1972 Fender Quad Reverb

[HNB]

I got a summer school admin job and to celebrate while I wait on my Orange OD80, I picked up a Quad Reverb. I went down a rabbit hole watching Aaron Rash's youtube videos on the tone for Bleach, Nevermind, and In Utero and noticed he got really good sounds out of one. I looked on Reverb and saw one for a good price locally and paid. Fun fact, Aaron was the seller, so I got to meet him and nerd out on gear a little in his apartment. I have been texting him most of the day. Really nice guy. If you have seen his videos, this amp is the one he did the Bassman mod to and used in some of the videos. (He reversed it and it was a really minor change to do this.) He included a switch for the Reverb and Tremolo and a cover for it as well. Stock speakers sound really awesome! I very much like it.

1972 Fender Quad Reverb by Christopher Louck, on Flickr

1972 Fender Quad Reverb by Christopher Louck, on Flickr

[s_mcsleazy]

neat. i have a weird memory of these amps. basically i was looking to buy a fender twin, a friend said "oh fender quads are like twins but louder" let me borrow his when i had a gig with a friend's ska band and then trying to get the thing on the glasgow tube. after that, i started describing them as "fender quad: for when a twin is just too practical" then learning about the super six and vowing never to go near one in case it gives me a herniated disc through proximity.

neat score though, i remember the nirvana clips you were talking about and always thinking they looked really cool.

[MattK]

If you get the TK421 modification, it takes it up 3, maybe 4 quads per channel.

[MayTheFuzzBeWithYou]

It‘s like the guys at Fender thought after the first wave of Surf Music ebbed away… well, from now on, we’re only gonna build combo-amps… because it‘s do damn practical…
I‘m sure they sound huge though.

[HNB]

neat. i have a weird memory of these amps. basically i was looking to buy a fender twin, a friend said "oh fender quads are like twins but louder" let me borrow his when i had a gig with a friend's ska band and then trying to get the thing on the glasgow tube. after that, i started describing them as "fender quad: for when a twin is just too practical" then learning about the super six and vowing never to go near one in case it gives me a herniated disc through proximity.

neat score though, i remember the nirvana clips you were talking about and always thinking they looked really cool.

I think I read somewhere that these are a better bedroom amp than a Twin because even though they are huge, at low volumes using four speakers sounds more full than two. Hearing it person that makes sense to me. I would never gig with one though. They aren’t much heavier than a Twin is honestly, but they are much more bulky. LOL the amp part is the heaviest piece and it is sort of a twin with four speakers. I have my UL Twin in a head enclosure and it feels like it is just as heavy.

If you get the TK421 modification, it takes it up 3, maybe 4 quads per channel.

What does four quads per channel mean?

It‘s like the guys at Fender thought after the first wave of Surf Music ebbed away… well, from now on, we’re only gonna build combo-amps… because it‘s do damn practical…
I‘m sure they sound huge though.

I don’t know what they were thinking really. Awesome probably for studio use but I can’t imagine they thought people would carry this around places. They only put one strap on the top too…. Side handles would have helped for moving it. The casters work great when it is where it needs to be, but not how you want to drag it around outside.

These old speakers are great. I haven’t ever heard speakers this old before and I get why people like them. Also my UL Twin doesn’t distort or breakup like this one. Neither does my other newer Twin. This is something special and the master volume really lets you get some growl out of it.

[HNB]

So far with my limited trial I would say this is a Twin and MORE. I strictly mean sound wise. The other Twins I have used have awesome clean tone.. this is the first “Twin” I have ever used that distorts. Maybe my others would if I could turn them up to nine, but my ears can’t handle it. This breaks up around six and the master volume lets me keep it down. Reverse of that, I can keep the channel volume lower and crank up the master volume for a louder Twin sound. My UL has a master volume, but doesn’t do the breakup like this one does.

[MattK]

What does four quads per channel mean?

Sorry, I was just doing a line from Don Cheadle’s character in Boogie Nights, super obscure joke. Nice QR tho!

[HNB]

LOL Thanks!

[MrShake]

Congrats, I love this era of weirdo Fender SF combos. The 4 speakers in my Bassman Ten makes for a fuller at-home sound, too, so I hear you.

Play it with pride. Just be careful. That's a lot of kaboom you've got there!

[HNB]

Congrats, I love this era of weirdo Fender SF combos. The 4 speakers in my Bassman Ten makes for a fuller at-home sound, too, so I hear you.

Play it with pride. Just be careful. That's a lot of kaboom you've got there!

The master volume is vital and very useful for that for certain.

[whitewatersky]

What does four quads per channel mean?

Sorry, I was just doing a line from Don Cheadle’s character in Boogie Nights, super obscure joke. Nice QR tho!

best movie ever

[HNB]

I like him as an actor. I should check that movie out.

[panoramic]

that amp is a definite backbreaker. I am sure it sounds like a double twin reverb though...all 120lbs of it

[HNB]

For being twice the size it isn't really that much heavier. Honestly it is only hard to move because the size of it. It is more bulky than heavy to me. Also the top strap is a stupid location for a tall and heavy thing..... 4x12 cabs have them on the sides and this should have also. It isn't as though there are tilt back legs on the side blocking that idea. Orange does it.

[Jaguar018]

What does four quads per channel mean?

Sorry, I was just doing a line from Don Cheadle’s character in Boogie Nights, super obscure joke. Nice QR tho!

But you guys know that's a reference within a reference, as TK421 is a Star Wars reference. So it was PT Anderson nerding out.