Fender Pro, 3 Powertube Sockets? Is this a real Fender?

[shocki]

Hi guys,

there is an Fender Pro Amp for sale that is described as beeing broken.
If you check out the pic you see 3 power tube sockets? Also the spacing between the tubes looks a bit weird? Is this even a real Fender Amp or some kind of clone? On the front there is the Fender Logo and everything.
The voltage selector is ripped off obviously.

Thanks.

[Jazz P Bass]

The spacing of the 6L6 tubes is odd.
The tube rectifier is where it belongs, on the far side.
But the plate that covers the unused socket hole definitely looks Fender.
The four hole spacing may have been for a four tube amp without the tube rectifier.
Who knows what went on at the factory?
They may have came up short on the correct chassis & used a different one.
I do not know that Fender used voltage selectors.
It is most probably the 'ground polarity' switch that is missing.

[shocki]

I do not know that Fender used voltage selectors.

This is a Euopean version. They all had voltage selectors. This is a big red knob

[Jazz P Bass]

So, yeah, it is probably a Twin chassis.

[stokes]

Not aware of a "head version" of the Pro.The pro is basically a "half power" version of the Twin,so if that isnt a clone,Fender may have used a Twin chassis,as we all know,Leo wasted nothing and there are many abnormalties in some amps.But the head cab has me wondering,never saw a head only version of that amp.

[JoeM]

Could be a Bandmaster chassis. I think Fender may have used the same chassis for Showmans, and when they used it for a Bandmaster, put covers over the unused output tube socket locations. This one looks like it was converted to a tube rectifier and whoever did the mod just used one of the available socket locations, hence the odd spacing.

[shocki]

I think you guys are right. There probably wasn't a head version of a Pro amp. This would have been a Bandmaster I guess. I think from a collectiblity standpoint this would not be a good deal. It is probably mixed up of all kinds of Fenders

[Enzo]

The hole cover is a factory item, the amp was made that way. I don;t keep track of that stuff in my head, I leave that to the amp fans, but I see them from time to time. They use the same chassis for more than one model amp.

[Tom Phillips]

Could be a Bandmaster chassis. I think Fender may have used the same chassis for Showmans, and when they used it for a Bandmaster, put covers over the unused output tube socket locations. This one looks like it was converted to a tube rectifier and whoever did the mod just used one of the available socket locations, hence the odd spacing.

Fender did use the same chassis for the Showman and the Bandmaster for the blackface models and maybe the early silverface ones.
Note that if someone converted to the tube rectifier then they would also needed to change the power transformer.

...I think from a collectiblity standpoint this would not be a good deal...

I agree with that. It would need to be priced right for someone who just wants the platform and has the skills to get it working. If the seller was serious I’d expect more photos, transformer part numbers etc. to be provided. Then we could figure out more details if you were really interested. I would not make decisions based on a verbal description from the seller.

[Justin Thomas]

I'd think Bandmaster chassis too... what's the front look like, got a date? I'm always curious to see old Fenders. I know with Fender almost anything is possible; maybe with the exports even more crazy stuff was possible? It's not a "reverb" anything unless it's single channel... perhaps a very rare BF Pro w/out the reverb leftover that would have had a 15"? I've only ever seen a picture of a catalog in a book! Would a Pro faceplate fit over a Bandmaster chassis?
Random extra parts? So maybe the PT is original?
If it IS original, it's probably insanely rare!
Got a link to it? More pics?

Justin

[stokes]

Stand correected,only 4 preamp tubes would rule out a Twin chassis.More likely a Showman chassis.

[Abaddon]

Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to pitch in here and say that I am the one who ended up buying the amp - on Ebay Germany. It is indeed a blackface Pro Amp and the cab is simply the original 1x15 combo that someone, long ago, converted to a head by sawing off most of the sides and reattaching the bottom. Not a very pretty job... but the amp itself is basically pristine, no mods or repairs, original transformers that still work and a very nice tube complement of Amperex bugle boy GZ34, 2 x RCA blackplate 6L6GC, Mullard 12AX7, GE 12AT7 and 2 x RCA 7025, all of which test strong and good. Pictures here:

https://picasaweb.google.com/1025098...CPGAmN_J2e_aMw

Since, as mentioned, the collectors value is pretty much shot because of the hacked up cab I will give this a cap job and service check, redo the shoddy work on the cab so that it is at least solid and decent looking, and it should make a very fine "player's amp" for someone...

Will be happy to provide more info and pictures if anyone is interested.

Regards,

Andreas

[stokes]

Mystery solved.There are people building/selling cabs for these old Fenders,thats one option.I can tell you these amps were pretty easy on the preamp tubes and those old pre's are likely still good and better than any current production available.You got a nice amp there,after a little re-hab.New filters are a must.These amps are great with a good 15" speaker,and you can likely get a cab to fit that chassis with a 15".Good luck with it,enjoy.