So today the Fender Greta I bought over Black Friday arrived! They were blowing them out at Guitar Center for $99 (normally they're $199). It's a really cool little amp, and after watching a ton of videos of it I think it sounds a hundred times better in person. I'm really glad I got it, it was definitely an impulse buy so I was kind of unsure about it until now.

First off, it looks fantastic and the build seems really solid. The knobs are plastic, but nearly nothing else is. It just has a volume and tone, but between them and the controls on my guitar I was able to get many more tones than I thought I'd be able to with it. With the volume and tone down, it can get very clean. It's not loud, you can still talk over it (albeit with a raised voice) even with it cranked up all the way. I can see why some people complain about them, with everything on the amp and guitar dimed it didn't sound all that good. To overdrive isn't your usual smooth, warm tube overdrive at the high settings. It sounds a lot more like lo-fi fuzz. But roll off a little on the volume and more on the tone, and it can get a deeper, richer sound that I didn't think it was capable of after seeing the videos of it on youtube. It also definitely liked single coils better than humbuckers, in my opinion. You can get more headroom with singles and it's less muddy with overdrive. For humbuckers you have to back down the volume and tone on the guitar and/or the amp to make them sound good.

I think it would sound awesome through an external cab, but unfortunately I don't own one. Is it possible to use one of my combos as an external cab with the Greta as a head?

So anyway, I'm really happy with it. I've already written a song on it (it's great for fingerstyle blues) and I might even take it to record with next week. And yes, what New Amp Day thread would be complete without pics?

(Beware huge pictures, photobucket changed how you edit them. Sorry!)

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Grats on the beaut little amp TGS!

I was sorely tempted by one of these the other day, but I got a pedal instead. I can't really justify another amp just yet, but that probably won't stop me.

Played with it a little at the store, and like you, I'm curious to hear what it would pull out of a seperate cab. Keep us posted if you do manage it.

My Greta came yesterday as well and I couldn’t be more pleased! Like TGS said, The demo vids do NOT do it justice. My first impression is that the Greta is a very dirty girl! She starts to growl about half way up the volume dial. Sooner if you have the guitar volume cranked. And it’s very responsive to how hard you hit the strings. I agree with the single coil comment and I was able to get a very warm tone with the mini HB on my 52 hot rod tele. The 4 in. speaker floored me. The Greta is exactly what I was looking for when I bought a Champion 600 last Christmas. But I have to use an OD pedal on the Champ to get the breakup I want at lower volumes. Not so with the Greta. It’s perfect for the bedroom! I am running a Holy Grail nano reverb pedal in front of it and that really rounds it out. I have a Marshall Haze 1 X 12 cabinet that I will be trying it out with soon but I’m having tons of fun with the stock amp!
TGS...You can use the line out on the Greta to run straight into your combo as a pre-amp. In fact, they advertise it that way. I think we got a killer deal and both GC and MF appear to be sold out of them at this point. I’ll be curious to see what they sell for when (and if) they get them back in stock!

Those Gretas are real beauties, in all ways. I'll bet they will move them back to the 199.99 price point. As great as Greta is, she is well priced at the 200 mark, IMO.

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I have some Fender gear.
(Telecaster, Jaguar, Villager 12 String. Mustang l, Bronco, SCX2, Rumble 350, HRDIII, Rumble 2x8 Neo Cab)
http://www.reverbnation.com/modwiz

My Surf Green SCX2 is about 2 weeks old in my house. She feels brand new and I have only begun to play with her.

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I have some Fender gear.
(Telecaster, Jaguar, Villager 12 String. Mustang l, Bronco, SCX2, Rumble 350, HRDIII, Rumble 2x8 Neo Cab)
http://www.reverbnation.com/modwiz

Congratulations Texas! I love Fender amps and this is no exception, it would, as old tom wrote, work beautifully as a pre-amp.

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you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.

Congratulations, it looks like fun.

Modwiz, I think you made a good choice too. I'll explain why I think that a little later this evening...when I have a camera available (hint hint).

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"Today Atlantis, tomorrow the world!"

Congrats!

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Gary

NICE... Especially for the money.. !!

Truly reminiscent of the early days when guitar players used to 'gut' a radio, throw out the tuner, and keep the cabinet and the tube amplifier to power their guitars.

cheers!

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'11 FSR Am. Vtg. Ltd. Ed. CAR '57 Stratocaster (SN# LE02639)
'14 American Deluxe Ash Stratocaster
'12 Telebration Empress Telecaster
'99 Deluxe Nashville Telecaster
'12 FSR Telecaster HH
'10 Heritage H-535
'99 Martin DC-1E
'13 Lanikai Tenor Ukulele

Have to admit. A Greta for a hundred bucks is something I could have done if I knew.

I guess with the current sale Fender is having they are 174.99 right now. Fender could sell a lot of them for Xmas if they can keep up with demand. Some exec is sweating this one out. Santa will have a special gift for that person(s)


All the online music stores I just checked are out..........until Feb.
Amazon has 4 left.
Oops!

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I have some Fender gear.
(Telecaster, Jaguar, Villager 12 String. Mustang l, Bronco, SCX2, Rumble 350, HRDIII, Rumble 2x8 Neo Cab)
http://www.reverbnation.com/modwiz

TGS....here is my Greta through a Leslie - I love the tone.

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I Can't Explain