Fender Stage 112SE

Not sure of the year this amp was made, probably mid to late 90's. I won't go over all that it has. Just to say that it has everything you need and nothing you don't. A headphone jack would be nice, but that's not a big deal at all for me. I use this amp mainly for playing small gigs and home practice. It definitely has enough power for gigs, this thing can get really loud! BUT, (in my opinion) this also can be used for home practice too. I almost didn't buy this amp because of all the reviews on how loud this thing is. Yes, it can get really loud, but it also can be played at a managable level too, so don't let the review scare you.

I'm kind of a tone freak. This is my first solid state amp so I was really sceptical, but for $99 I couldn't pass up the deal. I'm using a fender 72 tele deluxe re-issue through line 6 echo park>jekyll & hyde dist>EH Big Muff>EH Small Clone. I can really get a great range of sounds from this amp. the clean channel is SUPER clean, even at high volumes and is great to use pedals with. The drive channel kind of sucks, it's ok for a slightly overdriven blues tone, but other than that I just use pedals to get a distortion tone. Compared to a tube amp, I really think this has a nice, warm, tubey sound for a solid state amp. I was very surprised.

this thing is heavy. that doesn't always mean it's quality but I have have given it a good look over and everything looks really well made.

n/a

I've been playing for 12 years and other than my tele and pedals that I listed above, that's all the gear I have. I like to get good gear and really explore all their possibilities before I move on. I've owned Fender Blues jr, Vox AC15, Vox Pathfinder 15R, Fender Blues Deluxe, standard strats and tele's and a host of different kinds of pedals trying to find that "perfect" tone. For a solid state amp, this sounds very warm and can get really loud. If it was stolen I'd definitely try to get another one. You can pick these up for $100-175 on ebay and at guitar center, which is a steal for all you get. And if anything happens to it, you don't feel to bad because it's the price of a new cheap, crappy sounding practice amp. Don't let the volume scare you...it's a great amp.

I have no idea what year it is. I picked it up in a Pawn Shop. Best hundred bucks I ever spent. Very Powerful amp. I'm a home studio guy so I use it quite frequently at home to record. The clean is fantistic and it can get quite gritty on the other side. Classic Fender bell tones ringing loudly. As far as features, it has enough. I have other amps to do the rest. What it does it does real well.

I play Strats and LPs. My recording partner plugs his Paul Reed Smith CE22 through it alot and the tones are awsome.

Never had a real problem with it. Foot switch works great. No problems here.

I've never had a problem with their CS, but I never really have used it either.

Playing on and off guitar and percussion for almost 50 years. If it were stolen or lost, I would certainly try to find another. I'm sure there are a few out there. I've owned Fender tube amps that didn't sound this good. Tube amps are nice, but a good sounding ss has it's place in the sun too.

This amp was made in 1994. 150 watts solid state amp from the Stage series. My amp is an anniversary model. The Stage 112 SE is extremely powerful and works well with almost any situation. It's a little loud for around the house but at gigs and rehearsal it's perfect. It can compete with a Marshall half stack easily.

This amp is very versatile and suits rock, blues and jazz quite well. At first I wasn't crazy about the distortion channel but I swapped the speaker out for an Eminence Swamp Thang and it has taken a lot of the shrill highs out and gives a nice tone.

It's very reliable. I'd gig without a backup. The only thing that has cut out on me was the footswitch and this only happened recently! All I had to do though was tighten the screws on the sides and now it's perfect again.

Never had to deal with customer support.

I've been playing for 14 years and this is the only amp I've ever owned. No, it's not tube but if you take some time you can dial in a really great sound. I haven't drifted far from it mostly because the volume and tone are amazing. I can gig in any situation and this amp is loud enough. I enjoy not having to carry a cabinet along because everything I need is in this amp.

If you can find one of these on eBay or Craigslist snag it. You won't be disappointed.

Gear used...

Guitars: Fender American Telecaster, Fender '72 Telecaster Custom (re-issue)
Pedals: Boss TU-2, Analogman DS-1, Analogman TR-2, Phase 90, Analogman DD-6,

130 watts, canal limpio excelente, reverb inmaculada, loops de efectos, shift para medios, etc. etc. Este amplificador es una bestia, el cuerpo que tiene el sonido es increible. Suena desde el mas extremo metal hasta las mas sutiles notas de una obra impresionista. El canal de distorsion lo uso solo en caso de emergencia... tene a mano siempre una buena distorsion.

