Fender Frontman 20G (How Bad Can It Be?)

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  • čas přidán 9. 08. 2023
  • Fender Frontman 20G (How Bad Can It Be?)
    The Frontman is Fender's small cheap practice amp solution. This is the real beginner deal, the kind of thing that I started out on back in the day when I started playing guitar. And I don't mean that in a good way.
    I hope you enjoy!
    Check out the links below if you want to help the channel:
    My Patreon page for music and exclusives: / elmojk
    The gear I most often use (the links are affiliate links): redir.love/thocf/r8ctceq3i1
    Budget gear I recommend: redir.love/thocf/r9mtambedi
    (Not so) budget gear I recommend: redir.love/thocf/cib9pttb93
    Check out my music on Bandcamp: elmojk.bandcamp.com
    For official website (and lessons), visit elmojk.com
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    Facebook: / elmojk
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Komentáře • 347

  • @MrPolevaulter
    @MrPolevaulter  Před 11 měsíci +10

    Check out all sorts of alternatives: czcams.com/play/PLNaLwTdlpQNHNo5bubVjV1OW04gkqU8rM.html

    • @MrJabinho
      @MrJabinho Před 9 dny

      Is this made in China or made in Indonesia model ?

  • @Thekossiable
    @Thekossiable Před 11 měsíci +15

    20 years ago I grew up playing a MicroCube , such a great lil amp for bedroom playing . After some years i upgraded to Cube 20X which was also very good amp for a beginner player.

  • @LSchulz1414
    @LSchulz1414 Před 11 měsíci +26

    Reminds me of my first Harley Benton Amp in 2012. That also sounded very bad.
    Btw I really like your rants about bad gear. Still polite but straight to the point. Thanks Sir!

  • @RickMichaelis63
    @RickMichaelis63 Před 11 měsíci +1

    Thanks for the review Elmo you know I enjoy & appreciate it 🎉cheers🙏✌️❤️

  • @TroyNaumu808
    @TroyNaumu808 Před 11 měsíci +2

    Your reviews like your guitar playing is aways excellent. Your videos are always informative. I aways go to your videos to hear your good opinion on a product before I purchase anything.

  • @leonardowrigley4376
    @leonardowrigley4376 Před 11 měsíci +6

    My 90s made Frontman amps sound great when paired with some vintage celestion speakers 🔊. Takes pedals really well 😊 Gig them often

  • @cylonhibrid
    @cylonhibrid Před 11 měsíci +4

    I walked passed a shop and seen this amp for 10 English pounds, it turned out to be a bass amp, but wow we both put guitars and effects through it, only a practice amp but the size of the speaker closed cab. Brilliant. Called a Meridian Ak15B Best beginning practice amp ever. Got a a lot punch.

  • @loupascarelli
    @loupascarelli Před 4 měsíci +1

    " THANKS , BRO , FOR YOUR HONESTY .. NEVER CHANGE .. ALWAYS SPEAK THE TRUTH ..

  • @tcsabi6992
    @tcsabi6992 Před 11 měsíci +1

    It's good to see the good old amp/guitar reviews again. 😊
    I hope you already feel better after losing your job. 😁 (Seeing these awesome reviews I think you do.)
    By the way I'm happy I have seen your Fender vs Boss Katana review before buying amp.
    I almost bought this cr#p before seeing your video.
    I thougt Fender solid state amps have got better after the years but they haven't.

  • @greenslider
    @greenslider Před 11 měsíci +1

    Great clip as always Elmo. I miss my angry 🍻 with chainsaws. I remember tye eighties when I eagerly looked into shop windows hoping to upgrade to a Carlsbro amp... long ago.. but they all sounded like that..kind of like a mini rectifier in a sardine can..in a wooden box..and then there was the
    obligatory collection of arion pedals with a Ross distortion thrown up front...and plywood marlins, hondos or encores..

  • @allenreynolds2449
    @allenreynolds2449 Před 10 měsíci +9

    Amp sounds good, but do use an IBANEZ TS 10 TUBE SCREAMER. SOUNDS GOOD ON BOTH CHANNELS. I LIKE THE AMP. ALSO THE FENDER 15 G amp is very nice too.

  • @frankhughes5702
    @frankhughes5702 Před 11 měsíci +1

    Elmo I want to thank you for doing this review! I've been looking for a good review on this amp and I'm going to get it. I've been wanting a good solid state amp head but I either don't like the sound or the looks of some of the ones on the market. So I'm going to get the fender 20g and turn it into a head and I'm optimistic that it will sound good through my 2x12 cab! I'll probably just use the clean channel and run my pedal board for drive and whatever else. 👍

  • @markmcdonald5711
    @markmcdonald5711 Před 8 měsíci +11

    I just bought this amp even after watching this video. I tried it with my G&L strat and my Epi LP Special and thought it wasn't that bad as a clean amp. I also have a Blackstar ID Core 20, an Orange Crush 12, a Roland Cube 10GX and a IRig micro amp. It doesn't sound as good as the Cube or the Crush but I like it better than the Core and the IRig.

