Fender Mustang GT40 - Born Again?

monquixote

PC_Dave said:

 Not sure what I’m missing here... mine turned up yesterday, and I’m completely underwhelmed. The cleans are ok, but anything even remotely overdriven sounds like a can full of wasps. 

I would probably spend a bit of time trying to tinker, but the jack input connector is bent so it’s going back anyway. 

Think I’ll stick with Helix Native and S-Gear.

Also did you update the firmware. 

The original mustang had lovely cleans, but all the distorted amp models were utter shit and it hated pedals. 

PC_Dave

monquixote said:

PC_Dave said:

 Not sure what I’m missing here... mine turned up yesterday, and I’m completely underwhelmed. The cleans are ok, but anything even remotely overdriven sounds like a can full of wasps. 

I would probably spend a bit of time trying to tinker, but the jack input connector is bent so it’s going back anyway. 

Think I’ll stick with Helix Native and S-Gear.

Also did you update the firmware. 

The original mustang had lovely cleans, but all the distorted amp models were utter shit and it hated pedals. 

Yes

NelsonP

Hmm.  I should get mine tomorrow....

Barnezy

PC_Dave said:

 Not sure what I’m missing here... mine turned up yesterday, and I’m completely underwhelmed. The cleans are ok, but anything even remotely overdriven sounds like a can full of wasps. 

I would probably spend a bit of time trying to tinker, but the jack input connector is bent so it’s going back anyway. 

Think I’ll stick with Helix Native and S-Gear.

It doesn't compete with a Helix, but nor does a THR, KNT Air, Bias Spark.... it's a practical practice amp. 

The distorted sounds need time to dial in. Taking the noise gate off, playing with different cabs, bringing the gain down and the volume on you're guitar helps a lot. It's definitely better at cleans and overdriven. 

rivercider

My Bluetooth connection is a bit weird. I find it connects to my iPad easily and will change presets, but not allow any changes to them at first, or even any volume adjustments etc, unless you disconnect and restart the app or amp and sometimes even 'forget device' in IOS settings & start over....

I think I just need to experiment with the order in which the amp and app pair /connect, because when it throws a tantrum it tells me it needs a firmware update (it definitely doesn't, I'm current), but when it's connected properly everything is fine and it works well.

Barnezy

rivercider said:

My Bluetooth connection is a bit weird. I find it connects to my iPad easily and will change presets, but not allow any changes to them at first, or even any volume adjustments etc, unless you disconnect and restart the app or amp and sometimes even 'forget device' in IOS settings & start over....

I think I just need to experiment with the order in which the amp and app pair /connect, because when it throws a tantrum it tells me it needs a firmware update (it definitely doesn't, I'm current), but when it's connected properly everything is fine and it works well.

I've not had this issue. How many Bluetooth connections do you have in your BT settings? You should have 2. One is music streaming, the other is a connection that the app makes. You can't forget the connection the app makes, but you can the one for streaming. 

If you don't have two, try forgetingbthe one for music streaming a d the connect to the amp through the app. 

NelsonP

Ok. So mine has arrived. Had a play for a couple of hours this evening....

The good:
- The app is great and very easy to use.
- Everything can be very easily controlled from your phone or tablet. FX can be moved around the chain easily.
- Bluetooth streaming of backing tracks is superb.
- There are definitely some surprisingly good clean tones. It's not a tube amp but I'd say an 8 out of 10. The Fender models and the mk2c model in particular.
- The Klon model is actually pretty decent.
- accept it for what it is (a practise amp) and the features make a decent case for it
- there's a decent range of fx and they all sound pretty good, at least at first glance.

The bad:
- Distorted tones are full-on modeller fizz. Couldn't find a decent one, although the jubillee model showed some promise with the right cab. It's going to take some time to dial those in. 
- It can sound boxy, especially with the wrong model.
- Not many of the drives / fuzzes were convincing.

Compared to my 'proper' modeller (Amplifire) the Mustang cleans were good.  But the Amplifire is in a completely different league on the gainy stuff.

The jury is still out....

grungebob

If you want gainer stuff I can recommend the Vox VT40x or 20x if you don’t need much volume. 

They are large amps though with no BT. 

It does a blackface fender pretty decently and orange/Marshall and Mesa tones easily. 

Barnezy

This guy does a few videos and presets of high gain stuff. 

RobDavies

I bought the Mustang GTX100 and I like it. 

The ‘gainier’ presets are absolute arse but with some fiddling, I’ve found some really great, very useable sounds. 

