The Amplifier Custom shop was established in 1993, making limited edition hand-wired amps for discerning pros and collectors. Shortly after, Fender® started to reissue some of the pre-CBS era's most legendary amps, as well as a new generation of amp designs worthy of the Fender® name. In 1985 CBS sold the company to a group of Fender® employees, which became known as Fender® Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC). Many of these "Blackface" amps were made pre-1965, when Columbia Records bought the company from Leo Fender, so they are also referred as "pre-CBS".Īlso from the mid 60's to the early 70's is the Fender® Vibratone, a Leslie-type rotary speaker cabinet capable of adding phasing and chorusing effect. From that period the '64 Vibroverb™, the '65 Twin Reverb® and the '65 Deluxe Reverb®. Also from this period is the '59 Bassman®, considered one of the most versatile amps of all time, able to produce a variety of tones from crisp and clean to a saturated crunch.įender® started to convert to Tolex amp coverings in mid 1963, marking the introduction of their legendary "Blackface" amps. This iconic amp covering is why the 1950s are known as Fender®'s "Tweed" era. The Fender® Deluxe™ was one of the first amplifiers designed by Leo Fender for his new line of Electric Solid-Body Guitars, excellent for recording or playing on stage with the tweed-covered variant that entered into production in 1952. Not only that, but its volume control goes to 12! Although not designed to distort, due to development of more powerful guitar pick-ups such as those found in the Fender® Telecaster® and Stratocaster®, this unit was able to produce a saturated, distorted tone that made it a studio favorite. The Champion™ 600 was a 1949 cream and brown "Naugahyde" finish student amp sold as part of a set with a matching Lap steel guitar. Fender® started making amplifiers under its own brand in late 1946, starting with the model 26 in 1947 three more models all based on the Model 26 appeared: the 8" Princeton, the 10" Deluxe and the 15" Professional.
The very first amplifier produced by Leo Fender and Clayton Orr Kauffman under the K&F brand was a 4 Watt amplifier made in 1945, to be used with the Lap Steel guitar, a popular instrument of the day.