Fender Tone Master FR-10 and FR-12 FRFR cabs
- Thread starter Lysander
- Start date
toneseeker911
Groupie
- Messages
- 64
Two FR10s are easy to move and also help to get a stereo setup on wider stages. Also gives me the option to use just one for quick jams.
Those are the reasons I came up with after buying one and realizing it can’t keep up. All the 1000W b.s was just b.s. After buying one, I just had to bite the bullet and get the second one. They do sound really good though, second to only my CLR that stays put in the studio.
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- 9,589
I haven't yet, but I see no reason why they wouldn't be great?
paisleywookiee
Rock Star
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- 8,954
The Laneys sound pretty good with acoustic, so I’m assuming the Fenders/EVH would be good too.
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- 9,589
The Laneys look nice.
Since changing the preamps in my FR10s I'm even more confident they'll be great for acoustic.
I acquired a nylon string Cordoba, a nicer model with rosewood back and sides, and a cutaway. But the bridge was popped off so I need to do some work on it to get it in proper order. It has a built in pickup system so my goal is to use it with the FR10s.
paisleywookiee
Rock Star
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- 8,954
I’m sure it’ll be great. I mean, remember that “acoustic amps” are effectively striving to be mini-PAs anyway, which is more or less the goal of the FRFRs too.
Is the general consensus that these FRs are nicer than a, say, Yamaha DBR10/12, a QSC, Electrovoice, etc? For guitar, I mean.
Somehow, I still have the feeling that it's just an FRFR (a nice one, but not better than a DBR10) with guitar amp aesthetics.
Great reviews all around, but that thing of the noisy preamp and having to spend a good extra to upgrade it... Meh...
Somehow, I still have the feeling that it's just an FRFR (a nice one, but not better than a DBR10) with guitar amp aesthetics.
Great reviews all around, but that thing of the noisy preamp and having to spend a good extra to upgrade it... Meh...
ian_dissonance
Shredder
- Messages
- 1,788
I’m not an engineer, but the FR stuff seems to have more of what I would call “guitar” midrange, like possibly higher crossover frequency for the tweeter so there’s more upper mids/highs in the woofer. I’ve used a variety of PA speakers over the years and these sound different in a good way for guitar.
Jarick
Rock Star
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- 4,906
I think for guitar purposes they are really good for the money. They are well constructed to survive heavy gigging, EQ adjustment is really nice (including the cut control), and generally sound good. Also being built into a guitar cabinet may give a more familiar cab resonance to guitar players.
All I know is when I plugged into one it sounded a lot more like a guitar amp than other stuff I've tried. Granted I haven't used a lot of nice FRFR speakers but it sounded better than cheap PA speakers or studio monitors for the amp in the place thing.
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- 9,589
I didn't think the stock preamp was a deal breaker tbh. It was more than acceptable. But, having a chance to upgrade it with a tested and universally celebrated Archangel module, was just too good to pass up. $150 is a great deal and takes 20 minutes to change. I bought 2 of course.
paisleywookiee
Rock Star
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- 8,954
Was it ever confirmed if it works on the EVH Hypersonic? I imagine it would, since it's the same thing as the FR12.
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- 9,589
Umm, that I'm not sure. My guess is they are?
privatezero
Newbie
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- 8
I was perfectly happy playing mine stock for almost 2 years and noise never bothered me.
It was only when I finally took the plunge and ordered one to replace a faulty preamp board in my first one that I noticed the noise in the second one when placed side by side.
Yes I eventually did order a second, but in no world is the noise an issue when just playing and not being hyper fixated on on pristine tone.
I’ve had a number of real tube amps over the years and they all had background noises of some sort.
It was only when I finally took the plunge and ordered one to replace a faulty preamp board in my first one that I noticed the noise in the second one when placed side by side.
Yes I eventually did order a second, but in no world is the noise an issue when just playing and not being hyper fixated on on pristine tone.
I’ve had a number of real tube amps over the years and they all had background noises of some sort.
JiveTurkey
Goatlord
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- 22,080
I believe the bass and treble location are swapped on the Hypersonic. There is a guy on FAS forum that swapped them out (Domcat(?)) and they work great iirc?
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- 9,589
I can hear some dudes twitching right now.
paisleywookiee
Rock Star
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- 8,954
Ah, so just get out your label makers? It’ll look like a Pete Cornish-modded FRFR!!
synthpenguin
Roadie
- Messages
- 592
Have any particular one(s) you’d recommend?
deadpool_25
Shredder
- Messages
- 1,200
@synthpenguin I’d been through a few FRFR type setups and strongly disliked all of them. Then I tried the EV-PXM-12 and really liked it. It was soooo much better with the Fractal gear I had at the time. Later, I got an FR-12 and I felt like that was a significant upgrade from the PXM for playing guitar (I like the PXM slightly better for just playing recorded music through). It just sounds more like a guitar cab to me (and also looks more like one).
Eventually I ended up with a couple FR-12s with the Archangel V3 preamps and couldn’t be much happier I don’t think. Maybe if they had Mesa aesthetics instead of Fender aesthetics but that’s about it.
Eventually I ended up with a couple FR-12s with the Archangel V3 preamps and couldn’t be much happier I don’t think. Maybe if they had Mesa aesthetics instead of Fender aesthetics but that’s about it.
deadpool_25
Shredder
- Messages
- 1,200
See post above. I definitely think it sounds different (better) than the other stuff I’ve tried. YMMV
The original preamps were noisy but not that noisy. It was noticeable but not a huge deal for some people. It was a bigger deal for some other people though. But the updated ones are significantly quieter. Still not as silent as the fix @Lysander came up with, or as quiet as the Archangel preamps though, but I think the updated Fender preamp is quiet enough.
