Model 26 Deluxe "Woodie"

Fender Electric Instrument Co.; Fullerton (CA)

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  • Year
  • 1946–1948
  • Category
  • Audio Amplifier or -mixer
  • Radiomuseum.org ID
  • 109282

 Technical Specifications

  • Number of Tubes
  • 5
  • Main principle
  • Audio-Amplification
  • Wave bands
  • - without
  • Details
  • Guitar Amplifier
  • Power type and voltage
  • Alternating Current supply (AC) / 60 Hz, 110 Volt
  • Loudspeaker
  • Electro Magnetic Dynamic LS (moving-coil with field excitation coil) / Ø 10 inch = 25.4 cm
  • Material
  • Wooden case
  • from Radiomuseum.org
  • Model: Model 26 Deluxe "Woodie" - Fender Electric Instrument Co.
  • Shape
  • Tablemodel, with any shape - general.
  • Notes

  • Model 26 Deluxe "Woodie 

    The early Fender guitar amplifiers, including the Princeton, Model 26 Deluxe, and Professional, marked a significant evolution in Fender's amplifier design and construction. Introduced in the spring of 1946, these models represented a notable improvement over their predecessors from the K&F era.

    Design and Construction

    The trio of amplifiers were built with elegant hardwood cabinets, which later inspired the nickname "Woodie" among collectors. These cabinets came in three finishes:

    • Gleaming blonde maple
    • Black walnut
    • Dark mahogany

    The amplifiers featured plush grille cloths in red, blue, and yellow/gold, with matching material on the rear lower back panel. A distinctive design element was the three metal strips running vertically over the speaker opening, adding a touch of "flash and brilliance" to their appearance.

    Model 26 Deluxe Model Specifications

    The Deluxe, also known as "Model 26," was the mid-range option:

    • Featured a single 10" Jensen field-coil speaker (later replaced with permanent magnet speakers)
    • 14-watt design with five tubes
    • Three input jacks: two for instruments, one for microphone
    • Rear-mounted control panel with Fender lightning-bolt logo
    • Controls: instrument volume, microphone volume, and tone (which also served as the on/off switch)

    Early versions of the Deluxe had no circuit board, with components directly connected. Turret Circuit boards were introduced in 1947.

    The "Woodie" era was relatively short-lived, lasting only about a year and a half. By the summer of 1948, the Deluxe was upgraded to the new tweed-covered TV-front style, along with other improvements. These early models, particularly the Deluxe, laid the foundation for some of Fender's most acclaimed and popular amplifiers in the years to come

    Note: From Serial number ~400 the phase inverter tube 6SN7 was replaced with a 6N7. From Seria lnumber ~800 the preamp tube 6SN7 was replaced with a 6SC7. 

  • Mentioned in
  • -- Collector info (Sammler)
  • Author
  • Model page created by Peter Hoddow. See "Data change" for further contributors.

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