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Average Price: $1,000
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$300
$801+
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Description
The Fender Dual Showman is a classic choice for guitarists seeking powerful and versatile amplification. Renowned for its all-tube circuitry, this guitar amplifier head delivers the rich, warm tones that have been a hallmark of Fender amps since the 1960s. Its formidable output offers plenty of headroom, making it ideal for both clean and distorted sounds, and perfect for large venues where you need your sound to project with clarity and authority.
With its twin channels and flexible tone controls, the Dual Showman provides a range of tonal options to suit various musical styles. The vibrato channel offers additional depth, making it a favorite among surf rock enthusiasts and musicians who appreciate vintage soundscapes. The robust construction ensures it withstands the rigors of touring, while the straightforward interface appeals to both seasoned professionals and those just starting their musical journey.
Key Features:
- All-tube circuitry for warm, authentic tones
- Twin channels with independent controls
- Vibrato channel for added depth and modulation
- High headroom for clear sound projection
- Ideal for large venues and live performances
- Classic design, true to Fender's legacy
Product specs
| Brand | Fender |
| Model | Dual Showman "Drip Edge" 2-Channel 85-Watt Guitar Amp Head |
| Finish | Silverface |
| Year | 1968 - 1970 |
| Made In | United States |
| Categories | Guitar Heads |
| Color Family | Black |
| Direct Output | No Direct Output |
| Electronics | Tube |
| Impedance | 4 ohms |
| Model Family | Fender Showman Amp |
| Model Sub-Family | Fender Dual Showman |
| Number of Channels | 2 Channels |
| Number of Inputs | 4 Inputs |
| Output Power (Watts) | 85 |
| Power Tube Type | 6L6 |
| Reverb | None |
| Series | Fender Vintage Silverface Amps |
FAQs
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What are the tonal characteristics of the Fender 'Silverface' Dual Showman Amp?
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The Fender 'Silverface' Dual Showman Amp is known for its clean, powerful tones with a strong emphasis on midrange clarity, making it ideal for surf rock and clean jazz tones. It lacks built-in reverb, offering a pure tube-driven sound.
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How much power does the Fender 'Silverface' Dual Showman Amp deliver?
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This amp delivers 85 watts of power, providing ample volume and headroom for live performances and larger venues.
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Is the Fender 'Silverface' Dual Showman Amp suitable for use with guitar pedals?
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Yes, the Dual Showman Amp takes pedals well, thanks to its clean and transparent sound, allowing effects to shine without unwanted coloration.
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What type of tubes does the Fender 'Silverface' Dual Showman Amp use?
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The amp uses 6L6 power tubes, which contribute to its robust and clean sound output, characteristic of Fender's classic tube amps.
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Does the Fender 'Silverface' Dual Showman Amp have built-in reverb?
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No, the Fender 'Silverface' Dual Showman Amp does not feature built-in reverb, focusing instead on delivering a pure, uncolored tube sound.
Videos
Grayzercaster
Fender dual showman demo
Fender dual showman demo
Grayzercaster
Reviews
PROS
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Incredible clean channel with ample headroom
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Advanced features for its time, like selectable impedance and XLR out
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Works well with extensive pedalboards
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Unique push-pull EQ knobs on drive channel
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Big, punchy clean tones
CONS
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Drive channel challenging to dial in
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May require patience to achieve desirable drive tones
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Clean tone might be too powerful for some preferences
Owner Insights
We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Fender 'Silverface' Dual Showman Amp.
Features and functionality
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The Dual Showman is essentially a Twin Reverb in a head and cab format, providing similar tonal qualities but in a different configuration.
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Jumping channels together on the Dual Showman provides unique tonal options, unlike the Twin Reverb where they're out of phase.
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The "drip edge" aesthetic is often associated with earlier circuits, suggesting potential high-quality internals, though variations exist due to parts inventory at the time.
Source
Mods and upgrades
Use cases and applications
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A '68 Dual Showman paired with a 4ohm JBL K130 speaker in a Showman tone ring cab excels for pedal steel and guitar, offering powerful volume and tone.
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The amp is ideal for large outdoor gigs or civic centers, but impractical for home use due to its excessive volume.
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The amp excels in genres like shoegaze, post-punk, and alternative rock, providing a versatile tone that satisfies specific musical styles.
Source
Value and pricing
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Owners note that the Dual Showman is overpriced at $1200, suggesting a fairer price would be below $900.
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Early Silverface models are recommended for their clean tone and affordability, offering a cost-effective alternative to pricier Blackface models while achieving near-identical results for many users.
Source
Comparisons
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The Dual Showman is described as essentially a Twin Reverb in head and cab form, but the head's loudness and weight are significant considerations.
