Its a beginner amp and bare bones. The video just shows off the amp for people who are just starting out and want to hear it. I don't get the hate if the gear isnt for you than it isnt for you no need to put on your big boy hat and tell everyone how bad it sounds compared to something that costs 4-10x as much. Its a tool to be used thats all.
Is it any wonder that so many people quit not long after they start learning guitar? They get hate from both sides. They’re criticized because their gear is budget priced beginner gear even though budget gear is better now than it has ever been. On the other side, if they start out with a Fender American Professional and 65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue they get shamed because they aren’t good enough to deserve it.
@@charlesbolton8471 They quit because they get sold garbage like this POS, when they could get something really good sounding for the same price or even less, like a Blackstar Fly 3, ID Core 10, or Debut 15E, Boss Katana Mini, Line 6 Spider V20, or many others for only slightly more, like the great Champion 20 for only $20 more, as well as others from Vox, Blackstar, Peavey, Orange, Roland, and more.
@@DougMen1Guess what, about that Champion 20: all of its tones can be performed on the Frontman 20G. All Fender did was take a selection of tones from this amp, sample them, and make presets out of them. Then they took dime-a-dozen digital effects, and did the same thing. That's why the Champion 20 isn't really a Modeling Amplifier. And the only reason why it's digital is because it uses DSP.
Fender Mustang 1 version 2 is my favorite amp of all time. I have a collection of vintage Fender tube amps of every size that I love looking at but don’t leave the house.
I started playing guitar 15 years ago and the Fender Frontman was my first amp. It was decent for the price back then but hearing this is exactly the same horrible distorted sound I had forgotten and it isn't pleasant at all. I know this is an entry level guitar amp, but no progress in the sound quality in 15 years? There is absolutely no excuse for that.
@@American-Dragon it is cheap, but that's why it's a starter amp. it's been around for 10 years, so ya it's not gonna sound all that great when you turn the volume up past a certain point. Orange is the one that started this trend 15 years ago when they came out with the mini. i forget the main name, but ever since they came out with a small amp size everyone pretty much followed suit. also keep in mine that Fender is the biggest supplier of amps in the world, there always making new amps every two to three years, not saying there the best they just make alot, so sometimes they'll show something old like this to let people know this thing is still around. it would be nice if they updated it, but there not gonna do that. the Frontman series and Champion series have been around a longtime, if you want something more up to date that's what the Mustang LT and GT series are supposed to be. these older solid state amps are pretty barebones, the Mustang is more in common with the Boss Katana and Blackstar and Vox VT20X which is still around. there's also the Vox Pathfinder series, so they reserve amps like this for bundles and starter packs they been doing for the last 12 years now with Squier. i never had a Frontman, but i did own one of there older Champion series amps. it was a 40 watt, not the greatest thing in the world, but surprisingly they are pedal friendly. i tried a few on my old champion, i eventually upgraded to the Vox AC10, that thing is louder than anything I've ever owned. i never play it that loud, but even at low value you can hear it a little bit. that's when i went out and bought the Vox Pathfinder 10, that thing is perfect for messing around at night.
They took the Frontman 25R and knocked off 50% of the value but only 25% of the price. Brilliant marketing. At least it's plain, vanilla solid state with none of that short-lifespan digital junk they piled into the Tone Master series.
I got this baby, Ive been playing for 18 years now and collected much gear. My go to amp is usually a roland nexttone. I got this as a practice amp to take around on a daily basis. I liked the sound of it clean if you set the tone right, use your ears not your eyes. The distortion channel i used it on level 2-3 gain. As my playing style is more bluesy. I upgrade the speaker to a $30 dollar 8/15 celestion and omfg. The amp just became much better. That harsh distortion is gone and I am able to play high gain songs without frowning or thinking about how cheap the amp is. It became a monster.
And of course they put the drive function at the very end so if you quit the video 30 sec in you can't hear the full potential of this powerhouse. My first amp was a 15$ marshal knockoff from wish and surprise! This work of art sounds just like it. Get a fender champion.
