Fender Vaporiser?

Dave_Mc

That sounds pretty good. Not so fond of the vaporiser mode, bit raw-sounding (though I'm guessing that's the idea behind it).

littlethoughts

Looks blamming to me, would love to give one a try

grungebob

That sounds really good, what's the guide price?

impmann

Am I the only one that look at these and think "nice, but why?". There are plenty of el84 equipped sub 20w valve amps out there that sound trashy when cranked - can't fender make a pawn shop special amp (ie price point) that sounds like a fender amp? Ie something like a Princeton reissue but at a price mortals can afford? This, to my eyes is Fender trying to take sales from Vox by coming up with a retro looking amp at a price point just below Vox all the time... It's a classic Fender sales tactic - rather than innovate, they immitate and then add their own 'Fender cool' to the design and make it super cheap. And then milk the concept to death...
As has been mentioned, why not 6v6s? Most of the beloved 'pawn shop' amps from that period (Valco, Silvertone, Supro, etc) used them and they have a particular sound - and in honesty they aren't much dearer to buy, plus *will* have more character I guarantee it.

longjaw

12 watts output seems a bit daft to me - not loud enough to gig with un-mic'ed and too loud for the house.

monquixote

My H&K Puretone has a tonestack bypass pot excitingly called "Growl". 

Seems to make the amp a bit more ready to crunch up. 

The vaporiser thing just seems to be the "fizzy and shit" button.

ThePrettyDamned

monquixote said:

My H&K Puretone has a tonestack bypass pot excitingly called "Growl". 

Seems to make the amp a bit more ready to crunch up. 

The vaporiser thing just seems to be the "fizzy and shit" button.

I prefer the term, "Jack White" button. 

But yesh.

EricTheWeary

longjaw said:

12 watts output seems a bit daft to me - not loud enough to gig with un-mic'ed and too loud for the house.

I always think that but then on sites like TGP and TDPRI you seem to get people who can make quite loud noises at home, so I think 12w valve amps are aimed at people who live in rural or suburban USA. Which might be rubbish but that's my mental image of it - loud enough to jam in a barn.Yeeha!
3:-O

monquixote

There are plenty of people playing 100W amps at home and people gigging 5w amps. 

If you were playing in a Jazz combo a 2x10 12 watter would probably be fine.

impmann

Yes but you need low end for Jazz and based on that Youtube clip, it don't have no low end!! 

EricTheWeary

monquixote said:

There are plenty of people playing 100W amps at home and people gigging 5w amps. 

If you were playing in a Jazz combo a 2x10 12 watter would probably be fine.

the pawn shop type amps tend to be sold on the basis they sound best if you crank them up, so that is a certain kind of loud.

gearaddict

Lordy. Take two Marshall stacks and call me in the morning.

grungebob

Couldn't care less what tubes are in it or why it's been built. But to me it sounded very nice and I like the Jack white button too,it looks cool and I certainly give it space in my home providing the price is right. I'm not normal though as I generally don't know much about amps or tubes but just buy things I like the sounds of and I don't gig anymore so the rest of your comments etc may be entirely valid in a different context but I get the impression fender built this with the idea of it being your second or third amp that is quirky and cool looking and it's probably cheap enough for you to buy it on a whim, I don't think they intend this to become your gigging amp.

ROOG

grungebob said:

Couldn't care less what tubes are in it or why it's been built. But to me it sounded very nice and I like the Jack white button too,it looks cool and I certainly give it space in my home providing the price is right. I'm not normal though as I generally don't know much about amps or tubes but just buy things I like the sounds of and I don't gig anymore so the rest of your comments etc may be entirely valid in a different context but I get the impression fender built this with the idea of it being your second or third amp that is quirky and cool looking and it's probably cheap enough for you to buy it on a whim, I don't think they intend this to become your gigging amp.

Indeed grungebob, I particularly agree with your last sentence, this seems to be the way of the pawn shop amps I've seen.

Richardj

I am a bit drawn to it, somehow looks like the slightly inbred lovechild of a Blues and Pro Junior. I just wonder how it would sound, apart from the on-board reverb, compared to my 2x10 Pro Junior.

koneguitarist

12w is plenty loud enough to gig with, especially with 2x10" speakers. I am gigging the Excelsior(13w) and never have to have it beyond 4-5. Bigger the gig smaller the amp.

littlethoughts

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_C93yxkLNA

official fender vid for it too. Not sure what to make of the acting...

UnclePsychosis

Available to preorder now at guitarguitar. £450. I think these look really cool but that's too rich for my money.

ThePrettyDamned

That volume at 0, reverb at 10 is a really cool sound.  Really distinctive, not heard it before.

Titillating.

Richardj

UnclePsychosis said:

Available to preorder now at guitarguitar. £450. I think these look really cool but that's too rich for my money.

£450 is a bit strong, normally we expect the Dollar/Sterling prices to be the same, that looks greedy to me. Andertons have them listed for £373 which is a bit more like it.