Fender amps are among the most legendary, iconic, and beloved tools a guitarist could have. They are renowned for providing a gorgeous clean tone and for taking pedals really well.
These amps have been used in countless historic and mythical recordings from everybody from the Rolling Stones and Beatles, all the way to tone masters like Eric Johnson and Stevie Ray Vaughan.
Leo Fender is regarded as the most influential architect of the electric guitar, but his contribution to amplifier design and production is underrated to this day. Simply stated, Fender amps, along with Marshall’s and Vox’s, created the paradigm of what a guitar amp is.
Plenty of companies still look to classic Fender circuits when designing new amps. Needless to say, Fender amps have passed the test of time with flying colors, as they still remain one of the top choices for guitarists everywhere.
With dozens of models to choose from, where do you even start? We’re here to help you pick the Fender amp that is right for you. Keep reading.
| Image | Product | Features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
Editor's Choice | Fender '65 Twin Reverb Features: 12" Jensen speakers, 85 watts of power, 4 Groove Tube 6L6 power tubes Benefits: Exceptional cleans, Massive headroom, Earth shattering volume | 10 | Click For Best Price |
Best Value | Fender Bassbreaker 007 Features: 10" Celestion Ten30 Speaker, Treble Booster circuit, Line level output Benefits: Direct out recording, Dark British style tone, Lightweight | 8.5 | Click For Best Price |
Best Budget | Fender Mustang Micro Features: USB interface capability, 12 Amp models, 3 Built in FX Benefits: Excellent for silent practice, Compatible with all 1/8" wired headphones, Excellent battery life | 7 | Click For Best Price |
Best Fender Amps: Our Top 3
The Fender Bassbreaker 007 is our Top Pick. This amp is a powerful low-wattage combo with a 10″ Celestion speaker and a switchable vintage-style treble booster on an all-tube design. It features Class A EL84 power tubes for a bit of British flavor mixed with the unmistakable American sound of Fender.
The Mustang Micro is our Budget Choice. This headphone amp is a very convenient tool that has a great variety of sounds to practice anywhere and under any circumstance. With 12 amps and 13 effect models from Fender’s Mustang GTX lineup, you can play everything from your Jazz lines to your metal licks.
Finally, the Fender ’65 Twin Reverb is our Editor’s Choice. This amp is a reissue of the iconic Fender’s classic 1965 Blackface circuitry and gives you tons of power with 85 watts, two 12-inch Jensen speakers, and two Vintage Reissue Series channels. An ideal choice for discerning guitarists.
Best Fender Amps: Individual Reviews
Fender Bassbreaker 007
A nice blend of American and British flavors in a convenient amp.
The Bassbreaker 007 pays tribute to the original Bassman amp. However, it employs the very British EL84 tube to generate the renowned mid-focused flavor that the English sound is known for.
The Fender Bassbreaker 007 is a convenient and powerful low-wattage combo amp that features a 10″ Celestion speaker and seven watts of power. It is built with an all-tube design and features a switchable vintage-style treble booster.
One of the most attractive features of this amp is the Class A EL84 power tube. This offers a unique combination of British flavor, but on an iconic American brand like Fender. Add to that two 12AX7 tubes on the preamp section, and you get a beautiful chime and harmonic overdrive.
The Bassbreaker 007 comes with a 3-band EQ as well as a switchable treble booster circuit that allows you to add overdrive and some dense harmonics to your sound. In other words, you can drive the amp harder at quieter volumes, for killer tones that won’t get you evicted.
We ran our tests with our Fender Stratocaster. This amp gave us nice cleans that let the true character of our guitar come out. We particularly liked it with the bass knob at 3 o’clock, middle knob at 12 o’clock, and treble at 11 o’clock, for a nice clean sound.
We then switched on the treble booster to push the power tubes. Here we got an extra touch of sensitivity and tons of attitude and bite. We also liked how this amp pairs up with distortion pedals, especially our Tube Screamer, for great distortion that can be used in a variety of contexts.
Another great feature of the Bassbreaker 007 is the 1/4″ line output, which you can use to go directly into a recording interface or even connect to a larger amp.
This amp is also quite durable and features a birch-ply construction to ensure longevity. In short, a fantastic amp that gives you Fender tone with a touch of the English sound.
Verdict: The Fender Bassbreaker 007 offers you convenience and power in low-wattage configuration and all-tube design. This combo amp is perfect for practicing with great tones, or even doing small coffee shop-type gigs or jam sessions.
Fender Mustang Micro Headphone Amp
An ultra-convenient way to play with quality tones.