Just stick a tube power/pre amp sim and good cabinet ir into a jfet distortion solid state amp, if you put a 6db low cut before the distortion and 6db high cut after the distortion itll sound great
How about just buy a different amp? This is supposed to be a beginner's amp. I understand that there are hobbyists out there, who love to modify inexpensive amps like this, but there are far more players just starting out who need a decent platform to do so.
I got the frontman 10 used for 26 bucks and was surprised how nice the clean channel was. The overdrive was ok, not great but ok. When I saw videos of the amp being played I did notice the overdrive channel sounded a lot worse than in person. That being said this new Fender 20 watt amp overdrive sounds absolutely hideous. Hopefully, it won't sound that bad in person.
@@robertp457 I agree, but they do have a wide enough product assortment that there is probably something most guitarists would like in at least one of those product categories. Many of the products that are missing from Fender’s assortment that would appeal the rest could probably be found in one of the other brands that Fender owns and/or distributes.
I have a Frontman 212R... people gave it a bad rap and not sure why Fender stopped making it... I bought mine for AUD$435.00 in 2010 and I rate it highly... it's lightweight, cleans are good and takes pedals well... a year into it I replaced the reverb tank with a 4EB3C1B from Accutronics for about 40 bucks, this made a big difference... to this day I use it mostly for practicing and to do ALL my recordings... at drummer level it starts to get a bit ice pick-ish but I have my AC30 for band rehearsals and gigs... this amp requires no maintenance but it's easy to work on should it need it... 6-7 years ago it blew 2x diodes, they were easy for me to spot and replace... it happened again a few weeks ago so that's my project for this or next week since I'm on annual leave... $5.00 in diodes every few years still falls within the affordable and reliable category in my book... AUD$485.00 in total for an amp that I've been happy with for 12 years ticks all my boxes... I would definitely try to find or replace if it gets lost or stolen, repair if needed and definitely not knock it back if someone gave me one...
Rob Nesser: originally the Frontman series were meant to be a more affordable alternative to there more expensive tube amps at the time, so the Frontman was the cheaper option. then in 2008 Fender introduced the Champion series, and the Frontman series got pushed down to entry level. which to be honest weren't all that different from the Frontman series. eventually they took the smallest, which at the time it was a 20 watt version they used to bundle a Squier guitar as a package. but as time by they discontinued the Frontman series for awhile in 2011 in favor of the Champion series, but they did keep certain one's around like the Frontman 20g and 10g. the 10g is the one that gets bundled now, the one you had the 212R, ya the only place your gonna find one of those are the used market lol. the only one from the Frontman series Fender still supports is the 10G and the 20g now since this video wouldn't exist, the others are the Fender Champion 20 and 40.
The LT25 is a million times better for only $50 more. It has a ton of great sounding amp models and effects, and gets amazingly great sound recording direct from its USB out. There are few amps in its price range that can begin to compare. It's one of the best small amps I've ever owned.
Tbh, I didn’t think that that amp sounded great. I can‘t imagine designing something like that. The Fender Champion 20 is the way better beginner option. I even had one when I started playing. So why make another one but more cheap and awful sounding?
Yeah… wow. Not sure how he kept even a non-smile thru the playthru. I would have had the look of having a sour lemon and a handful of dog kibble in my mouth. Sorry to be so blunt, but this thing sounds like garbage. Agreed with another commenter, this day and age, you could probably get much better tones and features with a free phone app.