    • @jacobseraphin685
      @jacobseraphin685 Před 8 měsíci

      I was thinking about buying this amplifier to replace my Crush 12, if you don’t mind, I would like to know if it’s worth the upgrade. I love my crush 12 but I want more of metal sound from my amp. And you don’t have to reply if you don’t want to but it would be appreciated. Thank you.

    • @markmcdonald5711
      @markmcdonald5711 Před 5 měsíci

      Try the Roland Cube 10GX, you can program it for a more metal sound.@@jacobseraphin685

  • @ericskinner7355
    @ericskinner7355 Před 11 měsíci +1

    So many options today. If you start out with one of those, it's good incentive to upgrade.

  • @Leo_ofRedKeep
    @Leo_ofRedKeep Před 11 měsíci +76

    There is a market for beginner gear so bad it makes kids quit and go back to learning a proper job. Smart fathers know that ;)

  • @probieabhi2258
    @probieabhi2258 Před 11 měsíci +12

    Dude I was nearly about to buy this shit thx for your perspective!

  • @adammichaelchannel
    @adammichaelchannel Před 11 měsíci +13

    Thanks Elmo. I had one of these as a beginner. It's amazing how much better the Champion 20 sounds, for not much more money.

    • @MrPolevaulter
      @MrPolevaulter  Před 11 měsíci +3

      Haven't tried the Champion, but I'm sure it's way better than this.

    • @Da_Publick
      @Da_Publick Před 4 měsíci

      I a/b both amps at Sam Ash in New York, way before the quarantine, when you could still do that in a music store. All the Champion's voices could be made with the Frontman, by just adjusting the Gain, volume, and (to a lesser extent) the EQ controls. The Champion makes it all easy for you, and it has built-in effects. That's the only difference, IMO; that, and the price.

    • @johannessilver8653
      @johannessilver8653 Před 4 měsíci +1

      Yes and Mustang is totally on another level than this. I like that Elmo says it straight unlike many other reactors...just using words like amazing, awesome and brilliant for everything they check.

    • @Da_Publick
      @Da_Publick Před 4 měsíci

      @@johannessilver8653 The Champion and Frontman both s*ck, and the Mustang is a true Modeling amp, so it has to be more awesome than those two.
      Oops.....

    • @johannessilver8653
      @johannessilver8653 Před 4 měsíci

      Yes, I agree.@@Da_Publick

  • @TheGlato
    @TheGlato Před 11 měsíci +3

    Oh man... Now I really appreciate my roland cube 30x which I got second hand for 85 euro. Thank you Elmo for informative video

  • @Healcraft
    @Healcraft Před 11 měsíci +3

    I miss my first amp, some rando Fender amp that came in those strat bundles (late 90s) the newer ones arent the same. It wasnt that good but I liked the gain on it, sounded very good for the type of stuff I was playing like Blink 182, Nirvana etc.

  • @kokehri
    @kokehri Před 3 měsíci +1

    I just got a new one. It was heavily discounted so took a chance.
    No sound from clean channel at all. Very low volume sound from the overdrive channel, about the same volume as the hiss of the amp on gain.
    Probably the channel selection switch is faulty.
    I am sending it back. Interesting to see whether they repair it or refund the money. I already have a Jensen speaker for it so it would be nice to have a working amp to put the new speaker in.
    On the positive side the pots on this amp feel very nice to turn and of course the looks are classic Fender. A nice practice toy if I will get a properly working unit.
    For reference I have all the current Fender Champions, 20, 40 and 100. They all sound magnificent! I have a dozen or so tube amps, too, and still I am happy with the tones I get out of those Champions.

  • @patricklongshanks378
    @patricklongshanks378 Před 9 měsíci +6

    I liked my frontman 15g so much, I bought a frontman 25r. I love these amps, lol. Just gotta turn the treble down. They’ve got a great fuzzy punch.

    • @enyaratna
      @enyaratna Před měsícem

      yup I can't comprehend what's up with all that hate train. These amps are just amazing.

  • @buffdaddy2032
    @buffdaddy2032 Před 11 měsíci +1

    Thanks for giving honest reviews. I started playing in the mid 80s and had a small gorilla amp. It was so bad . Fortunately i didnt give up playing .

