Fender Automatic GT

Bought new in 2000. 25 watts, 12" cone. Five different sound settings (two clean, two bluesy distortion and a full-on metal crunch). Spring reverb, variable-rate chorus. Also has a (pretty useless) sensitivity switch, which is supposed to decrease the sensitivity for using with humbuckers, but actually works better for slightly hushing single-coil hum. CD-input is pretty useful on a practice combo. I've actually recently sold the amp. Wanna know why? Read on.

I mainly used the GT with a twin humbucker Washburn BT6 Maverick, as well as an Epi SG. There's no mistaking, the amp is loud. You'd never guess it was just 25 watts. The individual quality of the preset tones is pretty good, and each is nicely distinct from the rest. Even each of the clean tones has a fairly unique character, and the spring reverb is great, and has much more reverb than you could possibly need. Turn it up too high and the lovely "empty-arena sound" becomes more like a warehouse full of tin trays. The chorus has variable rate, and you can get a pretty good swooping, shifting sound with the rate turned to minimum and the maximum distortion on.

It's a real shame, though, that there's such a huge jump in volume between the clean sounds and distortion settings. There's only one volume knob. You probably wouldn't notice much difference with the volume turned right up, but for practice at lower volumes (which is what the amp is intended for) becomes a real faff if you want to switch between a wide range of styles. I'm really surprised nobody else seems to have mentioned this. You can only use a footswitch for the full crunch setting, too, although this doesn't matter when you have to bend down to adjust the volume whenever you switch channels. I just couldn't get on with it.

I also prefer to have a more adjustable range of distortion settings, which this amp doesn't have. The best solution is probably to permanently use an effects unit through the clean channel, but this would defeat the object of the supposedly "user-friendly" push-button arrangement. Great idea, but flawed.

So, for quality of sounds alone, I'd give it an 8. Shame the amp is badly designed.

Despite the surprising volume and decent sound quality, I'd never have gigged with this amp. I might have put an acoustic through it on clean, as the sound was pretty good with my Ymaha APX. I just wouldn't trust the quality of the knobs for frequent gigging. The preset buttons have a nasty springy, plasticky feel, kind of like a cheap radio. From the 70's! The EQ knobs are really insubstantial too, and lack that nice fluid feel you get on most other amps, even in this price range. I could envisage them developing a bit of a buzz at higher volumes with regular tweaking.

On the positive side, the cab is well built, seriously heavy, and feels like it would survive being dropped from a skyscraper. The mesh grille is also a good feature as far as damage prevention is concerned. I never had anything go wrong with it either.

Reliability: 9. Overall quality: 5

Never had to deal with Fender themselves, but the guys in the shop (Fairdeal Music, Birmingham) are ok, and seem to know what they're talking about.

I've been playing for about six years. I deserve a new electric axe after only owning an acoustic for the past few months, and when I finally get one, I'll probably get an amp with more adjustability, and a worthwhile footswitch for making use of the amp's distortion, which I always prefer to cheaper effects units.

I'm not bothered about the GT being stolen, because I don't have it any more. I don't suppose the new owner is too bothered either; the amp is so heavy that no scrawny little delinquent is going to get it very far. He got it at a good price, as did I to start with. I originally saw it advertised for A#230, which simply wouldn't have been worth it. Even at the cheap price I paid, I'd seriously advise anyone against choosing this amp if they're looking for easy bedroom practice in a range of styles and/or effects-free amp distortion.

If you mainly use clean, classic-Fender-type sounds, and you like your reverb bright and shimmering, it's a good loud combo with some dirty crunch settings for the occasional fun rock session. Get one at a decent price and you'll probably love it.

Pretty muched covered previously....Does the Fender thing + the Marshall thing real well
REAL LOUD....25watts is VERY conserivative rating

I picked this up to use with my MIJ Strat....it was OK..I had a Dano
DC-pro arount the house and pluged it in..WOW now thats a sound!..the Strat is now gone....I now have the one amp one guitar rig I have been looking for..I can play anything from country to metal just by
pushing a few buttons. Killer distortion BTW

Built like a tank..the 'verb does rattle a bit

I have had other Fender amps anf have found them to be most helpful.