Why do a video with almost everything that is NOT good about the Amp? Fender is known for the CLEAN Tones, the sparkle... The Gain channel was never really good--
This atrocious POS isn't even worth $29, let alone $129! There are many far far better amps for less or a little more, from Blackstar, Roland/Boss, Vox, and others, as well as the Champion 20 for only $20 more, and the LT25 (which I own) for only $50 more. This is what happens when the greedy stockholders and bean counters have too much say in products and pricing, you get crap like this garbage throwaway amp, and grossly overpriced but good guitars, like $600 Squiers and $1200 Mexican Fenders. I'm glad I already have all the Strats and Teles I'll ever need.
there ain't nothing cheaper than this, and where do you see greed. this is a starter amp, $29 bucks. this would be for some kid, i like those other amps you mentioned, i have a Boss Katana, but let's be real a Fender Champion 20 isn't much different than this. it's the same thing, plus no parent is gonna spend over a $100 on a amp for a kid. the Mustang is over a $100. Blackstar and Vox are $99 and over.
@@homercomeruntaco9345 i don't remember putting 29 dollars, but i did write it lol. i meant to put there like 80 dollars, well for the 10g. this is a 20 watt version, so it probably cost a little over a 100, but they usually throw these in as part of a bundle.
Mother of God, why would you do this to anybody? I've heard some bad gain sounds but nothing like this. The cleans would be tolerable at half the price but only barely. Seeing that it's not expensive enough to be a hipster cash grab, are you literally looking to dissuade kids and new guitarists? Discontinue and do it over, properly this time.
Its a beginner amp and bare bones. The video just shows off the amp for people who are just starting out and want to hear it. I don't get the hate if the gear isnt for you than it isnt for you no need to put on your big boy hat and tell everyone how bad it sounds compared to something that costs 4-10x as much. Its a tool to be used thats all.
Is it any wonder that so many people quit not long after they start learning guitar?
They get hate from both sides. They’re criticized because their gear is budget priced beginner gear even though budget gear is better now than it has ever been. On the other side, if they start out with a Fender American Professional and 65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue they get shamed because they aren’t good enough to deserve it.
@@charlesbolton8471 They quit because they get sold garbage like this POS, when they could get something really good sounding for the same price or even less, like a Blackstar Fly 3, ID Core 10, or Debut 15E, Boss Katana Mini, Line 6 Spider V20, or many others for only slightly more, like the great Champion 20 for only $20 more, as well as others from Vox, Blackstar, Peavey, Orange, Roland, and more.
@@DougMen1Guess what, about that Champion 20: all of its tones can be performed on the Frontman 20G. All Fender did was take a selection of tones from this amp, sample them, and make presets out of them. Then they took dime-a-dozen digital effects, and did the same thing. That's why the Champion 20 isn't really a Modeling Amplifier. And the only reason why it's digital is because it uses DSP.
I'd spend another 50 bucks and get a Mustang LT25.
It's an affordable little solid state Amp and sounds fine' everyone is a critic and a guitar know it all'
I still have and use (since mid 2000's) my Frontman 25R. Good to see the Frontman series back!
2:57 fender reverb tone
I have the Frontman 10 and the Frontman 15 in their Squires HSS guitar package. Great job to improve their amps.
Fender Mustang 1 version 2 is my favorite amp of all time. I have a collection of vintage Fender tube amps of every size that I love looking at but don’t leave the house.
I started playing guitar 15 years ago and the Fender Frontman was my first amp. It was decent for the price back then but hearing this is exactly the same horrible distorted sound I had forgotten and it isn't pleasant at all. I know this is an entry level guitar amp, but no progress in the sound quality in 15 years? There is absolutely no excuse for that.
It looks cheap too
Given there's so many small amps with killer distortion tones, and that's what you wanted, why would you buy this?
wish i wouldnt bought a better one, so Im stuck with this piece of garbage lol, but Ill upgrade here in a month or so.
