# Fender Machete Amp



## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

http://www.fender.com/products/machete/models.php?prodNo=2163000

Has anyone tried this one yet? Looks great.

Peace, Mooh.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

[h=4]These are the specs from the Fender site.

The MSRP of $2,599.00 and the weight of 71 pounds are of interest.

General[/h]*Model Name*:Machete™
*Series*ro Tube
*Amplifier Type*:Tube
*Color / MSRP* / Part # *:

*N/A* 
*$2,599.99*
216-3000-000
[h=4]Electronics[/h]*Effects Loop*:Effects Loop*Inputs*:One Input*Line Out*:One XLR Line Out*Speaker Jack*:Two parallel speaker jacks*Channels*:Two Channels*Controls*:6dB input attenuation switch, Channel One (Gain, Volume, Low, Mid, High, Notch), Channel Two (Gain, Volume, Low, Mid, High, Notch), Reverb, Damping[h=4]Hardware[/h]*Hardware Finish*:Heavily knurled chrome Telecaster™ knobs with dimple indicator; highly polished new chrome corners; pop-out casters included*Amplifier Depth*:11.5" (29.2 cm)*Amplifier Width*:24.5" (62.2 cm)*Amplifier Height*:22" (55.88 cm)*Amplifier 

Weight*:71 lbs. (32.2 kg)
*
Effects*igital Reverb
[h=4]Speakers[/h]*Speaker*:12" Celestion® Vintage 30 Speaker*Impedance*:Selectable for 4, 8, or 16 Ohm output[h=4]Tubes[/h]*Pre Amp Tubes*:5 X 7025/12AX7A*Power Tubes*:2 X 6L6GC[h=4]Miscellaneous[/h]*Unique Features*:6dB of input attenuation provides cleaner response when used with pre-amplified or high-output instruments, Pull gain knob to adjust channel one preamp gain level, Pull volume knob out to select the "Channel One Boost" channel for an extra boost ofpreamp gain, also switchable from the Machete footswitch or by using MIDI commands, Notch control on both channels for adjusting the mid notch frequency for a variety of American and British tonal flavors, Built-in Reverb adjusts the reverb level for both channels, Damping control adjusts speaker damping, or the resonance interaction between the power amplifier and the speaker, Power Amp Mute switch for silent recording; XLR Line Output with Cabinet Emulation selector switch; MIDI In for use with MIDI controllers; 1 x 12AT7 used as a Phase Splitter[h=4]Accessories[/h]*FootSwitch*:4-Button Footswitch Included*Cover*:Amplifier Fitted Cover Included 

Cheers

Dave


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## urko99 (Mar 30, 2009)

Viewed all the demos on the Link. Nothing exites me enough to spill out that kind of cash. Is it a point to point wired amp?


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Price, more than I had hoped but pretty much what I expected. The weight concerns me as I've been wanting to downsize.

Peace, Mooh.


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## captainbrew (Feb 5, 2010)

Doesn't do anything for me but then again I'm a single channel amp kinda guy. Not digging the look either.


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## Andy (Sep 23, 2007)

Seems like an evolution of the Prosonic and Supersonic. Personally, I'd be more drawn to one of Mesa's or Marshall's offerings, especially when they're offered in a head.


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## hardasmum (Apr 23, 2008)

captainbrew said:


> Doesn't do anything for me but then again I'm a single channel amp kinda guy. Not digging the look either.


I am not crazy about Fender's attempt to modernize their look either. I like their classics. Vox and Marshall try do the same thing too.


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## bluzfish (Mar 12, 2011)

I don't know how marketing people manage to convince companies to rebrand themselves. Here we have a company whose amplifiers have set the standard by which all other amplifiers are compared - better or worse. But it's the Fender sound that others often try to match or improve on.

It would seem logical at the price point of the Machete, to rather, expand on their established reputation and do it better than all the others. Make a range of lower production, higher end, high quality versions of their classic circuits with cool, unique, vintage style cabinetry.

It seems to me the Machete is trying to compete with the likes of Mesa Boogie. Good luck with that. They are late to the gate and I have to say it would be a marketing miracle if they succeeded with an offering like the Machete. I think they would enhance their reputation in a better way by competing with the boutique builders like Matchless, etc. and put the cool factor back in the Fender name.