Hasta ahora lo use con una BC Rich Warlock (2 humbuckers) mayormente, aunque tambien lo utilice con Ibanez (no recuerdo el modelo), fender, epiphone, y Squier, guitarras que pasaron por este lugar. Muy versatil, no es ruidoso para nada. Logra sonidos muy refinados, redondos, llenos. El canal limpio no distorsiona a niveles altos, ademas jamas vas a necesitar tocar a mas de 2 en volumen!. La distorsion evadamosla, te salva en casos de emergencia.

Nunca le sucedio nada, fue usado en vivo, a mucho volumen en recitales de metal brutal, y salio ileso.

No se, lo compre usado y jamas tuve que hacerle nada

Este amplificador es sin duda el mejor de los que escuche a transistores, muy comparables a los de valvulas. Unicamente lo cambiaria por otro Fender pero valvular, pero la cuestion por la que no lo hago es por su tremendo sonido (en canal limpio)y porque me olvido de tener que mantenerlo. Esta siempre listo, siempre suena de la misma forma, nunca se desinfla con el mal tiempo.

This has a date of 2/91 on the inside chasis. It is a very loud and clean amp and sounds really good with a Stratocaster, more than a humbucker type guitar. Cheesy-shimmering-clean sounding. This has 2 channels and 2 inputs. One of the inputs is low impedance for those stages with fluorescent lamps, etc. This amp will blow the doors off any other similiar sized amp. It's extremely LOUD. Not too heavy either, but heavy enough to hurt your back maybe ?

The sounds in the amp go from shimmering clean to in-your-face distorted arena rock tones. I add a Boss Metal Zone and Wah and it sounds GREAT. I've also used it for small venues and even with the gain off, it gives you a nice mid-boost type tone.

This is built very durable. It could fall off a stage and still work given the way it's been built. I've been using it for 4 years about 3-4 times each week (between gigs, jams and practice) and I've NEVER had a problem with it.

FMIC is very helpful. Morgan Ringwald is one of the public relations guys and knows how to make things happen. I met him at a NAMM Show.

I've been playing for 22 years and I've used many amps, but this one has been my favorite for it's tone and versatility.

do not know the exact age of the amp.,bought used.i play old and new country,50s&60s,and classic rock.features are the same as everyone elses,etc.etc.etc. the amp has went from back-up to(according to my wife)a life partner.its used for practice and gigging,due to sound,weight and dependability.

i play a roadhouse strat and a pan es-335 jap. copy mostly through the amp.(if you have not heard of,nor played a pan guitar,you gotta read harmony centrals reviews and find one to play)the roadhouse has the wonderful texas specials and the pan,dual humbuckers from?.this amp goes from great to greater for any application of sound

i waited awhile after obtaining the amp. to write a review as i usually do.i,we (everyone i know that plays guitar has been through it)has decided it will not break down,its been discssed soberly and even after our lead guitar player had a few and went in search of the "hidden tubes"we all decided this IS the greatest damn ss amp ever made.....in the u.s.a. you can find the casterated mexican version known as the ultimate chrous but it is nowhere near as versitale and you will know (as will everyone listening) your playing through a ss amp.if you can find one of these buy it.

if you have a lot of time on your hands..... and free long distance on your phone,you may be lucky enough to get a human who can tell you want to hear,or they want to tell you,but most of the time they are busy out buying up other companys,or building manufacturing facilites in other countries.

i have been playing for many years at every level,i collect,play and really enjoy guitars and percussion instruments. i have owned alot of tube amps.(my favorite was my peavey classic 50-410)but..... as i get older carrying gear gets heavier,i would have never imagined getting this sound quality out of a ss amp.and the weight difference,maitaining tubes,biasing,heat issues...fans etc. gone! if it were stolen,i would check my other band members houses,cars and my number one suspect would be.......the lead guitar player.

1990 amp versatile enough for any styles of music..100 watts solid state but if you PLUG another speaker 160 Watts RMS At 4 ohms

best gig amp solid state ............SOUND FANTASTIC

Has the amp ever broken down Nooooooooooooooo I Trust this AMP MORE THAN ANY TUBE AMP THAT I HAVE..................

hummmmmmmmmmmm NOT SO BAD

ALL agree with ((((( Slowhand (literally) at 09/29/2005 11:17 ))))below me .....except the STAGE SE 112 and FENDER STAGE 185 for me are the same quality and the best solid state you CAN BUY FROM FENDER (and used only).......with another Cab IT S 160 WATTS RMS........ONLY BETTER SOUND OF THAT GET A TWIN..( WITH CASTER )......AGAIN WHAT SLOWHAND BELOW ME,HAVE READ I M FULL AGREE WITH HIM....................IF YOU NOT HAPPY WITH THAT GET A TWIN + CASHHHHH + TUBES FOR CHANGE + ROAD CASE ETCCCCC.

