Why a tweed cabinet with blackface tolex and grill?
The styling of the Hot Rod Deluxe/Deville, as well as ’96-Present Blues/Pro Junior, is based on a short lived tweed cabinet/black tolex combination that was used in the mid-60s. I’m not sure if any vintage Deluxes ever looked like the modern Hot Rods. Before ’60 all Deluxes were tweed. From ’61-’62 Fender switched to “blonde” coverings. Then from ’63 to around ’68 Fender went blackface, before setting into the silverface style for most of the 70s. Below are pictures of a modern Hot Rod Deluxe compared to a rare 1964 Champ with the original styling. A new Pro Junior almost looks totally identical to this Champ.
