The TC Electronic AmpWorx Combo Deluxe 65' is a preamp pedal that digitally recreates the sound of a 1965 Blackface Fender Reverb Deluxe combo amplifier, giving a player that vintage amp sound on a pedalboard1. It is part of TC Electronic's AmpWorx series of preamp pedals, built with the company's AMPWORX modeling technology1. Guitar World describes it as a preamp pedal with modeled amp sound and speaker emulation2.
The pedal is one of three Vintage Series amps in the AmpWorx line, each based on a model from 19652. Its siblings include the TC Electronic Ampworx JIMS 45 Preamp, the TC Electronic Ampworx Dual Wreck Preamp and the TC Electronic Ampworx DC30 Preamp.
What it models and how it sounds
Pedal of the Day describes the Combo Deluxe 65' as "a true-to-life digital simulation of a 1965 Blackface Fender Reverb Deluxe combo amplifier"1. Guitar World's reviewer, Trevor Curwen, notes it is based on a black-panel Fender Deluxe Reverb2.
The pedal offers two channels: a Green channel and a Red channel, modeled after the Normal and Vibrato channels of the original Reverb Deluxe1. A Bright switch adds extra sparkle and bite1. The DI output integrates the official Celestion Digital impulse response of a 12 inch G12M Creamback speaker, so the direct signal carries the character of that speaker1. Guitar World confirms the Combo Deluxe 65' has a Celestion 12-inch G12M Creamback speaker emulation2.
The controls and footswitches
The control panel follows the layout of the amp it models, with one addition: a Middle tone control not found on the vintage amplifiers1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | Sets the amount of drive into the modeled preamp |
| Level | Sets the output volume |
| Bass | Low-end tone control |
| Middle | Midrange tone control, not found on the vintage amplifiers1 |
| Treble | High-end tone control |
| Reverb | Sets the amount of the modeled reverb |
| Reverb Tone | Shapes the character of the reverb |
| Bright switch | Adds extra sparkle and bite1 |
Two footswitches handle the rest: a Reverb footswitch and a Channel footswitch, so a player can kick the reverb on and off and swap between the Green and Red channels mid-song2.
The Reverb Tone setting can be modified as one of the pedal's optional modifications1.
Power and connections
The Combo Deluxe 65' runs on a 9V adaptor, drawing 300mA, and the adaptor is not supplied with the pedal2. There is no battery power2, so it needs a mains adaptor or a pedalboard power supply with enough current on tap.
At 300mA, this pedal draws more current than most analog drives and boosts. A small daisy-chain supply rated for a handful of 100mA pedals may not keep up.
On the connection side, it has a standard input, a standard output, a standard TRS DI output, a 1/8 inch headphones output and USB2. The headphone out means a player can practice silently, and the speaker-emulated DI output can feed a PA or recording interface directly, with the Celestion G12M Creamback impulse response baked into the direct signal21.
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Mike Hermans
Questions
Can the TC Electronic Combo Deluxe 65' run on a battery?
No. The pedal runs on a 9V adaptor only, drawing 300mA, and the adaptor is not supplied with it. There is no battery option, so it needs a power supply or an isolated output on a pedalboard power brick.
Is the Combo Deluxe 65' true bypass?
No. It uses buffered bypass. When the pedal is off, the signal passes through a buffer rather than being hard-wired straight through, which keeps the signal path active at all times.
Can I use the Combo Deluxe 65' with headphones?
Yes. It has a 1/8 inch headphone output, so you can plug straight in and play silently. The headphone out is separate from the standard output and the TRS DI output.
Does the Combo Deluxe 65' work as a DI into a PA or interface?
Yes. It has a standard TRS DI output with speaker emulation built in, using the official Celestion Digital impulse response of a 12 inch G12M Creamback speaker. That DI signal can go straight to a PA or recording interface without a cab.
Is the Combo Deluxe 65' analog or digital?
It is digital. The pedal is a digital simulation of a 1965 Blackface Fender Reverb Deluxe combo amplifier, built with TC Electronic's AMPWORX modeling technology, including a digital Celestion speaker impulse response on the DI output.
Sources (2)
- TC Electronic Ampworx Combo Deluxe 65' Preamp, Pedal of the Day, 2023-12-09
- TC Electronic AmpWorx Series, Guitar World, 2024-11-18