I have had a number of amps(Peavey, Fender, Vox, Laney, Trace etc.) in this range (1 10 or 12" speaker 25-30 watts) including several tube amps..This thing is the best of the bunch..Fender really missed out when they droped this..(mine was on close out)I think it was probably TOO good and was sucking sales from the more expensive amps in the line... Really a nice rig; esp if you can have only one amp.

1999, 25 watt SS. This amp has 4 preset channels; one for quiet clean, one clean with a tiny bit more to it, two warm tube-y distortions and finally a metal, high-gain distortion. These are operated by pushbuttons with neat little pictures on them. Only knobs to be dealt with are for bass, treble, reverb and master volume. I like this setup because I can get exactly the sound I like with very little tweaking.

I have a solidbody Ric. Sounds excellent. Versatile in that I can be playing Hawaii Five-O one minute, then turn up treble and reverb, push a button and play Metallica. This amp handles all styles with ease. I have to be mindful as the master volume is VERY sensitive, and with metal distortion any volume above 2 is ear-shattering. Even on clean settings, this is quite loud for what's considered a practice amp.

Can't bust it.

5-year warranty on everything but speakers, which perhaps defeats the purpose as those are what break the most anyway.

I couldn't have spent 200 bucks on a better amp. This amp can cut through when you need it to, and you can play most any style with it. Also it can be taken places, kicked, dropped down the steps, puked on, and it will probably sound just as good.

5 channels, clean to lead, 3 band eq, reverb and chorus and headphone and cd inputs. 1x12 25 watts. no effects loop though.

This amp is awsome. I have a Epiphone and Squire strat with humbucker and play rock metal and blues and this baby handles it all quite well thank you. Hot warm gain with balls and grit, and pretty cleans, covers the whole spectrum. Screaming highs and pounding bottom end, really nice. I've had a Pro Junoir and Princeton Chorus and I like this one the best. The volunm is ornery though, move it to far to fast and the GT will hand you your eardrums, so stand back. Let me tell you this amp can piss you wife off or put your babies to sleep.

It is made by Fender, right?

Fender is right around the corner.

If you got the money, you could find a better amp. But for a price concience solid state she's a bargain.

Got my auto gt in '98, and this baby just amazes me. 5 push button channels, 3 band eq, reverb, chorus, headphone & cd inputs, footswitch, and pick-up selector switch for single coil or humbucker.Easy to switch between channels but no effects loop.1 x 12, 25 watts, aloud 25 watts.

Awesome amp people. Hot warm thick gain to beautiful clean tone, covers the spectrum easily, from rock to metal it growls, has balls, like an overdriven marshall, & the clean channels,well it is a fender.The chorus is sweet too, but has no depth control,only speed.I can piss the wife off when I want or put the kids to sleep, that is if I dont move the volume knob too much. Very touchy on the volume gotta be careful or this baby will hand you your eardrums.She is loud & proud to be sure.The gain has got a grit to it, she screams high & pounds on the bottom end.I have had a Pro Junior & Princeton Chorus, and the Auto GT has more balls.

Fender is solid as a rock.

Fender is right around the corner.

If you got the $$$ you could find a better amp,yeah, but this solid state is a bargain.

Made in '98. Quite Versatile for a 25 Watt, $200 amp, which i paid 125 for. 5 channels, 2 clean, 3 distortion. Headphone jack, cd/tape input, footswitch jack. I wish i could get the buzz to go away when i turned on the reverb...it was damaged before i got it. I am an intermediate guitarist and i use this at home, and it is plenty loud, sounds more like 50 watts insted of 25.

I use a 95 Fender Standard Strat (Mexican). It has stock pickups, but i plan on upgrading to something with more kick and less noise. I think the only noise is from the pickups on the guitar and not from the actual amp itself. When i turn up the reverb, as i said, i have a fairly bad buzzing noise regardless of the volume, and its very annoying. I like the variety at flexiblity of it however. Clean sounds very good even when very loud. Distortion is killer, about as good as you can get from a 12" speaker and 25 watts.

has been dependable when ive had it, however, im not aware of what happened to the reverb, if it was dropped or not. The reverb plate(not sure if thats what it's called) had come off the mounts, and i had to put it back on. Other than that, i think the amp could probably last forever.

Havent dealt with Fender, and i dont know the warranty on it.