Might do a write up for the review section on here....

roberty

I ordered a 3m long minijack cable to use with the aux input of the THR10 for now. Will see how I feel in a week or two about the GT40. I get weekend GAS then work starts on Monday and it vanishes lol

NelsonP

Barnezy said:

This guy does a few videos and presets of high gain stuff. 

Thanks. Actually by gainy I mean hard rock, rather than metal. Think ACDC, Foo Fighters etc rather than Meshuggah.  JCM 800, Friedman HBE etc...

I'm going to see what downloads are available.  I noticed that Fender have posted a lot of song specific presets themselves for the Fender Play lessons and they've got quite a few of my favorite artists on there. 

Then I may tweak from there. There are 3 issues to address:
1. Tame the fizz - will probably reduce the gain and have a play with tone stacks and EQ.
2. Make the decay more natural and harmonic - probably gain and noise gate reduction.
3. Minimise boxiness - I'd guess by EQ'ing.

Not sure which model to start with but the Jubillee struck me as as good a place as any. Also intrigued by the Supersonic as Fender have done a decent job of modelling their own amps. This video explains why...

TheMarlin

Can it do 70’s rock/punk ok?
Cranked Marshall Plexi like tones?

rivercider

Barnezy said:

rivercider said:

My Bluetooth connection is a bit weird. I find it connects to my iPad easily and will change presets, but not allow any changes to them at first, or even any volume adjustments etc, unless you disconnect and restart the app or amp and sometimes even 'forget device' in IOS settings & start over....

I think I just need to experiment with the order in which the amp and app pair /connect, because when it throws a tantrum it tells me it needs a firmware update (it definitely doesn't, I'm current), but when it's connected properly everything is fine and it works well.

I've not had this issue. How many Bluetooth connections do you have in your BT settings? You should have 2. One is music streaming, the other is a connection that the app makes. You can't forget the connection the app makes, but you can the one for streaming. 

If you don't have two, try forgetingbthe one for music streaming a d the connect to the amp through the app. 

I'm having to 'allow new pairing' each time....then it's OK.
Will check number of connections next time I use it, but yes, my Vox had two, one for each purpose, so that makes sense.
My footswitch turned up today so been busy playing with that.

I think there are some decent gain tones after some tweaking, but haven't experimented enough yet with EQ and cabs to find favourites for my own presets.
So far, though, the Orange sounds decent enough to me, and the Mesa iiC, whereas the Jubilee for example I find unusable. Too much fizz and shrill high end, but hopefully that can be dialled out - I think it's just a case of spending some time with it, plus of course it's all subjective and I don't have real life experience of most of the amps it is modelling.
For fun practice at home I think it's good for the low price point.

roberty

@rivercider I had that same problem with my actual jubilee :-)

Barnezy

rivercider said:

Barnezy said:

rivercider said:

My Bluetooth connection is a bit weird. I find it connects to my iPad easily and will change presets, but not allow any changes to them at first, or even any volume adjustments etc, unless you disconnect and restart the app or amp and sometimes even 'forget device' in IOS settings & start over....

I think I just need to experiment with the order in which the amp and app pair /connect, because when it throws a tantrum it tells me it needs a firmware update (it definitely doesn't, I'm current), but when it's connected properly everything is fine and it works well.

I've not had this issue. How many Bluetooth connections do you have in your BT settings? You should have 2. One is music streaming, the other is a connection that the app makes. You can't forget the connection the app makes, but you can the one for streaming. 

If you don't have two, try forgetingbthe one for music streaming a d the connect to the amp through the app. 

I'm having to 'allow new pairing' each time....then it's OK.
Will check number of connections next time I use it, but yes, my Vox had two, one for each purpose, so that makes sense.
My footswitch turned up today so been busy playing with that.

I think there are some decent gain tones after some tweaking, but haven't experimented enough yet with EQ and cabs to find favourites for my own presets.
So far, though, the Orange sounds decent enough to me, and the Mesa iiC, whereas the Jubilee for example I find unusable. Too much fizz and shrill high end, but hopefully that can be dialled out - I think it's just a case of spending some time with it, plus of course it's all subjective and I don't have real life experience of most of the amps it is modelling.
For fun practice at home I think it's good for the low price point.

The cabs make a huge difference to the "fizz" factor! 

This is another point with modeling, it's almost too easy just the switch between akps without understanding them fully. If you had just one tube amp, you'd spend the first few days with it, trying to dial it in. With modeling you just move on after 20 seconds, if you can't do it. 

NelsonP

I'm still struggling a bit. I know that modellers often take a liitle tweaking to get them sounding right. So I spent a couple of hours last night, starting with some of the more recent official Fender presets downloads (most of those seemed to use either the 70s or 80s Marshall model) and tweaking them - bringing the gain down a bit, using the GEQ to cut a little around 3kHz, trying different cabs etc. 

