Fender Supersonic 60 Head
The Super-Sonic is Fender's response to a lot of requests for a
contemporary high-gain valve amp. Powered by a 60-watt dual 6L6 output
stage, the Super-Sonic is available in 1 x 12 combo and head formats,
with a choice of two cabinets and two colours: either the very vintage
Blonde Tolex/Oxblood grille combination, or Fender's new 'Black/Pepper'
look, as modelled by the combo.
Its construction is par for Fender's present Pro Tube series of
amplification, featuring tough ply cabinets that enclose a steel box
chassis with spot-welded end caps.
As usual, the back panels that protect the combo's reverb tank and
output valves. The cabinet is well appointed, whichever style you go
for. Tough, hardwearing vinyl matched with an equally strong grille
cloth, plus extras like the combo's tilt-back legs are what we expect
from Fender, and the Super-Sonic doesn't disappoint.
We're undecided about the Black/ Pepper version, though. It's
not that it looks bad; it's just that the classic Blackface look is so
perfect in terms of style and function that we don't think it can be
improved on. The Blonde/ Oxblood option is also far prettier.
The Super-Sonic's electronics are held on four PCBs. The main preamp
and power supply boards are through-plated, while two more PCB strips
that aren't through-plated handle most of the front- and rear-panel
controls.
Crucially, all of the valve bases are chassis-mounted and hand-wired,
as are the loudspeaker jacks and mains switches, considerably improving
the Super-Sonic's prospects for long-term reliability.
We're also impressed with the Super-Sonic's transformers, which are
larger than Fender have used in the past for this size of amp.
The Super-Sonic's name may cause a few erroneous comparisons with the
mid-1990s Prosonic model, but its topology is actually a lot closer to
the PCB-based reissue Fender Concert, although there are a few twists
that give the Super-Sonic a good deal more versatility.
The clean Vintage channel has volume, treble and bass controls, along
with a small push-button that switches the mid emphasis to approximate
either the tones of a '59 Bassman or a '65 Vibrolux Reverb. This
function can also be footswitched.
The lead channel is called 'Burn' and offers plenty of scope for
doing just that, with a pair of cascaded gain controls, three-band EQ
and a master volume.
A level control for the built-in long-pan reverb finishes off the
combo's front panel. Moving to the rear, there's a footswitchable
effects loop with adjustable send and return level controls, as well as
preamp out/ power amp in insert jacks.
All in all, it's a lot of amp – there are no less than ten valves on the combo and eight on the non-reverb head.
SPECS:
Model Name: Super-Sonic Head
Series: Professional Tube Series
Type: Tube Guitar Amplifier Head
Output: 60 Watts
Ohms: 16, 8 or 4 Ohms (Selectable)
Channels: 2: Vintage & Burn (Vintage Channel has 2 Switchable Voices)
Features:
Dual Cascading-Gain Preamp Overdrive
16/8/4 Ohm Impedance Switch
Effects Loop with Send Level & Return Level
Pre-Amp Out Jack
Power Amp In Jack
3-Button Footswitch
Two Speaker Output Jacks
Standby Switch
3/4 in. Birch/Maple Plywood Cabinet
Controls:
Vintage Channel: Volume; Treble; Bass, Voicing switch (Vibrolux/Bassman)
Burn Channel: Gain 1; Gain 2; Treble; Bass; Middle; Volume, Master Reverb
Rear-Panel Effects Send Level Control
Rear-Panel Effects Return Level Control
Weight: 32 lbs. (14.5 kg)
Dimensions:
Height: 8.6 in. (21.9 cm)
Width: 25.3 in. (64.5 cm)
Depth: 9.6 in. (14.5 cm)
Tube Complement: 5 X 12AX7 (P/N 0013341000), 2 X 12AT7 (P/N 0023531000), 2 X 6L6GC (P/N 0053980000)
Cover: Black Cover included, P/N 0071207000
Accessories: Black Cover Included, P/N 0071207000
Footswitch: 3-Button Footswitch Included, P/N 0069285000,
Button Functions: Vintage/Burn, Vibrolux/Bassman, Effects On/Off