The Best FRFR I've Tried - Simple, Effective, and Not Too Expensive - The Fender FR12

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only if you wanted, you could buy me a coffee!

only if you wanted, you could buy me a coffee!

[Atlantean-]

I am just here to show my support for one of the UK`s best players

[andypeacockmusic]

I have the FR10, it’s been excellent. It also makes you less weird if you need to play a show where you need an (something that looks like an) amp. I chose the 10 as it has a little less bottom end. I’ve often thought of buying a second for an indulgent stereo rig.

[pb]

For anyone reading comments, this is THE speaker for modelers. It feels like amp in room!

[fusionfan]

Hey John. I was just watching a Ben Eunson video and commented that a duet between you two would be epic as your styles seem so compatible. Amazingly Ben said he would love that, so I am just letting you know🎸🤘🏻

[chrisgmurray]

Open back cabs are nice if you're playing by yourself or in a small jam situation, because they spread the sound better. Closed back cabs almost always sound better and project better, but are more directional and don't spread the sound out so much on a stage, so although they may restrict your movements while trying to monitor what you're doing, they're also more controllable for the FOH mixer. Also it depends what you use first as you start to learn amp playing. If you come from a Fender combo background, you'll always gravitate toward open back speaker sound, and build your additional effects/sound components from that starting point, whereas if you begin your amp life with mire a Marshall perspective, you'll naturally base your incremental sound choices after what you're used to hearing... a drier more directional and thicker, punchier more middle- based tone. We train our ears from adding certain guitars to certain amps to certain speakers to certain effects.... always basing each new part of the equation on your satisfaction with the sound before... so it often comes fown to the chance of whatever you started to learn with.

[fredderwitsch]

I use the FR-10 with my FM-9 on several gigs per week and am quite satisfied. I tried the Headrush (both the 8" and the 12") and a QSC 12" PA speaker, and really prefer the FR-10. Very simple to use, has guitar amp-like controls, small and light, and not very expensive. The FR sounds much better than any of the others I've tried.

[mostlypostie]

I have an FR12 with a Tonex One. It's amazing. I also have a Marshall Valvestate VS102R and an Artist 20w valve amp, and I don't turn them on anymore. (My FR12 is about 6 months old, and has NO hiss at all.)

[dmac]

I’ve tried these out and really like them. My favourite FRFR.

[trickfall]

I've got the FR-10 and love it. I hadn't been able to rehearse for a while and wanted to use a new guitar and the fact that I didn't have to go through my presets and adjust them for the new guitar and could instead just tweak the eq on the FR-10 is so great. Also, a plus of using the FR-10 over a Tube amp is that it is much easier to control volume.

[robwalmsley]

I’ve been using the fr-10 since October 2023, and it is awesome. I had the ev monitor, the fryette lxii into 2 Mesa thiele cabs loaded with celestion g12x200 speaker (actually sounded REALLY good), then I got the fr-10 and it was perfect. I purchased it expecting to return it but damn. I a/b’d the fryette rig and the fr-10 several times at practice and twice at gigs and the band and I both preferred the fr-10 (I enjoy the bands opinion because they aren’t listening with their wallet). I’ve dragged my “real” amps out a couple of times for shits and giggles and loved it but missed the ease and flexibility of my fractal FM9 and didn’t feel that my tone was any better with the “real” Amps. So, basically, if you want the amp in the room feel this is your ticket to happiness.

[bobrg]

I had trouble getting the sounds of my Helix at home to translate to a PA system at the venue. This meant having to adjust presets at the gig. I started using the Friedman 10 inch FRFR to set presets at home and now everything sounds great through the PA without adjustments. We have a silent stage so no amps on stage, just IEM. This system works for me. Thanks for all your videos!

[angrybuzzy]

The high-speed timelapse of the FR12 moving was fantastic, JNC. ;-) As was your solo playing at the gig. Beautiful!

[KristopherCraig]

It’s good to know that this has the John Cordy seal of approval, as I have 2 arriving to the ship tomorrow.

[plisandro]

Really appreciate the shoutout on the hiss fix! Wish Fender would acknowledge the issue instead of silently rolling out my mod on new FR-10/12s...

[jimlansa]

i use with my kemper toaster and its amazing!

[Ganther]

I just finished dialing in an unusual pairing with the FM3/FM9. A Lonestar model with a PRS JA-15 hollow body into a pair of FR-12’s and 10’s. It was well worth the time invested. Made much use of 2 expression pedals but today I consolidated using the per-preset override foot switching. I did this just in case a control pedal breaks. Discovered even more with this configuration. The goal was to maximize the tonal possibilities using a hollowbody. I am ecstatic with the results! Had lots of fun with the parametric EQ mostly on the clean amp settings. I exhausted the foot switching capability on the FM9 and somehow still managed to spare a tuner button! Lols
This is the most exciting time for guitar technology! And I’m absolutely thrilled to hear the results! Thanks for sharing all of your wonderful insights John!

[johnscarratt]

I have a custom-built closed back 8 Ohm cab loaded with a Celestion FRLR Triple Cone F12M-150 1 x 12 speaker, with an Orange Pedal Baby 100 Watt power amp. It does a brilliant job with my Line 6 HX Stomp and UAFX Amp in a box pedals.

[SportThompson]

I’ve had mine for about a year as well, and I really like it. I have been toying with the idea of getting a Laney LFR212, but I may just get another one of these. It’s been really great, but sometimes I just want more… 😎

[momoguitar]

Thank you for your great content Jonathan! As a HX Stomp user I ended up using a Line6 100 Watt Catalyst as a FRFR that is about a third of the price when bought used here in Germany. In direct comparison - which I did with one of the earlier "hiss" iterations of the FR-12 - the Catalyst surprisingly enough was on par with it volume wise when plugged in the back to omit the built in preamp. The DI Out works perfectly with line level being independent from the amps master volume and even provides a ground switch that solved noise issues when playing with single coils. You lose the convenience of the quick access EQ that the FR-12 has but hopefully I am getting to know my HX Stomp good enough so that I can adjust the EQ on the modeler. Maybe you can find the time to compare the Catalyst and the FR-12. I would love to hear your opinion on the two Amps when used in FRFR mode.

[JustynFaber]

It’s actually unreal how good this is. Got rid of the powercab immediately. Not even close.