If you're looking for convenience and a variety of Fender tones in a micro headphone amp, this unit is for you. Well-built and cleverly designed, the Mustang Micro can be the practice aid that you take and use anywhere.
The Mustang Micro Headphone Amp is a very convenient tool that allows you to practice anywhere and under any circumstance. It comes with 12 amps and 13 effect models that come directly from the Mustang GTX series. And all the selecting and editing of these amps and FX is done straight from the unit, with no need for external app editors.
This unit plugs directly into your guitar and features a standard 1/8-inch output. This way you can use the Mustang Micro with all your favorite wired headphones and wired in-ear monitors. It is important to note that this unit is not compatible with Bluetooth headphones and you will need hard-wired headphones.
The Mustang Micro supports Bluetooth audio streaming and features automatic A/V sync, ideal for jamming along with tracks or playing on top of a solo you’re transcribing. Its articulating plug fits any type of guitar jack.
This unit also features a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that gives you up to four to six hours of battery life per charge. You can also plug directly into your DAW via the USB-C connection for stereo operation.
Fender also carries out automatic firmware updates over USB to ensure that your Mustang Micro is up to date with the latest models.
In use, we really liked just how convenient the Micro Mustang is. It fits in the palm of our hands and had everything onboard for us to dial whatever tone we were after. We used the included color-guide sheet to go through separate controls for Amp, EQ, and Effects.
We found all the controls conveniently located on the side of the unit, with the first one being the amp control. We plugged the earbuds that came in the box and got a fantastic tone for practicing.
Out of all the available amp choices on the Mustang Micro, our favorite was the ’65 Deluxe amp, indicated by the red color. We felt that this setting preserved the tonal qualities of our Strat the best, and was responsive to our playing and touch.
We also liked how the ’65 Deluxe amp setting sounded with a bit of distortion dialed in via the effect setting. Here, we circled through several effects, and liked how the chorus, delay and reverb sounded. For distortion, we switched the amp setting to the Metal 2000 mode, which is green. This was great for working on some power chords, fast scales and any other heavily distorted contexts.
In short, a great solution to practicing quietly through headphones, and with Bluetooth compatibility to plug in your mobile device and play along with tracks.
Verdict: The Mustang Micro is an extremely convenient practice amp that works with regular headphones. It features a nice variety of amp and effects models as well as onboard editing capabilities that allow you to get any sound you’re after.
Fender '65 Twin Reverb
A true legend of tone.
The '65 Twin Reverb belongs in the holy grail group of iconic amps. It has a rich history that spans many decades and styles, and this reissue brings the same quality and vibe. This all-tube combo amp is renowned for its beautifully chimey tone, glassy quality, and monstrous volume.
The Fender ’65 Twin Reverb is a reissue of one of the most beloved American amps ever. Based on Fender’s classic 1965 Blackface circuitry, this amp features 85 watts, two 12-inch Jensen speakers, and two Vintage Reissue Series channels.
For superior tone, the Twin Reverb also features four 12AX7 tubes and two 12AT7 preamp tubes. You also get four Groove Tube 6L6 output tubes. This all adds up to one of the most sought-after clean tones amps ever, which takes pedals particularly well. In essence, it is a highly versatile amp that can be used in nearly every situation imaginable.
We have used this amp on several occasions and it was a joy to play through it once again. We plugged in our Fender Strat and dialed in a bit of the amp’s reverb at about 11 o’clock. The sound was open, full, and just fantastic.
We also tried it with our Tube Screamer and a few EHX pedals. Our distorted and overdriven sounds were punchy and warm, with great balance and definition. This amp is great to let the true quality of your guitar and effects come through and gives you fantastic response and volume.
The Twin Reverb also comes with spring reverb and tremolo, tilt-back legs, and a 2-button footswitch. In short, this is one of the best amps in history for a variety of reasons, and the first one is its fantastic tone and response.
Verdict: The Fender ’65 Twin Reverb is a reissue of a classic that has been widely used by some of the best guitarists in history. With legendary clean tone and the ability to take pedals extremely well, the Twin Reverb gives you all-tube operation and 85 watts on two 12-inch Jensen speakers, for great sound and volume.
Fender Tone Master Princeton Reverb
A solid-state recreation of a classic.
The Princeton Reverb is another one of Fender's beloved models. This version is a solid-state take on a tube amp and does a good job of providing great convenience with a classic Fender tone.
The Fender Tone Master Princeton Reverb is a solid-state version of the classic Princeton Reverb. This combo amp features 12 watts of power and relies on modeling technology to reproduce the tonal qualities of the Princeton Reverb.
