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
  • Superbooth 2026
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Controllers
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Guitar Amps
  • Music Gear Reviews
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About us
More
  • Superbooth 2026
  • Kate Bush Army Dreamers
  • 95k+ free music samples
  • Theory of Feels
  1. Guitars
  2. Guitar Amps

Summer NAMM 2016: Fender's whiskey barrel amp is a thing of beauty

News
By MusicRadar published 29 June 2016

Wood you pay $2000 for the 80 Proof Blues Junior?

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

Fender Custom Shop 80 Proof Blue Junior

Fender Custom Shop 80 Proof Blue Junior

SUMMER NAMM 2016: Fender's Custom Shop has launched its strictly limited edition 80 Proof Blues Junior Amp at Summer NAMM, and as you can see it's a typically characterful and downright desirable piece of work.

Each of the 100 amps available sits in a handbuilt cabinet made from reclaimed Kentucky bourbon barrels, complete with distillery stamps and markings. Fender even claims you'll be able to smell the whiskey once the amp is powered and warmed up.

As well as smelling and looking good, the solid oak cabinet creates a rich low end, according to Fender, tempered with midrange bite and clarity. A 12" 8-ohm Jensen® P12Q speaker is driven by a trio of 12AX7 preamp tubes matched to dual EL84 power tubes, while spring reverb and FAT boost switches can add a little more body when required.

The 80 Proof is finished with a hand-aged leather handle, brass knobs and control plate, while every cabinet is also seared with a Fender logo. Unsurprisingly all this attention to detail and craft is reflected in the price of US$1,999.

80 Proof Blues Junior specification

  • Series: Limited Edition Amps
  • Amplifier Type: Tube
  • Color: Aged Natural

Electronics

  • Controls: Reverb, Master, Middle, Bass, Treble, "Fat" Switch, Volume
  • Inputs: One - 1/4"
  • Channels: One
  • Rectifier: Solid State
  • Voltage: 120V
  • Wattage: 15 Watts

Hardware

  • Cabinet Material: Aged Whiskey Barrel Oak
  • Handle: Vintage Leather Strap
  • Effects: Reverb
  • Control Knobs: Brass

Tubes

  • Pre Amp Tubes: 3 x 12AX7
  • Power Tubes: 2 x EL84

Accessories

  • FootSwitch: 1-Button ("Fat" ON/Off), P/N: 0994054000 (Not Included)
Page 1 of 5
Page 1 of 5
Fender Custom Shop 80 Proof Blue Junior

Fender Custom Shop 80 Proof Blue Junior

Each cabinet is built of reclaimed Tennessee bourbon barrels.

Page 2 of 5
Page 2 of 5
Fender Custom Shop 80 Proof Blue Junior

Fender Custom Shop 80 Proof Blue Junior

The leather handle and control plate and knobs are hand-aged.

Page 3 of 5
Page 3 of 5
Fender Custom Shop 80 Proof Blue Junior

Fender Custom Shop 80 Proof Blue Junior

The Fender logo is seared onto each 80 Proof.

Page 4 of 5
Page 4 of 5
Fender Custom Shop 80 Proof Blue Junior

Fender Custom Shop 80 Proof Blue Junior

$1,999 to 100 lucky owners.

Page 5 of 5
Page 5 of 5
MusicRadar
MusicRadar
Social Links Navigation

MusicRadar is the number one website for music-makers of all kinds, be they guitarists, drummers, keyboard players, DJs or producers...

  • GEAR: We help musicians find the best gear with top-ranking gear round-ups and high-quality, authoritative reviews by a wide team of highly experienced experts.
  • TIPS: We also provide tuition, from bite-sized tips to advanced work-outs and guidance from recognised musicians and stars.
  • STARS: We talk to musicians and stars about their creative processes, and the nuts and bolts of their gear and technique. We give fans an insight into the craft of music-making that no other music website can.
Read more
Fender 30th Anniversary Hot Rod Deluxe: the special edition tube combo comes finished with a commemorative "Western" vinyl covering, with gold and brown grille cloth.
Guitars Fender celebrates three decades of the Hot Rod Deluxe with a stunning anniversary edition
 
