| Visit Our Catalog at SteelGuitarShopper.com |

Post new topic Fender amps
Reply to topic
Author Topic:  Fender amps
Ian Rae


From:
Redditch, England
Post  Posted 9 Feb 2018 1:20 pm    
Reply with quote

I have a pair of Fender 112 combos which were made in the USA. When did production move to Mexico? I would like to know their minimum age - I suspect they are about 25 years old.
_________________
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Bill A. Moore


From:
Silver City, New Mexico, USA
Post  Posted 9 Feb 2018 4:23 pm    
Reply with quote

https://support.fender.com/hc/en-us/sections/202726846-Product-Dating
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Jim Sliff


From:
Lawndale California, USA
Post  Posted 10 Feb 2018 12:04 pm    
Reply with quote

Bill's link may help you. There's no way to guess based on the limited information provide - Fender has made more than a dozen different 1x12 combos over the years, both tube and solid state, and the model names would be helpful.

But you can simply use Google and find everything you're looking for. Serial numbers, speaker codes, transformer codes etc can all be used to get at least a general idea of when an amp was made.

And FWIW some amps are made in the US, some in Mexico, some in=various locations overseas. Amp manufacturing didn't "move to Mexico", but much of the chassis manufacturing did. Even for the "made in USA" amps. Same with guitars - parts are made in the US and Mexico and essentially interchangeable.

Whether components or complete units are made in Mexico has zero to do with quality. It's just a difference in manufacturing locations, sometimes for only part of the process.
_________________
No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Ian Rae


From:
Redditch, England
Post  Posted 10 Feb 2018 3:39 pm    
Reply with quote

Bill's link is just what I need. The date info is in code on the back. One is 1992 and the other 1998 I think but they're a bit hemmed in with junk at the moment and I need to look again in better light Smile
_________________
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Tony Prior


From:
Charlotte NC
Post  Posted 12 Feb 2018 5:03 am    
Reply with quote

Ian, curious, which 1x12 combo are you referring to ?
_________________
Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders , Eastman Mandolin ,
Pro Tools 12 on WIN 7 !
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 9 years

CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Ian Rae


From:
Redditch, England
Post  Posted 12 Feb 2018 8:05 am    
Reply with quote

Their full title is Fender Deluxe 112 Plus. They're solid state, with a drive channel which I have no use for. (Apparently guitarists don't have much use for it either! Smile )


_________________
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Tony Prior


From:
Charlotte NC
Post  Posted 13 Feb 2018 9:17 am    
Reply with quote

Ian, yes I own one ! It's supposedly 94 watts . It was supposed to be the solid state answer to the Hot Rod Deluxe.

I use it for practice and have even used it on small gigs, small rooms. I think I paid $100 from GC used. The drive channel is a bit non friendly, kinda gritty. No ext speaker jack . Clean to a point, reasonable EQ and reverb. Not bad for $100 !

If the room is medium to larger it will not push air like an 80 watt Nashville 112, I know this first hand !

It's a great rehearsal amp, kinda lite weight , 33 lbs, does what it needs to do.

Has a headphones out for those quiet night practice sessions !

I should actually use it more than I do.
_________________
Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders , Eastman Mandolin ,
Pro Tools 12 on WIN 7 !
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 9 years

CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Jim Sliff


From:
Lawndale California, USA
Post  Posted 13 Feb 2018 11:14 am    
Reply with quote

According to my notes those were made '94-'99.

What's the concern about where they were made? any decent tech that works with solid state stuff will able to service them if needed.

Nowadays they're simply cheap practice amps. I certainly wouldn't gig with one
_________________
No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Tony Prior


From:
Charlotte NC
Post  Posted 13 Feb 2018 11:50 am    
Reply with quote

Jim Sliff wrote:


Nowadays they're simply cheap practice amps. I certainly wouldn't gig with one


Why not ? Thats kind of an odd statement. They are very reliable and don't sound bad. There are plenty of worse amps. It seems they were made from 92 thru 98.

They have a nice feature set ( mid range scoop) and for a small room it can cover both Steel and guitar should you want it to. Plenty of low end response.

This amp had a $500 list price in the mid 90's, probably sold near $400. Heck I paid $460 for my first new Hot Rod Deluxe in either 95 or 96.

Sure by todays standards maybe it's a throw away, but it wasn't when it was new. They sell used all over the net from $175 to $200 . I guess I was just dumb lucky to get one from GC for $100 two years ago.

And no, I would not use this amp on a moderate to larger room, not because it's cheap, but rather it doesn't have the power .
_________________
Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders , Eastman Mandolin ,
Pro Tools 12 on WIN 7 !
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 9 years

CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Ian Rae


From:
Redditch, England
Post  Posted 13 Feb 2018 12:44 pm    
Reply with quote

Tony Prior wrote:
Not bad for $100!

Jim, I knew they were US made cos it says so on the back. I'm just one of those odd people who likes to know the origin of things so I have some spiel for when I sell them.

They've served me up to a point and a better rig is on its way....
_________________
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Jim Sliff


From:
Lawndale California, USA
Post  Posted 13 Feb 2018 5:10 pm    
Reply with quote

Quote:
Why not ? Thats kind of an odd statement. They are very reliable and don't sound bad. There are plenty of worse amps


Not really - at least it doesn't seem odd to me.

They have unusually high failure rates, at least around here, for a fairly basic solid-state amp.

And they're so inexpensive nowadays ($100-125 locally) that its hitting the point where it's not cost effective to repair them or replace speakers. When basic repair costs hit half the used price of the product it's time to think about upgrading!

Tone is always subjective, but based on that alone I wouldn't use one.

For those that happen to like them I'd stress not gigging without a backup. IMO nobody should gig without a backup amp available, but especially those using amps like this (older and/or those that commonly need repair) and all tube amps.
_________________
No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Ian Rae


From:
Redditch, England
Post  Posted 14 Feb 2018 2:11 am    
Reply with quote

Thank you, gentlemen - I now have all the info I requested, plus the judgement that they are gargbage/not garbage depending on your expectations. Or more precisely that they're obsolete but useful for certain things if you don't rely on them, like my wife's car. Smile
_________________
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website

All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Jump to:  
Please review our Forum Rules and Policies
Our Online Catalog
Strings, CDs, instruction, and steel guitar accessories
www.SteelGuitarShopper.com

The Steel Guitar Forum
148 S. Cloverdale Blvd.
Cloverdale, CA 95425 USA

Click Here to Send a Donation

Email SteelGuitarForum@gmail.com for technical support.


BIAB Styles
Ray Price Shuffles for Band-in-a-Box
by Jim Baron