• Guys, we've spent considerable money converting the Les Paul Forum to this new XenForo platform, and we have ongoing monthly operating expenses. THE "DONATIONS" TAB IS NOW WORKING, AND WE WOULD APPRECIATE ANY DONATIONS YOU CAN MAKE TO KEEP THE LES PAUL FORUM GOING! Thank you!

Why a reverse panel on early Fenders

goldtop0

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 19, 2003
Messages
8,931
And the same on early Marshall combos.
So we have Volume , Tone etc facing away from the front of the amp.
Plus the footpedals on blackface Fenders with Reverb/Vibrato facing the other way, why is that?
What were Leo and Jim thinking.
 

gmann

Well-known member
Joined
May 26, 2003
Messages
6,147
Always wondered about that myself. It would have been so easy to do it the other way I can’t believe no one suggested it.
 

thin sissy

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 2, 2006
Messages
2,691
My guess is that they thought players would place the amps at the front of the stage facing the dance floor. The player would stand behind the amp and then be able to fiddle the knobs. This is not how I would want to be set up, but since this was early in amplified music maybe they didn't know better?

Again, this is only a guess :)
 

J T

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 20, 2005
Messages
10,501
Back at the time they were made, the big bands style was that everybody sat and played with music stands in front. The music stands were like little podiums with the logo or initials of the band on the front. Sitting in this arrangement, a seated guitar player would have the amp in front between them and the audience. That is why the panel and knobs face the rear of the amp. That design carried over until players began putting the amps in back of them so that they could stand up and move around the stage.
 

goldtop0

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 19, 2003
Messages
8,931
So the amp panels and footswitches were designed for '40s playing..........ooh err...........rock'n'roll will never die :LOL:
 

Bob Womack

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 8, 2002
Messages
2,191
The Epiphone Zephyr was the archetype for this design.

thumbnail.jpg.e993f7ca5d295706a1ea068fd5f4e0fc.jpg


The top was angled back and the front had the snazzy fretwork to make the amp look just like a miniature period stage music stand.

1d74266d1d5cc2199bddfee0d907e99d.jpg


Back in 1975 a high school friend of mine had one of those Zephyrs and I lusted after it its cool Art Deco look.

Bob
 

Don

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 1, 2001
Messages
5,732
We used to play at a place so small that the best spot for my tweed Deluxe was in front of me. It worked well that way.
 
  • Like
Reactions: J T

goldtop0

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 19, 2003
Messages
8,931
And then '50s R'n'R happened and players like Scotty Moore and others who were backing up stood alongside their amps so it wasn't an issue but by the mid '60s with Marshall and Vox combos and band members standing out front it stayed the same........beats me.
 

TM1

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
Messages
8,349
If my friend Tim Drummond was alive I could've asked him. It's hard to tell as with Neil it's whatever he likes..
 
Top