  • @ichbrauchmehrkaffee5785
    @ichbrauchmehrkaffee5785 Před 2 měsíci +1

    I've got the 15W version which I did a bunch of "modifications" to.
    The very first thing I did, was solder in a speaker out.
    Once you play this thing over an external cab, the sound DRASTICALLY improves.
    I can't say that this amp is mid-blowingly amazing, but it's not quite as bad, as it comes stock.
    The real weakness is the tiny 8" fart-joke of a speaker.
    Edit: Of course, one can question the effort-value-ratio in modding an amp, that goes for 50 bucks on craigslist,
    but soldering in a speaker output jack and drilling a hole for it in the back really isn't a lot of work and definetely worth the effort

  • @g.sferrazza10-13
    @g.sferrazza10-13 Před 11 měsíci +1

    With the previous iteration of the Frontman, specifically the ones starting at 15, 15R and 25 watts, the biggest drawback were the speakers. Once those were swapped they were usable to excellent. Now weather that is the case with these new ones I don't know... If it is maybe... possibly... once they go on sale due to overstock or hit the used market then they might be something worth getting once you add the price of the new speaker

  • @LeifPalmin
    @LeifPalmin Před 11 měsíci +2

    I have my Harley Benton tube15 with a vintage 30 sörjer, super happy

  • @davescott3588
    @davescott3588 Před 7 měsíci +2

    After a lot of looking about and loving my Boss GT6 pedal i could not, for home use, find anything worth getting i ended up with a Fender Champion 110 thats and old second hand amp( 20 ish years old )... lovely sound with or without effects (its built in reverb is crap) so i do tend to use with GT6 ... it sound lovely loud or quiet designed in USA built in Mexico and great condition for only £90 ....so look at second hand market guys some lovely bargains to be had still out there PS love your channel !!!!!!

  • @flotenn3351
    @flotenn3351 Před 11 měsíci +8

    For about 100€ you can get a mid 80s Fender Sidekick 10 which is the best small / practice transistor amp I ever heard. It has a Volume and Master and breaks up very tube like. If you have the chance get one and try it out. Also takes pedals very well.

    • @IanOS-UK
      @IanOS-UK Před 11 měsíci +2

      Agreed - I have owned a Sidekick 10 from new in around 1986 - It’s a great little amp. Thankfully, I resisted the temptation to trade it in when I was younger and even more clueless than I am today! 😃

    • @flotenn3351
      @flotenn3351 Před 11 měsíci

      @@IanOS-UK I'll never ever trade that little gem. That thing and my Tele would be my lonley island rig.

  • @efeisik0
    @efeisik0 Před 11 měsíci +25

    I have the 10 watt version with the 8 inch speaker. I can’t imagine how an amp could be any worse and more discouraging to make one not want to play 🙂

    • @MrPolevaulter
      @MrPolevaulter  Před 11 měsíci +4

      Pretty much yeah :D

    • @jasondorsey7110
      @jasondorsey7110 Před 11 měsíci +1

      My first "amplification device" was a karaoke machine, trust me that 10 watt wonder you got is infinitely better

  • @adamlangley5552
    @adamlangley5552 Před 3 měsíci +1

    I got a new squire sonic tele and picked one of this to replace my estabaun 10 watt... I like it!

  • @stevenpipes1555
    @stevenpipes1555 Před 2 měsíci +1

    I picked up a Frontman 15 R , for a freind who was curious about learning to play. I found it at a yardsale for 15 dollars. It had a blown fuse, and two days later i found him a Roland amp cube for 30 bucks. I still haven't fixed and tried the Fender! Lol

  • @bryansimmons4550
    @bryansimmons4550 Před 4 dny

    I have to confess I recently bought one of these simply to have a small amp to easily move around.
    My main amp is still a Marshall JCM800 50W tube combo (which is HEAVY), but after almost 60 years of playing, I still like simple stuff, too.
    Simply retubing and biasing a Marshall amp costs way more than a Frontman 20.
    If I were limited to only one amp, of course I would get something a lot better. As it is, using the clean channel and my usual stompboxes for extra flavor, it does OK. You're not going to get great sound out of an 8" speaker anyway.

  • @Awaclus
    @Awaclus Před 11 měsíci +7

    I liked it when you dropped the treble and then it was both muddy and still unbearably harsh at the same time.

    • @MrPolevaulter
      @MrPolevaulter  Před 11 měsíci +1

      Haha :D Yeah, it's quite something that it manages to sound harsh and muddy at the same time :D

  • @stevenbarton2398
    @stevenbarton2398 Před 11 měsíci +1

    I have a Marshall MG 10 and from the sounds of the Fender 20G, its in the same category.

  • @michaelmccorkle8906
    @michaelmccorkle8906 Před 5 měsíci +4

    It's a small practice amp. It's not meant to play Madison Square Garden. For an 8 year old it's perfectly fine to learn with. It's a Fender. That says quality.

