Fender tonemaster FR12

G

golfnut

Member
I'm currently waiting for delivery of the FM9. I had planned initially to use my EV ZLX 12 powered speaker with it. But I've been reading some glowing reviews on the Fender FR12. One thing that strikes me as a benefit as many think its more guitar cabinet like in functionality, which me being very new to digital modeling coming from decades of tube amp use, might be an easier transition.
Out of curiosity I looked at the pricing on Long and McQuade and its not too expensive and it just so happens to be Fender month and I could get it for 12 months 0% interest. Normally I'd just pay cash but I've spent a lot of money on gear lately including what the FM9 is costing me.
So looking for some advice. Should I stick with the EV or give the tonemaster a go?
 
Fixated said:
Do you leave the treble, middle, bass and cut at 12 o clock?
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I was wondering that same thing. Leave them flat for setting up presets and depending on volume changes, home\venue, adjust on the cabinet for the differences. Would that be something that would work?
 
golfnut said:
I was wondering that same thing. Leave them flat for setting up presets and depending on volume changes, home\venue, adjust on the cabinet for the differences. Would that be something that would work?
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WKSmith, who makes a really nice replacement pre amp for the FR's (that fixes a lot more than just the hiss) shows the settings that get them as close to flat as they can get:​

https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/fender-fr-12-eq-measurement-and-charts.198732/post-2471944
 
Do you FR12 folks have power amp modeling on, but no cab?
Or do you treat it like an actual FRFR cab and use IRs too?
 
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Fixated said:
Do you leave the treble, middle, bass and cut at 12 o clock?
Click to expand...
That works great for low volume at home. It makes our Fletcher-Munson ear bones happy.

At stage volume that turns to mud and hell. It needs to be flatter for higher SPL.
 
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Dave Merrill said:
Sorry, I'm confused.
You leave the FR12 tone controls flat at low volume, ie 12 o' clock?
And do what at high volume?
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For low volume..all Eq at 12:00 cut at zero (CCW)
It is almost the same freq curve as a Fender amp tonestack with the controls centered.

Flatten the eq out though for stage volume.
Here are the settings for a stock FR
https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/fender-fr-12-eq-measurement-and-charts.198732/post-2471944
The V2 makes it much easier and those settings are in the manual.
 
WKSmith said:
For low volume..all Eq at 12:00 cut at zero (CCW)
It is almost the same freq curve as a Fender amp tonestack with the controls centered.

Flatten the eq out though for stage volume.
Here are the settings for a stock FR
https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/fender-fr-12-eq-measurement-and-charts.198732/post-2471944
The V2 makes it much easier and those settings are in the manual.
Click to expand...
Is it possible to buy one and know if it's v2? Not seeing that mentioned anywhere.
 
Dave Merrill said:
Is it possible to buy one and know if it's v2? Not seeing that mentioned anywhere.
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I make the V2.
It is only even talked about here.

Fender swapped 3 ICs for their hiss fix. There is no way to know which FRs are factory modded without hearing them or taking them apart. Without the hiss fix you can hear it idling hiss louder that a hot tube amp with a drive pedal left on.

Their fix is for less hiss, but they also have less highs.

It's a great sounding backline .. even the hissy ones.
 
Still torn on if I made a good choice opting away from the 12 for the 10, in the room at GC the 12 seemed boomy even with the bass at around 10 o’clock and the legs tilted, prob just due to the size of the cabinet.

Guess I’ll find out if fender ships it soon.
 
sfla99 said:
Still torn on if I made a good choice opting away from the 12 for the 10, in the room at GC the 12 seemed boomy even with the bass at around 10 o’clock and the legs tilted, prob just due to the size of the cabinet.

Guess I’ll find out if fender ships it soon.
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The 10” is boomy too but easy to dial out with the eq. Standing back on the legs it’s less so. I haven’t tried the 12 but the 10 really kicks butt for something so small and light. I have a Celestion F12 cab and yes it sounds good. I’m playing the FR10 exclusively since I bought it. Great little speaker. Definitely more amp like to my ears.
 
sfla99 said:
Still torn on if I made a good choice opting away from the 12 for the 10, in the room at GC the 12 seemed boomy even with the bass at around 10 o’clock and the legs tilted, prob just due to the size of the cabinet.

Guess I’ll find out if fender ships it soon.
Click to expand...

As I'm new to FRFR, never having owned one, I don't know if it compares but I've never liked 10" speakers in any configuration. 1x10, 2x10, 3x10 or 4X10.
I am seriously thinking about purchasing the FR12 this week to have when my FM9 comes in sometime this week. My main purpose for the FM9 is gigging so I think it will be useful.
I've never really cared for a 1X12 configuration, always opting for 2X12 despite how much extra weight I have to carry but I don't think I'll end up with 2. It starts to defeat the purpose of having a light weight rig to carry. As well most of the stages don't have enough space. And the few times I'm playing big venues the stereo will be fine for me on stage I guess but going out FOH I don't think the effect will translate out.
I can't imagine the FR12 being too boomy for me. I'd have my presets adjusted for it and I have the flexibility of the eq on top of the cabinet to compensate. I'd rather have the ability to have bass and not need it rather than need it and not have it.
 
sfla99 said:
Still torn on if I made a good choice opting away from the 12 for the 10, in the room at GC the 12 seemed boomy even with the bass at around 10 o’clock and the legs tilted, prob just due to the size of the cabinet.

Guess I’ll find out if fender ships it soon.
Click to expand...
I've had both. When Long &Mcquade first got them in I was \maybe one of the first to snatch them up locally. I took home both the FR10 and FR12's to try out. You'd be happy with either. The 12's just have a more low end but I'm tellin ya the 10's had easily enough low end too. Just have to dial down the bass more on the 12's. sonically i found them nearly identical...
 
Chewie5150 said:
I've had both. When Long &Mcquade first got them in I was \maybe one of the first to snatch them up locally. I took home both the FR10 and FR12's to try out. You'd be happy with either. The 12's just have a more low end but I'm tellin ya the 10's had easily enough low end too. Just have to dial down the bass more on the 12's. sonically i found them nearly identical...
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If I'm setting up my presets with the eq all at noon would it be necessary then to have to compensate with the bass on the FR12 at the gig?
At home in my studio I plan to set up all my presets at near gig level for the small venues I play. So at the venue if I have to turn up at all it would be slightly. Luckily I can do this at home and get away with being loud.
Some of the bigger venues I play occasionally I'd probably have to turn up considerable and I can see having to compensate there.
 
I bought an FR12 from L&M after I blew one of the speakers on my Red Sound MF10s. MF10s were clearer, but the FR12 definitely sounds more like a guitar cab. The EQ controls are great. I had to lower the bass when I first started using it, but I then adjusted the patches and everything is at noon and sounds massive at band volume.

Picking the right IR is key here. When I played in a classic rock band, I pretty much used Fractal 4x12 GB 160 (Legacy #60 Cab), with a low cut around 85hz and hi cut around 8000. That sounded great with most Marshall type amps.

Now I play in a heavier rock band so I moved on to Dyna Cabs. Same results but I had to watch a bunch of videos to learn how to actually use them.

Either way, you've made the right purchase with the FR12. They sound better than the more expensive FR solutions.
 
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