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King Loudness « Super(sonic) »
Published on 08/31/11 at 08:56The Fender Super Sonic head pays more than a passing nod to the cult classic Fender Tone Master head from the late '90s. It features two channels (clean and drive) each with its own EQ. The gain channel features cascading drive controls as well for more variety. The amp puts out 60 watts of power and is driven by a pair of 6L6GC power tubes. It's got an effects loop on the back of the amp too. The amp comes in two colours, black and blonde tolex as well. Here's a more complete list of specs:
# All-tube design
# 60W power
# 2 channels (Vintage and Burn)
# Dual cascading-gain preamp overdrive
# Effects loop with send and return levels
# Vintage channel controls: volume, treble, bass, and voicing switch (Vibrolux/Bassman)
# Burn channel controls: gain 1, gain 2 bass, mid, treble, volume
# Preamp out jack
# Power amp in jack
# Standby switch
# 16, 8, ohm 4 ohm selectable
# Tubes: 5x12AX7, 1x12AT7, and 2x6L6GC
# Includes 3-button footswitch for channel switch, voicing switch, and effects on/off
UTILIZATION
Dialing in this amp to sound good is pretty simple for sure. The interface is pretty intuitive and user friendly. The controls react normally and don't have a steep learning curve like certain other higher gain type amps. The clean channel is decidedly Fender in how it responds, and both the Vibrolux and Bassman modes sound like their respective models. The drive channel is very Fender-like in how it responds as well, and that's definitely a good thing in my books.
Basically, it's not a difficult amp to dial in by any means, and I particularly like the feel of how the controls react on Fender amps, so this one gets a good rating here.
SOUNDS
I've tried this amp with various guitars and definitely like the vintage voice it has in general. For a 6L6 loaded Fender amp, it has a surprisingly British sounding character that I really like. It's got a very unique sort of flavour to it for a high gainer that I really dig overall.
The clean channel sounds like a marriage of two great Fenders. The Vibrolux mode offers a tighter and skinnier sounding clean tone, and the Bassman mode is fatter and gainer sounding overall. Having the two separate modes is a definite plus for sure, and it gives an added versatility to the amp.
The drive channel has a very smooth and refined vibe that reminds me a lot of a driven Fender or Mesa Boogie amp. Very clear and defined with a tempered low end, a present but smooth midrange and subdued highs that still allow for great driven overtones to to come through. Very cool.
OVERALL OPINION
All in all I think the Fender Supersonic head is a great offering from Fender that has a nice range of tones from clean to high octane. It's not really an amp I'd use for metal or anything too high gain but for rock styles it's got a cool voicing that stands out. They were about $1,200 new when they were out and I believe they're discontinued now, so grab one while you can!
# All-tube design
# 60W power
# 2 channels (Vintage and Burn)
# Dual cascading-gain preamp overdrive
# Effects loop with send and return levels
# Vintage channel controls: volume, treble, bass, and voicing switch (Vibrolux/Bassman)
# Burn channel controls: gain 1, gain 2 bass, mid, treble, volume
# Preamp out jack
# Power amp in jack
# Standby switch
# 16, 8, ohm 4 ohm selectable
# Tubes: 5x12AX7, 1x12AT7, and 2x6L6GC
# Includes 3-button footswitch for channel switch, voicing switch, and effects on/off
UTILIZATION
Dialing in this amp to sound good is pretty simple for sure. The interface is pretty intuitive and user friendly. The controls react normally and don't have a steep learning curve like certain other higher gain type amps. The clean channel is decidedly Fender in how it responds, and both the Vibrolux and Bassman modes sound like their respective models. The drive channel is very Fender-like in how it responds as well, and that's definitely a good thing in my books.
Basically, it's not a difficult amp to dial in by any means, and I particularly like the feel of how the controls react on Fender amps, so this one gets a good rating here.
SOUNDS
I've tried this amp with various guitars and definitely like the vintage voice it has in general. For a 6L6 loaded Fender amp, it has a surprisingly British sounding character that I really like. It's got a very unique sort of flavour to it for a high gainer that I really dig overall.
The clean channel sounds like a marriage of two great Fenders. The Vibrolux mode offers a tighter and skinnier sounding clean tone, and the Bassman mode is fatter and gainer sounding overall. Having the two separate modes is a definite plus for sure, and it gives an added versatility to the amp.
The drive channel has a very smooth and refined vibe that reminds me a lot of a driven Fender or Mesa Boogie amp. Very clear and defined with a tempered low end, a present but smooth midrange and subdued highs that still allow for great driven overtones to to come through. Very cool.
OVERALL OPINION
All in all I think the Fender Supersonic head is a great offering from Fender that has a nice range of tones from clean to high octane. It's not really an amp I'd use for metal or anything too high gain but for rock styles it's got a cool voicing that stands out. They were about $1,200 new when they were out and I believe they're discontinued now, so grab one while you can!