Fender '68 Custom Deluxe Reverb - Has anyone checked it out yet?

[AlsoRan]

I was in the Las Vegas Guitar Center and heard a fellow playing some nice, warm chords. He was playing an amp I had not seen before, the Fender '68 Custom Deluxe Reverb, using an Epiphone Sheraton II.

I could not find a thread for it on this forum. Do any of you have any comments on this amp and how it differs from the Deluxe Reverb, especially for traditional Jazz tone.

Thanks in advance.

Here are the specs:
?68 Custom Deluxe Reverb® | Fender Guitar Amplifiers

[monkmiles]

From memory (I/we could google this for confirmation)... The Silverface Custom Deluxe and Princeton models use the same PCBs as their sister Blackface Reissue models but with some tweaks. They have reduced negative feedback for a tad less clean headroom, which can translate as warmer at lower volumes or slightly more distorted at higher volumes. The Custom Deluxe has a bassman voiced channel and also has its bright cap removed on the other channel which is otherwise voiced like the blackface Deluxe reissue. Different speakers too...Celestion rather than Jensen.

[AlsoRan]

From memory (I/we could google this for confirmation)... The Silverface Custom Deluxe and Princeton models use the same PCBs as their sister Blackface Reissue models but with some tweaks. They have reduced negative feedback for a tad less clean headroom, which can translate as warmer at lower volumes or slightly more distorted at higher volumes. The Custom Deluxe has a bassman voiced channel and also has its bright cap removed on the other channel which is otherwise voiced like the blackface Deluxe reissue. Different speakers too...Celestion rather than Jensen.

Thanks for the response.

It appears there is not much interest in this amp by folks on this forum. It must not be "all that" for Jazz. Or, maybe it's too new. Unlike that Mark DV Little Jazz that got all kinds of input.

Interesting.

[spiral]

There was interest by me: I owned and returned one. As hallpass noted, it's not all that different than a standard Deluxe Reverb. I loved the tone, just not the noise.

Here is a copy/paste from another board with my thoughts (you can also read the rest of the thread):

Tried out a Fender 68 Custom Deluxe Reverb [...] What a piece of crap it turned out to be

That was my experience too. The funny thing is, the sound was fantastic, but there was a massive buzz—likely bad lead dress or crappy filter caps. It was totally unusable for recording. So I returned it. I tried asking on the Fender forum since other people had started threads about the noise but I got unhelpful "I don't have that problem" and "Too bad all these people are having these problems and tarnishing the name of Fender". Shame on me!

TL;DR: sounds great, build quality is spotty, if you get a good working one new with 5 year warranty, it would serve you well.

[AlsoRan]

There was interest by me: I owned and returned one. As hallpass noted, it's not all that different than a standard Deluxe Reverb. I loved the tone, just not the noise.

Here is a copy/paste from another board with my thoughts (you can also read the rest of the thread):


TL;DR: sounds great, build quality is spotty, if you get a good working one new with 5 year warranty, it would serve you well.

I read this and some other threads discussing the amp. This hum does seem to be a potential problem with these amps, going by the number of people who reported having this problem.

I already have the amps that I want but I kind of like to know what is out there. The recent Kemper thread makes it look as though amps and pedals may be going the slowly way of the dinosaur.

Thanks.

[spiral]

I want to clarify on the 68 Deluxe that I also swapped in an entire brand new set of tubes and it made no difference in the hum ... before anyone brings that up.

I already have the amps that I want but I kind of like to know what is out there. The recent Kemper thread makes it look as though amps and pedals may be going the slowly way of the dinosaur.

Stay strong! I built a Mojotone DR clone and also have an Evans RE200, and like both. The technology will get better but there is room for everything IMO. It doesn't all need to be modelling. We are currently in a golden age of pedals. I don't think those are going away soon either.

[monkmiles]

The hum could be related to the reduced negative feedback loop tweak the Custom series have which I read could introduce some noise that the blackface reissue wouldn't have. My reissue 65 Princeton is pretty quiet.

[Keira Witherkay]

well i see they have a 68 princeton RI too and it has been factory "modded" to be hotter than the 65 version ...which unless you play very low levels is useless for cleans ........so stick to the 65 princeton reverb or deluxe reverb RI ...which both are ideal for Jazz

[miken]

I have a 68 Custom Deluxe. I love the sound. I really got it for blues and rock jamming, However, I have started using it for playing with my archtop lately. It has that beautiful tube tone that fills the room with warmth. The problem is that it's at the amp tech right now for the second time in under a year. Tremolo clicking and reverb went out.
I tried the 65 RI first and found it to be too bright for my taste. I really wanted the custom channel with the Bassman tone stack, but, I never use it. While I really like this amp, when it's working, if I could do it all over, I would go with the Princeton Reverb.

