Fender FR-12 preamp mod : The Hissterectomy

visualsuplex said:
Scooped an open box FR12 for ~$500 from GC (they said they're backordered to the fall on new ones)

Definitely has some hiss - good thing my V2 Gold shows up today!
Click to expand...
Guitar Center currently shows them in stock, are they knowingly selling the ones with the hiss?

I ordered one directly from Fender and it should be here in a couple of days, I hope this one has their repair until I can get on the list for an updated board.
 
95standardplus said:
Guitar Center currently shows them in stock, are they knowingly selling the ones with the hiss?

I ordered one directly from Fender and it should be here in a couple of days, I hope this one has their repair until I can get on the list for an updated board.
Click to expand...
The FR-12s were out of stock on the GC website for some time. I'm curious as well.
 
95standardplus said:
Guitar Center currently shows them in stock, are they knowingly selling the ones with the hiss?

I ordered one directly from Fender and it should be here in a couple of days, I hope this one has their repair until I can get on the list for an updated board.
Click to expand...
I bought it Open Box (full well knowing it was probably returned because of hiss and I was going to swap the preamp)

After going to a local GC and having them try and order one with a trade in, they actually showed me the back order and it was ~ October-ish

I have a sneak feeling if you tried to buy one online it wouldn't go through.
 
visualsuplex said:
I bought it Open Box (full well knowing it was probably returned because of hiss and I was going to swap the preamp)

After going to a local GC and having them try and order one with a trade in, they actually showed me the back order and it was ~ October-ish

I have a sneak feeling if you tried to buy one online it wouldn't go through.
Click to expand...
I was able to land a used FR-10 from GC for $399 plus whatever it was to ship it. Definitely in the S# range. Really excited to try my FR-10 pair with the V2.
 
Well, I have received a response from Fender Spain:

Hi there! Thanks for reaching out.

We are aware of the concern some customers have shared about the volume of output “hiss” which is audible from FR powered speakers in an idle state when powered on and a manufacturing change has been enacted to address this minor concern. Going forward, any unit purchased from our website should already have this modification.

Kind regards,
 
As it says that it 'should' already have the modification done.
I asked if I buy a unit and it comes with the hiss, do I have the right to return it or have it fixed here in Spain.
That 'should' doesn't sound very good.
 
I have a new response, and I don't think they have any fuck idea if those amps come already "repaired."

Hello again,

If there is a manufacturing fault on an item that you purchase on the website, you can return it for a replacement or refund at no extra cost.

Kind regards,
 
and other men:

Hi,

The Tone Master FR cabinets do have an inherent level of operating noise that is considered normal. It should not be an issue in typical use cases, especially when playing guitar or listening to music, as the noise floor doesn’t change and is well below the audio output signal level.

The manufacturing warranty on new products also applies to new purchases from authorised dealers. If there is an issue, it must be communicated to the dealer where the product was purchased so that they can take the necessary steps to have the unit checked under warranty.

I hope this helps.
 
Nawual said:
I have a new response, and I don't think they have any fuck idea if those amps come already "repaired."

Hello again,

If there is a manufacturing fault on an item that you purchase on the website, you can return it for a replacement or refund at no extra cost.

Kind regards,
Click to expand...
How much inventory does this store carry? Does fender put serials/upc’s on their shipping boxes? Makes way more sense to check at point of sale than check 20+ boxes every time someone asks, in their eyes.
 
So I ordered an FR-12 from GC a few days ago and it arrived this afternoon. The box indicates a production date of April 2024 and yes it has an audible hiss, but like most of the factory "modded/repaired" ones you'll really only notice it when it's idle.

I guess I expected a bit more from it, but I feel as though the sound is somewhat two dimensional and, for lack of a better word, a bit harsh. I felt this way about the EV PXM-12MP I tried and every lower level studio monitor I've paired with my FM-3. This goes for virtually every preset, factory or otherwise. Maybe it's just my ears, but so far I've only liked what I hear through my Sennheiser headphones. So unless I doing something wrong I plan on returning it. FYI, I never felt that way about my 70s silverface Deluxe Reverb.
 
Last edited:
Rex said:
Thanks for clearing that up. I was thinking, “I’ve played notes all the way up to G-sharp, but I can’t imagine what kind of hiss would sound like an S-sharp.” :)
Click to expand...
Common core music? A new coding language, specifically for guitarists who actually read music?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rex
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom