For decades, Fender’s amps have stood on their own without riding the coattails of Fender’s popular electric guitars (Stratocasters and Telecasters). In this article, we’re going to cover two Fender classics: the Blues Deluxe (reissue) and ’65 Deluxe Reverb.
Fender amps are known for their clean tone and warm EQ profiles, which has made the tube combo amp one of Fender’s strongest plays over the years.
Fender amps fit every style that fits with the sound of a clean electric guitar, particularly blues, jazz, soft rock, Christian worship, and other styles that rely on having a clean base tone without heavy distortion. These amps are also great if you want a blank canvas for a pedalboard and a range of effects.
| Features: | Fender Reissue Blues Deluxe | Fender ‘65 Deluxe Reverb |
|---|---|---|
| Cost: | $970 | $1700 |
| Max Wattage: | 40 | 22 |
| Weight: | 45lbs | 42lbs |
| Type: | All Tube Preamp and Power Amp | All Tube Amp |
Fender Reissue Blues Deluxe
It’s not without reason that Fender amps of the tweed era (named after the amp’s fabric cover) have had such a great reputation as the ideal amplifiers for blues and rock ‘n’ roll. The Reissue Blues Deluxe delivers crisp cleans at a moderate volume, which is often hard to find. Turning up the volume releases a soft, creamy distortion – lying across a line between clean and crunch – that’s simply unrivalled.
The Reissue Blues Deluxe has two channels, one of which is predestined for the clean department, while the other channel can be used to sing at a civil volume by adjusting the master volume. With the Eminence 12″ speaker, the amp has enough power to fill small gigs with plenty of sound. Overall, the Blues Deluxe is an outstanding amp (not only, but especially) for blues and all other styles where warmer, harmonically distorted sounds are preferred.
Design
Fender has stuck with the original design by placing the controls on a chrome control panel towards the back of the amp – although it’s a little inconvenient to read if the amp is placed right next to a wall, it’s a small price to pay for the authenticity.
Sound Quality
Overall
It’s no surprise to hear that users love this amp! The Blues Deluxe Reissue offers the warmth and style of the original, with some modern upgrades making it a must-have for the blues stage performer. Yet, this doesn’t automatically limit it to blues guitarists as classic rock and country guitarists will also find a lot of use with this bad boy!
Fender ‘65 Deluxe Reverb
Fender amps are a staple of professional guitar players and their mid-sized Deluxe Reverb amp has been a favorite of recording and touring artists since its arrival in the mid-sixties. While its roots have been in iconic Blues, Western, and Rockabilly bands, in past decades the rich tube tone of this amp has made it a key factor in virtually every musical style. Fender’s ’65 Deluxe Reverb vintage redesign delivers Fender’s classic tube sound in an easily portable, 22-watt amp that’s built for the road.
Design
With one 12-inch, 8-ohm Jensen speaker, the size (both wattage and weight) makes it for a very practical amp to transport and it’s certainly roadworthy. The well-balanced and solid Birch plywood cabinet and speaker weighs in at 42lbs. However, the weight wouldn’t matter if the amp didn’t sound great—and it does! From giving a full-clean sound to a classic tube break-up, this amp gives the player an amazing array of tone to choose from. The updated design of the Deluxe Reverb has a workhorse pair of matched 6V6 Groove Tube output tubes, one 5AR4 rectifier tube, four 12AX7 preamp tubes and two 12AT7 tubes in a dual channel. Its spring reverb and vibrato are also tube-driven with a two-button footswitch for conveniently switching reverb and vibrato on and off.
Sound Quality
Unless you play the same songs, the professional player’s choice of amps usually comes down to finding an amp that’s reliable and versatile, and won’t cause you to sacrifice your sound. That’s where the Deluxe Reverb shines.
Overall
There’s nothing fancy or ’boutique’ about Fender’s ’65 Deluxe Reverb. Its beauty lies in the fact that it’s a basic amp with an updated design that offers what is perhaps the best combination of portability and great tube tone for the beginner and professional guitarist. Of course, if you aren’t a pro, it may sound just as good right in your living room.
Conclusion
I personally think that the Blues Deluxe Reissue offers a little more warmth and style compared to the Deluxe Reverb, however, there is very little that separates these two amps, and you defiantly won’t be disappointed with whatever of these two models you decide on.