Is it possible to split one item into two key variations?

I recently was trying to clean up duplicates and improve images where I can, and noticed the Deluxe Reverb page seemed to signify an original Black Panel, but was kinda a catch all for all the vintage years, including the later Silverface circuit. I only noticed this after making the change (my mistake) but would it be possible to split this page into two for consistency, since most Fenders follow the convention of separate Black Panel and Silverface years with some overlap?

https://equipboard.com/items/fender-deluxe-reverb-original-issue-1963-1981

I made that item. Schematically there is no significant difference between the 60s blackface, 70s silverface and pre-rivera early 80s versions of the DR (or PR, champ and vibrochamp) with 1 exception, in 78 or 79 they added a push/pull pot volume boost which switches 1 part as I recall. The boost was removed by 1980 with the return to black panels.

Otherwise there was 1 layout/construction revision, which was a change in where the filter caps were located. This has been blamed for an increased noise floor but nit every silverface is noisier than a blackface. The real problem is that the layout change made the power supply more sensitive to lead dress and with CBS's sketchy quality control, some poorly wired amps snuck through. Most younger people won't notice, as the reissues are noisier than a vintage example anyway. That said, the change did not begin with the silverface era and there are silverface amps with the blackface layout.

Some silverfaces came stock with a 5u4 rectifier over the original 5ar4/gz34. This occured in princeton's as well. In this circuit they perform pretty similarly and the change was not reflected on the tube chart of any stock 5u4 silverface DRs or PRs I've serviced. It was probably a CBS cost cutting measure or simply a shortage of 5ar4s at the factory; the 5ar4 is overkill in these amps but is essential for the super reverb. Do the math like a bean counter;)

OEM speaker selection changed constantly even in the blackface era. You'll encounter various models by Oxford, Utah, Jensen and CTS. They used whatever was available and the cosmetics do not indicate a specific speaker model or manufacturer. There were of course other changes in parts due to certain parts becoming obsolete... if you believe in mojo polyfilm capacitors then perhaps the unavailability of blue astrons marks a major tonal downturn. Frankly, half the DRs out there had their original blocking caps replaced with orange drops in the 80s and 90s, they were all the rage when I was a kid. Every DR I've ever seen had Schumacher transformers and I believe both reissues use Schumacher's modern version of this set that now meets ROHS standards and has modern connections. I could be wrong, I avoid PCB amps.

I've found these 3 changes to be fairly insignificant. The boost, while being the only meaningful change, is defeated with the pot in its normal configuration (it sucks and no one uses it). It was also a very brief modification and boost examples are rare as hens teeth, I've only seen 1 or 2 and I've been around hundreds, maybe thousands, of these amps... but if you want to make them all separate items, be my guest.

You would want blackface original, silverface, boost and blackface pre-Rivera 80s.

My goal was to dispense with a lot of mythology I've oft heard repeated by folks who have never opened up a fender amp. The other silverface amps are another story entirely and all those ill-advised circuit revisions are probably the source of the myth that CBS ruined the small amps too.

That’s completely valid, I’ll see if I can find a name that reflects both Black and Silver and some good pictures for both. The other way this amp has confused me is that many of the artists under the 1994 ‘65 DR Reissue would have played an original, so I wanted to stop that mistake if I can.

whatever makes you happy, what you're proposing is essentially the same as having a separate item for ever color strat, at least until 78/79... the amps are the same amp, I defy you to pick one from another in a blind shootout with the same speaker. I've witnessed people poopoo a blackface as a silverface it when its just has new filter caps and fresh, properly biased tubes

I won’t go making any new ones for now then, our duplicate problem is bad enough. It might be a good idea to make the reissues a little more clearly reissues, since they’re all on here.

If you want to navigate the stormy seas of reissues, special edition reissues with exotic tolex and factory speaker upgrades, you have my blessing! I find modern fender amps baffling.

Why can't they just make the classic product line and a couple of gain bangers? Gimmee well made blackface amps. That product line was iconic and they never improved on it. I'm telling you, if I ran fender they would never have financial difficulties! Reissues would be confined to handwired tweed amps and maybe a blonde 6g6 bassman and the blackface line would be brought back in its entirety (from champ to dhowman) as modern PCB amps along with the supersonic, everything else would be discontinued. No transistor amps, digital stuff would be confined to multifx foot pedals. Cabinets would be the classic 2×10, 2×12, oversized 2×12, 1×15 with tone ring, 2×15 plus a marshall style straight 4×12 and 4×10 or 8×10 designed for modern bass. For bassists we would offer the 70s bassman100 circuit with a half power switch. Pro bass amp would be a hot rodded sunn 2000s at 200 watts. But frankly we hy bother? Ampeg owns the touring rock band market for bass... no one will ever unseat the SVT! Its look is iconic