This amp features a single 10” Jensen C10R speaker as well as a power attenuation selector. This is a great feature that allows you to set this amp according to the context and situation. You get six power outputs, starting at 12 watts and going all the way down to 0.3 watts, which is ideal for practicing in your bedroom.
Just like the original Princeton Reverb, this amp features a reverb knob as well as speed and intensity knobs for dialing in tremolo. You also get a 2-button footswitch to switch between reverb and tremolo as need be.
We tried this amp with our Fender Strat. The first thing we really liked is how light and convenient it is. The power attenuation selector is a fantastic feature, as it allowed us to play at very low levels but maintain the quality of our tone.
This amp gave us nice cleans and also paired well with various distortion pedals and others. And with a lower cost, less weight, and power attenuation, this is really an amp made for those that need convenience. Despite its smaller size, this amp was responsive to our playing, and also did a good job of letting the true nature of our instrument shine.
Other useful features include two models of speaker emulation and a balanced XLR output that allows you to record or perform sans microphone.
By making a solid-state version of a tube amp, Fender was also able to cut down on the cost and overall weight, which may appeal to many guitarists. Although this amp sounds good, has modern features, and gets the job done, some may miss the warmth of a true tube amp.
Verdict: The Fender Tone Master Princeton Reverb relies on digital technology to recreate the classic Princeton Reverb. This solid-state combo amp features 12 watts of power and relies on modeling technology to reproduce the tonal qualities of the Princeton Reverb.
Fender Pro Junior IV
Tube sound on a diminutive size.
This is the fourth version of this small but great-sounding Fender amp. Simplicity and quality are the two main features of this model, as it gives you tube tone with the convenience of a small form factor.
The Fender Pro Junior IV (full review here) features a 2-knob control set, and a single 10-inch Jensen speaker to give you 15 watts of power. It comes in a beautifully lacquered cabinet, with a ’50s-era grille cloth to give you that Fender look featured on many of their best-known combo amps.
Despite the small form factor, this amp features two 12AX7 preamp tubes as well as two EL84 power tubes. You also get a solid-state rectifier to complete the package. In other words, you get tube tone at a mere 22.85 lbs for a great combination of tone and convenience.
We were excited to try this tiny tube amp and started by playing in clean with our Stratocaster. We got a true Fender tone, with the chime of our instrument coming through nicely.
We then dialed up the volume and progressively got greater punch and dynamics while pushing the amp. This is a great feature and we loved how gritty our tone got at higher volume settings.
This feature also proved to be quite useful when we paired this amp with our Boss Overdrive pedals and EHX Fuzz. The added grit that the volume knob provides put our tone on a sweet spot for distorted rhythm and lead parts.
We also liked the very simple 2-knob design that this amp features and loved finding the best settings for our various pedals. Although this is a small amp, it is capable of giving you a realistic tube-like tone for your practice sessions.
In short, a convenient Fender amp that is small yet offers a nice tube tone. Naturally, this amp may be too small for live applications, and a bit limiting for professionals as it only has two knobs.
Verdict: The Fender Pro Junior IV is the latest amp on this company’s convenient Junior line. With just two knobs, and a 10-inch Jensen speaker you get 15 watts of power on a fantastic practice amp.
Fender Mustang LT40S
A fantastic desktop practice amp.
This amp is one of the newest additions to Fender's popular Mustang line of amps. The LT40S is a portable desktop combo amplifier that gives you 40 watts of stereo sound and plenty of options to dial the tone you're after.
The Fender Mustang LT40S features a pair of 4-inch speakers as well as 20 amp models and 60 presets. With a full-color display for monitoring presets and tones, this desktop amp gives you fantastic convenience for practicing or recording.
You can dial any tone you wish thanks to the onboard effects which include delay, reverb, and modulation effects. To go even deeper, you can download Fender’s free Tone LT Desktop app. Here you will be able to save, organize, and edit your presets while connecting to the LT40S’ top-mounted USB port.
We tried this amp and enjoyed how flexible it is. It gave us everything from distortion to nice cleans, and we enjoyed how convenient and cleverly designed it is. We liked the tone this amp provided, especially considering its small size and low price.
At just 12.5 lbs, we were able to comfortably move this amp from the floor to our desk, and dial in several sounds for practicing in style. Fender really thought of everything in order to offer convenience in this amplifier and even included an onboard tuner and a tap tempo feature to minimize the need for external hardware.
In short, this amp gives you 40 watts of power in a convenient package made specially to practice. Whether you need to work on your technique at home or carry this amp elsewhere, the LT40S has everything you need to practice. Naturally, those seeking an amp for live work may want to look elsewhere.