Made early 90's. 2 Channels, clean and drive. 100 watts solid state. I play rock, blues and jazz. I use this amp at home and for gigs. Like another review mentioned- a tremelo would have been nice.

I simply love the tone of this amp. Just as nice as any of the tube amps I've since gotten rid of.I play a Fender Strat and a Gibson ES335 and it sounds great with both. The tone is pure Fender. I also tried the drive channel with the drive set to 1, the contour set to 10, the bass to about 7 and the treble at 5, and it really does nail a driven Deluxe Reverb tone-amazing! The clean channel is beautiful, and can get very loud and compresses nicely without sounding "hard" or shrill, as Fender's newer SS amps do.

I read another review here and some guy complained that the amps volume control was too touchy and too loud at low volumes. Gee professor, here's a solution-try the volume knob on your guitar. It's the little round thing with the "V" on it. No matter what amp he uses, no matter where he is, BB King always sets his amps volume on 10 and controls everything else on his guitar. Many pros do this. It allows you to use dynamics (look it up) in your playing. I typically set my guitars volume and tone controls at around 6 or 7, then adjust the amp so that the volume will be the average for the room I'm playing (which has never been higher than 5 on the amp), then control the rest from my guitar. It's amazing what range of tone and volume you have when you play this way- and you can turn down the volume of your guitar and play in the house at night with no problems.

Very solid. Never a problem. I gig with this amp exclusively with no backup (if I had a problem I'd go through the PA).

I've dealt with Fender before and they can be very helpful if you bug them enough (call constantly, send letters and emails to management, etc).

I'm another one of those old timers (53) that's been playing well over 40 years. I believe this amp is Fender's best kept secret. It's a shame they discontinued this line for the far inferior (in my opinion)Dyna Touch line. I've seen these Stage 112SE's in Vegas, on Cruise ships, at outdoor events, almost every venue imaginable. Why? Because they sound great, there light weight, they take a beating and they ALWAYS work! Since buying this I've sold all of my other amps. If lost or stolen I'd buy another immediately- in fact I plan to get one more anyway as a backup. You can always find these on ebay for around $200. The one I got was in MINT condition. Like others who've tried this amp, I never thought I'd go back to Solid State, but I'm here to stay. Really a fantastic amp.

Made in USA 1994. Two channel model.Wish it had tremelo.

I play mainly blues and classic rock. I use a 1996 American Standard Strat and a 2003 Epiphone Riviera. Both guitars sound great through this amp. The clean channel is typical Fender all the way. For blues I use the drive channel with the bass turned all the way up and the drive between 1-3, and can get a Bassman Reissue sound very close to the one I get with my Deville 410. For everything else I use the clean channel with pedals. Here's what I love most about the clean channel on this amp as opposed to newer Fender SS amps. On the new Fender solid states (Dyna Touch), the clean channel never compresses. It just stays clean all the way up- but not a good clean-more like a sharp,shrill, piercing icepick through the brain clean. The Stage 112 has a very subtle, natural crunch as you go up the volume knob. It's a shame Fender no longer uses this same tube emulation circuitry. A guy who works at Fender once told me the employees there felt this series of SS amps were the best they ever made, and I agree. The best solid state amp I have ever owned.

I bought this amp used on ebay around 5 years ago for 180 bucks and have no idea how hard the original owner played it. I bought this as a backup for my Deville 410, but it sounds so good and is so much lighter, it became my main amp for both practice and gigging. I can't remember the last time I even plugged in my Deville. This amp sounds as good if not better than my Deville (which I always thought sounded a little brittle). I've used this amp for literally hundreds of gigs and practices and it has never had a single problem with the exception of one replaced input jack, and that was my fault. Much more reliable than ANY production Fender amp made today. (I have a nightmare story about the 3 Deluxe Reverb Reissues I went through- but I'll save that for another revue). I use it without a backup all the time.

This amp is long out of warranty, but I've had to deal with Fender on other amp issues, and their customer service is absolutely horrid.Period.

I've been playing guitar for over 40 years and needless to say have gone through many, many amps, both tube and solid state, of almost every make including Fender, Marshall, Hiwatt, Sunn, etc. At 50 years old I'm just not into hauling heavy tube stuff around anymore, so I'm back to SS. I mentioned the guitars I use earlier. As for effects, I use a Crybaby Wah, Uni-Vibe, DOD Supra Distortion, Boss FZ-3 Fuzz, and an Ibanez DE-7 Delay/Echo. I bought this amp as a backup but fell in love with it. I love the tone, weight, size , power, and reliability of it. If something happened to it I'd buy another in a minute. Many of my tube snob friends (and I use that term lovingly, as I used to be one)have been amazed at the tone I get through this amp. If you can find one, buy it. You'll be amazed to!