I have been playing for about 9 months and i am still learning the ins and outs of guitar equipment. i think i woiuld replace it again if it were stolen b/c it fits nearly all of my needs. I like the guitar for the price, thats its best feature from what i can tell. Its one hell of a lot of bang for the buck.

i think its a 1999 model, solid state 1 12 inch speaker, 25 watts(sounds like a lot more). it s a very versitile amp for every thing i play. mostly punk rock, blues and old, good alternative. it has decent reverb and chorus. it has 4 channels( fender clean, studio clean, crunch, overdrive, and a footswitch able super lead drive. these make a wide arrangement of sounds perfect for a lot of styles.it doesnt have an effects loop, but i dont use it anyway. it has a pickup switch for single coil and humbucker. the humbucker just cuts about 7db from the output. this is big enough for small gigs, and amazing for rehersal. its very powerful for its rms of 25 watts. A lot of great features for an amp in this price range.

i play an ibanez s-s-h mostly with the humbucker. it sounds great with the pickups, both the amp and the guitar are made for rock and punk. it suits my music style and is designed for it. Its not to noisy, has feedback if youre in front of it on the super drive channel. it can go clean quite loudly, and has great distortion at low volume levels. I play it with a zoom3000G advanced guitar processor and works very well with that. Great distortion and great clean, bassy sound.

this is a very strong piece of equipment. has a metal grill to protect the speaker and thick wood casing. i would gig w/ out a backup, hast had any problems yet, and i dont think it will for a long time.

never delt w/ fender, musicians friend is pretty good about it. fender's 5 year warranty

ive played since i was 10, and like this amp twice as much as anything else in the price range. i have some other amps that dont compare at this price. if it got stolen id definatly buy another. im a student w/ no money, so this is the best deal out there. its perfect for anyone with a little budget and wants power and great sound. its a great amp for almost any rock guitarist.

This is a '99 amp. It's a 25 watt solid state amp with a 12" speaker. That sounds unremarkable, but for 25 watts, it is LOUD. Whatever you play, this baby has you covered. It has 3 kinds of distortion and two clean channels. The first distortion is midrangey and subdued. The second is normal overdrive. The last screams. The two clean channels are similar, but the second has more mid-range emphasis. There is a footswitch jack to control the chorus and #3 distortion, but IT IS NOT DESIGNED FOR NORMAL TWO-CHANNEL FOOTSWITCHES. You must either get the Fender switch or build one yourself (I did the latter. It is not hard if you have the amp schematic). In sumary, a great little amp with a lot of punch and versatility. No FX loop, though.

I play a Peavy T-60 and this amp lets me do anything I want. I play a lot of stuff, everything from MxPx to Sixpence to Supertones...this amp lets me do it all. I play outdoors and in, but not often on stage. This amp is a little weak for some band work, but it will do. Volume does what volume should: makes the amp louder. It does not affect the sound otherwise. The #3 distortion seethes, it putes my old Crate to shame.

Never failed me. Like I said, I have done a lot of out-of-doors gigs and even those didn't faze it. This thing is solid.

Never needed it!

I wish this sucker had an FX loop, but for now, it's great. I would replace it if it was KIA unless I got a better deal on something with more features and power. It is SO much better than anything else in its class. Shimmering chorus, death distotion, CLEAN cleans, what more could I ask for?

This amp was made in 1998. It suits my style (alternative/punk) perfectly. It's got 5 push-button channels (2 clean, 3 distoreted). The first clean is a bassy, jazzy clean tone. The second is a more trebly, whinier, strat sound. The third is just slightly overdriven. The fourth is classic sounding overdrive. The fifth is just about as much distortion as you camn squeeze out of a 25-watt amp.
It also has genuine Fender spring reverb and mono chorus. Although it is just a 25-watt amp, this one is LOUD! With distortion on, at volume level 2.5, I could easily let my neighbours know how good I am. It also has a humbucker/single-coil selector button, for whichever type of pickup you use.

I use a Fender Squier Fat Stratocaster (S/S/H) and it sounds great! The clean channels NEVER sound distorted at high volumes (well, since I don't want to deafen myself, I never turned the volume past 1.) The distortions are perfect for anything from blues to alternative to punk.

This amp is built like a tank. The only thing I'm concerbed about is that when I pick it up and put it dopwn again, I hear what sounds like a loose spring. But, when I turn it on again, it sounds perfefect. I'd use at a gig without a backup.

Never dealt with them.