@@American-Dragon it is cheap, but that's why it's a starter amp. it's been around for 10 years, so ya it's not gonna sound all that great when you turn the volume up past a certain point. Orange is the one that started this trend 15 years ago when they came out with the mini. i forget the main name, but ever since they came out with a small amp size everyone pretty much followed suit.
also keep in mine that Fender is the biggest supplier of amps in the world,
there always making new amps every two to three years,
not saying there the best they just make alot, so sometimes they'll show something old like this to let people know this thing is still around.
it would be nice if they updated it, but there not gonna do that.
the Frontman series and Champion series have been around a longtime,
if you want something more up to date that's what the Mustang LT and GT series are supposed to be. these older solid state amps are pretty barebones,
the Mustang is more in common with the Boss Katana and Blackstar and Vox VT20X which is still around. there's also the Vox Pathfinder series,
so they reserve amps like this for bundles and starter packs they been doing for the last 12 years now with Squier.
i never had a Frontman, but i did own one of there older Champion series amps. it was a 40 watt, not the greatest thing in the world,
but surprisingly they are pedal friendly. i tried a few on my old champion,
i eventually upgraded to the Vox AC10, that thing is louder than anything I've ever owned. i never play it that loud, but even at low value you can hear it a little bit. that's when i went out and bought the Vox Pathfinder 10, that thing is perfect for messing around at night.
The clean sounds great, the distortion is pretty unpleasant though. Probably wouldn't be so bad if the treble was rolled down
Every guitar amp & every guitarist deserves at least a 10” speaker.
They took the Frontman 25R and knocked off 50% of the value but only 25% of the price. Brilliant marketing. At least it's plain, vanilla solid state with none of that short-lifespan digital junk they piled into the Tone Master series.
I love the way this amp sounds
Just get any of the fender champ series if you want a small solid state fender
I got this baby, Ive been playing for 18 years now and collected much gear. My go to amp is usually a roland nexttone. I got this as a practice amp to take around on a daily basis. I liked the sound of it clean if you set the tone right, use your ears not your eyes. The distortion channel i used it on level 2-3 gain. As my playing style is more bluesy. I upgrade the speaker to a $30 dollar 8/15 celestion and omfg. The amp just became much better. That harsh distortion is gone and I am able to play high gain songs without frowning or thinking about how cheap the amp is. It became a monster.
That’s what I’m planning on doing. Got this amp for $65, get a $30 Celestion 8/15 for it.
I took the screws out of the back of my 20G and it won’t budge ! I wonder if someone upgraded it and glued it?
@@jimstenlund6017No upgrade for you! 😂
And of course they put the drive function at the very end so if you quit the video 30 sec in you can't hear the full potential of this powerhouse.
My first amp was a 15$ marshal knockoff from wish and surprise! This work of art sounds just like it.
Get a fender champion.
Just stick a tube power/pre amp sim and good cabinet ir into a jfet distortion solid state amp, if you put a 6db low cut before the distortion and 6db high cut after the distortion itll sound great
How about just buy a different amp? This is supposed to be a beginner's amp. I understand that there are hobbyists out there, who love to modify inexpensive amps like this, but there are far more players just starting out who need a decent platform to do so.
Sounds like a Early Queens Of The Stone Age Tone
More like Late QOTSA tone. Solid state tones are key for the Villains record.
Clean tone with the reverb sounded ok. The distorted sound though? Painful to the ears
I got the frontman 10 used for 26 bucks and was surprised how nice the clean channel was. The overdrive was ok, not great but ok. When I saw videos of the amp being played I did notice the overdrive channel sounded a lot worse than in person. That being said this new Fender 20 watt amp overdrive sounds absolutely hideous. Hopefully, it won't sound that bad in person.
Im wondering if this comes with the input to plug into the guitar. The reason why is because im new
Price is not bad also!
i love this model so much :D
thank you for your cover!
What is the song he is playing at 3:10?
Does anyone know how you can get distortion on this amp? Or do you have to buy a pedal?
I was actually impressed with how good the Squire sounded. I usually wont even pick one up because of how low quality they typically are.
Shame no reverb.
Do any of you know what song is playing at minute 3:00?
is that amp any good? ive been searching for champion 20 but i cant find it bc in every place its sold out
Fender makes the best guitars, amps and pedals.
With music and instruments being so subjective I don't think that's true for everyone.