Year: 1994
This amp is very versatile because you can play blues or metal and it will give you the sound you want!
There are two channels on the Stage 112 SE: clean (treble,middle,bass and the very good midshift option) and distortion (treble,middle,bass,gain,contour). This amp has an exceptionnal reverb and the channels are footswitchable

Other features: 2 plugin, preamp, pre out, footswitch, 1/4 line out, headphones and a jack for an external speaker on the back.

Specifications: -160 W RMS (with or without an external speaker??)
-speaker:1 fender instruments 12''
-resistance: 8 ohm
-distortion: transistor

My guitar is an old Ovation 1978. This guitar has a blues sound but the Stage 112 SE helps to give to it a great loud rock sound for Indie Rock! Like I said before, this amp is so versatile that you can play Jazz, Blues, country, punk rock or agressive metal (with good settings) I don't use any effect pedal because I believe that Fender has the greatest transistor distortion effect on Earth. I had a Deluxe Plus 90 watts before (that I kept) and I thought that I would need it to help the Stage 112 SE to have the better sound as possible and it's not necessary at all because it makes the job very well with its two channels (very powerfull and a good sound quality for the price you'll pay for it) But I agree that if I use the two amps, I don't need to put the volume very high(1 for each and I can play with my band without problems!)

I depend on my amp definitely! I'm able to play with my band with the Stage 112 SE very easily but I have the put the volume higher than with two amps (maybe 2 or 2,5). This amp has 10 years and I didn't have problems yet and it did a lot of road. This is a unbreakable amp if you are not too hard with it. Like the others said, I'm sure it would play again even if I threw it in the stairs but I won't try it at all!

I didn't use the customer support because I bought it used.

I have been playing guitar for 6 years and I just bought this very hot but under rated amp. If someone tried to stole my Stage, I would probably use my Deluxe Plus to beat him :P I like the rock sound of this amp, the versatility, the simplicity, the midshift option on the clean, the agressive but well configured distortion and of course, the power of this amp!!! Maybe I would like an overdrive on the distortion to add some possibilities of sound on this amp.

This is an update to an earlier review. I have done a simple modification that swaps out the internal clipping LEDs for germanium diodes. I chose to do this because there was a certain 'icepick' sound to the distortion that I just couldn't dial out. Anyway, anyone tempted to do this mod should heed caution, because there are stray voltages laying around inside the amp chassis, as well as some extremely sharp edges that could pull a Ginsue on your arse if you're not careful.

In the stock configuration I gave this amp an 8, however, after having changed the diodes out to germaniums, it is like a different amp. I always liked the stock distortion sound of the amp, but felt (especially in a live setting) as though there was a high-end, icepick sound (not the typical SS crap either) that is apparent in every LED clipping circuit I've ever heard, spare the Keeley mods which have a lot of high-end filtering to reduce it. Anyay, I had to pair several diodes in series to get the distortion to a reasonably versatile level and tame the compression that happens at high saturation. I ended up with two diodes on one side and three on the other. I think three and four would work fine, as there is tons of gain on hand. Remember that the fewer diodes you use, the more distortion and lower level you'll get. With more, the higher a point at which the diodes clip, and the louder the amp will sound before topping off in saturation land. Now, the amp does a great impersonation of a Bassman on 'roids with the gain set at about 10:30. It cleans up nicely and has a great tube-esque crunch when the volume is full up and you're hitting the strings prety hard. BTW, I play a MIM strat with upgraded PU's and 10-52 strings, so the low end chunk is substantial, to say the least. I think the only thing left to do to this amp is drop an Eminence V12 in place of the stock speaker to round the package out. I'm thinking the pair will go together nicely, as that speaker is known for warming the sound of SS amps. There's plenty of treble on tap in both channels, as I generally set the treble on 3 or less... I'll post again once I've swapped the speakers.

Considering that a person could probably pick one of these models up for peanuts, it can be an invaluable tool in helping a regular guy get good tone consistently and reliably. I think it's a pretty good amp in it's stock configuration, but believe that there's a rock monster laying in wait if one goes to the trouble to beef it up.