    • @RileyxSano
      @RileyxSano Před 2 měsíci +1

      no excuse

    • @paisleepunk
      @paisleepunk Před 2 měsíci

      you can DEFINITELY get a better fender-esque sound from a spark mini, if that's what you're after

  • @joeblankenship377
    @joeblankenship377 Před 11 měsíci +1

    The "Champ" that came with my Squier was pretty damn awful. Back in 2000. But it did sound pretty gnarly when you played it through headphones, like that Beatles "Revolution" distortion.

  • @luciansirbu1784
    @luciansirbu1784 Před 11 měsíci +1

    When I started playing guitar in 2014 i almost bought this amp, but idk how i decided to get the vox mini 5 which i still have and sounds really good

  • @joekelly9369
    @joekelly9369 Před 3 měsíci +2

    Thats an assault on the ears. Love it

  • @basicforge
    @basicforge Před 11 měsíci +2

    I had a 15W Frontman a few yyears back and I got rid of it fast. I do wonder though how the Nobels ODR-1 would have sounded into the clean channel? ;)

  • @seanbarker4610
    @seanbarker4610 Před 11 měsíci +6

    Bizarrely, it's quite refreshing to hear something quite bad! Lol

  • @jjhatnm
    @jjhatnm Před 8 měsíci +1

    I went ahead and bought this anyway. I have an affects processor though. Just needed a small speaker to play through.

  • @rayericphillips3916
    @rayericphillips3916 Před měsícem +1

    Excellent guitar player !!!

  • @davescott3588
    @davescott3588 Před 10 měsíci +1

    Well as stand alone amp your very correct BUT the clean channel is fab if used even like
    with a old boss gt6 pedal eq ect and you can make it sound cool but only at lowish vol not as bad as you say depends on your patience to correct eq and drive extra and its over priced so i half agree with you sir Kar+

  • @Musicandmore-yt4ts
    @Musicandmore-yt4ts Před 11 měsíci +1

    I was looking for an amp that cost about 100€, I decided not to buy new one and I've found Fender Champion 65r with spring reverb, two chanels and I can say it is a beast, with 12 inch speaker, it sounds like old good fender, especially with strat SSS, I am happy I've bought used better amp, sound is brilliant. 😊

  • @jeffhudson2346
    @jeffhudson2346 Před 11 měsíci +3

    Reminds me of my first amp the infamous gorilla.

  • @mikaashton2152
    @mikaashton2152 Před 11 měsíci +5

    I had a fender 25r front man made in 2005. It was a cool amp, 10 inch speaker and a real spring reverb. It was a killer amp. I sold it unfortunately. It's sad to see fender lowering standards.
    Mind you all the big brands have done it. Like marshall with the mg series.

    • @MrPolevaulter
      @MrPolevaulter  Před 11 měsíci +1

      I think the Marshall MG series is way better than this.

    • @g.sferrazza10-13
      @g.sferrazza10-13 Před 11 měsíci +1

      the MG series actually went up in quality; when the Frontman 10G came out that was deemed by many better due to the noise level inherent on th MG10cd @@MrPolevaulter

  • @Michael-jv2cn
    @Michael-jv2cn Před 11 měsíci +1

    I had a fender amp once. I was shocked at the speaker when I took it out. very light had really thin magnet. Seemed very cheap.

  • @RonnyGuittar
    @RonnyGuittar Před 27 dny +1

    Sounds a bit "stuffed" and "dry" but for beginners to learn and practise in their bedroom, this thing will do. A small amp like this can shurely not sound as good an clear as a 12" stage amp. But: I would buy it for little home use, because i ´ve already heard worse than this.

  • @vav413
    @vav413 Před 11 měsíci +29

    I dated a girl who had this amp. I remember plugging in and being absolutely shocked at how BAD this amp was. It's truly something to behold

    • @MrPolevaulter
      @MrPolevaulter  Před 11 měsíci +3

      It truly is.

    • @squirelova1815
      @squirelova1815 Před 11 měsíci +7

      "Dated"...past tense. Say no more...

    • @tjsogmc
      @tjsogmc Před 11 měsíci +5

      I'm not following you... was it terrible when you plugged into the amp or the girl? 🤣🤣

  • @antonakis79ohyes
    @antonakis79ohyes Před 11 měsíci +9

    100% spot on. The Frontman series should not even exist. Even the Champion 20 sounds like a tin can some times, but ok... A Katana mini is the way to go at this price level, or many other things, new or used.. thank God we have CZcams these days.. Thanks Elmo.. Fender should even be ashamed for the quality of their guitars these days.. I own some of them, so I know what I am talking about...

    • @MrPolevaulter
      @MrPolevaulter  Před 11 měsíci +4

      Yeah, this amp is just terrible.

