Fender Brownface Concert
Model/Circuit Number: 5G12 ~ 1959, 6G12 ~ 1960, 6G12-A ~ 1960-1963
Years of Production: 1959 – 1963
Era:
Configuration: Combo
Controls: Brown forward facing w/ white screened labels, controls numbered 1-10
Knobs: Brown round
Schematics
Faceplate:
- Front: Normal: In, In, Bass, Treb, Vol – Vibrato: In, In, Bass, Treb, Vol, Speed, Intensity – Presense – Pilot Lamp (6G12-A)
- Rear: 6G12: Ground Sw, Fuse (3A), Power Sw, Standby Sw, Speaker Jack, Vibrato Jack
Cabinet:
- Dimensions:
- Hardware: Large Chassis Straps 5 5/8″
- Handle: Brown plastic handle or Black Strap ~ 1963
- Feet: Glides
- Corners:
Tolex/Tweed:
- Pinkish Brown Tolex ~ 1959-1961
- Brown Tolex ~ 1962-1963
Grill Cloth:
Logo: Grill mounted, flat, chrome & black script
Weight: 55 lbs.
Speaker:
- Size: 4 x 10
- Impedance: 2 ohms
- Model: Jensen P10R, Jensen P10Q, Jensen C10R or Oxford 10K5(For more info, check out the Jensen Replacement Speakers)
Effects: Tremolo
Watts: 40 watts
Tubes:
- Pre amp: 7025
- Power: 6G12: 2 x 6L6GC ; 6G12-A:2 x 5881
- Bias: Fixed Bias, nonadjustable
- Rectifier: Solid State
Comments:
Tremolo: 2 x 7025 (6G12) or 2 x 7025 and ½ 12AX7 (6G12-A) (harmonic vibrato)
I worked with a guitarist who played an Esquire and a brown face Concert Amp. He painted this beautiful screaming amp black. He had a great sound with that old Esquire rear pick up and the non-reverb 4×10″ Concert. This was in 1972 so I didn’t know anything about the value of his guitar & amp. Pure Fender! tHOSE WERE THE DAYS. Skip “Alex” Spence, our lead player played through an amp custom built for him. The tech for Moby Grape put together (4) Twin Reverb amps into one monster amp. This pushed (4) 4×12″ custom built speaker bottoms.
Yea, the Concert paired with that Esquire is the same set up that we hear on the first Steppenwolf album. Yea, the entire album I understand was recorded with this set up. Born to be Wild, Jupiter’s child, The Pusher, yep! Great tone I would say…and a winning hand…..Its the tone I chased for years. Finely got this set up, and bingo!
I bought a brown fender Concert painted black in San Francisco… you mentioned Skip Spence. Was it him that had the black painted Concert? Wither way, I wonder if I have the amp now that you are talking about? There was also a matching brown reverb unit that was painted black in the same way which I sadly did not purchase. Please get in touch at (drockdrock111 AT g mail DOT com) since I do not check this page.
I was digging through my grand fathers attic and came across this amp staring back at me. He bought it new back in 1960, played for a month or so and locked it away. It is is PERFECT condition. Along with the amp he bought a Buddy Holly edition fender strat, which a frind so lovingly took off him for a few hundred bucks (FML). Anyway I took the amp home and in the process of having the speakers re-conned. I am super excited to hear how this baby sounds!
Just picked up a Concert (6G12-A) last night for $600. It’s pretty beat up and the output transformer has been replaced with what looks like maybe a Super OT. Still sounds phenomenal. Needs some work, though. I’ll crack it open this weekend, but I’m almost sure it needs to be recapped. I’ll probably need to recone the speakers at some point as well. Incredible deal, though. It just sounds like gold, even in rough shape. No telling how amazing it’ll sound after being tuned up.
Pdyckman, I played with Skip in ’72 as well, right after I moved to California, and I remember that amp. The “tech for Moby Grape” you mention was Howard Dumble, now known as Alexander Dumble. IIRC those amp[s were actually 4 4×10 Bassman circuits in one chassis, with some of the famous Dumble magic applied. Shortly after that the amp was stolen and as far as I know never recovered. I’ve always wondered what happened to it.
John Eppstein, is there any known way to tell the amp was Skip’s by looking at it aside from the black paint job? Would love to see if the one I picked up in SF could be it. Do you recall if he had a matching brown reverb unit painted black in the same manner?
While in school I worked for a repair shop in North Hollywood for a couple of years, in the early 70’s, at a place called Valley Sound. I remember a beautiful brown Concert came in that I was asked to replace the speakers with new JBL’s. I was amazed because it was a heavy amp to begin with, and now it was even heavier! It belonged to Kent Henry (an amazing guitarist) who had just joined Steppenwolf. We did all their gear. Good times!