I've been playing for 3 years, and this amp is what I always dreamed of having. Especially for the price, this is a loud, reliable amp with great distortion, and cool reverb and chorus. I have the footswitch ($46.50 at Long & McQuade) to turn the distortion and chorus on and off.

This is amp is pretty new on the market. It's really good for heavy metal or grunge. With the distortion on, it gets some serious crunch, even withOUT the aid a pedal. It's very quiet on the clean channels. There are 5 channels. 2 clean and 3 distorted. Classic/clean, Studio/clean, Rhythm/crunch, Rhythm/drive, Lead/Overdrive. It has an optional footswitch for toggling the overdrive and chorus. The chorus is very cool. Makes playing Van Halen sound authentic. The reverb is ok.....it could be better but, for $230, I can't complain. It's got a headphone jack, a cd/tape input, 1X12" speaker. The book says it's 25W's but.........when you play through it, 25W's is pretty hard to believe!! It's got plenty of power for me. You can let your neighbors know how good you are with ease!! It's solid state and has these neat little bumpers on the bottom. I dropped the thing once and it practically jumped back into my hand!!! If you drop it at an angle though, watch out......it could go in any direction in a hurry!! It must be made well because it still sounds great after some serious abuse.

I'm using with a Squire Fat Strat. IMHO, this combo sounds great. I believe this amp was designed for a guitar with humbuckers. It kicks ass for Rock. when you use the overdrive.....the distortion can get really messy. be sure to keep your distance from the amp or you'll get skull splitting feed back. The volume knob is so damn sensitive.....when I play at empty room level I keep it just under 2. anything over 2 is VERY loud. that's cool though. distortion is really dirty depending on which setting you choose. the brutality increases with each press of a button!! It is surprisingly clean at loud volumes. The speaker rattles a bit when the bass is all the way up.

I've seen what this baby can take.......I'm not worried about it.

Fender blows donkey balls. But the place I got the amp from is cool. Fender gets a goose egg "0" but Alto gets a 10.

Features? For an amp that only costs 200$, this is loaded! Truth, this amp is a monster for its price. 4 Channels, 2 clean, and 2 dis, plus a massive nuclear dis boost, makes this amp worth the while. Also, you get some good reverb (although it doesnt sound too authentic) and some cool chorus. Nice job Fender.

I use a Squier Strat, with Humbuckers, and I have to say, its great! Only prob with this amp, is the dis can get away with it sometimes, but other than that, the clean and dis are great. I also have an MXR Distortion +, and it works amazingly well with this amp. Chorus is good, although not as good as a pedal type, and the reverb is good, not great. I play alot of punk, but also some rock and acoustic, and i say this amp can fit any one's needs. Also, this amp is only 25 watts, but i swear by the book, this amp sounds like a 90 watt!

Great amp, good make. Survived a fall down 3 flights of stairs, so it has to be made well. :)

Never had any probs.

I would buy this amp again as a backup or as a second along with another amp. Good amp for a moderate to pro, its waaaay better than the price suggests. Get this amp! You wont regret it.

A kewl product from fender!! The brand new Automatic GT!! The amp is created for grunge,metal,and all the heavy stuff. And that's what i play. The amp's 5 channels are preset. Clean,Studio-Clean,Crunch/Drive, Crunch/Gain,Lead/Overdrive...sumthing like that. It also has a built-in chorus and reverb. All can be accesed by the press of a button. There is a footswitch to toggle on/off for the chorus and lead/overdrive. There is also an input for a headphone jack to play during the late nights. I'd wish the preset distrotion had more sustain though i use an MT-2(pedal) for my dirty sound.The amp is 25W and has lotsa power for me.

i'm using a korean made fender copy guitar with stock pickups,so the sound doesn't really come out.Try and Ibanez or ESP and maybe you'll get one of the heaviest sound in town. There is a slight noise somewhat like a hum when i put the reverb high(i usually let it stay at 6.5).

I haven't gigged with it yet, so i don't know it's reliability.It is only few months old.

don't care...

Overall the amp kix ass and is god for medium advanced players.Most probably i'd buy it if it got stolen.The good thing about it is it has an awesome sound great for all rockers.But the volume knob is so damn sensitive...i put it to 0.9 when i play it at room level. My previous amp(an Adder Plus Rocktek) was sett at 2.5 to get the same volume.