NAMM 2016: Fender's nine-strong Bassbreaker amp range promises a "sound that words can't describe"
Introduction
NAMM 2016: After a tease or two earlier this year, Fender has lifted the lid on its long-rumoured Bassbreaker series, revealing nine new amps aimed at the studio and stage alike.
With these new heads and combos, the longstanding American company invites guitarists to “explore the dark side” and experience “Fender DNA with a twist” and “a new breed of sound that words can't describe”.
The lower-wattage range starts with the seven-watt 007 compact head and progresses all the way up to a 45-watt head and combo, plus extension cabs – click through for the full lowdown, and head over to Fender for more.
£210
Fender Bassbreaker 007 Head
- 7 watts
- Two 12AX7 preamp tubes, single EL84 power tube, true class A operation
- Vintage-style treble-booster circuit switch on front panel for extra gain and harmonics (also operated by optional single-button footswitch)
- Line output (1/4”) for use with recording equipment or larger amp
- Single 10” Celestion Ten Thirty speaker (combo model only)
£280
Fender Bassbreaker 007 Combo
- 7 watts
- Two 12AX7 preamp tubes, single EL84 power tube, true class A operation
- Vintage-style treble-booster circuit switch on front panel for extra gain and harmonics (also operated by optional single-button footswitch)
- Line output (1/4”) for use with recording equipment or larger amp
- Single 10” Celestion Ten Thirty speaker
£385
Fender Bassbreaker 15 Head
- Modern, touch-sensitive voicing
- 15 watts from two EL84 tubes for aggressive midrange character
- Three 12AX7 preamp tubes
- Gain Structure switch for three distinct tonal flavors and overdrive levels
- Recording-friendly Power Amp Mute, switchable speaker-emulated XLR line output and ground lift
- Digital hall reverb
- Pairs with BB-112 extension speaker cabinet
£470
Fender Bassbreaker 15 Combo
- Modern, touch-sensitive voicing
- 15 watts from two EL84 tubes for aggressive midrange character
- Three 12AX7 preamp tubes
- Gain Structure switch for three distinct tonal flavors and overdrive levels
- Recording-friendly Power Amp Mute, switchable speaker-emulated XLR line output and ground lift
- Digital hall reverb
- Single 12” 8-ohm Celestion V-Type speaker
- Pairs with BB-112 extension speaker cabinet
£569
Fender Bassbreaker 18/30 Combo
- Channel one is a 30-watt version of the blackface Fender Deluxe amp, delivering bell-like clean tones that gradually warm up with a twist of the volume control
- Channel two is an 18-watt version of the brown 1961 Deluxe amp, for lower-headroom tube tone and warm, compressed overdrive
- Designed to be pedal-friendly
- Channel-selection footswitch included
- Four EL84 output tubes for tighter rock distortion character
- Simple signal path for pedal-friendly operation
- Two 12” Celestion V-Type speakers for tight response and “vocal” tone character
- Cabinet has birch ply construction and semi-closed back for full, resonant response and low-end “thump”
- Pairs with optional BB-212 extension cabinet
£589
Fender Bassbreaker 45 Head
- ’59 Bassman circuit with touch sensitivity and pedal-friendly response
- Dual EL34 output tubes for tighter rock distortion character
- Output level knob takes power from 45 watts to a single watt and anywhere in between, tailoring full-powered Bassman overdrive capabilities for studio, stage and arena – players can dial up many 'sweet spots' with various combinations of level and channel settings
- Normal and Bright inputs, plus BOTH input for achieving “channel blend” tonal variations without a patch cable
- Pairs with BB-212 enclosure
£819
Fender Bassbreaker 45 Combo
- ’59 Bassman circuit with touch sensitivity and pedal-friendly response
- Dual EL34 output tubes for tighter rock distortion character
- Output level knob takes power from 45 watts to a single watt and anywhere in between, tailoring full-powered Bassman overdrive capabilities for studio, stage and arena – players can dial up many 'sweet spots' with various combinations of level and channel settings
- Normal and Bright inputs, plus BOTH input for achieving “channel blend” tonal variations without a patch cable
- Two 12” Celestion V-Type speakers for tight response and “vocal” tone character (combo only)
- Cabinet has Birch Ply construction and semi-closed back for full, resonant response and low-end “thump” (combo only)
- Pairs with BB-212 enclosure
£210
Fender Bassbreaker BB-112 Enclosure
- Semi-closed back for full, rich lows
- One 12-inch, 8-Ohm Celestion V-Type speaker
- Total impedance 8 Ohms
- Fits neatly under Bassbreaker 15 combo and head
- Also works well with Bassbreaker 007 head
£350
Fender Bassbreaker BB-212 Enclosure
- Semi-closed back for full, rich lows
- Two 12-inch, 8-Ohm Celestion V-Type speakers for tight response and “vocal” tone character
- Total impedance 16 Ohms
- Fits neatly under Bassbreaker 45 combo/head
- Fits neatly under Bassbreaker 18/30 combo
Mike is Editor-in-Chief of GuitarWorld.com, in addition to being an offset fiend and recovering pedal addict. He has a master's degree in journalism, and has spent the past decade writing and editing for guitar publications including MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitarist, as well as a decade-and-a-half performing in bands of variable genre (and quality). In his free time, you'll find him making progressive instrumental rock under the nom de plume Maebe.