    • @flotenn3351
      @flotenn3351 Před 11 měsíci +2

      Not every frontman sounds bad, I have an old 25R which does make a decent clean tone when EQ`ed properly. Not brilliant but good enough for getting started. The drive sound is pretty bad though. Also the tin can feel might be better when using a bigger speaker like 10 or 12. It's sad but Fender became just another lifestyle brand like Gibson and Marshall appearently.

  • @frusciantegeartone
    @frusciantegeartone Před 6 měsíci

    Wonder what it would it sound like with a helix, running an amp & cab sim through it instead of FRFR. I’ve heard how bad FRFR can be but I wonder if this would be a cheap “monitor” type of solution. Better yet, 2 of them using diff amp&cab sims..
    Thoughts?

  • @chickenlickin3820
    @chickenlickin3820 Před 11 měsíci +1

    I can see 2 Elmo's am i seeing double!

  • @lucabartoliniprof
    @lucabartoliniprof Před 11 měsíci +2

    I Had a Fender Champion 20w amp with some effects inside. It was not so bad as this one.....

    • @Leo_ofRedKeep
      @Leo_ofRedKeep Před 11 měsíci

      The Champion is a modeller. It replicates tube distortion the same way a CD player does. This here is just a straight amplifier and it sounds terrible when pushed into true solid state distortion.

  • @AndreKrell
    @AndreKrell Před 11 měsíci +5

    Another great review, Elmo. Thanks for sharing your honest and fact-based feedback (rare qualities nowadays). How do you find Fender's Champion 20G, though? Have you tried this one?

  • @Leo_ofRedKeep
    @Leo_ofRedKeep Před 11 měsíci +5

    I suppose the Fender Champion 20 is the perfect candidate for a complementary video. Fender should not be making the Frontman anymore.

    • @efeisik0
      @efeisik0 Před 11 měsíci

      the champion line is superb. I have a 1996 squier champ and it completely obliterates my fairly new frontman in any way imaginable

    • @MrPolevaulter
      @MrPolevaulter  Před 11 měsíci

      Based on this amp, I'd agree.

  • @tomminystrom
    @tomminystrom Před 11 měsíci +2

    Sounds ok to me except the distortion. Maybe it's the miking instead of me being in the room?

  • @DavidMadeira29
    @DavidMadeira29 Před 11 měsíci +1

    I still think that the Strat is really that Gilmour-McCartney's picture. At last there it goes in my head with the 24 hrs. I wouldn't be the first who goes paralyzed by an amp putting out 400W. Pedal to the metal! Still a reliable monitor, Dude. I heard worse of Beringher Audio witch is in fact the last pedal we made. Covers 🆙️ What are you missing, the red knobs of Catwoman? I don't know. Namastè. 🗨😉🤟🌀🎨⚰🔇

  • @davescott3588
    @davescott3588 Před 3 měsíci

    Well my Champion Fender due to age had a leaking clean pot it got very bad problem was to get a Fender USA was only 16 sterling but 60 sterling import price !!!! Outch so i took my Fender 20 Frontman and wired into the cab of the champion (with its lovely Fender speaker ) now i have the best of the Frontman going into a far better cab and speaker always solutions guys

  • @j-venom616
    @j-venom616 Před 11 měsíci +2

    Oh man! My first amp was Fender Frontman 15G, I got it in around 94 or something and thought it was a killer! At least you got that bee-hive buzz drive - more drive, better! I actually still have the amp (just to remind me what I learnt to play on) - it sounds as horrible as one you are demoing. Kids today should be happy for all the tabs, lessons and GEAR... hehe...

    • @j-venom616
      @j-venom616 Před 11 měsíci +1

      Oh! One addition, that wouldn't work as anchor for boat - it floats! 😅

    • @MrPolevaulter
      @MrPolevaulter  Před 11 měsíci +1

      Haha :D It floats :D

  • @ekims_echoes
    @ekims_echoes Před 11 měsíci +3

    These small Fender Frontman amps leave me feeling blessed that my first amp was a 30 watt Crate solid state. Yes. Crate solid state. I get it when these come in a combo set, but I can't imagine buying this separately.

  • @alnon6304
    @alnon6304 Před 10 měsíci +1

    Yo compré este y no sabia ,es verdad me wuitan las ganas de tocar

  • @Zanmu4
    @Zanmu4 Před 4 měsíci +2

    2:04 I thought it was Spongebob lol

  • @GuyNarnarian
    @GuyNarnarian Před 11 měsíci +1

    The clean sound wasn't terrible...... not what you want from a home practice amp. I like the THR series, have tried the Roland cubes, just not as good as the THR.