[docbop]

I have a 68 Custom Deluxe. I love the sound. I really got it for blues and rock jamming, However, I have started using it for playing with my archtop lately. It has that beautiful tube tone that fills the room with warmth. The problem is that it's at the amp tech right now for the second time in under a year. Tremolo clicking and reverb went out.
I tried the 65 RI first and found it to be too bright for my taste. I really wanted the custom channel with the Bassman tone stack, but, I never use it. While I really like this amp, when it's working, if I could do it all over, I would go with the Princeton Reverb.

That's why I mainly used the first channel on mine when I had it. The DR reverb channel has the equivalent of the bright switch on, built in. There are a lot of pages on the internet of which describe what capacitor to clip one leg of and that kills the bright on.

[Little Jay]

It would be worth an experiment in the 68 Custom to modify the negative feedback to 65 specs, to see if that cures the hiss: it's just one little resistor. Actually it's a minor operation turning the '68 Custom into a '65 RI (only the speaker and and of course the faceplate would be the difference). They both use the same component board, and the 'Bassman'-channel only differs in tone cap values and probably a different value slope resistor. I can easily do that myself, but if you don't feel comfortable doing so, I can imagine paying a proper tech to do it could turn out too costly. It would also void your warranty. But it's absolutely reversible and with proper solder skills absolutely unnoticeable, so selling it should not be a problem if you still don't like it after the changes. Then you just put the old components back.

[D.G.]

I played a Princeton '68 this weekend and I thought its jazz tone was excellent. It gave good support to the low notes -- always a problem with humbuckers and BF circuits. At 12 watts headroom would certainly be an issue though. I would be hesitant to use it with a stick drummer or a loud stage, but in a drummerless combo or a through good PA I think it would work really well.

I have a Princeton '65 and a Quilter MicroPro 200 so my jazz amp needs are pretty well covered.

[stuehrenberg]

It would be worth an experiment in the 68 Custom to modify the negative feedback to 65 specs, to see if that cures the hiss: it's just one little resistor. Actually it's a minor operation turning the '68 Custom into a '65 RI (only the speaker and and of course the faceplate would be the difference). They both use the same component board, and the 'Bassman'-channel only differs in tone cap values and probably a different value slope resistor. I can easily do that myself, but if you don't feel comfortable doing so, I can imagine paying a proper tech to do it could turn out too costly. It would also void your warranty. But it's absolutely reversible and with proper solder skills absolutely unnoticeable, so selling it should not be a problem if you still don't like it after the changes. Then you just put the old components back.

Hi, can you tell me how to do the "negative feedback mod? Do I have to change he cap in both channels or only once?

Where can I find the cap? Do i have to change it or remove it?

Thank you very much

[Little Jay]

The negative feedback is a resistor, not a cap. The schematic and layout for the 68 custom series are not on the Fender support website yet, but the 65 ri uses the same board, so you could use that schematic (fender.com -> support -> amplifier schematics). It's R64, an 820R resistor in the ab763 configuration, it's probably much higher in the 68, replace it by an 820/1W.

http://support.fender.com/schematics..._schematic.pdf

The bassman-channel probably has different values for the tone caps. You could replace them for the values in the 65 ri schematic, but I wouldn't, it's useful to have two differently voiced channels imho.

(If none of this makes sense you better find help...)

Don't go working inside an amp if you don't know how to properly drain the elco's or you risk being zapped by about 500 volt direct current!! (That could potentially kill you!)

[stuehrenberg]

Thank you very much for this information. I got the custom 68 schematics from Fender directly and found out that they have the same R64 820 Ohm resistor for negative feedback than the 65 RI. How come that they distort earlier?

[stuehrenberg]

Can I upload the schematics here somwhow?

[stuehrenberg]

[Little Jay]

Ok, that surprises me actually! Did you check the value of the nfb resistor in the amp? The schematic could be wrong there?!?

[Little Jay]

Does the 68 Custom also distort earlier on the vintage channel?

[Little Jay]

Could you pm me the schematic? It's hard to read....

[skykomishone]

These schematics are like greek hieroglyphics to me. Glad you can understand them. Where is R2D2 when you need him?

[Little Jay]

I do spot that R52 is half the value of the same in the AB763 schematic (47R in the 68 vs 100R in the 65), and this influences the NFB as well I think and sets the whole PI-setting. That should certainly play a role. Can't hurt to replace that by a 100R and see what it does.

*edit: no, I'm on the wrong track, it's 47R in the '65 RI as well..... (It's 100R in a Twin.)

[Little Jay]

Hmm. That schematic is misleading/wrong: it indicates a bright switch on both channels, but the '68 Custom doesn't have that... So it makes me wonder how correct it really is.

[abelljo]

I own one and have had no problems, I change the NF resistor and added the bright cap, it was too dark. I replaced the OT and placed 6L6 tubes, so I guess it's no longer a 68 custom reissue. I think it was geared towards the blues/rock crowd.

[stuehrenberg]

Hi, with PN there is no possibility to upload a file, unfortunately.

The distorting is in both channels. Custom at 4.5 and vintage at 5. I thin I have to look inside. I did not yet, because I got the Schematic directly from the Fender suport team.

yours, Kai