NAD: Fender brootz

[gybe!]

After years of curiosity, finally picked up a Fender Prosonic and wow is it an angry little box. Still very much in the new to me phase, but think it’s going to be a keeper.
Initial impressions are that it is quite a reactive and sensitive amp overall. Really likes some speakers and not others(not digging greenbacks with it; V30/Redback and v30/lcfr150 are better matches, my Fane cab is somewhere between), preamp tubes, and small eq/gain adjustments have pretty big impacts. Seems every bit as aggressive as an early stock recto out of the box, tends to be on the looser side, but dear god it loves Klon style boosts….this, with a Klon clone boost into my v30/Redback Fryette cab is one of the heaviest sounds in my entire arsenal if I’m honest. Other boosts are ok, but the frequency match of the Klon style is another level. Tight, aggressive, but still has a bounce to it if that makes any sense

TLDR: definitely worth checking out if you get the opportunity. Unique but still excellent high gain tones to be had and gets shocking tight and modern with the right boost.

 

[JackBootedThug]

Want!!!! Congrats bro! The perfect fender….

 

[skoora]

After years of curiosity, finally picked up a Fender Prosonic and wow is it an angry little box. Still very much in the new to me phase, but think it’s going to be a keeper.
Initial impressions are that it is quite a reactive and sensitive amp overall. Really likes some speakers and not others(not digging greenbacks with it; V30/Redback and v30/lcfr150 are better matches, my Fane cab is somewhere between), preamp tubes, and small eq/gain adjustments have pretty big impacts. Seems every bit as aggressive as an early stock recto out of the box, tends to be on the looser side, but dear god it loves Klon style boosts….this, with a Klon clone boost into my v30/Redback Fryette cab is one of the heaviest sounds in my entire arsenal if I’m honest. Other boosts are ok, but the frequency match of the Klon style is another level. Tight, aggressive, but still has a bounce to it if that makes any sense

TLDR: definitely worth checking out if you get the opportunity. Unique but still excellent high gain tones to be had and gets shocking tight and modern with the right boost.

View attachment 440790 View attachment 440789

It makes sense they would like a brighter or more mid aggressive speaker than a Greenback. It’s not a bright amp.

 

[* velcro-fly *]

Waaaaay back when I had one of the every first Prosonic 2x10 combos in seafoam green lizard skin tolex, hand delivered to me direct from the 'custom shop' shop in Lake Oswego where it was built after Fender bought Sunn. I worked just a couple of miles from there and we knew all the guys at Sunn / Fender. I had that amp for many years and foolishly sold it. It was never quite right but never actually wrong..... I've always wondered where that thing is now. LOxxxxxxx serial number. Hmmmmmmm. Matched my one owner (me) 89' Strat Plus that I do still have

 

[gybe!]

It makes sense they would like a brighter or more mid aggressive speaker than a Greenback. It’s not a bright amp.

Yep
The Fanes tend to be similar (it’s a F70/F90 X pattern), but slightly wrong location of the frequency bump of the speaker relative to the voicing of the amp. Still good, but requires some eq work and not where I would start necessarily for dialing in (if the v30 mix is available that is).

 

[DanTravis62]

One of the best, most underrated amps of all time

 

[RaceU4her]

this is about the last amp i really gas for, one day

 

[marvcus]

Had 2 and loved them both. One of the best sleeper amps. Congrats!

 

[JohnnyGtar]

Killer amps.

 

[Nigel]

After years of curiosity, finally picked up a Fender Prosonic and wow is it an angry little box. Still very much in the new to me phase, but think it’s going to be a keeper.
Initial impressions are that it is quite a reactive and sensitive amp overall. Really likes some speakers and not others(not digging greenbacks with it; V30/Redback and v30/lcfr150 are better matches, my Fane cab is somewhere between), preamp tubes, and small eq/gain adjustments have pretty big impacts. Seems every bit as aggressive as an early stock recto out of the box, tends to be on the looser side, but dear god it loves Klon style boosts….this, with a Klon clone boost into my v30/Redback Fryette cab is one of the heaviest sounds in my entire arsenal if I’m honest. Other boosts are ok, but the frequency match of the Klon style is another level. Tight, aggressive, but still has a bounce to it if that makes any sense

TLDR: definitely worth checking out if you get the opportunity. Unique but still excellent high gain tones to be had and gets shocking tight and modern with the right boost.

