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Is there anyone who doesn't lust after this amp?
Ladies and gentlemen of the blues, we have a winner. Storming to the top of our chart thanks to your votes is Fender’s 6V6-loaded, 22-watt tonal giant.
Amongst the most-recorded studio amps in history, the Deluxe Reverb’s modest power stage is perfect for driving hard on club stages, but deceptively loud nonetheless. Guaranteed to win a MusicRadar office straw poll regarding amps most likely to induce misty-eyed GAS symptoms, Deluxes are just plain desirable. And with street prices for the reissue under £900 at the time of writing, the great news is that it’s one of the most affordable amps in this rundown.
We should probably just let the Deluxe do the talking, but suffice to say, your nomination for the best guitar amplifier for blues is also a killer amp for rock ‘n’ roll, pop, indie, rockabilly… you name it. Sumptuous jangling cleans, raucous raw tube saturation, haunting reverb and that hypnotic tremolo circuit = difficult not to love.
Fender’s ’65 Princeton Reverb reissue has a similar Blackface tonality but is even easier to drive thanks to its lower power rating and smaller speaker. More recent Deluxes from Fender include the Deluxe VM and Blues Deluxe combos, while the Blues Junior is another popular choice. Fans of the earlier Tweed Deluxe should check out Lazy J's awesome Model 20.
"Without a doubt the Fender '65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue. Crank it up and hear it sing, put a Tube Screamer in front and hear it wail." (Thanks, snailspace7)
"Fender Deluxe Reverb gets my vote, even ahead of my CeriaTone OTS." (Thanks, ZenOvertone)
"Fender - Deluxe Rev, Super Rev, Bassman 4 x 10. Marshall - Bluesbreaker, 2041 18-Watt combo." (Thanks, basspete)
"Fender Deluxe Reverb." (Thanks, SurfGreen)
"Fender Deluxe Reverb." (Thanks, thomasw88)
"Fender Deluxe Reverb. End of discussion." (thanks, rabbitrabbit)
Fender '65 Deluxe Reverb currently available from Andertons Music Co., Thomann, Soundslive and PMT Online
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