IT `s a amp versatile enough for any styles of music you gonna play with big power if you use a another bottom 2 12 inches etc 160 watts almost same power of my twin ( 100 tube watts).perfect amp for all round gig studio shown etc . FOR TRANSPORT not so HEAVY .

the clean channel fender very good distortion is ok .ANYWAY YOU HAVE THE CHOICE TO PUT A PEDAL I give 9.2 for my twin 8.8 for my HOTROD 8.1 for my DELTA BLUES PEAVEY 8.3 MY FENDER 75 ANDDD 8.5 for MY STAGE 112 SE evan it is not TUBE AMP

7 years i got never touch nothing the AMP EXCEPT FOR PLAYING .

NEVER Have dealt with the company NOTHING BROKE .

I have you been playing 33yrs now FOR FUN THE BEST GIG AMP I NEVER HAVE BOUGHT . good sound ( WITH GOOD CELESTION WOW )not to heavy not to big for TRANSPORT AND Big POWER ( with 2 SPEAKERS )If i find a another one I buy it FOR SPARE..

This amp is pretty basic, which is why I'm giving it an 8 and not a ten. Some people may see the lack of features negatively, but I love its basic approach. EQ, reverb, and a distortion channel are the extent of the features but they're certainly sufficient. The clean and distortion channels are footswitchable. There's also a "line out" jack for use with headphones, etc and a speaker cabinet output on the back.

My favorite feature on this amp is definitely the power- there's plenty of it. I use mine through a 4X12 cab (more on that later) and it's overwhelmingly loud. It's been more than enough to play everything from bars to large venues to outdoor shows like the Warped tour. With 160 solid state watts to draw from, that's not too surprising.

I sold my Laney TF800 and Red Bear MK120 to get this amp because it spanks them both so hard. The clean channel is gorgeous and definitely has the twang I expected from a Fender but is also capable of decent jazz tone. It's not the most versatile amp I've ever played, but it's really very good at what it does.

The distortion is flat-out amazing. I took this sweet thing to the studio and turned down the chance to use Triple Recs, AC30s and JCM900s because nothing could touch it. It's not mid-scooped metal sizzle, more like jet-engine rock n' roll tone pushed to the extreme. You can hear the recording (although poorly mastered, in my opinion) at hxcmp3.com/bands/425. If that site is down, check the media secion of soma.hxc.com.

It's not really for everyone- this amp fits into a pretty specific niche. If it happens to be the niche you're looking for, however, running across a value like this is a dream come true.

These things are rock solid. Here's the crap mine has had to put up with:

-A week after I got it, I sawed it in half, tore out the reverb unit, and nailed a bottom onto it to make it into a head.
-It's been dropped several times.
-It's been out in the rain, and is nowhere near water tight in its current state.
-It's been knocked over onstage countless times.

This amp is unbreakable. I've never had to take a backup on tour, and I don't plan on doing so anytime soon.

I got my amp through eBay and have never dealt with Fender, so I can't really attest to the quality customer support department. I sincerely hope they live up to the quality of this product, though.

I've been playing guitar for eight years and have gone through countless amps and guitars. I'm the first to admit that this is because I'm a cheapskate and I end up with incredibly inexpensive equipment. The upside to that is that every once in a while you come across a diamond in the rough, like the Stage 112.

I used tell myself that if it disappeared, I'd save up and get a 5150 or Triple Rectifier or something along those lines, but I'd really have to think about it. It was in the shop once having a jack replaced after I bent one up pretty badly (totally my fault), and I borrowed a Triple Rectifier to play live. I can honestly say I'd choose my Fender again any day of the week. The value of this amp is amazing- you can usually find them used for around $200, and they last forever. If you're not concerned with appearance and you want great bang for the buck, this amp simply can't be beat.

If this amp was made in a head version and I didn't have to borrow my father's hacksaw to "customize" it, I'd be tickled pink. Maybe that's just part of its charm. Either way, I feel incredibly fortunate that I discovered how great this quirky little number can be.

I use this amp in most clubs and venues I do gigs at. After years of the hassle of tube amp upkeep, this is a welcome relief. I use a Robin Medley (www.robinguitars.com) and have a Rocktron Voodu into a BBE Sonic Maximizer in my effects loop. I can get sounds from pristine chime like or in-your-face sonic overdrive with pinch harmonics.

I use this amp with stock, American Strats, a Robin Medley Custom and an ES-335 (Gibson). It is a true road warrior ! The factory settings are very bland, but once you tweak this amp--it howls !

This amp actually fell out of a pickup truck and still powered up at the gig and did it's job. The roadie works at a car wash now I think ?

They send me updates on gear and have been very responding to my needs. I once asked Gary Hoey (Fender Demonstrator)a question on it and even he thought it was the best (non-tube) amp on the market.