  • @luthravin4774
    @luthravin4774 Před 11 měsíci +1

    Thanks Elmo..yes Bees and Chainsaws do come to mind..I was fortunate as a youngster in the mid 60’s my first amp was Sears and Roebucks Silvertone it was a one channel tube amp with an 8” speaker..It was a cheap version of a Fender Champ..Believe me nothing fancy at all..however turned up it would get that natural breakup which at that time was useless..Until I first heard the Kinks “You Really Got Me” and I thought to myself..two chords..and that sound..I know that sound..Yeap my life’s playing soon changed after that!! Your great with these videos Elmo!! Bees and Chainsaws!! I love that!! 😎✅

  • @DigitalDaddy
    @DigitalDaddy Před 11 měsíci +3

    In Canada, it retails for $139.00

    • @daniellarson3068
      @daniellarson3068 Před 11 měsíci

      Looks like $100 in USA. Exchange Rate is 1.34 today. This amp reminds me a little of my Burwood G-10. I won't complain about that one. I got it when Radio Shacks were closing for about $10.

  • @megadawg342
    @megadawg342 Před měsícem

    I needed a home practice amp, so I tried one too, and thought the same. I couldn't get a tone I liked. I spent less on a STAGE RIGHT w a 12" and reverb. It smokes that POS.

  • @benligil
    @benligil Před 11 měsíci +1

    I saw people turning rhese things to heads and as they connect them bigger cabs sounds become more usable.

  • @GabrielNacu
    @GabrielNacu Před 11 měsíci +8

    That overdrive channel is like a swarm of angry hornets trained in the art of war to ravage your ears and make everyone hate you (not just your mother)!
    Thanks for taking the bullet for us Elmo ;)
    -Gabe

  • @AntonLukas
    @AntonLukas Před 11 měsíci +1

    Hi Elmo, thanks for the unbiased content! That amp is disgustingly bad.
    btw I notice the links to the gear you recommend are not working.

    • @MrPolevaulter
      @MrPolevaulter  Před 11 měsíci

      Someone else said that (quite some time ago), and when I checked they worked. Not sure what the problem is.

  • @svarfinnbogason3645
    @svarfinnbogason3645 Před 11 měsíci +2

    Elmo, you must be very committed to informing your viewers or a masochist, I would bet on the former.

  • @Leemuzhko
    @Leemuzhko Před 11 měsíci +1

    Try to connect it to 4x12 cab ) Should be much more fun )

  • @Mandobird1
    @Mandobird1 Před 10 měsíci +5

    The only thing worse than a Frontman 20G, is a Frontman 10G.

  • @TheBLSCamo
    @TheBLSCamo Před 11 měsíci +1

    I LOVE YOUR HONESTY 👏👏😁😁😂😂 It reminded me of my first amp...still have it....sounds like that Fender...maybe worse...

  • @soldano948
    @soldano948 Před 10 měsíci

    Hi, how do distortion pedals sound in clean? Thank you

  • @_Uh_Oh_
    @_Uh_Oh_ Před 11 měsíci +2

    I had a Marshall G15R as my first amp and still using it 20years later as my only amp! Thank god it didn't sound like that waste of money or I definitely wouldn't have carried on.

  • @fabioserette1774
    @fabioserette1774 Před 11 měsíci +2

    I've found a Frontman 25R (10 inch Fender speaker, spring reverb) for 50 USD in great condition. I Cant find one to test, but it seams sounds pretty good in some videos on you tube. Have you ever tried one? I think the Behringer HA-40 could be an option too.

    • @luciansirbu1784
      @luciansirbu1784 Před 11 měsíci

      Honestly id recommend you stay away from both and just get a small practice amp like boss katana for 70$, it has quality sound, miles better than the cheapest comobos..

    • @zeusapollo8688
      @zeusapollo8688 Před 11 měsíci +1

      I have a 25r. It is repurposed/rehoused with a 12 inch rola and sounds pretty great. Using a separate speaker will help a ton

    • @jakollee
      @jakollee Před 11 měsíci +1

      I have a Frontman 25R w/10-inch speaker and open-backed cabinet, and I think it actually sounds pretty decent for a cheap practice amp. The drive channel is not great, but sounds better than this one here!

    • @fabioserette1774
      @fabioserette1774 Před 11 měsíci

      @@luciansirbu1784 thanks.

    • @fabioserette1774
      @fabioserette1774 Před 11 měsíci +1

      @@jakollee Yes, I will only use the clean channel and pedals. The clean channel seams pretty good to me. Maybe a speaker upgrade (Celestion Ten 30 for $50).

  • @dalejacksonmo
    @dalejacksonmo Před 11 měsíci +1

    I personally have not heard a decent Fender combo amp I liked

  • @samizdat113
    @samizdat113 Před 11 měsíci +3

    1992 called. They want their practice amp back.