 
Brian Fallon of the Gaslight Anthem demoes his signature '59 Telecaster Custom, a new for 2026 limited edition model from the Fender Custom Shop.
Artists Fender releases the Brian Fallon ’59 Telecaster Custom, a high-end replica of the guitar that built the Gaslight Anthem sound
 
 
A black-and-white live shot of Kurt Cobain performing in 1991 with Nirvana
Artists Could your next amp be Kurt Cobain’s stage-played Fender Twin? Nirvana’s Bleach-era touring backline goes up for sale
 
 
The Fender Vintera III series offers period correct specs and promises golden era tones — and here five from the range are lined up in formation.
Guitars “We set out to capture the defining moments that shaped Fender’s legacy”: Fender unveils the Vintera III series
 
 
The Marshall 60th Anniversary Jimi Hendrix Collection features a Marshall 1959 Super Lead half-stack, and a special edition Dunlop Fuzz Face.
Guitars “We built the amps, Hendrix made them scream”: Marshall celebrates 60 years of Jimi Hendrix with “cosmic” anniversary collection including hand-wired amp, Fuzz Face and more
 
 
Jake Kiszka of Greta Van Fleet rips a solo on his '61 SG.
Artists Jake Kiszka on the time he went shopping for the world’s most expensive guitar amp in Japan
 
 
Latest in Guitar Amps
Harley Benton DNAfx AmP10
Guitars It’s $92, weighs 4.5kg and is packed with features, and Harley Benton calls it “ultimate grab-and-go practice station” – meet the DNAfx AmP10 modelling combo
 
 
Warm Audio Reamper: the all-in-one routing solution for reamping and adding effects to recorded tracks.
Guitars “Track a performance through your favorite tube amp while simultaneously capturing a dry signal as a safety”: Warm Audio’s Reamper is an analogue “creative routing hub” that could be the recording tool you’ve been waiting for
 
 
The Marshall 60th Anniversary Jimi Hendrix Collection features a Marshall 1959 Super Lead half-stack, and a special edition Dunlop Fuzz Face.
Guitars “We built the amps, Hendrix made them scream”: Marshall celebrates 60 years of Jimi Hendrix with “cosmic” anniversary collection including hand-wired amp, Fuzz Face and more
 
 
Jared James Nichols plays his Gibson Futura on a stage lit up in red-pink.
Artists “I felt like I was levitating off the ground. I felt like I was in Cream in 1968”: Jared James Nichols on why he switched to Marshall amps
 
 
Blackstar Beam Mini: the super-compact desktop amp has AI stem separation and offers players access to over 200,000 user-created NAM captures
Guitars With AI stem separation, component-level modelling, and access to 200,000+ neural captures, Blackstar's Beam Mini “redefines” the desktop amp
 
 
Jared James Nichols plays his Gibson Futura live onstage
Artists “So yes, it’s official: I’ve made the move”: Jared James Nichols switches to Marshall amps
 
 
Latest in News
NEW YORK - MAY 21: Stephen Colbert and Paul McCartney on the CBS series The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, scheduled to air on the CBS Television Network. (Photo by Scott Kowalchyk/CBS via Getty Images)
Gigs & Festivals Paul McCartney recalls The Beatles' first US TV appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show
 
 
Glen Campbell and Jimmy Webb
Guitarists The story of Wichita Lineman. the song Bob Dylan called the greatest ever written
 
 
BARCELONA, SPAIN - MAY 8: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) Olivia Rodrigo performs on stage during an exclusive Billions Club Live show to celebrate the partnership between Spotify and FC Barcelona before El Clásico on May 8, 2026 in Barcelona, ​​Spain.
Artists Olivia Rodrigo gives the answer to the question that everyone’s been asking about her new single
 
 
Spotify
Tech Spotify and Universal confirm that fan-generated AI remixes and covers are coming
 
 
LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 21: Harry Styles attends The 71st Ivor Novello Awards 2026 at The JW Marriott Grosvenor House Hotel on May 21, 2026 in London, England.
Singers & Songwriters Harry Styles pays a very personal tribute to Thom Yorke at the Ivor Novello awards
 
 
Deals of the week logo
Tech MusicRadar deals of the week: A guide to best Memorial Day sales
 
 

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 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...