I'm older than dirt ! I've been playing guitar for 35 years. I've had Marshall Plexi/Stacks, Mesa Boogies, Twins, Pre-CBS Fenders and if I had this amp stolen, I would try to find another one !!!

Features are OK. Mine doesn't have a 3rd channel (I think newer ones has 3rd channel)... But nothing wrong with the features.

I think this amp is under rated. For the price you can get a used one, it is a great buy... I was looking for the cheapest 100 W possible with good clean sound. I found it. The clean sound is very nice. I have a Marshall JCM 800 that I use along with a Mesa V-Twin preamp (to give more gain)>>and what a nice set up it is by the way<<. I use a Morley a/b switch to get to the Fender Stage. I am so happy with my set up. I got the Fender for 195 $ us (what a deal !).
In addition to this set up, I got a J-Station amp simulator for 100 $ and I select Black Face amp... It is so nice. You close your eyes and you cannot make the difference between a Fender tube amp and my set up. OK, i have to admit that the distortion channel is not that great. I understand that someone who cannot afford a multiple amps set up will be a little dissapointed with the dist. sound. Especially someone, like me, who has always had tube amps (the difference is quite noticable...to say the least).For my set up, I will rate it 9 because of the very good clean sound and the huge power.

I don't know so far.

Don't know.

I have been playing for 15 years. I play mostly with humbuckers pick ups. I play punk rock music (original material). I think I found my ultimate set up. People who come and listen to our band are amazed how good is our sound, especially the guitars. Oh ! I forgot to mention : I tried something very interesting recently that improved my sound. My Mesa V-Twin has a guitar output that I plug into the JCM-800. It has also a "power amp" output that I now plug in the Stage's clean channel. So when I select A on the Morley switch, I have 2 amps pushing the Mesa V-twin, each one coloring the sound on its own. WHAT A HUGE HI-GAIN MELODIC SOUND ! On the B-side, I have the J-Station (on Black face) going to the Fender amp. I DO NOT NEED ANYTHING ELSE, I AM NOW HAPPY. I give the Stage a high rate cause it gives me what I bought it for.

This is one from the mid-nineties. Pretty basic features, but flexible in it's overall design. Fairly typical SS layout; two channels, reverb, mid-shift switch on the clean channel, contour control on the lead channel, effects loop, line out, and a nifty footswitch that changes channels and activates reverb using any 1/4" cable. It's worth mentioning that the amp isn't overly heavy compared to most tube amps, and is loud enough to knock the balls of a rhino at sixty paces...

I play a Mexican strat with some improvements in the crucial areas (pickups swapped for standard americans, master tone control mod, etc.) I play blues-based rock stuff--song-oriented stuff in the style of Live, King's X, Ian Moore, etc. The sounds I get from this amp suit my style perfectly. The amp's not overly noisy, taking it's power output into consideration...this thing gets VERY LOUD! I control the overall volume by using an old Ibanez rackmounted delay unit that has an input control knob (which also tends to 'sweeten' whatever goes through it, a good thing for a solid-state amp). I've also gotten similar volume-reducing results by simply putting a volume pedal in the effects loop and leaving it at a spot somewhere in the middle, and have also used an EQ pedal in the effects loop and adjusted the level and tone favorably. Use your imagination here. The clean channel is superb. I really like how warm this channel can sound, also how chimey but not brittle it can be. Fender clean fan's won't be dissapointed. The drive channel sounds pretty good--standard gain range with added flexibility with the 'countour' control (think VOX mids to scooped metal in the sweep, I keep mine at high noon), but has a much higher output than the clean channel. This is where using the attenuation in the FX loop is necessary. I set the drive channel at 2 and have to turn the clean channel volume up to 8 to match it, so there's an untamed beast in that drive channel. The reverb sounds OK but it could be better, as they used a rather small reverb tank...too bad. I think a larger tank would improve the reverb quality a bit. I'll probably change that out eventually. The speaker is Fender Special Design (read Eminince) but it sounds good in this amp. Another point worth noting is that this amp sounds much bigger than it looks and has ample bottom end for a combo. I once plugged it into a Peavey closed-back cab with a single 15" black widow speaker and the sound was absolutely humongous without being too boomy! I think that with a closed back extension cab and a metal-type pedal that the metalheads might really like this amp. The drive channel cleans up pretty well, the two channels compliment each other well when you get the level matched, and with the volume attenuated, there is absolutely none of the fabled harsh SS high end. Overall a nice sounding amp.

