FUQ (eff -yu - cue) - FAQ's with an EDGE

Tagged As: Vintage Amps

Question:
I'm ready to get a real amp. I think it's gotta be a Fender but I'm trying to keep an open mind. Before I buy a Blues Junior or a '65 Deluxe Reverb repro (which is at the very upper limit of what I can spend) I'd like to know if there are any good online sources of genuine vintage amps?

Answer:
All of the online stores want far too much for their vintage stuff. There are still a few deals on ebay, but not many. The best deals on ebay are to contact the seller before the auction has completed and make the seller an offer outside ebay. Sometimes they want the money fast and will end the auction for a decent price. The best place for quality amps online in my experience has been the Harmony Central classifieds. There are a lot of nice amps for sale on HC at any given time. I'd say that an early silverface Deluxe Reverb should be out there for around the price of a new DRRI, but then the amp will likely need a tune up, it might be a little worn, it might need new tubes and maybe even a new speaker. If you can't play it first you should be prepared to spend a little cash tweaking it on any old amp. Genuine vintage amps are out there, but everyone wants to make money on them so it will require some hunting to find the right deal.