The Fender Twin Reverb has been a tone titan since its inception in 1963, gracing stages and studios worldwide with its famously gargantuan clean tones and expansive reverb washes. After countless hours exploring Fender’s ’65 Reissue Twin Reverb, it’s clear they’ve expertly recreated every nuance that made the original so revered.
Design and Build Quality
From the moment you set eyes on the lacquered oxblood cabinet, the ’65 Twin invokes vintage flair. Up close, every detail from the aluminum chassis, chickenhead knobs, and tan Fender grillcloth evokes that classic 60s vibe.
The master controls mirror the ’65 blueprint with Reverb, Normal Channel Volume, and Bright Channel Volume knobs alongside Presence and Vibrato toggles. The two-button footswitch engages channel switching and vibrato/reverb effects. Every element exudes premium build quality.
Tonal Characteristics
This Twin’s genius has always been in its stunningly clear, saturated full-frequency response that takes pedals and overdrives exceptionally well. The Twin’s chimey headroom and punch sings when fed into its sweet spots – taking fuzz, distortion, or amp-in-a-box drive pedals and transforming them into orchestra-like gain tones rich with dimensional harmonics and bloom.
Even with just the dry Normal channel patched into, the ’65 Reissue is remarkably dynamic – shaped pick attack translates into incredible percussive detail and articulation. The Bright channel adds an additional layer of shimmering chime perfect for glassy rhythms. Crank both channels together and you’ve got enough headroom to pummel a stadium.
The Reverb Circuit
Tonally, the long Fender 6G15 reverb tank covers everything from subtle ambient washes to surf-soaked long decays. Its dampening and dwell controls allow shaping everything from intimate room tones to cavernous plateaus of shimmering trails.
For studio or small venue use, the reverb’s purity adds wonderfully organic space. At louder volumes, the tank’s gentle compression enhances note attack and bloom in exquisite touch-responsive ways.
Power and Projection
At 85 watts through the dual 12″ Jensen C-12K speakers, the ’65 Twin rewards you with seemingly limitless clean headroom and staggering projection that carries any size room. Despite the power, I found it remarkably well-behaved at apartment-friendly levels with all the glassy sparkle intact.
Even when pushed into its sweet spots for grit, the robust output translates to incredible stage volume without sacrificing tone or headroom. Play aggressively and it takes on an authoritative midrange growl.
Speaker Configuration
The factory-loaded Jensen C-12K speakers are known for their warmth and balanced response that captures that coveted “Fender” tonality. Their punchy mids and tight lows anchor the amp’s foundation while allowing the highs to project without harshness.
Swapping in different speakers like Celestion Vintage 30s or even 10″ speakers can radically alter the tone. But the stock blue Jensens pair remarkably well with the circuit.
Versatility and Usability
While excelling for pristine cleans, warm overdrive, and soaring reverb/vibrato tones, I also found the ’65 Twin to be a remarkably capable pedal platform thanks to its glorious full-frequency response. Transparent drive pedals like the Klon Centaur took on new dimensions of harmonic richness and depth.
The simple control layout with independent Normal/Bright volumes allows blending spanky rhythms with glassy leads. Auxiliary effects easily integrate as well via the footswitchable effects loop. Just be careful with high gain – the Twin doesn’t tighten up like British heads.
Value Proposition
At around $1500 brand new, the ’65 Reissue Twin represents excellent value considering its premium build quality, tonewood construction, Jensen speakers, and faithful circuit recreation. Used or “Blem” models can be scored for even less in the $800-1000 range.
While the price is substantial, any guitarist seeking lush cleans with legendary Fender reverb and vibrato simply won’t find an amp that nails the feeling of a vintage Twin Reverb like this reissue. It’s one of the most bulletproof amps for studio recording or gigging clean tones.
Pros and Cons Summary
Pros:
Incredibly authentic recreation of the iconic ’65 Twin Reverb tone and vibe
Shimmering cleans with headroom for days
Rich, organic reverb tank and buttery vibrato effect
Classic Fender look and premium build quality
Cons:
Hefty weight at over 70 lbs
Limited gain capability for dedicated high-gain styles
Final Thoughts on Fender 65 Reissue Twin Reverb Review
Expensive, though excellent value for the quality
Fender’s ’65 Reissue Twin Reverb is simply transcendent when it comes to delivering an authentic taste of that classic Fender reverb magic and shimmering clean tones that have inspired millions. The attention to detail, from the period-correct circuitry to the lacquer-checked oxblood cabinet, results in an astounding recreation of an all-time amp legend.
While undoubtedly an investment, this is one of the finest examples of Fender’s craft – exuding vintage cool while delivering the kind of rich, sparkling, and dynamic tonality that made the originals revered in the first place. For guitarists looking to tap into the ambrosia of Fender’s historical amp roots, the ’65 Twin is simply unbeatable.
