Why did Fender build amps with dual sets of inputs, as on the Princeton Reverb, Deluxe Reverb, and Vibroverb reissue? The Deluxe has Normal and Vibrato; was Normal intended to plug in a microphone and have guitar in the Vibrato side, like a small PA? Also, can they be patched to create an overdriven sound, or would that negatively affect the amp/circuit? – Peter Kinzler

Most Fender amps had dual inputs in two senses; the Princeton Reverb had only one channel, but two inputs – labeled “1” and “2” – while the others you mention have two channels, each of which also has two inputs. On any of these, the second input is lower-gain, for use with higher-output guitars that might sound dirty too quickly on the 1 input. Players today often ignore the second input, but it’s a great way to clean up a guitar with humbuckers.

As you surmise, the other models with two channels originated in an era when Fender expected many musicians to plug two instruments into one amp (or an instrument and a microphone). Putting tremolo and reverb on both channels might have cluttered the design, so they often designated them Normal and Vibrato, usually with the guitar in the latter (which also had reverb on models so equipped).

Circuit variations in the two channels on these Fender amps from the early ’60s onward mean you usually can’t patch the two channels with good results because they’re out of phase with each other. That technique is popular with their tweed predecessors, which had two channels in-phase with each other. – Dave Hunter

I have a 1976 Flying V that I’m told was one of just 23 given tobacco sunburst finish that year. Its serial number stamp says “Limited Edition” at the top, followed by “Made in the USA” and a serial number that starts with 00 as a prefix. It plays well but has only about 30 hours on it, so it’s very clean. Can you give me an idea of its value? – J.R. Hefner

According to Jeff Lisec, who has been collecting Flying Vs for decades, your guitar is from the era when Gibson transitioned from a six-digit serial number to (in late 1975) using an oval decal with three lines; on some Flying Vs, the first line said “Limited Edition” (though records don’t indicate what that means) followed by a six-digit serial number (99-xxxxxx). Others have just the six digits in the oval, with no prefix. The ’76 version was identical except the prefix became “00” and at some point, the decals were replaced by an oval impression. In early ’77, serial numbers were given an “06” prefix before Gibson introduced its eight-digit serial number that year.

Flying Vs from that era typically sell for $6,500 to $8,500, though given its condition and the less-common tobaccoburst finish, yours could go higher – perhaps to $10,000. – Ram Tuli, co-author, The Official Vintage Guitar Price Guide

George Harrison’s rosewood “rooftop” Telecaster was built in 1968, so wasn’t subject to CITES laws prohibiting the importation of Brazilian rosewood, which took affect at the end of ’69. So, was George’s guitar, along with that early run of rosewood Teles, made with Brazilian or Indian rosewood? – Bill Jacobs

No records from Fender have surfaced indicating what kind of rosewood was used for Harrison’s Telecaster or, for that matter, the fretboards on various Fenders in the late ’60s. I’ve seen a fair number of what appear to be Indian rosewood fretboards, suggesting Fender (and Gibson) foresaw problems with the supply of Brazilian as early as ’64, when a military coup occurred in Brazil.

Visually, Harrison’s Tele shows no sign of the dark figuration most makers would feature if they were using Brazilian. The grain on the bass side of its top looks more like the wide, rough pattern of an ash-body Tele than any species of rosewood, so it may have been retrieved from scrap/less-desirable pieces of rosewood. The treble-side grain is straight, which would be more typical of (but not definitively) Indian rosewood. There’s no way to know for certain, but it’s reasonable to assume Fender was using Indian when Harrison’s guitar was made. – Walter Carter

I have a 2001 Fender American Series Jazz Bass in Silver Sparkle, and the back of the headstock is marked “American Designer Edition.” I’m told it was a limited run for Guitar Center with a modified body shape and rolled-edge fretboard. There isn’t a reference to it in The Official Vintage Guitar Price Guide, so I’m curious about its value. – Christopher Cassels

The American Designer Edition Jazz was indeed a run of 125 built for Guitar Center in 2001. As with any instrument offered in many variants (Fender currently makes 26 Jazz Bass models), it would not be possible to track sales data for every one, especially going back to 1960. The Guide keys on models that appear most often in the market, and limited runs like yours surface so seldom that there isn’t sufficient data to determine a price range. They do, however, trend much like the American Deluxe from the early 2000s, which sell between $1,500 and $2,000. – Ram Tuli

This column addresses questions about guitar-related subjects, ranging from songs, albums, and musicians to the minutiae of instrument builds, manufacturers, and the collectible market. Questions can be sent to ward@vintageguitar.com with “VG Q&A” in the subject line.

This article originally appeared in VG’s June 2024 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.