Picked up this amp and companion 1x12 yesterday. Super clean, in storage for 20 years, recapped two years ago. Everything works, and sounds very good. The distortion channel is surprisingly good for a SS amp. And both speakers are killer: JBL E120 in the amp, and Altec Lansing ER-12 in the extension cab. Solid pine cabs with plywood baffles.
Anyone else played one of these?
1983 Fender London Reverb Deluxe
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1983 Fender London Reverb Deluxe
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I build and repair tube amps. http://amps.monkeymatic.com
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Stevem
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Re: 1983 Fender London Reverb Deluxe
Nice for a circuit board type amp, heavy little bugger I bet with big magnet driver like that I bet?
I would place a dab of silicone sealer on all of the ends of those ribbon cables to keep them in place.
I would place a dab of silicone sealer on all of the ends of those ribbon cables to keep them in place.
When I die, I want to go like my Grandfather did, peacefully in his sleep.
Not screaming like the passengers in his car!
Cutting out a man's tongue does not mean he’s a liar, but it does show that you fear the truth he might speak about you!
Not screaming like the passengers in his car!
Cutting out a man's tongue does not mean he’s a liar, but it does show that you fear the truth he might speak about you!
Re: 1983 Fender London Reverb Deluxe
I just fixed up one of those that was a basket case as a personal favor for a good friend last year.
I liked how the tone controls for the distortion channel were before the clipping circuits. I liked how there were two stages of clipping with a gain control affecting only the second stage. Those two details combined with the graphic eq (after the distortion) made the distortion channel feel pretty usable and even a little bit "organic" if you set the knobs juuust right. That being said, I didn't like the actual distortion sound all that much. If it were my amp I would have liked to play around with different op amps and clipping diodes, I feel like there are some improvements that can be made to that circuit.
My favorite sound to come out of the amp was with my pedalboard plugged straight into the power amp, bypassing the Fender's preamp entirely. The cabinet and stock speaker aren't too shabby, and the power amp has a "warmer" tone than I expected. I can only imagine that the JBL blows the stock Fender driver out of the water too.
Attaching a schematic, since I have it on hand already.
I liked how the tone controls for the distortion channel were before the clipping circuits. I liked how there were two stages of clipping with a gain control affecting only the second stage. Those two details combined with the graphic eq (after the distortion) made the distortion channel feel pretty usable and even a little bit "organic" if you set the knobs juuust right. That being said, I didn't like the actual distortion sound all that much. If it were my amp I would have liked to play around with different op amps and clipping diodes, I feel like there are some improvements that can be made to that circuit.
My favorite sound to come out of the amp was with my pedalboard plugged straight into the power amp, bypassing the Fender's preamp entirely. The cabinet and stock speaker aren't too shabby, and the power amp has a "warmer" tone than I expected. I can only imagine that the JBL blows the stock Fender driver out of the water too.
Attaching a schematic, since I have it on hand already.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Re: 1983 Fender London Reverb Deluxe
Fully in agreement. I’m running my Helix thru the FX return (which has it’s own gain stage and volume control on the rear panel). Makes a great pedal platform.
The spring reverb sounds pretty good, too. I have a friend looking for a lightweight pedal platform, so maybe I’ll swap in a Jensen Neo, and keep the JBL in the office.
The spring reverb sounds pretty good, too. I have a friend looking for a lightweight pedal platform, so maybe I’ll swap in a Jensen Neo, and keep the JBL in the office.
I build and repair tube amps. http://amps.monkeymatic.com
Re: 1983 Fender London Reverb Deluxe
It looks to have mixed mode feedback on the power amp, which always helps; for 1983 that was a fairly early implementation?
https://www.justgiving.com/page/5-in-5-for-charlie This is my step son and his family. He is running 5 marathons in 5 days to support the research into STXBP1, the genetic condition my grandson Charlie has. Please consider supporting him!