Classic Fender: "Black Face" Twin Reverb

Power: 80 watts into 4 ohms.

In its day, it was referred to as the workhorse of the industry. The Fender Twin Reverb was favored by Jazz, country, and rock players from the moment it rolled off the production line. At its peak, the Twin was considered the ultimate power amp because of its power and compactness. Its open cabinet provided a broad dispersion pattern, perfect for filling up a club from a small stage.
Much has been made about the "pre-CBS" era of the Twin Reverb (and other Fender products), and in the opinion of many amp critics, there is something to said about the controversy.
When Columbia Records (a division of Columbia Broadcasting System) purchased Fender Musical Instruments in 1965, Leo Fender was removed from the management loop and a team of previously frustrated engineers quickly made several circuit changes to the amp. These changes, they said, "would make the amp more stable and extend tube life while eliminating most of that nasty distortion." The changes involved adding resistors and capacitors at several points in the circuit.
The result was that the post-CBS Fender models sounded constipated and tight, with none of the life and feel of the earlier ones. When amp sales fell dramatically, the sales force demanded a return to the pre-CBS design, which was quickly agreed to by Fender management. Though the lame Fenders were produced for just eight months, it took much longer for the retailers to sell them off, and the damage was done. Pre-CBS amps became immediately more desireable for musicians in the know. Because Fender replaced its traditional black-faced control panel with shiny silver plastic panel at the time of the changeover, it's easy to distinguish between pre and post-CBS amp.
The sliver-faced amps built between the CBS takeover and the later ones with a master volume and pull-distortion knob are very good-sounding amps, and a bargain for those who can't pay the inflated vintage prices of an old black-faced twin.