5 New Fender Amps to Try

While the floor at the Fender Showcase is always bustling and noisy during the annual NAMM Show in Anaheim, Calif., at various points throughout the day, things get turned up a notch thanks to the Fender amplification section.

This year, there is a wealth of new and classic amps that interested parties can plug in to, but we decided to pick a few that deserve some extra attention. Here are five Fender amps worth taking a closer look at:

##Hot Rod DeVille ML 212

Designed in conjunction with renowned guitarist Michael Landau, the new ML model is based on the Fender Hot Rod Deville III, delivering beautiful tube tone. Landau has been using Hot Rod DeVille amps on stage for many years and continues to do so whether he’s fronting the Michael Landau Trio or acting as key sideman to James Taylor.

The ML has tube circuitry and 60-watt output, two 12′ speakers, spring reverb and an effects loop, in addition to Landau’s specs of volume-switching and boost capabilities.

##Bassman 500 Head

The Bassman 500 combines Fender’s world-standard “blackface” tube preamp with a lightweight 500 watt Class D power amp. It boasts a dual-channel design to maximize classic technology with modern technology. The vintage channel offers a full, warm sound that one might find with classic Fender amps paired with a passive tone stack, and an overdrive channel that delivers the aggressive and responsive sound of a modern active tone stack (choose between channels with included footswitch).

The Bassman 500 mates perfectly with Bassman Pro Series Neo speaker cabinets and Rumble V3 410/115 cabinets.

Let us once again reiterate how lightweight this head is. Fender signature artist Tony Franklin picked it up by its handle with only two fingers and then tossed it in the air with an ear-to-ear grin upon his face.

##Blues Junior Lacquered Tweed

This 15-watt amp gets the vintage treatment with a lacquered tweed covering and a vintage-voiced 12″ Jensen speaker. The all-tube signal path offers a golden tone that works for professional rock, country and blues players. And, the pinstripe grille cloth gives the Blues Junior Lacquered Tweed beauty a boutique look.

##Rumble 112 and 210 Cabinet

These 4×10 enclosures deliver all the power and clarity that you’d expect from a Fender cabinet. The Rumble 112 and 210 cabs both feature Eminence speakers, a premium high-end compression horn and Fender’s magnetic Rumble head-attachment system. So, combined with either the rumble 200 or 500 heads coming in at an affordable price, you can get a great rig for either a small club or larger venue without putting pressure on your wallet.