Fender FR-12 preamp mod : The Hissterectomy

Spent some more time playing clean through the FR12 with the new V2s.
I spend a lot of time going after a “sweet sounding” jazz tone and I am completely
sold on the FR-12s. The V2s are a perfect match for the audiophile outputs of the fractal products.
While I would still stick with the FR12s as is without the V2s, the preamp just sounds excellent and the additions on top of it…just great. Thanks Liam… @WKSmith and I appreciate your efforts in this endeavor. My search for the right speakers are over.
 
200man said:
Spent some more time playing clean through the FR12 with the new V2s.
I spend a lot of time going after a “sweet sounding” jazz tone and I am completely
sold on the FR-12s. The V2s are a perfect match for the audiophile outputs of the fractal products.
While I would still stick with the FR12s as is without the V2s, the preamp just sounds excellent and the additions on top of it…just great. Thanks Liam… @WKSmith and I appreciate your efforts in this endeavor. My search for the right speakers are over.
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Same here.

Over the last couple of years I refined my Jazz preset, first on the FM3 then copied it on the FM9. The V2 FR-12 is an excellent match for it and I couldn't be happier with the Jazz tone I'm getting with that rig.
 
WKSmith said:
I am about to send some invites out 😎 I have several on the bench that are almost finished.
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🤞🤘
Waynes World Car GIF by Hollywood Suite
 
I use IEMs for practice and today we were rehearsing for a gig that only has PA for vox. Unfortunately my 2 FR12's with V2's were just a little too quiet for our drummer. I would say they got me about 90% of the way there! I set one up basically as a monitor for the drummer. That worked fine. I set the other one up behind me, in front of the drum sheild, and I just couldn't get it to come up in the mix over the bass and drums.

I am using the ASI 3dme IEMs but only using the ambient mics so I can not destroy my hearing. We're a 3 piece, so thankfully no other guitar to go up against. I had to back off a little to keep the red light on the volume from lighting up. FM3 output was at 4 O'Clock and the FR12 Vol was at 9. Our drummer is loud and we even have him behind some of those plexi dividers (which we won't be bringing to the show). I did tilt the FR to just send the sound right up to me, and that was a little better..... but I need to play to the audience, not just to me as there is no FOH.

We have one more rehearsal - I'm going to bring my 2x12 cab loaded with 2 Celestion F12-X200 speakers powered by a Matrix GT1000fx and put one of the FR12's on top of it. I think that should be plenty to get it oomph behind it. My stereo signal has a mimiq pedal in there, so that will also fill it out.

All of that said... I'm still very happy with the FR12's and it was dead-simple to adjust the EQ on the fly and get an awesome sound. I wouldn't even be considering them if WKSmith hadn't created the V2s... they're a huge improvement.
 
MicroMort said:
I use IEMs for practice and today we were rehearsing for a gig that only has PA for vox. Unfortunately my 2 FR12's with V2's were just a little too quiet for our drummer. I would say they got me about 90% of the way there! I set one up basically as a monitor for the drummer. That worked fine. I set the other one up behind me, in front of the drum sheild, and I just couldn't get it to come up in the mix over the bass and drums.

I am using the ASI 3dme IEMs but only using the ambient mics so I can not destroy my hearing. We're a 3 piece, so thankfully no other guitar to go up against. I had to back off a little to keep the red light on the volume from lighting up. FM3 output was at 4 O'Clock and the FR12 Vol was at 9. Our drummer is loud and we even have him behind some of those plexi dividers (which we won't be bringing to the show). I did tilt the FR to just send the sound right up to me, and that was a little better..... but I need to play to the audience, not just to me as there is no FOH.

We have one more rehearsal - I'm going to bring my 2x12 cab loaded with 2 Celestion F12-X200 speakers powered by a Matrix GT1000fx and put one of the FR12's on top of it. I think that should be plenty to get it oomph behind it. My stereo signal has a mimiq pedal in there, so that will also fill it out.

All of that said... I'm still very happy with the FR12's and it was dead-simple to adjust the EQ on the fly and get an awesome sound. I wouldn't even be considering them if WKSmith hadn't created the V2s... they're a huge improvement.
Click to expand...
Jesus christ are you in Sunn-O :D
 
I'm using XLR inputs and +4dB. Our practice room is pretty open, too. It's a big room built above a garage and it isn't treated. so I'm guessing there's a fair bit of frequency competition in there. but yeah, I mean it's a loud 1x12 speaker.

Coming from weekly practice with in-ears, I'm sure it's also a bit of adjusting to not having myself leveled perfectly in the mix.
 
WKSmith said:
If the 1/4 is unbalanced ..yes.
And the 1/4 input has a very small hum if anything is plugged into it.
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Oh, got it. But if the source has a balanced mono 1/4" out, and if I use a balanced mono cable to plug into the F12 1/4" input, then there would be no difference in volume, right?
 
The balanced input has one signal out of phase with the other.

If you run TS into the TRS amp input the R signal will be shunted to ground. The summing amp would output half volume to the 2nd gain stage.

You can use an Unbalanced : Balanced transformer for this though.

If your source is balanced TRS it will work great but have a very tiny hum .
 
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Here is a simple diagram for using a balanced transformer to make a unbalanced TS into a balanced TRS or XLR

It needs a metal enclosure that is connected to the source signal ground. Or it will inductively couple with any nearby stray ac line noise.

Use plastic jacks for the output side.

I use the 10k:10k when I can for line levels.
These transformers are 20-20kHz and less than .005% ish THD

For using XLR instead of TRS balanced out
XLR Pin 1 = S
XLR Pin 2 = T
XLR Pin 3 = R

IMG_1907.jpeg
 
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