@@robertp457
I agree, but they do have a wide enough product assortment that there is probably something most guitarists would like in at least one of those product categories.
Many of the products that are missing from Fender’s assortment that would appeal the rest could probably be found in one of the other brands that Fender owns and/or distributes.
Not in this case, lol
Guitar center had it on sabe for $79. Is it worth it?
No. I have it. Save another 50-100 bucks, and you'll get something 10 times better.
@@buxtonofficial4280 great, will do that. Thanks for your response
@@demayoexperience no problem. Happy playing!
That amp would have been better with a reverb built in it, at the least.
Does this work well with bass guitars?
how would this work with an electric acoustic guitar?
you would think that line out, master volume and external channel switch options are standard even on beginner amps these days...
Does it handle pedals on clean channel?
It handles them on both channels. This amp gets a lot of hate, when most people aren't using it correctly.
Why no more footswitches that come with the amp?
I bought one of these, replaced the speaker with an 8 inch 2 way and it sounds WAY better.....
I have a Frontman 212R... people gave it a bad rap and not sure why Fender stopped making it... I bought mine for AUD$435.00 in 2010 and I rate it highly... it's lightweight, cleans are good and takes pedals well... a year into it I replaced the reverb tank with a 4EB3C1B from Accutronics for about 40 bucks, this made a big difference... to this day I use it mostly for practicing and to do ALL my recordings... at drummer level it starts to get a bit ice pick-ish but I have my AC30 for band rehearsals and gigs... this amp requires no maintenance but it's easy to work on should it need it... 6-7 years ago it blew 2x diodes, they were easy for me to spot and replace... it happened again a few weeks ago so that's my project for this or next week since I'm on annual leave... $5.00 in diodes every few years still falls within the affordable and reliable category in my book... AUD$485.00 in total for an amp that I've been happy with for 12 years ticks all my boxes... I would definitely try to find or replace if it gets lost or stolen, repair if needed and definitely not knock it back if someone gave me one...
Rob Nesser: originally the Frontman series were meant to be a more affordable alternative to there more expensive tube amps at the time, so the Frontman was the cheaper option. then in 2008 Fender introduced the Champion series, and the Frontman series got pushed down to entry level.
which to be honest weren't all that different from the Frontman series.
eventually they took the smallest, which at the time it was a 20 watt version they used to bundle a Squier guitar as a package.
but as time by they discontinued the Frontman series for awhile in 2011 in favor of the Champion series, but they did keep certain one's around like the Frontman 20g and 10g. the 10g is the one that gets bundled now, the one you had the 212R, ya the only place your gonna find one of those are the used market lol. the only one from the Frontman series Fender still supports is the 10G and the 20g now since this video wouldn't exist, the others are the Fender Champion 20 and 40.
Absolutely awful sounding amp. Calling all the hipsters…
can we have this here in the philippines please?
Yeah, you can have it!
Can I use this fender with bas guitar?
It’s a bad idea to use bass guitars on a guitar amp
so is this 20 watts PEAK or RMS?
Orange Crush 20rt so much better
is the mustang L25 a better buy?
The LT25 is a million times better for only $50 more. It has a ton of great sounding amp models and effects, and gets amazingly great sound recording direct from its USB out. There are few amps in its price range that can begin to compare. It's one of the best small amps I've ever owned.
Honestly yes
0:50
Biem buena musica 👍🐟
THANKS!
I had one of these when I started playing and it’s crazy to me that they still sound terrible
good practice amp
Sounds horrible! Yuckety-yuk! If even Ozzie's great playing fails to have this amp sound decent ...
Tbh, I didn’t think that that amp sounded great. I can‘t imagine designing something like that. The Fender Champion 20 is the way better beginner option. I even had one when I started playing.
So why make another one but more cheap and awful sounding?
it had a mic in front of it, so of course it ain't gonna sound that good.
The Champion 20 isn't any better. It just has preset sounds that all sound like what this amp can make anyway.
