fender combo amp

[osion]

hey, now that i've decided on a guitar (fender stratocaster- yes, i know im not that original), i need an amp. I want a fender amp because i hear they go well with fender guitars. I am looking for a combo amp with effects and a footswitch so that i dont need any pedals or anything. price range from 400-700 dollars. i want an amp that i will be able to use for gigs and i need it to be versatile. i tried the fender ultimate chorus (600 dollars) and it was alright but i wasnt blown away. do any of you know any other quality fender combo amps in that price range to try out?

[Scinx]

used twin reverb

[c7sus]

Stick with a small TUBE combo and use outboard FX or stompboxes.

I like the DeVilles, but what I really want is a Blues Junior.

[Sonic Misfit]

My wife got me a Blues Jr. combo for Christmas so that I could have something a little more portable than my regular rig. This is a great small amp. For only 15 watts it is LOUD! You can get one of these in your price range and still have something left over for some nice stomp boxes.

[tom18222]

he said he needs it for gigs.

Thats fender guitars sound good with fender amps thing, its all with taste. go test some amps out. see what you like, not what you heard from a friend.

[spankenstein]

I really recommend any of the "Hot Rod" Fender amps: Blues Jr., Deluxe, DeVille... all yummy.

The 40w Deluxe is more than loud enough to play with a band.

[SemiCrazy]

Onboard effects and stuff you dont need.....You should get a good reliable amp that sounds great all by its self and add affects by using pedals or what have you.

If you get one of these ultra modern digital amps with onboard effects that only sound good when you have the effects turned on, what will you do when you don't like the effects it came with anymore?

Any Fender ALL TUBE amp will compliment a Strat very well. And when I SAY all tube I don't mean this crap Fender has come out with the past five years with channel selections and such. REAL all tube amps don't have flashing LEDs and intergrated circuit boards just hand soldered components wrapped up in fish board tubes and a light bulb.

Maybe I'm just too old..or maybe I just love the tone of old Fenders and hate to see what they are trying to call Fender these days.

Anyway.
To go with a classic match up that many players use including the pros, get a Deluxe Reverb.


They were made from 1963 to the late 70's and a Blackface reissue was made in 81-83. I think a reissue cam out a few years ago to.


A Deluxe Reverb is loud enough for gigs without a doubt but not so loud you can use it a home. It will break up just right for a Strat.

60's blackface models will go for around $900 for one in good shape but not mint.

The price drops if its a 70's silverface. Drops more for silverface with master volume pull out knob. Around $750.

The 80's reissues are still floating around pawnshops and the prices range wildly. Some people try to sell them as originals from the post CBS blackface days. A good rule, if it has a red three prong plug its most likely a 80's reissue. $650 is what I would pay for one.

Another super amp to get would be Princton Reverb. Its the Deluxes kid brother. Lower wattage but same great tone. The price scale for Princtons is about the same as the Deluxes but subtract $100 or so.

If you go with a vintage Fender you will need to shop around because prices varry from dealer to dealer and different parts of the country

[jimistone]

I picked up a used fender hot rod deville for $300....its mint too. There are some great deals out there.

the deville is insanely loud...I think it would hold its own with a 100 watt all tube marshall (i got rid of my 100 watt marshall)

If you have the money, its dosen't get much better than a strat into a 4/10 super reverb.

[CMEZ]

If you INSIST on having channel switching and crunch and whatnot in your AMP and not on a pedalboard, go with the Deville series. They're all relatively the same. Lots of people use 'em.

I personally, however, don't like the way they sound all that much in any 'crunch' mode at all. I'll second the old fogey vote (LOL) and suggest that you get something like a Deluxe Reverb or a Vibrolux-or a Super Reverb and then match a distortion pedal to your particular rig that sounds like you want it to. If you hunt around, you can get a good amp AND a good sounding pedal for what you might pay for the Deville.

You can pick either a Deluxe or Vibrolux up used for $500-600 tops for a re-issue. The silver faces are a good value as well.

Chris