This amp was built sometime in the early-to-mid nineties and it performs without a hitch. I haven't gigged with it yet, but am going to next weekend--without a backup. I think this one will be around for quite a few years to come.

Since I got this used I don't think this category applies. I do know the guy who owned this amp before I did and he said he never had a single thing go wrong with it. You can make your own inferences about customer support from FMIC from others.

I would say that this is a good sounding, fairly flexible, adequately featured amp. It sounds sweet for a SS amp, and I feel is reliable as an Abram's tank. It's light enough to carry around and loud enough to cut through the mix at ANY size venue. A master volume control would be nice, as would a bigger reverb tank, but these shortcomings can be gotten around easily enough. If you see a used one laying around at a music store somewhere, give it a try.

Got it in '92
165 watts, 2 channels (cln, lead), channel/reverb switch included, fx loop, mid shift for clean channel, midrange contour for lead channel
other features given already. Not too heavy.

Wheh I first heard this one, the lead channel caught my ear. . . .and it was loud. Bought it, and never got a tone from the lead channel that I really liked. I eventually ran a SansAmp GT-2 into the lead channel (at a medium Boogie setting) before I got something I could use.

The clean channel was pretty warm and "chimey." Worked with a Strat, a sing/sing/hum Carvin DC-135T (both reviewed on this site), and a '65 ES-335. The Strat/amp combination has that "Fender" sound. It will give you that "ice pick' sound, but has enough bottom to get big and fat. The 335/Stage 112SE get's that "BB" blues feel, and will darken up and do very convincing jazz tones.

I used to use it's fx loop return as a "power amp/speaker" for my ols SGX 2000 rack system when they first came out. That worked very well. I got the impression that the poweramp/speaker combination yielded a flatter response than their tube amps as I usually ran my rack system direct to the house, and the amp tone was not that much different (as opposed to how it sounded through my Blues Deluxe's fx loop).

With my current pedalboard ( the "gain based " pedals going into the front of the amp: Fulltone Fat Boost, FullDrive 2, Distortion Pro, ZVEX Super Hard-On, Cry Baby 535Q wah [set up with a hefty boost], Boss CS-3 Compressor, and a Marshall ED-1 Compressor, it will sound good going everywhere from clean to modern hi-gain.

I recently did a blues gig with another player who also had a Strat, a Tube Screamer, a vox wah, and a Hot Rod Deville. The 2 tones (his setup and mine) sounded pretty close to each other, enough that I went for the warmer, heavier tone. I was pretty surprised at how close the two setups sounded.

At higher volume levels, just running the FatBoost into the FullDrive 2 gives enough breakup for most purposes, and the pedals dynamics and the amp's power really do combine to start feeling "tube-like." Quick response, lot's of punch. Yeah, this amp does blues!

It also sounds great as a "powered extension cabinet" for my Boogie Mark IV (adds that larger bottom end that the Boogie doesn't).

Yeah, it's loud. I don't get it past 1 (I LIKE that!). The clean channel get's an 8. Channel 2 doesn't get touched anymore. That get's a 4. The power available and usefulness of the poweramp/speaker make it a 7, but the lack of useable volume taper between 0 and 2 bring it back down to a 6.

Had it for 11 years, it doesn't blink, it doesn't flinch! It's my backup amp, and I've been using it as my main amp lately. No tubes to worry about, solidly built.

Never had to deal with 'em, so I don't know.

Been playing about 30 years, almost every style. Ampwise, I also have a Boogie Mark IV widebody. My first amp was a small Fender Princeton (trem, but no reverb). Also owned a BLues Deluxe along with the Stage 112SE. Other amps in between. Bunch of guitars, bunch of effects.

While I don't like the lead channel (scratchy and no real definition to my ears), the clean channel does great jazz and is a good platform for good overdrive/distortion pedals. Still has that "Fender" tone quality.

If it were lost or stolen, I think I would go for a higher end Fender Tube amp like a Vibro King, though for a backup touring amp, I would have to look for one of these.

everyone knows the Features from looking at everyone elses, so ill just be moving on now... Wish it had a 3rd Channel, and a 2x12 instead of just 1.

I am Using a Gibson Flying V on this bad boy and the tone output is amazing. I don't use the 2nd channel anymore since I bought my MT-2 Metal Zone from Boss (recommended by Jim Root from Stone Sour/Slipknot) for this amp, and the Equalizer to go along with it. You can get some really really crazy metal tones and Volume with this amp. I would have to agree that this amp sounds awesome.

Broke down once since I got it 5 Years ago. Ever since then its been up and running playing at least 2 hours each day at ear bleeding volumes. Very Solid Amp!