  • @zerep11
    @zerep11 Před 11 měsíci +1

    The three biggest problems with the Fender 20G are ...
    1. Cheap 8" Transistor Radio Level Speaker (Made by Eminence?) - Should be at least a High Quality 10" Celestion, WGS, or Jensen - Scumback doesn't manufacture 10" guitar speakers anymore.
    2. No Reverb - What?
    3. Drive Channel Circuitry - Pulled from a 1960's Radio Shack Pocket Transistor Radio.
    *NOTE:* At least it has an headphone jack, which should prevent one's Mother from hating them if used at all times instead of the Cheap 8" Transistor Radio Level Speaker. Just make sure to use QUALITY headphones.

  • @ebatgmail
    @ebatgmail Před 11 měsíci +1

    reminds me a bit of the Deacy amp at its worst 😉

  • @AIt-Girl
    @AIt-Girl Před měsícem +2

    i just started acoustic some months ago but decided to buy a cheap squire mustang, and i didnt have enough left for an amp so i got this cause i thought oh well its just for now it cant be that baaad, oh was i wrong 😭😂

  • @Canuplease1974
    @Canuplease1974 Před 2 měsíci

    I have this amplifier, and I have a few gripes with your review of it. First, that amp is never meant to have the gain cranked.... 6 is as high as you should go. Second, I've gotten some absolutely wonderful tones out of my Frontman 20, plugging in my Schecter Omen-6. Lastly, you should dial the bass down to about 2 or 3. I love that amp, personally

  • @charlene2400
    @charlene2400 Před měsícem

    those run about $100 usd here in the states. About the only good Frontman amp I've used, is my old 90's pr241. That one still kicks, and was only 20 bucks used, lol

  • @michaelolz
    @michaelolz Před 11 měsíci +1

    Maybe it's where I'm listening on a MacBook Pro, but does it sound a little bit "paper cuppish"?

  • @rickrichards2829
    @rickrichards2829 Před 11 měsíci +1

    Good god that brought back some very bad memories of the same amp without the gain I learnt to play on in the early 90s that was until my awesome parents bought me a 80watt Marshall Valvestate. What a complete piece of sh#t. Looking back like you say that was about it for beginners

  • @tims001
    @tims001 Před 11 měsíci +2

    Approx $200 AUD here in Australia

  • @JONNIE_ROCKER
    @JONNIE_ROCKER Před 11 měsíci +1

    Where did you buy that neck witout bullet truss rod,

  • @justmehere6094
    @justmehere6094 Před 11 měsíci +1

    But Elmo, how do you really feel about it, LOL. Sad, because the Fender Micro Mustang sounds so much better than that.

  • @deanluna847
    @deanluna847 Před 2 měsíci

    I think it's all subjective and situational. I understand people who have experienced greater/bigger amps would otherwise say that the Frontman 10/15/20g is a bad amp but for starting musicians, it's good for the price. I have the 10g and I'm fine with it so far. I'm not a hardcore guitar player so that maybe why. Cheers!

  • @dr.s.
    @dr.s. Před 11 měsíci +1

    Sounds like the put a speaker in a bread box. You can't expect a 1×8 to sound like a 1×10 or bigger, sure, but you can get quite a bit of sound out of it (even from smaller ones). This kinda lacks everything, sounds almost a bit broken to me.

    • @Leo_ofRedKeep
      @Leo_ofRedKeep Před 11 měsíci +1

      The 8" speaker is not the problem. Solid state distortion is. A modeller with the same speaker sounds nice.

    • @MrPolevaulter
      @MrPolevaulter  Před 11 měsíci

      I think it's the solid state thing.

    • @zeusapollo8688
      @zeusapollo8688 Před 11 měsíci

      The distortion is terrible but clean thru a 12 might be respectable

    • @johncollins5552
      @johncollins5552 Před 11 měsíci

      Speaker in a breadbox will sound much better than this horrific amp, almost as bad as the Blaster amp of the early nineties.

  • @DivineMisterAdVentures
    @DivineMisterAdVentures Před 6 měsíci +1

    Cynical cash grab? It's $99 USD on Sweetwater. More like a cash flea bite. Maybe a pluck. Or a pinch?
    I think it sounds jim dandy and bo didley. And it has a lot more controls than my blender. It's also 1/3 the price of a similar output studio monitor (one). Me thinks thou art Jaded green with energy. SO - what is better for acoustic and vocal? Nothing? A natural canyon? A tight Alleyway? A tub and shower? :)

