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

[usphotographer]

Why do you need a new Preamp? did not Fender make a revised version to fix the Hiss ?

Because we can and it's sexy as f*ck!

Credit for text and photo below goes to WKSmith:

It has a new eq in the middle of a tuned and refined version of the stock preamp.

It adds phantom power protection.
It adds a clip light through a clear vol knob.
Premium eq/cut pots with 40 fine clicks.
It hisses less than even the "fixed" stock pre.
The bass knob is tuned to hit a lower freq.
The mid knob is now a fat wide q.
The ICs are in sockets for tinkerers.
Soic pads also included for tinkerers.
It has pads for a mute/standby switch.
It has a Jumper for bypassing the x-over.
The PC boards are 2 sided with dual ground planes and are gold plated.
Premium passive parts everywhere.
Heavier AWG cables for better power/signal.

 

[Stone]

Because we can and it's sexy as f*ck!

Credit for text and photo below goes to WKSmith:

It has a new eq in the middle of a tuned and refined version of the stock preamp.

It adds phantom power protection.
It adds a clip light through a clear vol knob.
Premium eq/cut pots with 40 fine clicks.
It hisses less than even the "fixed" stock pre.
The bass knob is tuned to hit a lower freq.
The mid knob is now a fat wide q.
The ICs are in sockets for tinkerers.
Soic pads also included for tinkerers.
It has pads for a mute/standby switch.
It has a Jumper for bypassing the x-over.
The PC boards are 2 sided with dual ground planes and are gold plated.
Premium passive parts everywhere.
Heavier AWG cables for better power/signal.

View attachment 23875

Sure is a Nice high quality board, but isn't it an expensive component ?

 

[usphotographer]

Sure is a Nice high quality board, but isn't it an expensive component ?

It is if you aren't on the list! Not kidding.

 

[Stratzrus]

Why do you need a new Preamp? did not Fender make a revised version to fix the Hiss ?

Sure is a Nice high quality board, but isn't it an expensive component ?

No, actually it's quite reasonable. No more expensive than retubing a 100 watt head and it only has to be done once.

 

[usphotographer]

No, actually it's quite reasonable. No more expensive than retubing a 100 watt head and it only has to be done once.

It is very very reasonable, if you are on the list! Once the list is done it has been predicted by the greatest of music equipment fortune tellers that the value will surpass that of the Dumble Amps!

 

[Humberd]

What's the cost ? Of the board.

 

[usphotographer]

What's the cost ? Of the board.

You would need to contact WKSmith on that.

 

[CakeEater]

Max at Fender posted this over on discord. Tweed FR12's for Pearl Jam's Tour! Says they are considering making them available to the public. Here comes the TWEED!

View attachment 22319

Surf / Seafoam green please....

 

[usphotographer]

Surf / Seafoam green please....
View attachment 23879

Nice!

 

[deadpool_25]

Why do you need a new Preamp? did not Fender make a revised version to fix the Hiss ?

It's not just the hiss. There are other issues that may or may not matter for some people. And you don't need a new preamp. The V2 is objectively and audibly an upgrade though. The FR-12 goes from "excellent sounding with some design flaws" to "more excellent sounding with no design flaws."

Sure is a Nice high quality board, but isn't it an expensive component ?

No it's not very expensive.

 

[CakeEater]

Nice!

Yeah, I love these aesthetics. I'm so on board with FR-FR speakers looking like real amps or cabs. The FR-FR wedge monitors I have are very good, but they just don't have the same vibe or appeal visually. And I know that may be trivial to some, but for me playing guitar as a whole experience involves the sound, the feel, and the aesthetic.

I've actually spent a long time looking at getting a real cab, but it seems so impractical these days. Every IR I prefer is a Pre-Rola Greenback 412, and even a pair of those speakers will cost over €1000 now. Plus the size of the cab, its directionality, and its weight are all drawbacks. Then there's the means of powering it, be that a tube amp with a power-amp in, or a solid state class AB amp that's not quite designed for that purpose, and it's still heavy and cumbersome. In short, I'm all-in on modelling, I'm not yet all-in on FR-FR, but I'm all-in on FR-FR cab hybrids once they're done right.

 

[Stratzrus]

Yeah, I love these aesthetics. I'm so on board with FR-FR speakers looking like real amps or cabs. The FR-FR wedge monitors I have are very good, but they just don't have the same vibe or appeal visually. And I know that may be trivial to some, but for me playing guitar as a whole experience involves the sound, the feel, and the aesthetic.

I agree 100%.

I don't know if my FR-12 actually sounds better than my Atomic CLRs (haven't done an A/B comparison) but the experience feels more like playing through a tube amp combo and I like it.

I have some major dialing in to do before I'm getting optimal results but I'm really looking forward to having my FM9/FR-12 rig as my main setup for playing out.

Time will tell if that's the way I decide to go but the potential is there and so far I'm very happy with the results.

 

[molul]

Just finished reading the whole thread. The hissgate has prevented me from getting a FR12. As I'm not in a hurry, I think I'll wait to see what other solutions other brands come with. I'd be surprised if Line6 doesn't make a powercab without cab simulation soon enough.