Verdict: The Fender Mustang LT40S is a great option as a versatile and convenient desktop practice amplifier. It comes with two 4-inch speakers and 20 amp models and 60 presets. You get Fender quality with versatility of tones on a well-designed amp that excels in convenience.
Fender '68 Custom Vibro Champ Reverb
A compact yet powerful option that delivers vintage tube tone.
This amp pays homage to the sought-after Fender Silverface amplifiers from the late sixties. However, this particular model excels in convenience given its small size and portability, making it a great practice amp that provides a fantastic tone.
The Fender ’68 Custom Vibro Champ Reverb is a tube combo amp that offers vintage Fender tone for the modern player. Fender wanted this amp to go a step beyond the classic Vibro Champ amp and switched out the 8-inch speaker for a 10-inch Celestion Ten 30 speaker.
The Vibro Champ Reverb comes with vibrato and a digital hall reverb, as well as a simple six-knob design. Simple and effective, this amp gives you 5 Watts of power and features two 12AX7 preamp tubes and one 6V6 power tube.
We used our Fender Strat to try this amp out. With a bit of overdrive coming from our pedalboard, we started our tests and noticed how warm the sound was for such a little amp. We also really liked how open and balanced the cleans of this amp are.
When driven a bit harder, the Vibro Champ Reverb gave us a punchy tube tone with a great response. We loved playing some overdriven lines as the amp responded well to the nuances of our playing.
This amp comes with two inputs, on one channel. While input one is your typical amp input, input 2 functions at -6 dB which is great for accommodating high-output pickups. We also loved the vintage Fender look provided by the 7-ply birch plywood with textured vinyl, as well as the silver grille cloth.
In short, a nice amp to use at home for practice or recording demos with a nice Fender tube tone and vintage vibe. Players looking for an amp for live shows may want to consider other options.
Verdict: The Fender ’68 Custom Vibro Champ Reverb gives you the Silverface vibe for practicing. This tube combo amp comes with a 10-inch Celestion Ten 30 speaker for a beefier tone and 5 watts of total power.
How To Choose The Best Fender Amp For You
Fender amps cover a wide array of models, uses, and types. You can get anything from vintage and beautiful tube tones with a massive sound, all the way to convenient and small practice amps loaded with features.
Naturally, it is vital for you to ask yourself what you need the amp for. In this guide, we’re going to give you a few pointers on what to look for.
All tube
All-tube Fender amps are known for delivering beautiful cleans that can make your parts shine. And here you can get anything from a Fender ’65 Twin Reverb for massive tone, all the way to a Fender Pro Junior IV for tube tone with a much lower price tag and less power.
There are also plenty of options in between like the Hot Rod Series and Bassbrakers. Tube amps can give you a gorgeous tone, but are also more fragile and pricier.
Solid State
Fender also has plenty of solid-state models that sound really good. These types of amps tend to be more durable than a tube amp and cost less. However, for many folks, solid-state amps cannot compete with tube models in regard to tone.
It is important for you to try these amps and hear for yourself what they sound like and how they respond to your playing. For instance, the Fender Tone Master Princeton Reverb is a solid-state amp that does a good job of replicating the Princeton tube tone.
Price and size
With many tube and solid-state models, it will be helpful to narrow down your options by also considering price and size. For instance, if you need ultra-quiet practice on the go on a constrained budget, the Mustang Micro is a great choice.
On the other hand, if you also want to be able to jam with others and even do some smaller gigs, the ’68 Custom Vibro Champ Reverb may get the job done just right.
It is also important to consider the weight of the amp you’re going to buy, as it can vary greatly. A great-sounding and loud tube amp will be harder on your back than a mid-sized solid-state model. Choose wisely.
Final Thoughts on the Best Fender Amps
There is nothing quite like the Fender tone. Their amps are a central part of this company’s legacy and are common among the top choices for all types of guitarists.
From their gorgeous-sounding all-tube amps to the convenience provided by their solid-state and hybrid models, Fender amplifiers have a special place in the market.
To recap our choices, The Fender Bassbreaker 007 is our Top Pick. This amp is a powerful low-wattage combo that comes with a 10″ Celestion speaker and a switchable vintage-style treble booster on an all-tube design.
The Mustang Micro is our Budget Choice. This headphone amp is a very convenient tool with a variety of sounds to practice anywhere. With 12 amps and 13 effect models from Fender’s Mustang GTX lineup, you can practice a variety of styles with different guitars.
Finally, the Fender ’65 Twin Reverb is our Editor’s Choice. This is a reissue of Fender’s classic 1965 Blackface circuitry and features tons of power with 85 watts, two 12-inch Jensen speakers, and two Vintage Reissue Series channels. This amp is for discerning players that are willing to pay for quality.
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