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* EDIT: Up-to-date information is available in Yek's Guide to the Fractal Audio Amplifier Models *
5F8 Tweed: based on Keith Urban's own #1 high power Fender Twin-Amp
The name of the model is very similar to the 5F1 Tweed, but boy, what a difference!
The 5F8 Tweed model is based on a Fender "high power" Twin-Amp from the Tweed era (Tweed Twin).
This is a model of Keith Urban's personal #1 Twin-Amp. Hooray for Fractal Audio!
Tweed-era amps are very collectible. In fact, this Tweed Twin-Amp is listed #3 on Vintage Guitar's list of the 25 most valuable guitar amps! That's higher than SRV's famous Vibroverb model.
This particular model is a "narrow panel" Tweed model. This refers to the panels around the speaker grill which are narrower than earlier "wide panel" models such as the 5F1 Tweed (Fender Tweed Champ) model which looked like old televisions.
So this is an early version of the famous Fender Twin. Note that, as with all Fender amps, early non-reverb models like this one, are very different from later models with reverb such as the Twin Reverb. The high-power version is based on the Fender 5F8 circuit. More technical information.
The Twin-Amp is said to sound similar to a Bassman, but warmer and larger. More information about the Fender Twin models. Other famous Twin-Amp players besides Keith Urban: Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, the late Rory Gallagher and Joe Bonamassa.
This amp marked the start of a period when Fender started to design amps which were loud enough to fill a large room by themselves, without the assistance of a FOH sound system, with enough headroom to stay clean when played loud. That's why this model is referred to as "high-power". It has four 5881 power tubes which put out around 80 watts. There also is a low-power 40 watts Twin Amp, based on the 5E8 circuit.
This amp doesn't stay as pristine clean at higher volume levels as the later Twin Reverb, especially when you play it with humbuckers. But it still has a lot of clean headroom. With single coils you have to crank Input Drive to get it into overdrive. And even then it doesn't distort a lot; compression increases and the tone gets fatter in a nice way.
This model is not as bright as the later Twin Reverb. In fact, if you combine it with its stock cab (#020: 2x12 Double Amp KSM313), it becomes a rather dark-sounding amp. So be like Keith Urban and turn up Treble and Presence. Yes, this Fender has a Presence control, just like a Bassman.
Other controls on the original amp: Middle, Bass, Treble, Volume Bright input, Volume Normal input.
No Master Volume, so keep the Master control in the model dimed.
The original amp provides a Bright and Normal input to plug the guitar into. AFAIK it's not documented which input has been modeled, but Keith Urban uses the Normal input.
Keith Urban's amp settings are:
Presence: 8 | Middle: 3.9 | Bass: 3.9 | Treble: 8.3 | Vol. Bright: 0 | Vol. Normal: 3.5.
Note that the range of the controls go to 12, so you can't copy those settings exactly to the amp model controls. Here's a translation table created by forum member Barhrecords.
The speakers in Keith Urban's Tweed Twin aren't stock, they are Two-Rock TR-1265s, captured in stock cab #020: "2x12 Double Amp KSM313". These are similar to G12-65 speakers.
The amp originally came with Jensen P12Ns. A Fender re-issue of the '57 low-power Twin-Amp had Weber AlNiCo speakers. So if you prefer those speakers instead of the stock cab, check this page for 2x12 Fender stock cabs or 2x12 AlNiCo stock cabs.
Keith Urban's rig rundown in Premier Guitar:
Keith Richards' Twin-Amps:
5F8 Tweed: based on Keith Urban's own #1 high power Fender Twin-Amp
The name of the model is very similar to the 5F1 Tweed, but boy, what a difference!
The 5F8 Tweed model is based on a Fender "high power" Twin-Amp from the Tweed era (Tweed Twin).
This is a model of Keith Urban's personal #1 Twin-Amp. Hooray for Fractal Audio!
The Tweed era is the earliest period of Fender amplification (late '40s - early 60s'), before the Blonde, Brownface, Blackface and Silverface models. "Tweed" is based on the cloth covering used at that time, as seen in the picture above. Tweed amplifiers typically break up earlier than later "cleaner" models and are known for their warm tone. More information.
Tweed-era amps are very collectible. In fact, this Tweed Twin-Amp is listed #3 on Vintage Guitar's list of the 25 most valuable guitar amps! That's higher than SRV's famous Vibroverb model.
This particular model is a "narrow panel" Tweed model. This refers to the panels around the speaker grill which are narrower than earlier "wide panel" models such as the 5F1 Tweed (Fender Tweed Champ) model which looked like old televisions.
So this is an early version of the famous Fender Twin. Note that, as with all Fender amps, early non-reverb models like this one, are very different from later models with reverb such as the Twin Reverb. The high-power version is based on the Fender 5F8 circuit. More technical information.
The Twin-Amp is said to sound similar to a Bassman, but warmer and larger. More information about the Fender Twin models. Other famous Twin-Amp players besides Keith Urban: Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, the late Rory Gallagher and Joe Bonamassa.
BTW, I don't know where the name "Twin" came from. This amp does not have two channels, just two inputs. Maybe it's because of the two 12" speakers?
This amp marked the start of a period when Fender started to design amps which were loud enough to fill a large room by themselves, without the assistance of a FOH sound system, with enough headroom to stay clean when played loud. That's why this model is referred to as "high-power". It has four 5881 power tubes which put out around 80 watts. There also is a low-power 40 watts Twin Amp, based on the 5E8 circuit.
This amp doesn't stay as pristine clean at higher volume levels as the later Twin Reverb, especially when you play it with humbuckers. But it still has a lot of clean headroom. With single coils you have to crank Input Drive to get it into overdrive. And even then it doesn't distort a lot; compression increases and the tone gets fatter in a nice way.
This model is not as bright as the later Twin Reverb. In fact, if you combine it with its stock cab (#020: 2x12 Double Amp KSM313), it becomes a rather dark-sounding amp. So be like Keith Urban and turn up Treble and Presence. Yes, this Fender has a Presence control, just like a Bassman.
Other controls on the original amp: Middle, Bass, Treble, Volume Bright input, Volume Normal input.
No Master Volume, so keep the Master control in the model dimed.
The original amp provides a Bright and Normal input to plug the guitar into. AFAIK it's not documented which input has been modeled, but Keith Urban uses the Normal input.
Keith Urban's amp settings are:
Presence: 8 | Middle: 3.9 | Bass: 3.9 | Treble: 8.3 | Vol. Bright: 0 | Vol. Normal: 3.5.
Note that the range of the controls go to 12, so you can't copy those settings exactly to the amp model controls. Here's a translation table created by forum member Barhrecords.
The speakers in Keith Urban's Tweed Twin aren't stock, they are Two-Rock TR-1265s, captured in stock cab #020: "2x12 Double Amp KSM313". These are similar to G12-65 speakers.
A full collection of IRs from this amp can be purchased in Cab Pack 15, The American 2x12 Collection: http://shop.fractalaudio.com/Cab_Pack_15_The_American_2x12s_Collection_p/fas-801-0015.htm
The amp originally came with Jensen P12Ns. A Fender re-issue of the '57 low-power Twin-Amp had Weber AlNiCo speakers. So if you prefer those speakers instead of the stock cab, check this page for 2x12 Fender stock cabs or 2x12 AlNiCo stock cabs.
Keith Urban's rig rundown in Premier Guitar:
Keith Richards' Twin-Amps:
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