Fender introduces Pawn Shop Special Amps 21-Jan-12
Fender has introduced its new Pawn Shop Special amplifiers, which they tell us present a coolly unconventional take on amp design by evoking the enjoyably esoteric finds you might find in a pawnshop or second-hand store. They say that these amps have the air of the early days of electrified sound, when musicians grabbed whatever amp they could get--be it for guitar, harmonica, lap steel, accordion, vocal mic, etc. Those amps produced sounds that were wonderfully distinctive precisely because they were so primitive, and it was exactly their oddball nature that made them so much fun.Here's the full details in Fender's own words...
The two new Pawn Shop Special models--the diminutive Greta and the elegant Excelsior--deliver that offbeat no-school-like-old-school spirit in spades. Neither is intended as your everyday main amp (in fact, you'll be hard-pressed to find the name "Fender" anywhere on them), but you're nonetheless in for a delightful sonic experience that just might spark some magic creative impulse, spur a great idea or lend a certain never-heard-that-before sound to your recording. Plug in, and you'll find new voices, new sounds and new songs hiding in these unruly little boxes--all just waiting for you to let them out.
In the playfull form of a vintage tabletop radio, the Pawn Shop Special Greta model is quite possibly the most unusual Fender tube amp ever. In fact, nobody would blame you if you saw a Greta and, not yet realizing its true identity, tried to tune in the local weather on it.
But an amp is exactly what it is--a two-watt tabletop beauty with a 4" Special Design speaker, old-school VU meter with "clean to overload" indicator display and simple volume and tone controls. Its charmingly vintage-style enclosure has front and rear wood panels finished in bright red, gold-finished metal top and sides for increased shielding, "Greta" script badge on the front panel and tabletop feet. Under the hood and on the back panel, the Greta features a single 12AT7 output tube and 12AX7 preamp tube, with a ¼" instrument jack and ¼" line out jack (for preamp use with another amplifier). Greta produces a variety of low-volume clean and overdriven guitar tones, but even if you never plug a guitar into it, the 1/8" back-panel auxiliary input is perfect for iPod or other media player use, with great mono tube playback sound that'll have you rocking right there at your desk.
Alluringly refined yet harboring tones from polite to raw to raucous, the Pawn Shop Special Excelsior model is undoubtedly one of the most distinctive tube combo amps in Fender history. Its brown textured vinyl covering, smartly stylish "E" grille design and bold crossed-swords front-panel badge convey a decidedly stately vibe with a marked air of cold-war cool.
To say nothing of its admirable tone and power. The 13-watt Excelsior elegantly encloses a single 15" Special Design speaker, with a bottom-loaded primary chassis and top-loaded control chassis for operating convenience and low noise (powered by two 6V6 output tubes and two 12AX7 preamp tubes). Distinctive features include "instrument," "microphone" and "accordion" inputs that each have individually optimized circuitry; tremolo circuit with speed control, bright/dark tone switch (for treble or bass emphasis), volume control and ¼" internal speaker disconnect that lets the amp drive an external speaker enclosure. For playing at home, smaller gigs and studio sessions, the Excelsior is a class act that brings a fresh and unconventional new vibe to your playing.
Oh, I totally agree that the *emulation* of their sound has gotten tiresome, but THEIR sound itself has not and will not, so you can hardly fault people (of ANY generation) for wanting to sound like that. Of course it would be better for people to be able to move forward, I'm just arguing that moving forward should never be at the expense of the past - at least, not to the degree that we can't still be deferential. Fender acknowledges new styles, but only the previously alluded 30% of the time;)
old grandpas and middle aged dudes are stuck in their generation just as much as anyone is stuck in his/hers. fender guitars/gear is used for all sorts of stuff and it would be nice if fender cared to acknowledge that instead of sticking to the same thing over and over again. hendrix and clapton might have been the opposite of generic and bland back in their day (the 60s and nothing more), but the emulation of their sound since has gotten tiresome. like, a lot.
Believe it or not, there is a difference between what you're demeaning as "nostalgic" (as if nostalgia is an inherently bad thing?? o.0) and "deferential." For example, Hendrix and Clapton are the OPPOSITE of generic and bland, and "grandpas and middle aged dudes" are typically respectful enough to bother really LISTENING to enough of it to know that. Doesn't seem like the same could be said of you. At least TRY to keep in mind that the age of a thing RARELY has any bearing on its true quality.
lol How dare they play the music that 70% of their customer base plays;) The "acting" in a lot of their videos is pretty terrible and cheesy, tho, I'll give you that.
@tbirdpunk You certainly get your opinion, even though it comes (sorta conspicuously ;D) sans a reference to Derek & the Dominoes' 'Layla', which was mostly a Fender Champ (and some quite nice tones, I might add). Also, much of 'Blind Faith' was Fender amp recorded; all of which completes a fairly accurate picture of Clapton's 'power' years, the era, seemingly, in question. No wrong opinions though, just different opinions. Happy listening.
Real mature, shit in my ears because of I have a subjective opinion. The JTM45 is a modded bassman, an improvement in my opinion. The AC30 isn't flexible per-se, but that tone it gets trumps Fender. My opinion is that there is a better amp out there in each market than what Fender produces. Stones, I've never been impressed by them. Clapton, well which era Clapton are we talking? Yardbirds - AC30, Blues Breakers-JTM45, Cream 100w Marshall, He's used Music Man's, JCM800, and SLO100 too.
You must have shit in your ear never heard a clapton or a stone record ? they're both plugged into a 57 twin or deluxe, the famous JTM45 is nothing more than a Fender Bassman, moreover the AC30 is less flexible than a lot of fender amp because of his huge weight (30kg) the fact that it doesn't have a dirt real dirt channel too you have an amp that is under any good fender amp, and next time tries some real fender amp with a true overdrive as the deluxe 57, or the bassman
Of course, I hate Fender amps because I'm all about the brootz. How about this: For every amp that Fender makes, there is another company who blows them out of the water. Fender's only saving grace is their clean channel.. big whoop. Fender overdrive is muddy, farty, sizzle. Plus, Fender lacks flexibility, I've yet to see a 3 channel from Fender that took my breath away, at best the EVHIII comes close to the mark, but is it really a true Fender? Give me an AC30 anyday over a Fender.
The question is this, playing this through a tuba amp like the super sonic seems pointless, why not dial the gain down or just pull some preamp tubes and get the same effect through better USA made componants... or buy ,for the same price, a nice OD pedal that you could mount on a board? Cool/retroish I guess but I see no practical use of this in my playing. Get a Zoom power drive or soemthing like a Mucho Boosto/HBE uno-mos/ keely katana/ or ene a or 5751 tube driver.
Because it's made in China it's not to pricey and it looks retro cool, but it sounds like crap, at least in this video it does. To bad, it was a nice idea. With a better sound I would have purchased one.
Well.. just slapping a brand name on something doesn't give it more value... Not practically anyway. Even though that's what allows them to charge the price for it.
Key word "cheap" You could build something at home for less and still sound better than that. It's just another novelty item. Anyway, buy it if you think it's good.
its like 200. for a tube amp that can be used as a mini head, a stand-alone combo or an ipod speaker that is pretty good!! i would seriously consider buying one and taking it with me away to college.
I don't think it's worth the money. You can get a stereo music player which sounds better for a lot less.
And you can buy a much better sounding mini-amp for less. This is a novelty item and it's fine if you think it's worth the $ but I don't think it's worth it.
Damn good promo. Nice work Fender Marketing. Looks like your stepped out and created something that moved your image-wise out of the '90s. Good concept for an amp. Way to go.
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