Fender Mustang GT40 - Born Again?

BluesLover

Thanks, definitely worth investigating.

Barnezy

GrahamG, as already mentioned, it's designed for home use. Maybe an open mic night at best. It would be a great acoustic amp for gigging I would say. 

It lacks the bottom end punch you'd get from a full size speaker and cab. It's enough at home volumes, but i reckon it would become thin in a big space. As mentioned its bass is ported out of the rear, so to mic it, you'd actually need 3 mics! 

I've seen a guy on a Facebook group who has mod'd his with two speaker outs and runs a 2x12 cab off it in stereo.... I'd rather just have a proper amp for gigging. 

Think of this as a slightly fuller, more versatile alternative to a THR-10, with Fender cleans and crunch that sound great.  

My favourite amp at the moment is the Mesa Mark V clean...... so good. 

sergio

I bought a GT40 last year based on the feature set - it seemed like a good way to experiment with different combinations of amps and pedals in a compact and cheap manner. As many people I was a bit disappointed in how the previous version sounded, and the app was... not very good.

Then I read this thread and learned there was a new firmware version.

Wow! This little amp feels much better than it used to be, and the app has improved in look&feel and performance. A GT40 is not going to compete with a good valve amplifier and there's no point in trying to make it do what it's not. It is a small, housebound practice amp with some flexibility, and at that it's pretty good - specially for the price. Mine has now been rescued from storage, dusted and brought into daily service. Thanks @Barnezy for the heads up!

bazxkr

Thks again @Barnezy now ordered on thomann. Looks like they are shortly gonna be unavailable so thought better pounce now. Will sort the spare bedroom need that I reside in now for health reasons so will fill a nice void in my world Already downloaded the iOS app. Nice to see only needs iOS 10 and above. Many recent apps want iOS 12 and above. Sooner run app on decent sized screen than a phone
May end up getting the pedal too

guitargeek62

I'm curious if the one I tried in Andertons a while back was running pre-v2 software as I really didn't think it sounded that good at all (very boxy!) and ended up buying a KTN-100 instead (again, over the boxy KTN50 and Adio) as a home/bedroom amp! Good of Fender to make the firmware available on the older models

Barnezy

guitargeek62 said:

I'm curious if the one I tried in Andertons a while back was running pre-v2 software as I really didn't think it sounded that good at all (very boxy!) and ended up buying a KTN-100 instead (again, over the boxy KTN50 and Adio) as a home/bedroom amp! Good of Fender to make the firmware available on the older models

Yes, would have been v2. V3 only came out a few weeks ago, when the GTX amps started shipping. 

GT40 is never going to sound as big as a KTN-100. That's a big amp, that can be gigged. A fairer comparison would be a KTN-Air, which a GT40 would walk all over. 

www

Thanks for the review @Barnezy . I bought a THR30 at the start of the year and although I 'like' it, I'm not 'loving' it yet. At £170 for the GT40 I think I might give it a go

rivercider

Yeah I've just ordered one now, too.  Cheers Barnzey. This always appealed to me but was put off by those early reviews 

Barnezy

I hope you guys like it. Remember to update the firmware before using it, as they ship with the old firmware.

You can create patches and upload them on the app for others to use. I'll upload mine and will start them with "TFB" (thefretboard) so you can find them. It would be great if we had a community on here sharing presents with oneanother! 

NelsonP

@Barnezy ;;

Did I get it right that you also have a helix but are using your gt40 more ?

Also, can you use the 7 button footswitch with it?

Barnezy

NelsonP said:

@Barnezy ;;

Did I get it right that you also have a helix but are using your gt40 more ?

Also, can you use the 7 button footswitch with it?

Obviously the GT40 is not a competitor for a Helix. It's a practice amp. 

I have a HXStomp which I was using, but I just found it so time consuming. The GT40 is a simple graphical app, so ideal for practice. Helix still has its place. 

Wish Line6 would bring out a Helix combo, with a mobile app and foot switch. 

NelsonP

@Barnezy ; 

Yes, I get that. I have an Atomic Amplifire and Laney FRFR. It sounds great, but needs a little cranking to get it sounding good (think this is related to the fact that the Laney uses a compression driver).

So I'm wondering whether a GT40 would make a good low volume solution. My concern is that it might feel and sound like a toy in comparison, but your experience would suggest not?

roberty

Wonder if they're using the algorithms from the solid state deluxe reverb etc

Barnezy

For me it's good enough for practice. It deffinately doesn't sound like a toy, but it's not going to blow your mind either. That's really the compromise at low volume, regardless of the amp in my mind. 

The Fender clean tones are great. The high gain stuff needs to be managed using your guitar volume and turning the gain down. 

The GT40 has now been discontinued so only existing stock is left. The LT25 and 50 are now the "practice" amps and the GTX50 and 100 are their "stage ready". The Lt's dont have the app connectivity or BT. You need to plug them in to a PC to edit. The GTX's are full sized amps and I'd never gig a consumer level modeling amp anyway. This is a shame IMO, as there is now no fully featured, small amp in Fenders modeling range. I also find 12" speakers dont perform at low practice volumes. 

Another reason for a Helix practice amp with reduced features to their floor units. 

I don't think they are using the same code as the Tonemaster amps. I do believe though alot of their sound is the real speaker and cabinet, whereas on other modeling amps these elements are being modeled through a full range speaker. 

NelsonP

Thank you.  I've started a thread on the best low volume home use amp...

thecolourbox

I downloaded the app to have a look through it (out of curiosity and boredom) but sadly you need to have a device to connect it to in order to look through the app, which seems a shame.

Barnezy

Anyone else recieved theirs yet? 

bazxkr

Mine turned up today. Brief run over tonight seems very good. I will use it for music playback as much as guitar but all seems to sound good with great tweakability. I don't think the newbie gtx50 will be twice as good as the cost reflects

NelsonP

I've just ordered one ;-)

Also. Here's Johan...

Barnezy

NelsonP said:

I've just ordered one ;-)

Also. Here's Johan...

And this was before the new firmware