I thought I'd got to a decent place so then I A/B'd it vs my Amplifire / Laney  IRT-X.

The cleans on the Mustang held up very well. I would say that some of them (e.g. Mk2C, Princeton, Twin) were better than the closest equivalent models in the Amplifire*.  But on Plexi, Marshall and Friedman models the Amplifire sounded much more alive and present, whereas the Mustang still sounded a dull and boxy in comparison. On all models the Amplifire also felt much more 'organic' and responsive, whereas the Mustang felt a bit flat. Perhaps this is unfair as the Amplifire and Laney would be 3-4 times more expensive. FWIW the IRT-x only has an 8" speaker and compression driver so it's not chalk and cheese in terms of speaker size.

As to the Mustang itself - the cleans are very good, as is the bluetooth streaming. The app makes arranging the signal flow / pedals a complete doddle and the range of effects is good. It works like you would want a modelling amp to work in 2020 and instantly makes the Amplifire UI feel like its from a completely different era. But if I can't get the dirtier tones to work better for me then I may be sending it back :-(

For now the jury remains out.

* I'd always thought the Amplfire was 'quite' rather than 'very' good at clean tones and that has been confirmed again. 

monquixote

NelsonP said:

I'm still struggling a bit. the cleans are great but the drive sounds are not as strong.

I spent a couple of hours last night, starting with some of the more recent official Fender presets on the app and then tweaking them - bringing the gain down a bit, using the GEQ to cut a little around 3kHz. Most of those seemed to use either the 70s or 80s Marshall model.

I thought I'd got to a decent place so then I A/B'd it vs my Amplifire / Laney  IRT-X.
The cleans on the Mustang held up very well. I would say that some of them (e.g. Mk2C, Princeton, Twin) were better than those in the Amplifire (!)

But on Plexi, Marshall and Friedman models the Amplifire sounded much more alive and present, whereas the Mustang still sounded a dull and boxy in comparison. The amplifire also felt much more 'organic' and responsive, whereas the Mustang felt a bit flat in comparison. Perhaps this is an unfair comparison as the Amplifire and Laney would be 3-4 times more expensive.

I love the bluetooth streaming that the Mustang has, and the app makes arranging the signal flow / pedals a complete doddle. And the cleans are fantastic. But if I can't get the crunchier tones to work better for me then I may be sending it back :-(

That's exactly what I thought about the Mustang V1.

Also I didn't find any pedals that didn't just go fizz central into the front end.

For a cheap piece of kit the clean with reverb and trem sound was amazing.

rivercider

I agree that it's easy enough to find fault with some of the high gain  models....but for me personally, if I poke around in the cupboard where I keep my gear and notice the last thing I bought, for example, a Wampler Pantheon, it's a nice pedal indeed but at 189 quid it's instantly 20 quid more than the Mustang.

There are plenty of other pedals sitting there, rarely used.

 And then I kinda forgive the GT40 its relative deficiencies and settle down to enjoy it's benefits  

Couldn't stop playing it last night.

NelsonP

monquixote said:

NelsonP said:

I'm still struggling a bit. the cleans are great but the drive sounds are not as strong.

I spent a couple of hours last night, starting with some of the more recent official Fender presets on the app and then tweaking them - bringing the gain down a bit, using the GEQ to cut a little around 3kHz. Most of those seemed to use either the 70s or 80s Marshall model.

I thought I'd got to a decent place so then I A/B'd it vs my Amplifire / Laney  IRT-X.
The cleans on the Mustang held up very well. I would say that some of them (e.g. Mk2C, Princeton, Twin) were better than those in the Amplifire (!)

But on Plexi, Marshall and Friedman models the Amplifire sounded much more alive and present, whereas the Mustang still sounded a dull and boxy in comparison. The amplifire also felt much more 'organic' and responsive, whereas the Mustang felt a bit flat in comparison. Perhaps this is an unfair comparison as the Amplifire and Laney would be 3-4 times more expensive.

I love the bluetooth streaming that the Mustang has, and the app makes arranging the signal flow / pedals a complete doddle. And the cleans are fantastic. But if I can't get the crunchier tones to work better for me then I may be sending it back :-(

That's exactly what I thought about the Mustang V1.

Also I didn't find any pedals that didn't just go fizz central into the front end.

For a cheap piece of kit the clean with reverb and trem sound was amazing.

You just reminded me. I did try an EHX Soul Food into the front end and that worked really nicely as long as I kept the gain below half way.  For clean and overdriven sounds the Mustang does work well.

...and yes, at under £200 it is incredible value for money.