mark1960 Frets: 326
    hywelg said:
    This can be helpful too. Gives circuit numbers for various amps, etc





    hywelg said:
    This can be helpful too. Gives circuit numbers for various amps, etc




    Thanks that was very interesting
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  • LebarqueLebarque Frets: 3755
    Ignore them and get a superior tweed!
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  • SassafrasSassafras Frets: 30273
    Silverface amps were introduced because it was felt that 'Blackface' was too controversial in the face of the rising Civil Rights movement and the subsequent drop in popularity of Minstrel Shows.
    Fact.
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  • AlmachAlmach Frets: 105
    The Brownface range was introduced to celebrate JFK's fake tan.
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  • VoxmanVoxman Frets: 4718
    edited February 2019
    I've owned both amps at different times (in the late 70s early 80s) but I honestly can't remember too much about them other than that they were both 2x12s, were both darned heavy and both had great clean tone. AFAIR the blackface was a little glassier and the Silverface had a bit more 'edge'. But then it was around 40 years ago. My pedals in those days were pretty basic...I think I had a Coloursound sustainer (compressor) a Vox fuzz/wah, and a distortion that was made by a guy that worked at Andy's in Denmark street and was effectively an mxr distortion pedal. 

    Moved on to a late 70s Vox AC30 6 input, and then Marshall's after that.  Before the Fenders  I also had  a twin channel Selmer Zodiac Mk2 2x12 combo with a tilt stand that I bought for £40 from my Maths teacher that had 2 greenbacks, and 5 push button tone selectors. Always wished I'd kept that one...quite a collectable now. 

    Sorry for the meandering ...this thread got me reminiscing!  :)
    I started out with nothing..... but I've still got most of it left (Seasick Steve)
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