It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 10:06 pm

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 24 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2
Go to page Previous  1, 2
Author Message
Post subject: Re: Fender Frontman Amp
Posted: Sat Jul 06, 2013 8:50 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2012 2:41 am
Posts: 12
Other else,if I dun wan to choose fender frontman,so,do all of u hav any suggestion or recommend on other fender series amp?


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: Fender Frontman Amp
Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2013 6:50 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician

Joined: Sat Apr 23, 2011 8:44 am
Posts: 604
Location: Richmond, VA
If you're not sure about going with the Frontman, I would take a look at the new Mustang series of Fender amps. They look pretty cool and can do everything!


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Fender Frontman Amp
Posted: Tue Jul 09, 2013 3:55 pm
Offline
Amateur
Amateur
User avatar

Joined: Sat Jun 01, 2013 5:15 am
Posts: 195
I have the following Fender amps in my collection ;
Fender Frontman 25R which I installed a Eminence Rajun Cajun . That is IMO, the only way that amp is considered truly playable . I did use to have a FM 65R which I got rid of a couple of years ago for reasons I don't remember.

1993 Fender Champion 30, which I like to use for small club gigs with my band.

Fender Mustang II V2 which I bought on a whim and ended up giving to my son.

1988 Fender Studio 85 which is my baby . I just got it last week in a swap and I think this would blow away any of Fender's current solid state product as far as sound and tone are concerned. I'm 54 and have been playing for 40 years and consider this to be one of the best amps I have ever come across.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Fender Frontman Amp
Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 1:03 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Mon Jun 11, 2012 3:53 pm
Posts: 47
VT22 ? My 1970 is the loudest on the planet!
140W true RMS

I'm looking at a fixer-upper frontman ( I have 3 now )

needs pots replaced

Is the consensus here aint worth it ?


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Fender Frontman Amp
Posted: Mon Jul 22, 2013 6:34 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician

Joined: Sat Apr 23, 2011 8:44 am
Posts: 604
Location: Richmond, VA
From what I've read about the Frontman amps, is that they aren't worth repairing and/or trying to fix up. I own the Frontman 65r and think it is a great amp. If it blew up on me and/or gagged, puked, and died right in the middle of a song, I'd most likely toss it in the trash can and go buy another type of amp.

Fender outsourced the Frontman's assembly to China. So while it is a very inexpensive amp, it also has some "rather inexpensive" components, if you get my drift.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Fender Frontman Amp
Posted: Tue Jul 23, 2013 9:08 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2012 5:03 pm
Posts: 15
Location: Texas
Despite the destroy and discard order from the company on FM series amps, they're still amps that have circuits right? The FM65R I got a few months ago had an issue with the volume pot in the clean channel. That was the result of what many do with the volume when trying to dial in a very low volume on an amp that clearly produces some serious volume. They hang on the knob with a heavy hand trying to get that low volume and eventually cause the pot to separate from the PC. I've repaired many amps with PC mounted controls for just this reason. The owner hangs onto the controls and caused them to break away from the board. Or a bit of rough handling bumps the knobs and the amp then acts up due to the pot being pulled some from the board. And this is on many brands of amps by the way, not just the Fender FM series. This is common among anything with PC mounted controls and not confined just to amps.

When I was in the business, I kept dozens of PC mount pots in stock for these repairs. Though most often it was simply a matter of re-soldering the original pot back to the board. And when doing so, I'd touch up all the other panel components to the board as well. Factory assembly uses just enough solder to keep them in place and function properly. Sometimes it may be just a little light and the extra effort on my part as a repair tech made that amp a little more durable. Not bullet proof, but a little stronger. I mean let's face it. The days of independent controls bolted in the panel on all amps are gone. The PC mounts are cheaper, faster to assemble, and easier to build for the lower cost amps. You'll only see bolt on parts with the more expensive or re-issue's holding to the original designs of old.