Why are they pushing the front man instead of the Champion?????
Sounds atrocious. Hope it is less than 45€.
Sadly no. It's $129!
I own a Frontman 65R. Amazing. I played on the 15G back in the day. Was definitely better than this. Fender! What are you doing?
At least put a reverb on it.
Drive channel sounds good enough to play Stooges songs lol
You need the reverb
Get a 20 year old blues jr instead and a couple of pedals.
Awesome fender
65r reissue
That talk about a tube shortage gets scarier all the time.
People are waiting for Josh Homme to use it.
What if i buy a 2k guitar and use this because I just spent all my money on the guitar?
sounds terrible
How so?
Nope
@@Whoippy yep
Yep sounds bad
😂
I don't have a fender cable but the warnings say you need to use Fender products for safety. Is this true? I also have an Ibanez guitar...
Fenders sound thick and thin at the same time. Strange.
That drive tone sounds like shit.
I won't buy this amp. A 12' speaker amp with built-in reverb, with something around 40~60 watts and a very tight housing is what I really need. Sorry.
❤️
Bee farts 🐝💨
This amp sounds like you're playing the guitar through a kazoo.
That distortion is cringe !😖
✋
Yeah… wow. Not sure how he kept even a non-smile thru the playthru. I would have had the look of having a sour lemon and a handful of dog kibble in my mouth. Sorry to be so blunt, but this thing sounds like garbage. Agreed with another commenter, this day and age, you could probably get much better tones and features with a free phone app.
Sounds like a cheap transistor radio! Yuck!
По сравнению со старым Frontman какакя-то параша, прости Господи
worst one I could ever have
It sounds just like a cheap amp. Nothing to do with Fender classic sound
No, not even for my teenage nephew. This is about the very worst I have ever heard.
Why do a video with almost everything that is NOT good about the Amp? Fender is known for the CLEAN Tones, the sparkle... The Gain channel was never really good--
That's total BS! Fender has and does make a lot of great sounding amps with awesome sounding drive tones. You have NO idea WTF you're talking about.
Awful soundint.
This atrocious POS isn't even worth $29, let alone $129! There are many far far better amps for less or a little more, from Blackstar, Roland/Boss, Vox, and others, as well as the Champion 20 for only $20 more, and the LT25 (which I own) for only $50 more. This is what happens when the greedy stockholders and bean counters have too much say in products and pricing, you get crap like this garbage throwaway amp, and grossly overpriced but good guitars, like $600 Squiers and $1200 Mexican Fenders. I'm glad I already have all the Strats and Teles I'll ever need.
there ain't nothing cheaper than this, and where do you see greed. this is a starter amp, $29 bucks. this would be for some kid, i like those other amps you mentioned, i have a Boss Katana, but let's be real a Fender Champion 20 isn't much different than this. it's the same thing, plus no parent is gonna spend over a $100 on a amp for a kid. the Mustang is over a $100. Blackstar and Vox are $99 and over.
@@Jeymez this is not 29 bucks, it's 99 dollars currently, and usually 129 dollars. This amp is not worth what it costs.
@@homercomeruntaco9345 i don't remember putting 29 dollars, but i did write it lol. i meant to put there like 80 dollars, well for the 10g. this is a 20 watt version, so it probably cost a little over a 100, but they usually throw these in as part of a bundle.
Get a champion 20 instead of any frontman. End of discussion.
Awful sounding amp
That Amp sounds terrible 😳
yea sorry fender but these amps sounds horrible xD
Mother of God, why would you do this to anybody? I've heard some bad gain sounds but nothing like this. The cleans would be tolerable at half the price but only barely. Seeing that it's not expensive enough to be a hipster cash grab, are you literally looking to dissuade kids and new guitarists? Discontinue and do it over, properly this time.
Based on this video I could tell the tone is so POS.
Distortion channel sucks!!
WORST SOUNDING AMPPPPPPP
Sounds like poopoo...