Fender amps

[Ozeshin]

Ok...
My band has just landed a new rythym guitarist and a week before auditioning for us his Laney combo was stolen.
He's in the market for a new amp and his budget is around the $1200(AUD) mark.
My local Tokai store have just landed a Fender deal and have the whole range of new Fender amps.
I need some advice on the Fender range as I've never even played though a Fender save for my lil old Fender Champ.
He plays a '70's Strat and a Valley Arts S/S/H(EMG)....so one guitar is high output and the other isn't so hot.
Also they've just gotten the range of huges and ketner amps including the Switchblade combo and the Statesman range.
We're both going into the store tomorrow to test drive all of them but some advice beforehand would be appreciated....we play covers solely and he's SRV fan like me...we do Mary had a little lamb and Pride and Joy so we need a versatile amp that can do the stevie tones one minute and then crank out the Oh Pretty Woman by Gary Moore high gain tones the next(SHUT UP MIKE)

 

[Anonymous]

:lol: I was just going to be helpful - I should tell you to get stuffed after that comment! :lol:

I like the Blues Deluxe (40w 1x12) & Blues Deville (60w 4x10) combos, but they might be a bit too retro and low gain for you Gary Mooron fans. Mine is a 93 US one - I've heard it said that the newer Mexican ones aren't as good, but I can't comment on that.

The most obvious place to start would probably be the Hot Rods - the higher gain versions of the two amps I mentioned. The Hot Rod Deluxe & Devilles have an extra gain stage, & to me they lack subtlety - so you'll probably like them!

:wink:

They don't cost a fortune either, & the Deluxe is reasonably portable.

 

[guitarslinger]

I'm a big fan of the 4x10 hot rod deville also - great sounding amp. It doesn't really do really heavy stuff...old school rock it should eat up.

The Super Sonic is also pretty versatile as well and does higher gain stuff as well. They are about a Grand or so over here which may kind of screw your budget is Aus???

Definitely worth giving both of those a blast.

http://www.fender.com/products//search.php?partno=2160500400

It also has extension cabs and a head and cab option.

Not had any direct experience with the "ketty" stuff but have only ever heard great reviews.

Enjoy....a day of amp playing..nice.

 

[fury_dice]

Hot Rod Deluxe +1

Have gigged one of these with 84 Goldie and '52 RI Tele. It can cover clean up to 'classic rock' by itself and you can do the Gary Moore thing with a pedal - they seem to take o/d and distortion pedals quite well. It's also hellish loud!

 

[Ozeshin]

Hot Rod Deluxe it is.
I road tested one....the boost on the footswitch works pretty well although watch the Presence setting as I found it almost able to shatter glass if it's set too high when the boost kicks in
Also tried one of these:
http://www.egnateramps.com/Start.html but it was double the price of the Fender.

 

[Anonymous]

Black or tweed?

 

[Ozeshin]

Black or tweed?

Black Tolex with silver mesh.

 

[Anonymous]

Cool. They're great value.

 

[Ozeshin]

I certainly couldn't fault the quality of construction...and the groove tubes DO give it a unique tone.
I tried my trusty old Squier with Wilkinson pickups...and it sounded truly...ummm...Fenderish.
What did NOT do(and am kicking myself for it) was to try a Tokai LP through it.
I tested the Egnater using the strat AND an LS85F coz what I've found is if you get that sweet SRV tone with a Strat...those same settings on a LP gives you a nice EC "Woman Tone"...nice to be able to get two different tone just by swapping guitars. :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

Yeah that makes sense. I assume its Mexican?

 

[Ozeshin]

Not sure...but my lil 'ol Fender Frontman amp IS made in Mexico.
I'll check when I go to pick the amp up this week.

 

[marcusnieman]

For what it's worth, the Blues DeVille 4 x 10 is a great 60watt amp. I have one of the first generation from 83 or 84 (before they went away and are now back as reissues).

Fender amps are very clean sounding unless you push them up to 7 or so. With a big amp like the Blues Deville, the volume at that level is deafening but with the master volume and gain, it eliminates having to tote around a Tube Screamer for lower volume.

My go to amp is the Limited Edition Blues Junior:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Fender-Blues-Junior-Ltd-Edition-Lacquered-Tweed-Relic_W0QQitemZ320276216252QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item320276216252&_trksid=p3286.m14.l1318

For a 15 watt amp, it's pretty ballsy and perfect for small rooms (with a mic for larger venues). It's also got a master volume that gives you alot of tonal possibilities. I like that it has treb, mid and bass controls rather than just a tone and volume knob. The ony thing missing is a vibrato (actually tremolo) channel but a Dunlop Univibe is a nice pairing with it.

 

[Anonymous]

For what it's worth, the Blues DeVille 4 x 10 is a great 60watt amp. I have one of the first generation from 83 or 84 (before they went away and are now back as reissues).

Don't you mean 93 or 94? My BD is from 93, & I remember that they were new models then. I only bought one because I couldn't afford a Vibroverb - & it took me 15 years to get one of them!

 

[marcusnieman]

For what it's worth, the Blues DeVille 4 x 10 is a great 60watt amp. I have one of the first generation from 83 or 84 (before they went away and are now back as reissues).

Don't you mean 93 or 94? My BD is from 93, & I remember that they were new models then. I only bought one because I couldn't afford a Vibroverb - & it took me 15 years to get one of them!

Sorry .... my bad. Yes 93 or 94.

 

[tudor]

Guys,
as you're in the 15watts range already ... don't forget the Deluxe Reverb RI ...
After swapping the speaker ( if it has got the brown/gold edition which is crap) and the tubes optionally it has a great tone covering all you'd need ...
BTW - The BDV 4x10(old) is a wonderful amp !!!!
Roger