I have an early “1960” version, that was actually manufactured in late 1959. I was so blown away by it, I went out and bought a rare “center volume” 1960 version too, but sold it because for whatever reason it just didn’t sound as good. Both of them have/had only 5 preamp tubes. Many have written about the great quality of the tremelo on
the later brown Concerts with 6 preamp tubes. Frankly, I don’t care a toss about the tremelo–who needs it? It’s the pure unadulterated tone that impresses me. I use different Fenders from different eras–tweed, brown, blackface–all are great, but when it comes to tone, none can touch the Concert. It sounds similar to the 1959 Bassman, but with more depth/bottom & headroom. It stands to reason they sound similar, considering the earlier 1960 Concerts and the 1959 Bassmans share the same “45249” output transformer. The earlier Concerts also have the same speakers as the ’59 Bassman: Jensen p10q’s & p10r’s. On my Concert, I use 1960 p10q’s on the bottom and 1959 p10r’s on the top. Fortunately, my Concert still has it’s orinal yellow tone capacitors–something else it has in common with the ’59 Bassman. But unlike the ’59 Bassman, the Concert has a solid state drive recitifier. That works better for me, perhaps because I’m going for more of a rock sound. The Concert also lacks the “floating” speaker baffleboard that tweed Bassmans enjoy, but somehow the Concert’s tone doesn’t suffer–maybe because brown Fender combos use plywood baffleboards, not the tone robbing particleboard baffleboards found in the blackface Fender combos. Of course, some seemingly identical amps just sound better or worse for mysterious reasons. In any case, if you are fortunate enough to come across an early brown Concert, grab it!
Were`nt the center volume concerts the same one as the early 1960 models made in 1959 ?? Does either one you owned have the pulse cap on the back panel ?
I have one with the pulse on the back panel. I love it. I just picked it up last week from the original owner; he is in his 80’s. He put it up for sale cheep cause the tolex is gone, the vibrato doesn’t work and it has a Jensen 16 inch speaker from 1951. I drove 100 miles to get it and gave him what he asked.
I happened upon a very early 1960 Concert a few years ago (January 1960). Center Volume, 5G12. Jensen P10Rs dated from late ’59. And also has the “45249” output transformer. Of course it sounds spectacular. But I only use it at home. It’s way too heavy for me to take out to gigs.
Great story!! I started guitar life playing through my older brother’s 1960 PRO, in 1961. The second and third amps I ever played through were both Concerts, perhaps in 1962 and 1963. I remember getting a huge backache (I mean, AWFUL) carrying one of them in and out of a play job. I was too young to appreciate the tonal quality of those three amps, at the time. I certainly do, NOW! Oddly, all I have ever owned, myself, are blackface Fenders, including the new 1964 Super Reverb which I still have. And by the way, blackface Fender amps and perhaps ’68 and ’69’s, have plywood baffle boards. And there is actually something good to consider about particle board baffle boards (and stereo system cabinets), in that they have a ZERO resonant frequency; so less possibility of unwanted freqs showing up in your guitar sound. And I agree about bagging one of those early ’60s Concerts … Have wanted a brown for YEARS — just hard to scrape up the cash, what with kids and such, and now retired. But I’m WORKING ON IT!! 🙂
Both my 5G12 with the standard knob set up and 5G12 with the center volume 5G12 set up were built in 1959 and have the pulse caps over the “hole to nowhere” on the back of their respective chassis. And yes, many blackface combos do have plywood baffle boards, but many don’t–I’ll personally take the shake rattle & roll of the plywood over the consistency of the particle board, but, to each his own brother.
The concert also came in black tolex.
Yessir! I think those were companions to the 1964 blackface Super Reverbs, perhaps a little cheaper, sans reverb. I believe that my 1964 Super Reverb had a tag of $399; but I got it for $325, and but I still had to finance it. That was a LOT of money back in March or so of 1964 … However, that was a long time ago and the RAM ain’t what it used to be! So I could be wrong about all of it!
Both my 5G12 with the standard knob set up and 5G12 with the center volume 5G12 set up were built in 1959 and have the pulse caps over the “hole to nowhere” on the back of their respective chassis. And yes, many blackface combos do have plywood baffle boards, but many don’t–I’ll personally take the shake rattle & roll of the plywood over the consistency of the particle board, but, to each his own brother.
I don’t see cabinet dimensions listed, so I measured my June ’60:
24″W x 24″H x 10-1/2″D
Scored a ’63 from Larry Briggs bitd for 500.00! No tolex, some knucklehead pulled the 4×10’s and replaced with a 12″ celestion. .. urk… Rick Potter (R.I.P.) tuned her up, re-tolexed it pink, 4×10 jensens installed, oxblood grill cloth! Coolest amp i ever owned next to my 64 Super!
I’m working on a white Concert amp an export model A/63 that only has 4 pre amp tubes. I can’t find any information about it. Anything would be appreciated
I just scored a 1960 Brownface. It had all the tolex removed and the speakers were gone and a Jensen 16″ speaker was installed. The vibrato needs some repair but all else is working fine. I love the sound and the cool factor is over the top. The previous owner covered it with what looks like epoxy paint and sprinkles; not a bad look. I’m thinking of keeping it like it is and fixing the vibrato.