Fender Pro-Amp 5B5 Tube Amplifier (1952)
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Fender Pro-Amp 5B5 Model Tube Amplifier (1952), made in Fullerton, California, serial # 3275, tweed fabric covering finish.
This is a truly excellent example of a very early wide-panel Fender "Pro-Amp", one of the most powerful amplifiers of the early 1950s. The single 15" Pro had been the flagship design since the very humble beginnings of Fender, the most powerful of the holy trinity of the "Woodies" of the late 40s. It was soon sharing the single 15" professional tier with the earlier Bassman and Bandmaster models. By the mid-1950's it was finally supplanted at the top of the Fender line by the newly introduced "Twin-Amp".
The Pro with its single 15" Jensen speaker was a formidable piece of work for the time putting out plenty of volume and a deep growl with both steel and standard guitar. The Pro has been a beloved choice of many steel players for decades but only fairly recently re-discovered by the "regular" guitar community as one of the best kept Tweed secrets.
Like it's smaller sibling, the 5B3 Deluxe, the 5B5 Pro features four input jacks and two channels, labeled instrument and mic, a volume control for each channel and a master tone control. With its beefed up dual-6L6 power section and bigger cabinet, putting out around 25-30 watts of power into the powerful single Jensen P15N speaker, it can be thought of as a Tweed Deluxe on steroids! It offers a warm, deep and powerful sound but still retaining the top end definition characteristic of Leo Fender's creations.
Height is 20 1/4 in. (51.4 cm.), 22 in. (55.9 cm.) width, and 9 in. (22.9 cm.) deep.
This is a very nicely preserved example overall. The amp is too early to have a date code on the tube chart, but the serial number 3275 dates the amp to 1952 and according to available information, Fender only made around a thousand 5B5 Pro models that year. This amp was wired up by Eileen and her signature is still intact on the masking tape tag inside the chassis.
Cosmetically, the tweed covering is in phenomenal shape, still bearing a lighter patina and shows only minor wear along with some light signs of staining towards the bottom edge of the cabinet. The chrome control plate is practically mirror clean with all the stenciled graphics nicely intact and only VERY minimal signs of blemishing. The grille cloth is clean and in remarkably good shape; taut and without any tears or signs of fraying. The handle is a high quality reproduction; this is a heavy amp, so the original leather handle is nearly always long gone!
Electrically, this Pro is all original. The original Jensen P15N speaker bears the code 220-231, dating it to the 31st week of 1952. The speaker has been professionally reconed and sounds phenomenal. Both the Triad-made power and output transformers are original, bearing the codes 6516 and 1846, respectively. Visible pot codes all date to the 33rd week of 1952. The amp has otherwise seen our typical maintenance and servicing, including replacement of all electrolytic capacitors, a grounded 3-prong power cord, cleaning of all pots, sockets and jacks and biased to spec.
The Pro's deep and lush tone is unlike any other amp from this period, and shades into a massive roar when pushed into overdrive. This amp sounds truly great and in this era of small tweeds is quite an inspiration to play through! Excellent - Condition.
This is a truly excellent example of a very early wide-panel Fender "Pro-Amp", one of the most powerful amplifiers of the early 1950s. The single 15" Pro had been the flagship design since the very humble beginnings of Fender, the most powerful of the holy trinity of the "Woodies" of the late 40s. It was soon sharing the single 15" professional tier with the earlier Bassman and Bandmaster models. By the mid-1950's it was finally supplanted at the top of the Fender line by the newly introduced "Twin-Amp".
The Pro with its single 15" Jensen speaker was a formidable piece of work for the time putting out plenty of volume and a deep growl with both steel and standard guitar. The Pro has been a beloved choice of many steel players for decades but only fairly recently re-discovered by the "regular" guitar community as one of the best kept Tweed secrets.
Like it's smaller sibling, the 5B3 Deluxe, the 5B5 Pro features four input jacks and two channels, labeled instrument and mic, a volume control for each channel and a master tone control. With its beefed up dual-6L6 power section and bigger cabinet, putting out around 25-30 watts of power into the powerful single Jensen P15N speaker, it can be thought of as a Tweed Deluxe on steroids! It offers a warm, deep and powerful sound but still retaining the top end definition characteristic of Leo Fender's creations.
Height is 20 1/4 in. (51.4 cm.), 22 in. (55.9 cm.) width, and 9 in. (22.9 cm.) deep.
This is a very nicely preserved example overall. The amp is too early to have a date code on the tube chart, but the serial number 3275 dates the amp to 1952 and according to available information, Fender only made around a thousand 5B5 Pro models that year. This amp was wired up by Eileen and her signature is still intact on the masking tape tag inside the chassis.
Cosmetically, the tweed covering is in phenomenal shape, still bearing a lighter patina and shows only minor wear along with some light signs of staining towards the bottom edge of the cabinet. The chrome control plate is practically mirror clean with all the stenciled graphics nicely intact and only VERY minimal signs of blemishing. The grille cloth is clean and in remarkably good shape; taut and without any tears or signs of fraying. The handle is a high quality reproduction; this is a heavy amp, so the original leather handle is nearly always long gone!
Electrically, this Pro is all original. The original Jensen P15N speaker bears the code 220-231, dating it to the 31st week of 1952. The speaker has been professionally reconed and sounds phenomenal. Both the Triad-made power and output transformers are original, bearing the codes 6516 and 1846, respectively. Visible pot codes all date to the 33rd week of 1952. The amp has otherwise seen our typical maintenance and servicing, including replacement of all electrolytic capacitors, a grounded 3-prong power cord, cleaning of all pots, sockets and jacks and biased to spec.
The Pro's deep and lush tone is unlike any other amp from this period, and shades into a massive roar when pushed into overdrive. This amp sounds truly great and in this era of small tweeds is quite an inspiration to play through! Excellent - Condition.