Why are Fender amps so expensive? Is Fender A Good Amplifier Brand? Do Fender Amps sound good? Are they durable amplifiers? If you are still a newbie in the guitar world, you may have heard of the Fender brand but do not have a deep knowledge of the company and its products yet.
So, when did Fender start to manufacture guitar amplifiers? Before Fender was able to design their first electric guitar, they had already introduced some guitar amplifiers on the market. The beginning of Fender guitar amps can be traced to their first three “Woodie” models that were introduced in 1946; the original Prince, Deluxe, and Professional.
The three guitar amps were all designed for their older steel guitars. The amplifiers have an upgraded design as they were built using hardwood for their cabinets. It is also the reason why these amps are called the “Woodies.”
The three guitar amps were all designed for their older steel guitars. The amplifiers have an upgraded design as they were built using hardwood for their cabinets. It is also the reason why these amps are called the “Woodies.” At this point, Fender amplifiers look like an early television set with wide panels on all sides of the grill.
Two of the best eras that Fender really dominated the market in guitar amps was when they introduced their Blackface and Silverface amps, respectively. Up to this day, most of the amplifiers are still produced by Fender, as many guitar players loved these amps.
When it comes to guitar amps, Fender amps are always to be the first one on the minds of most guitar players. Although most of their amps are expensive, many guitar players do not mind the price as long as they have a Fender guitar amp.
How Good Are Fender Amps?
Fender amps are really known for their excellent reputation when it comes to recording and live performance. Their amps also last for a very long time. They produce ideal tube amplifiers, but they have also manufactured impressive solid-state amps throughout the years.
American Vintage
The Fender American Vintage Amps are comprised of the 65′ Twin Reverb, 65 Princeton Reverb, 65′ Deluxe Reverb, 65′ Super Reverb, and the ’59 Bassman. These guitars are the modern replication of the classic Brownface and Blackface amplifiers. These are really in the more expensive price points, but for their history, they are one of the most used amplifiers in recording or live performance.
Except for the 59′ Bassman, which is the only Brownface amp in the group, these amplifiers have a really great clean sound with their shining brightness and clarity. My favorite in this group is the 65′ Twin Reverb, as I was able to use it many times on a gig, and it has always impressed me. These guitars are really outstanding for their price.
Although the 59′ Bassman is made purposely as a bass amplifier, many guitar players have used it as a guitar amp as they do wonders for their music. Many people really do not know that the Bassman was originally a bass amplifier and not a guitar amplifier, as you usually see this amp used as a guitar amp.
All in all, these amps are really exceptional for their price points, and they are built to last for a lifetime, as you can still see many guitar amplifiers under these models that are still working up to this day, even if they were built in the 1960s.
American Hand-Wired
The American Hand-Wired amps are composed of the 57′ Custom Champ, 57′ Custom Deluxe, 57′ Custom Twin-Amp, 64′ Custom Deluxe Reverb, and the 64′ Custom Prince Reverb. All of these amps are hand-wired and assembled in Corona, California, where Fender’s manufacturing facility is located.
All these amps come with special-designed speakers specifically for each model. Each of these amps also uses a Finger-Jointed Solid Pine as it helps to reduce the weight of the amplifier and it enhances its resonance. Every component used in making these guitar amps is of high quality, which is why they are really expensive, but rest assured that they are really durable and can last for a very long time.
Vintage Modified
Fender Vintage Modified Amps are the modern version of the Silverface Fender amps that were first introduced in 1967. The Vintage Modified amps series are composed of ’68 Custom Deluxe Reverb, ’68 Custom Pro Reverb, ’68 Custom Twin Reverb, ’68 Custom Vibro Champ Reverb, and the ’68 Custom Princeton Reverb. These guitar amps are expensive, but they have built a reputation in the industry that is really hard to refute.
These guitar amps are really known for their clean sound and beautiful reverb. All of its components are really high quality and durable, so there is no reason to doubt that these guitar amps will work for a long time.
Super-Sonic
The Super-Sonic amps from Fender are known for the iconic Fender long spring reverb, which is really beautiful to listen to. They produce a very clean sound but also a high gain, which is great for rock songs. The series is only composed of the Super Sonic 22 Combo and the Super-Sonic Head Amp.
The components used in the Super-Sonic amps are of high quality, which is why they produce an excellent sound, but it is also rest assured that they are durable amplifiers and can last for a long time.
Hot Rod
The Fender Hot Rod amps are perfect for rock and blues, which is unusual for Fender amps as they are known for their clean sound and not for their overdrive tones. If you want to play a Blues song in a Fender amp, then you really should go for either a Blues Junior or Blues Deluxe. They are really great-sounding amps, which is perfect for the genre.
If you are a rocker, you should go for a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe or DeVille, as both are perfect amps for playing rock songs. All these amps are built with excellent quality components, so they are really durable and will last for a long time. There is no wonder why these amps are expensive, but you are already getting a great deal for their value.
Bassbreaker
The Fender Bassbreaker amps are the modern version of the Bassman amps in the late 1950s. They are perfect if you are looking for a crunchy and gritty tone for an amp. These guitar amps really redefine the dirty tube tone for Fender amps.
These amps really give justice to their older versions. Their components are high quality, which is why you do not need to worry about malfunctioning as these amps last for a long time, and they are also great-sounding guitar amps.
Solid-State Amps
Fender also manufactures solid-state amplifiers, which is perfect for those who have tighter budgets. These amps are excellent for producing clean tones, but you will need an overdrive pedal to have a great crunch tone.
Solid-state amps from Fender have great build quality and a more affordable price point than the tube amps. You can still trust that they will be able to deliver outstanding performance when it comes to longevity, although they are much cheaper, and their components are not on par with the tube amps.
So, why are Fender amps so expensive? They are one of the best companies that manufacture guitar amplifiers. The components that are used for making a Fender amplifier are of high quality, making them really expensive; that is why Fender amps are so expensive.
Is Fender a good amplifier brand? Fender is an excellent amplifier brand. From their solid-state to the tube amps, they are great-sounding amps for their price and are also very durable, which is very important if you are paying a hefty amount.