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## captainbrew (Feb 5, 2010)

bluzfish said:


> I don't know how marketing people manage to convince companies to rebrand themselves. Here we have a company whose amplifiers have set the standard by which all other amplifiers are compared - better or worse. But it's the Fender sound that others often try to match or improve on.
> 
> It would seem logical at the price point of the Machete, to rather, expand on their established reputation and do it better than all the others. Make a range of lower production, higher end, high quality versions of their classic circuits with cool, unique, vintage style cabinetry.
> 
> It seems to me the Machete is trying to compete with the likes of Mesa Boogie. Good luck with that. They are late to the gate and I have to say it would be a marketing miracle if they succeeded with an offering like the Machete. I think they would enhance their reputation in a better way by competing with the boutique builders like Matchless, etc. and put the cool factor back in the Fender name.


Couldn't agree more.


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## hardasmum (Apr 23, 2008)

captainbrew said:


> bluzfish said:
> 
> 
> > I don't know how marketing people manage to convince companies to rebrand themselves. Here we have a company whose amplifiers have set the standard by which all other amplifiers are compared - better or worse. But it's the Fender sound that others often try to match or improve on.
> ...


I am onboard your ship. They do seem a decade late on the MESA high gain train.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Thanks for your remarks folks!

It will take an amazing amp to sway me from my Traynor YCV50 (Eminence ReignMaker speaker), but I always try to remain openminded about tone. Versatility, for me, can only be proven through real life use, but something has to lure me to the attempt. I need to take one of these for a spin. Even with the best gain in the world, it's nearly useless without good clean tone with my choice of guitars.

A trip to the big city might be in order.

Peace, Mooh.


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## washburned (Oct 13, 2006)

hardasmum said:


> I am onboard your ship. They do seem a decade late on the MESA high gain train.


They tried it in the 80s with amps like the 75......heavy, hot, and questionably reliable....but they sounded great.


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## hardasmum (Apr 23, 2008)

washburned said:


> hardasmum said:
> 
> 
> > I am onboard your ship. They do seem a decade late on the MESA high gain train.
> ...


I stand corrected. 

Were those the grey carpet covered ones with red knobs?

EDIT - never mind I googled some pictures of it


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## Buzz (May 15, 2008)

Ya, Fender tried to do the Mesa Boogie thing with the superchamp, princeton II, deluxe II, champ II...and I think it turned out great!

I like the vintage fender look, the Machete seems too boxy, whats that grey middle stuff?


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## Andy (Sep 23, 2007)

Buzz said:


> I like the vintage fender look, the Machete seems too boxy, whats that grey middle stuff?


Seems like some kind of attempt at the two-tone boutique look, combined with Hiwatt style piping accents. I'm not a big fan either, it misses the mark.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

I dig the look, but whatever...The Princeton Recording amp was the last Fender to grab me sound wise but I haven't noticed any used in the shops when I had a fat enough wallet. 

Peace, Mooh.


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## pickslide (May 9, 2006)

Meh. For that kind of money you can get almost any amp you want. It amazes me how much Fender charges for these amps and that people buy them!


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## captainbrew (Feb 5, 2010)

pickslide said:


> Meh. For that kind of money you can get almost any amp you want. It amazes me how much Fender charges for these amps and that people buy them!


It has the Fender name on it so a bunch of people are willing to pay top dollar for it for that reason alone. I think they'll have trouble selling these though.

Fender should have a line of amps are that are EXACT replicas of their old blackface and tweeds amps. Tons of small builders are making replicas of these amps and they're selling quite well. What if Fender did it? Hand wired, exact same circuits, parts (as close a possible) etc.
I think those would sell quite well if the price wasn't astronomical, then again, that's probably why they aren't building them, they'd charge too much.


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## bluzfish (Mar 12, 2011)

That is pretty much what I was trying to say earlier, captainbrew. Fender should do exactly that - deliver the classic Fender sound better than anyone else (or at least as well as some...). Be a class act at the top level of the most desirable amps out there. With that reputation, I'm sure it would enhance sales of their regular production "working musician" amps which are already quite competitive in their class.


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