Source
User experience
4.5 out of 5
Based on 3 Reviews and 8 Ratings
168
A clean, powerful beast
I own one of the late 80's, Rivera-designed, "red knob" Dual Showman heads. The clean channel is absolutely incredible, with headroom for days. The drive channel, with it's push-pull EQ knobs, is very difficult to dial in, but can yield decent tones with a bit of patience and effort. I like to run the drive channel just on the edge of breakup, then use overdrive and fuzz to gain stage.
The features on this amp are very advanced for the time period, with selectable impedance, effects loop, damping switch, and XLR out for recording (all on an amp from the 80's!). This amp is highly recommended for the guitarist with a gigantic pedalboard that wants a stage ready showstopper.
41029
the red knobs really need their own category, I'll take care of it
41029
!
I owned a hacked (by a moron) and then restored (by me and my buddy) '63 Fender Electrical Instruments first-run Dual Showman. Didn't say Dual on it yet, guys, but it was 4 ohms to drive a 2x15 instead of a 1x12 or 1x15 with the 'tone ring'.... Mine was really similar to the ones Dick Dale still tours with. I know this because he and I were comparing notes one time at the Northstar in Philly. I'll say this for my Showman, it had a big, punchy clean tone. Almost too big and too punchy. A twin by any other name is just as stiff....
Artist usage
Add artist
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Fender Dual Showman pictured on Michael Franzino's Instagram
Sprout records drums and vocals in the laundry room and tracks piano and guitars in the adjacent garage, which usually holds a customized Hiwatt 100 head, as well as a Sovtek MIG 100 head, a Gibson Hawk, a Fender Dual Showman, a Musicman 212-HD amp, and an Ampeg SS-140C amp. In the garage, Sprout also keeps a Yamaha PSS-270 stereo keyboard and a George Steck upright piano, which belonged to his great-grandmother and is at least 80 years old.
"The starkly handsome, clearly produced disc doesn?t contain any formal songs, just four extended documentations of a Gibson Les Paul Special fornicating live in the studio with a Fender Dual Showman Reverb amp."
In the video titled "Smash Mouth - Full Concert | Live at Shoreline Amphitheatre (1999)" on YouTube, Greg Camp can be seen using a Fender 'Silverface' Dual Showman Amp with a 2x12 ToneMaster cabinet during the Astro Lounge Tour, specifically at the 6:41 timestamp. This performance was part of Smash Mouth's live show at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in 1999, as documented by Alt Vault.
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In this pedalboard photo of Scheuchzer, the Fender Dual Showman amp head can be seen.
The treble pickups fed the two Fender amps-a Fender Twin Reverb with two 12-inch speakers and a Fender Dual Showman- that drove the six Wurlitzer horns.
Mieszko said in this article: "We have always used the same configuration for our guitar sound. It's simple; Fender Dual Showman Reverb Guitar Amp + BOSS DS-1 Distortion through a Marshall 4x12."
Andy Hummel used a Fender Dual Showman to record at least some of the bass parts on Radio City by Big Star.
"For “O My Soul” and “She’s A Mover”, we put that old Dual Showman out in the middle of the studio, turned it up until it distorted mightily, and recorded it through a Neumann set several feet away. All as opposed to running the bass direct. It’s my old Precision Bass for sure."-Andy Hummel, 2007
The following list was published in Melody Maker, 24 March 1973.
"Alan Cartwright: Fender Precision bass; Fender Dual showman amplifier; two Hiwatt bass cabinets"
We can see the amp behind him on this video
Mentioned in this April 2013 interview from QRD #61.
QRD – What’s your main amplifier & why?
Chris – It’s an early 1990s Fender Twin. It was the first “proper” amp I bought & I’ve had it for about 17 or 18 years now. They’re not very popular amongst the cork sniffers who like valve amps so they’re always fairly cheap. There’s some good advice there: people who spend lots on premium gear are always going to say it’s amazing as they spent a fortune on it so think outside of that & save yourself some cash (i.e. Peavey made some killer amps in the 80s & they can be bought for pocket change, or found in a skip usually). The design of the Twin leaves a bit to be desired (the knobs stick out from the front by a half an inch or so, so you always end up shearing them off when you load the amp into a car), but I’ve stuck with it & I have a combo version & a head version (through an Orange cab). They’re really loud, lots of EQ options & you can run everything to both channels so you always have tons of clean headroom. I use the Dual Showman for bass as well as it sounds great for either. I also have a little 15 watt solid state amp I swear by for recording.
Album Usage
The Fender 'Silverface' Dual Showman Amp has been featured on the following albums:
Genre Usage
Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.
Used With
Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Fender 'Silverface' Dual Showman Amp, it is most commonly used with the following gear.
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