Skip to main content
MusicRadar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
UK EditionUK US EditionUS AU EditionAustralia SG EditionSingapore
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Artist news
  • Music Gear Reviews
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Controllers
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Guitar Amps
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About us
More
  • Sly and Survivor
  • In My Life
  • 95k+ free music samples
  • One chord Diamond
  1. Guitars
  2. Guitar Amps

NAMM 2016: Fender's nine-strong Bassbreaker amp range promises a "sound that words can't describe"

News
By Michael Astley-Brown published 22 December 2015

New heads and combos span 7 to 45 watts

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Introduction

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.

Page 1 of 10
Page 1 of 10
Fender Bassbreaker 007 Head

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)

Page 2 of 10
Page 2 of 10
Fender Bassbreaker 007 Combo

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
Page 3 of 10
Page 3 of 10
Fender Bassbreaker 15 Head

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
Page 4 of 10
Page 4 of 10
Fender Bassbreaker 15 Combo

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

Page 5 of 10
Page 5 of 10
Fender Bassbreaker 18/30 Combo

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

Page 6 of 10
Page 6 of 10
Fender Bassbreaker 45 Head

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
Page 7 of 10
Page 7 of 10
Fender Bassbreaker 45 Combo

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

Page 8 of 10
Page 8 of 10
Fender Bassbreaker BB-112 Enclosure

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
Page 9 of 10
Page 9 of 10
Fender Bassbreaker BB-212 Enclosure

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
Page 10 of 10
Page 10 of 10
Michael Astley-Brown
Michael Astley-Brown
Social Links Navigation

Mike has been Editor-in-Chief of GuitarWorld.com since 2019, and an offset fiend and recovering pedal addict for far longer. He has a master's degree in journalism from Cardiff University, and 15 years' experience writing and editing for guitar publications including MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitarist, as well as 20 years of recording and live experience in original and function bands. During his career, he has interviewed the likes of John Frusciante, Chris Cornell, Tom Morello, Matt Bellamy, Kirk Hammett, Jerry Cantrell, Joe Satriani, Tom DeLonge, Radiohead's Ed O'Brien, Polyphia, Tosin Abasi, Yvette Young and many more. His writing also appears in the The Cambridge Companion to the Electric Guitar. In his free time, you'll find him making progressive instrumental rock as Maebe.

Latest in Guitar Amps
Line 6 Helix Stadium
Could the Line 6 Helix Stadium Floor be a serious rival to the Quad Cortex?
 
 
Josh Middleton takes a solo on his signature ESP / LTD electric guitar during a Sylosis live show in San Francisco, 2025.
“You can have a great amp but if the speaker sucks it won’t sound good”: Sylosis' Josh Middleton on the most important link in your signal chain
 
 
Fractal Audio ICONS; the amp modelling company debuts its first-ever plugin suite for guitarists.
Amp modelling titan Fractal Audio unveils its first guitar plugin suite
 
 
Billie Joe Armstrong performs live at Levi's Stadium during Green Day's Super Bowl LX set – and to his right are a pair of pale blue Marshall 'Dookie' signature amps.
Billie Joe Armstrong debuts new signature ‘Dookie’ Marshall amps during Super Bowl LX show
 
 
Mooer Audio F40i / F40i Li Intelligent Amp
Mooer Audio’s flagship Intelligent Amp lets you find guitar tones using AI prompts
 
 
All the best guitar gear from this year's NAMM Show
The best new guitar gear of NAMM 2026: More effects, more amps, more guitars and more tech than ever
 
 
Latest in News
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 01: Ravyn Lenae performs onstage during Lollapalooza at Grant Park on August 01, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Joshua Applegate/WireImage)
How a warped sample and some Anderson .Paak magic helped Ravyn Lenae to create Love Me Not, her viral hit
 
 
Deals of the week logo
MusicRadar deals of the week: Score $140 off a Yamaha Stage Custom, $200 off a Fender Tele, and hundreds off PA and live gear
 
 
tembo
Tembo is a kid-friendly magnetic drum machine and sampler that promises "unforgettable family jam sessions"
 
 
Thomann compo poster - a man, woman and child playing music
Thomann are on the look out for customers of theirs whose stories “move people and spark inspiration”
 
 
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 31: Laufey performs onstage during the 68th GRAMMY Awards Pre-GRAMMY Gala & GRAMMY Salute to Industry Icons Honoring Avery Lipman & Monte Lipman on January 31, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
In an era of loudness, Laufey is flying the flag for "the lost art of dynamics"
 
 
keystep 37 mk2
"Spark ideas in your DAW, pilot any synth or patch modular without breaking your flow": Arturia unveils KeyStep 37 Mk2 with redesigned interface, extended connectivity and generative tools
 
 

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...