View attachment 440790 View attachment 440789

Bruce is a friend. He has upgraded USA made Zinky transformer upgrades for it. The cathode bias mode is killer too. You want to get some real deal OG Russian military 6P3S-E's for it. Never the black letter Sovteks, only the silver letter rebrands. Fotons are better than Saratov (Reflektor) and the <1540>'s are the best, otherwise JJ 6L6GC's slay in it too.

A new buddy is touring with one right now with some Apex JJ 6L6's in it with a London City 4x12 I advised him on with Mesa spec V30's and is in tone heaven. He loves it so much he's letting his accesory guitar player rock his Tone Master.

 

[gybe!]

Bruce is a friend. He has upgraded USA made Zinky transformer upgrades for it. The cathode bias mode is killer too. You want to get some real deal OG Russian military 6P3S-E's for it. Never the black letter Sovteks, only the silver letter rebrands. Fotons are better than Saratov (Reflektor) and the <1540>'s are the best, otherwise JJ 6L6GC's slay in it too.

A new buddy is touring with one right now with some Apex JJ 6L6's in it with a London City 4x12 I advised him on with Mesa spec V30's and is in tone heaven. He loves it so much he's letting his accesory guitar player rock his Tone Master.

I had looked for that transformer but my early searches all led to dead ends, like Bruce had fully packed it in and called it a day?

 

[alund]

Always been interested in that amp. Glad it panned out. Also; I SPY A STEAVENS !

 

[Nigel]

I had looked for that transformer but my early searches all led to dead ends, like Bruce had fully packed it in and called it a day?

Nah, he's working. I can PM you his # if you want the transformers.

 

[gybe!]

Always been interested in that amp. Glad it panned out. Also; I SPY A STEAVENS !

Yep! Poundcake MkII. Euro spec running on a step up transformer and variac. Such an underrated amp too

My current arsenal:
Hermansson 5/3GS
Ground Zero Hellion
Ground Zero Recto (this one was Reza’s)
Cameron Overhauled Bogner XTC
KT88 Uber Ultra
matchless clubman reverb
Steavens Poundcake MK2
Hermansson 4 channel sound city PA150
Fender Prosonic

And my son has stolen my Headfirst Alta and a 6505

I want to check out a Driftwood Atlas and a Lichtlaerm Prometheus but that is about all that is left on my list (save for Larry, but have given up after a few years of searching)

 

[alund]

Yep! Poundcake MkII. Euro spec running on a step up transformer and variac. Such an underrated amp too

My current arsenal:
Hermansson 5/3GS
Ground Zero Hellion
Ground Zero Recto (this one was Reza’s)
Cameron Overhauled Bogner XTC
KT88 Uber Ultra
matchless clubman reverb
Steavens Poundcake MK2
Hermansson 4 channel sound city PA150
Fender Prosonic

And my son has stolen my Headfirst Alta and a 6505

I want to check out a Driftwood Atlas and a Lichtlaerm Prometheus but that is about all that is left on my list (save for Larry, but have given up after a few years of searching)

What do you think of that modded XTC?

 

[gybe!]

What do you think of that modded XTC?

Been with me ~17 years at this point. So…I guess I dig it. I have put it on the market a few times, especially when I basically stopped playing for a few years, but always end up pulling it.

Green channel is the Shiva clean, red channel has an option for complete reworking or can be close to stock. Ends up somewhere close to the HG Jose I had from him with a bit more bite