Classic Tweed Series

by

Carl's Custom Amps

What are Tweed Amps?

From 1946 to 1960 Fender produced a series of amps commonly referred to as tweed amps.   Most were covered in a tweed material used at the time luggage and then lacquered.  These amps remain one of Leo Fender’s crowning achievements and are highly sought after on the vintage market.  You can hear tweed amps on countless recordings and see them on stage with a montage of renowned players.

Tweed amps have a characteristic fat mid-range, warm rich clean tones and wonderful throaty overdrive. Their tone is harmonically complex, and they are exceedingly touch sensitive.  They are nothing like the modern Fenders covered in tweed; these are the real deal.  After 1960 Fender never truly returned to the tweed designs.  As the 1960's wore on Fender amps became cleaner and cleaner. The Brownface, Blonde, and Blackface amps are great amps for many players, but they are different from their Tweed counterparts.

The circuits were simple but very effective.  During production there were a number of model names.  Champs, Princetons Deluxes, Vibroluxes, Tremoluxes, Harvards, Supers, Pros, Bandmasters, Bassmans, and Twins were all made. During that time each model evolved, and many small changes were made. There are more than 50 different tweed circuits!  I have built almost of them.  Some are just okay, but others are sublime. At Carl's Custom Amps we produce a handful of what are really the best sounding Tweed models. We also build other models upon request with historical and circuit knowledge to make truly great amps.  

Why buy one from Carl's Custom Amps?

When you buy a Carl's Custom Amps Tweed you are getting a phenomenal sounding amp with some important differences from the average tweed amp builder.  There are many Tweed Amp builders but so many of them blindly copy Fender's without accounting for the mistakes that pros have been correcting for years. Some even build kits with the parts that are not selected based on tone but on what a supplier has on hand.  The result is amps with lower reliability, excess floor noise and lower quality in sound. 

 A Carl's Custom Amp's tweed is more reliable, better built, has less hum and noise than other tweeds out there. Each part is selected for tone and reliability not economy. That said we do not traffic in snake oil “magic parts”. Parts selection is based on real world testing and engineering specs. The layout is optimized for better tone.   We do not build kits but instead source all off our parts individually.  Every detail is poured over, and every amp gets rigorously built. Better engineering and more experience make for better amps! 

Addtionally, we have models that are fitted with London Power Scaling which allows you to get power tube overdrive at low volumes.

Famous tweed amp players : Scotty Moore, Kieth Richards, The Edge, Eric Clapton, Ronnie Wood, Joe Walsh, Joe Perry, Neil Young, Stephen Stills, Buddy Guy, Jeff Beck, Billy Gibbons, Don Felder, Rich Robinson, Rory Gallagher, Steve Cropper, Pete Anderson, Mike Campbell, and many others!