So if my 65R or the 25R II I have takes a dump or something, I'll go in and repair it. After all, I'm retired now and thus I'm not bound to the factory order! :)

Wade


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Fender Frontman Amp
Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 3:32 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Mon Jun 11, 2012 3:53 pm
Posts: 47
Great info wade
I could solder some pots to a board if it aint too hard to take apart

Where can I get these replacements pots from?
Thanks
( sorry to hijack the thread )


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Fender Frontman Amp
Posted: Sat Jul 27, 2013 3:21 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Sun Nov 02, 2008 12:23 pm
Posts: 95
Location: Wildomar, Ca (So. Cal.)
A number of years ago I picked up a truck load of these warranty returns as well as some new amps that had been discontinued. Varies size Frontman and FM amps. On most the speakers had been punched and needed replacement. Some were just a quick patch job on the less powerful amps. Some had no damage at all.

On almost every one that I repaired the circuit board had been damaged at the input jack. The jack had been pulled away from the board. A bridge across the damaged area was all that was needed. Some of these amps were the Frontman series and others the FM series. A few of the discontinued amps were amps like the Stage series. Mine was a European Stage 160 DSP amp. A speaker change, repositioning of the power transformer and I was up and running with a very loud and crisp sounding amp.

But what I was getting at was these throw away amps needed very little to repair when broken. Seems a shame to just toss them when repairs are so easy. But for the corporation I can understand. But for us that use them.. When they are no longer under warranty why not venture inside and fix them? I have most models from the 15 series through the 212 series. (About 12 of them) The only one I did not get was the 65 and, to me, that is probably the one that I should have gotten. Small enough to carry around yet big enough to give all the power needed. I no longer gig but if I did the 65 would be a great back up amp just in case. And... it's a pretty nice amp to use as a toy for personal use. I use my 25R most of the time and the Stage when jamming with friends. I also gave a number of the duplicates to the kids in the neighborhood that could not afford an amp to learn to play guitar on.

So you guys with the 65R.. Enjoy it and never feel that you have a sub-par amp. It fits into the price range and playability perfectly.

_________________
South Paw hobbiest. Telecaster and Strats plus other brands of guitars. And 11 Fender amps. And 4 other brand amps. Latest toy is a Mitchell ukulele. A fun little guy to play.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Fender Frontman Amp
Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2014 1:38 pm
Offline
Roadie
Roadie
User avatar

Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2007 6:40 pm
Posts: 291
Location: Eugene Or
Tobacco Worm wrote:
I have both of those amps. The 65R, as so well put above, is a loud beast. It is identical to the earlier Princeton 65 with just the addition of the mid contour switch/circuit. An amazingly good amp and and the quality is just fine. Would gig with it anywhere.

The 25R I have was vastly improved with the addition of a Jensen Jet Falcon 10" speaker. So much bottom and clarity it defies logic with it's tone. I use it almost all the time and simply love it. Recording with that amp is a dream too. It is for the most part, my "go to" amp for nearly anything I choose to play.

I've been playing for well over 50 years and have in that time gone through more than 75 to 80 amps. Now that I no longer gig or even play in a church now, I have just the two Frontman amps in my house and can get everything I want from them. Throw a few pedals in front of them and the sounds are amazing.

While on the subject of the frontman amps, on another forum there was a man that has a 25R and was going to do a speaker upgrade and his thought was to keep the cost down and improve his tone and volume. Sound wisdom as I saw it. But as the thread progressed I was singled out for an attack since I supported the Frontman amp and was told that my amp was crap and a useless piece of junk... It was the old "if didn't have tubes it was trash" sort of mentality. Now I was a certified repair tech for Fender, Marshall, Peavey, and Crate for many years and retired from the business after 35 years in fact. Went to school to learn electronics and constantly studied after that to remain abreast of any updates and such. In my most modest terms I'm no fool nor a rookie when it comes to amps. Yet the other forum got very ugly in spite that I never once said an insulting thing to the instigator. Every post was an attack against the Frontman and, well, me and the OP from that forum.

I find it sad that so many "think" that since the Frontman series are junk simply for the fact that they are a budget minded system and do not cost thousands of dollars to "qualify as a good amp". When in fact the circuits and designs are top notch and are some of the best transistor and chip powered amps made today especially with the cost factor thrown in. I firmly believe that many of those that trash talk the Frontman series have never even plugged into one, yet they spew out their nonsense due to the many others that knock this series in other forums and posts. Ignorance is a bad means of backing up one's nasty words about something that they know little about. Sad indeed as it spreads like wet manure when they start...

Wade



AMEN BROTHER


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 24 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2
Go to page Previous  1, 2

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: