Fender Harvard Model 5F10 Tube Amplifier (1959)
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Item # 10490
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Fender Harvard Model 5F10 Model Tube Amplifier (1959), made in Fullerton, California, serial # H02668, tweed fabric covering finish.
This tweed beauty is a stunningly well-preserved Fender Harvard 5F10 -- the Princeton's collegiate big brother and one of our favorite amplifiers. This is a near museum-quality example of the big-sounding "Steve Cropper Classic". It looks like it has seen only light use over 60+ years, unlike its brethren that worked for decades in recording studios and club and roadhouse stages. The tube chart has a stamped code of II, indicating assembly in September of 1959. Maybe some lucky kid got it for Christmas! The piece of masking tape inside the chassis denoting which of the ladies at Fender wired up the amp is not present, but we secretly hope it was wired up by Lily, who wired most of the 5F10s we've come across!
First introduced in 1955, filling the gap between the 5-watt Princeton and the 15-watt Deluxe, the Harvard 5F10 circuit uses two 6V6 tubes in push/pull, yielding about 10 watts, with a 12AX7 phase inverter and a 6AT6 input tube. Its fixed-bias power section was only shared at the time by its nearly identical sibling of the following year, the Tweed Vibrolux. This gives the amp a tight low-end and more clean headroom than most Tweed Deluxes and a roaring and distinctive breakup. Steve Cropper, Memphis session guitarist and member of Booker T. and the MGs famously used his Esquire (or Telecaster) and Harvard amp on nearly every Stax hit of the 1960s. These ranged from the mellow arpeggios on Otis Redding's "I've been Loving You too Long" to the biting distorted riff of "Green Onions" by Booker T. and the MGs.
Despite this stellar history the Harvard remains one of Fender's less well-known gems and a shop favorite. This is easily one of the most perfectly undisturbed Harvard we have had, and one of the cleanest example of this fairly rare amp we have ever seen -- a very rare find in the 21st century.
Height is 16 1/4 in. (41.3 cm.), 17 3/4 in. (45.1 cm.) width, and 8 7/8 in. (22.5 cm.) deep.
This Harvard is simply stunningly clean, both externally and under the hood. The old-style tweed covering is superbly crisp and very clean, with a nice amber patina and shows only some VERY light wear. The tweed has some lighter areas in the rear lower cabinet edge corresponding with the fade on the cover, likely due to sitting in a partially sunlit spot for many years! The faceplate is also super clean with unsullied plating and very crisp graphics, with only a few minor scuffs and barely any sign of use. Even the somewhat fragile original leather handle is still completely intact. The amp has a blue jewel light, which we've never seen before, but the screw-in holder appears to be original. The amp comes with the original fabric cover, made by Victoria Luggage Co., with the original owner's name on it.
Internally the amp is unaltered with all original components. The original Jensen P10R is dated 34th week of 1959 with the original cone fully intact. The amp appears to still carry the original rectifier, power and preamp tubes. Both the power and output transformers are made by Triad and are labeled 6079 and #108, respectively. Both pots date to the 16th week of 1959 (although some of the numbers on the tone pot date stamp are soldered over).
DISCLAIMER: While we normally service all amplifiers for use, this nearly 63-year-old amp is original and untouched since leaving the Fender factory, so we have elected in the interest of history to leave it that way. As such it is offered in AS-IS condition, not because of any damage or perceived flaw but due to its uniqueness, age and all-original state. The amplifier HAS been tested and it powers up, however, if it is to be used without any risk of damaging the amplifier, we would recommend it be professionally serviced to the level desired and we would be happy to do so upon sale. The electrolytic capacitors in the amplifier have aged many decades past their expiration dates to the point where we cannot guarantee their continued functionality and their failure could potentially cause damage to irreplaceable components. However, as it stands, this is an unaltered historic piece, an irreplaceable part of Fender history. Understanding that some would prefer to keep it unaltered, we leave it to the next owner to decide. Excellent + Condition.
This tweed beauty is a stunningly well-preserved Fender Harvard 5F10 -- the Princeton's collegiate big brother and one of our favorite amplifiers. This is a near museum-quality example of the big-sounding "Steve Cropper Classic". It looks like it has seen only light use over 60+ years, unlike its brethren that worked for decades in recording studios and club and roadhouse stages. The tube chart has a stamped code of II, indicating assembly in September of 1959. Maybe some lucky kid got it for Christmas! The piece of masking tape inside the chassis denoting which of the ladies at Fender wired up the amp is not present, but we secretly hope it was wired up by Lily, who wired most of the 5F10s we've come across!
First introduced in 1955, filling the gap between the 5-watt Princeton and the 15-watt Deluxe, the Harvard 5F10 circuit uses two 6V6 tubes in push/pull, yielding about 10 watts, with a 12AX7 phase inverter and a 6AT6 input tube. Its fixed-bias power section was only shared at the time by its nearly identical sibling of the following year, the Tweed Vibrolux. This gives the amp a tight low-end and more clean headroom than most Tweed Deluxes and a roaring and distinctive breakup. Steve Cropper, Memphis session guitarist and member of Booker T. and the MGs famously used his Esquire (or Telecaster) and Harvard amp on nearly every Stax hit of the 1960s. These ranged from the mellow arpeggios on Otis Redding's "I've been Loving You too Long" to the biting distorted riff of "Green Onions" by Booker T. and the MGs.
Despite this stellar history the Harvard remains one of Fender's less well-known gems and a shop favorite. This is easily one of the most perfectly undisturbed Harvard we have had, and one of the cleanest example of this fairly rare amp we have ever seen -- a very rare find in the 21st century.
Height is 16 1/4 in. (41.3 cm.), 17 3/4 in. (45.1 cm.) width, and 8 7/8 in. (22.5 cm.) deep.
This Harvard is simply stunningly clean, both externally and under the hood. The old-style tweed covering is superbly crisp and very clean, with a nice amber patina and shows only some VERY light wear. The tweed has some lighter areas in the rear lower cabinet edge corresponding with the fade on the cover, likely due to sitting in a partially sunlit spot for many years! The faceplate is also super clean with unsullied plating and very crisp graphics, with only a few minor scuffs and barely any sign of use. Even the somewhat fragile original leather handle is still completely intact. The amp has a blue jewel light, which we've never seen before, but the screw-in holder appears to be original. The amp comes with the original fabric cover, made by Victoria Luggage Co., with the original owner's name on it.
Internally the amp is unaltered with all original components. The original Jensen P10R is dated 34th week of 1959 with the original cone fully intact. The amp appears to still carry the original rectifier, power and preamp tubes. Both the power and output transformers are made by Triad and are labeled 6079 and #108, respectively. Both pots date to the 16th week of 1959 (although some of the numbers on the tone pot date stamp are soldered over).
DISCLAIMER: While we normally service all amplifiers for use, this nearly 63-year-old amp is original and untouched since leaving the Fender factory, so we have elected in the interest of history to leave it that way. As such it is offered in AS-IS condition, not because of any damage or perceived flaw but due to its uniqueness, age and all-original state. The amplifier HAS been tested and it powers up, however, if it is to be used without any risk of damaging the amplifier, we would recommend it be professionally serviced to the level desired and we would be happy to do so upon sale. The electrolytic capacitors in the amplifier have aged many decades past their expiration dates to the point where we cannot guarantee their continued functionality and their failure could potentially cause damage to irreplaceable components. However, as it stands, this is an unaltered historic piece, an irreplaceable part of Fender history. Understanding that some would prefer to keep it unaltered, we leave it to the next owner to decide. Excellent + Condition.