Fender Tone Master FR-10 and FR-12 "FRFR" cabs

[aflynt]

Same, and this got me thinking, I don't remember if I EVER had to hold a room with my amp, I've always played with a PA/sound reinforcement. And I'm going back to the early 80's with gigging.

Kind of strange.

I’ve done a lot of them. Just way less now that I’m running sound most of the time.

-Aaron

 

[Baba]

So I don't like a wedge hitting my face with my guitar. Like, at all. This is definitely a backline solution for sure.

Me neither, but I’ve got IEMs in the way to take the edge off.

-Aaron

Me neither, and custom IEMs AND a wedge, is a nice mix. Any wedge I use is just for pushing air and feeling it, at this point. All the tone and clarity, and stereo fx, are in my ears. It's like Madison Square Bedroom going on, in my head

 

[lolainnb]

Seems like the big sellers are out of stock. What’s the deal? No way they all sold out? Did fender take them back?

 

[Lysander]

Seems like the big sellers are out of stock. What’s the deal? No way they all sold out? Did fender take them back?

It's likely selling well. Back when i bought my FR-12 the order got delayed for a week or so because the seller ran out of stock in a few days.

 

[lolainnb]

I am hoping fender recalled every single unsold unit and replaced the noisy ones with the modded boards

 

[Lysander]

I am hoping fender recalled every single unsold unit and replaced the noisy ones with the modded boards

Sorry to kill your hopes, but there's zero chance of that happening - specially for a product which launched not a month ago.

 

[eggpl@nt]

Sorry to kill your hopes, but there's zero chance of that happening - specially for a product which launched not a month ago.

And because that’s going to add cost to a decision that was obviously made to reduce costs.

 

[Baba]

And because that’s going to add cost to a decision that was obviously made to reduce costs.

 

[eggpl@nt]

yes

 

[lolainnb]

What about new production? I mean after the board had their “code: Lysander” meetings. Why wouldn’t they change/ improvethe design quietly? What about buying directly from fender?

 

[eggpl@nt]

What about new production? I mean after the board had their “code: Lysander” meetings. Why wouldn’t they change/ improvethe design quietly? What about buying directly from fender?

dolla dolla bills, y’all

Fender used commodity opamps that I would bet a kidney they’re using in many other products. Drives volumes up and costs down. If they switch to a better opamp, not only are they paying for a better opamp, they’re paying for a better opamp with a lower volume-based price.

The design ain’t changing. They surely considered the impact of the noise performance vs the number of customers who would care or notice, and they made their decision.

 

[JiveTurkey]

It's Not That BadTM*



***Laughs in my best NDSP power supply voice

 

[Baba]

yes

I need an Architect gif where he's not doing anything, just staring at Neo.

 

[Piing]

Joe plays FR-12 (and the ToneMaster Pro)

Is that chair for attenuating the hiss?? That is a cool mod that doesn't involve replacing chips!

 

[Foxmeister]

I am hoping fender recalled every single unsold unit and replaced the noisy ones with the modded boards

Anecdotally, the vast majority of Fender FR owners are either blissfully unaware of the issue, or, like myself, simply don't see it as an issue.

YMMV of course, but in my case, this is an issue (aux from TMP):


And this isn't (overall noise floor of my FR-12):

 

[jay mitchell]

Fender used commodity opamps

Here's an important fact: Fender doesn't make these. Hanser (Hanser Development) does.

that I would bet a kidney they’re using in many other products.

Hanser is using TLO84s in other non-Fender products. In order for them to benefit from quantity pricing on upgraded opamps, they'd have to get their other OEM customers to go along with the increased cost.

Drives volumes up and costs down. If they switch to a better opamp, not only are they paying for a better opamp, they’re paying for a better opamp with a lower volume-based price.

That would happen if and only if Hanser were to upgrade opamps in all the applications where they are used. Fender isn't their only OEM customer, and TLO84s won't cause noise problems in every design where they are used.

 

[eggpl@nt]

Here's an important fact: Fender doesn't make these. Hanser (Hanser Development) does.

Hanser is using TLO84s in other non-Fender products. In order for them to benefit from quantity pricing on upgraded opamps, they'd have to get their other OEM customers to go along with the increased cost.

That would happen if and only if Hanser were to upgrade opamps in all the applications where they are used. Fender isn't their only OEM customer, and TLO84s won't cause noise problems in every design where they are used.

a distinction without a difference...

some company (fender, hanser, whoever, idgaf) selected components to leverage volume pricing on a commodity component for a consumer application. aside from the fender-hanser thing, nothing I said is untrue.

 

[Lysander]

Here's an important fact: Fender doesn't make these. Hanser (Hanser Development) does.

Is this verified? Hanser definitely builds the power amp section for the FR-10/12, but i have seen no clear indication they do the same for the preamps - which are completely different, both in design cues and construction.

Anyway, the entire discussion of "why don't they change ICs?" is completely academic: the TL084 is a perfectly fine opamp choice for audio. The problem is the preamp design, not the chips used in it.

 

[jellodog]

Is this verified? Hanser definitely builds the power amp section for the FR-10/12, but i have seen no clear indication they do the same for the preamps - which are completely different, both in design cues and construction.

Agree. My impression is that Hanser have only produced the power amp and that the preamp is all Fender. It even looks like a Fender preamp - i.e. similar board, components and construction to the Fender reissue tube amps that I've owned.

 

[danrop]

has anyone tried one of these with an hx effects with an amp/cab ir loaded