  • @PainkillerX12
    @PainkillerX12 Před 11 měsíci +3

    I have the 10G version I bought in a squier pack as a beginner back in 2015, i remember that combined with the low output squier pickups, gain was still "edge of breakup" even on 10 ! As a boiling teenager, i bought a metal muff from electro harmonix to compensate for gain. At some point, i ended up buying a blackstar HT5R for less than 500€ at the time because this amp genuinly made me think that yeah, solid state amps = dogcrap... and fun fact : 3 years after the original buy, the gain channel stopped working altogether, like it's only a quiet hum with no guitar sound output ! The best part is still the speaker which broke so fast and so bad it makes a "farting sound" when volume is almost audible ! I still have it because i started playing bass in parallel and i don't have a bass amp for the time being and i heard that guitar speakers don't really like bass signal... so i chose to sacrifice the 10G once and for all ! Weirdly enough, with the exact same setup as with my squier (metal muff into clean channel) the fart is gone, this amp is a unreliable mystery xD
    I was baffled to discover that it was 70€ on thomann alone at the time, i genuinly though that it wasn't more than 40€ haha (and with inflation, the 10G model must have uped its price even more, maybe to 80-85€...)
    Anyway, if you're seacrhing for beginner amps, this frontman series is the worst. And if you already bought it, well it's not too late to find another amp to not quit guitar just because the sound is so trash...

  • @Cursedc23
    @Cursedc23 Před 3 měsíci +1

    The clean tone is good but the distortion is where everything gets sucky

  • @rogergreene2272
    @rogergreene2272 Před 15 dny +1

    I mean, sounds better than a Princeton Reverb to my ears....🤣

  • @jorgetome7089
    @jorgetome7089 Před 11 měsíci +1

    The drive Chanel doesn't sound good at all. Elmo have you tested the marshall studio classic 20 jcm 800?

  • @loupascarelli
    @loupascarelli Před 4 měsíci +1

    " I WOULD USE IT FOR A BOAT ANCHOR , AND I DO NOT HAVE A BOAT ! "

  • @Spivonious
    @Spivonious Před 11 měsíci +3

    Honestly, it didn't sound that bad for a practice amp. It's only 100USD!

  • @johnnorth9355
    @johnnorth9355 Před 11 měsíci +1

    Probably all the amp most beginners will ever need ? Let's face it - will be played once or twice before being chucked in a corner with the guitar it came with. Cue years of dust later. I'm picking up my latest 'bargain' guitar tomorrow -played twice and then left in it's case. This will come with a 15 watt Peavey Vyper amp thrown in for free - what else could you do with it ?

    • @MrPolevaulter
      @MrPolevaulter  Před 11 měsíci

      Yeah. Dust collector.

    • @cyntdestroyer69xd
      @cyntdestroyer69xd Před 11 měsíci +1

      Idk. Bought Boss Katana and Harley Benton JA baritone, and been playing almost nonstop. There are many good beginner amps and guitars, even very specific ones(like my 30" baritone, or 7-8 strings, only 9 strings aren't available for a cheap price, but down tuning pedal is, lol) - if you'll buy a bearable to good amp, and guitar you'll like, it's up to you then

  • @dmimcg
    @dmimcg Před 8 měsíci +2

    I'm a beginner and bought this amp. sounds fine to me, but hey, I'm a newbie.The thing I HATE about the small amp is the instructions that came with it are SHIT. I know the gain knob has something to do with the sound, but I can't get the gain setting right because I don't sound like Steve Vai. For that I feel kinda ripped off. I'm playing an Ibanez Jem btw, and just learned smoke on the water. had no idea learning to play guitar was so fun and easy. I think I'm ready to try For The Love of God.,

    • @eli7837
      @eli7837 Před 8 měsíci

      Hell yeah ! rock on dude

  • @alienfretboy
    @alienfretboy Před 11 měsíci +3

    You could improve the tone by modifying the amp with a sledge hammer.

  • @johnsmith-xr1uh
    @johnsmith-xr1uh Před 8 měsíci +77

    Absolutely nothing wrong with this amp

    • @user-qb8gx5jg6h
      @user-qb8gx5jg6h Před 5 měsíci +8

      Im wbout to buy this amp tomorrow is it good?

    • @rhoadsfitzpatrick6601
      @rhoadsfitzpatrick6601 Před 5 měsíci

      Ya

    • @twoh.am_
      @twoh.am_ Před 4 měsíci

      ​@@user-qb8gx5jg6h did you buy it? what happened?

    • @Leon-Coils19912
      @Leon-Coils19912 Před 4 měsíci +2

      ​@@user-qb8gx5jg6h save up a bit more and buy a Boss Katana mk2 50 👍 i might be a bit too late 🤣

    • @DaveyMulholland
      @DaveyMulholland Před 4 měsíci +3

      ​​​@@Leon-Coils19912a bit more?????
      You can get these for twenty quid or less!!
      Amazing for the price.
      Somebody gave me one. I'm going to install an output and try different speakers. The speaker is it's biggest weakness. Or it's greatest feature if that's the sound you're after...