Never Dealt with Fender. Got it repaired at a local Guitar shop for really cheap. $5 repair.

I've been playing for about 8 years and I love this amp. If I were to get another amp instead, I would have to go with one of the great big Marshall Stacks (who wouldn't?) But for someone looking for GREAT volume and tone for a low Price (we know you can't afford that stack) get this great FENDER 112 SE!

2-3 years old. Amp is versatile enough to do any type of music in my opinion although i have not figured out a good setting for heavy metal, I will.
2 channels. But i got it from a pawnbroker so no pedal. FX loop. Headphone jack. Channel Switching.
Wish it had a footswitch.
I use this amp in my room and in my triple garage with all doors open when i feel upto it (vol on 3 and i am dead lol)
AMP IS LOUD!!!
Solid State, Despite what others say THIS IS SOLID STATE, with 'tube-emulation technology' so it sounds tuby.

Fender tele copy double humbuckers. Heavy to jazz to Santana to 60's rock. LOUD, LOUD!!! Narrow sound variety tho. Never had clean up high enough to know if it gets distorted up there, same with od.
Very brutal dis with right settings.

I could drop it from 6 foot and i think it would still work. 20kg. Never broke down, had it for close to 3 hours.

Never dealt with fender except i emailed them and they said i cannot use the warranty cause i am not the original owner, for that fender you get a 5

playing for a year now but apparently im natural, better than ppl that have been playing for longer. If stolen i would get it again if it was this cheap. LOVE IT!
Compared to peaveys, marshalls and newer fenders. For this price its awesome.
Id like to say that Harmony Centeral Rox, and so does the FDP and fender musical equipment

2 Channels: 1 Clean; 1 Gain/Distortion channel
Reverb
Footswitch for channel switching; reverb control
Mid Boost switch for clean channel
160 Watts peak power... Its too much power hehe

160 Watts peak is loud as hell, even for a solid state amp.
That being said, the other reviews are right, its not a good practice amp if you live in places like an apartment complex. It gets loud easy, if you turn the volume down below one you'll find it goes from mildly loud to no sound at all coming out very quickly. Really isn't a quiet setting on this amp.

Sound:
For a solid state amp (before all the digital amps came out) this amp is really a decent amp...
Clean Channel: Decent tone. You won't get the sound of a tube amp out of it ( you shouldn't expect too), but you won't get the sound of a 15 watt practice amp either. I like the sound I get out of this channel with the reverb set around 2-3 and using the humbucker on my peavey predator plus. Gives you a clean, warm, round sound to it.
For distortion I usually put my boss OD-20 pedal through this channel. It gives more choices for the sound I'm looking for than Channel 2 does. My Takamine G series acoustic sounds good through this amp, although it lacks in the bass area a bit. Have wonderred what adding a cab to the setup would do, if it would give it some more punch, but haven't had the chance to try it out.

Channel 2: Not my favorite, gives a good overdrive distortion that works well with modern rock type music. The sound itself is good, but my main complaint here would be that its hard to articulate notes on this channel, they tend to blend (fuzz) together, especially riffs that chunk along...one more reason why I use a good pedal set on channel 1

One other thing, I always have found it hard to match the volume levels of channel 1 and 2 on this amp... if you are playing a show it can be a pain.

BTW; I've owned this amp for 5 years now, bought it back in '97 or '98 brand new.

Never has failed me yet. The cord connecting the footswitch is getting a littel sketchy and cuts out every now and then, but that started a month ago, and it lasted for 5 years, its easy to replace, will probably cost me 5 bucks or so.

Never dealt with customer support. Never had a problem

Overall? Love it for what it is. Been playing about 10 years, and this was my first electric amp I bought. Its a great beginner amp, and even a pretty good intermediate amp. Most things I've mentioned aren't really noticeable until you hook up next to a person playing on a much better setup. Thats when you notice what could be better about your own I guess. Stolen or lost? I've got more than my $$'s worth out of it... I'd tell my homeowner's insurance that it was worth 2 grand and go out and buy me a boogie! hehe just kidding.
Wish it had a 3rd channel for lead, but thats it...

If you are mic'ing your setup at shows, go with a smaller watt'ed amp with good tone (tube?). I'm retiring this amp soon and headed that direction just because I want more control of stage volume ( want a choice other than loud)and after 10 years I can justify buying a really nice amp... :-)

Standard features of just about any amp... the only thing worth mentioning is the "Mid Shift" button on the clean channel. It is useful to me because I like scooped mids, but still want "body" to my sound. So, I turn the mids all the way up from the knob, and then scoop them. It gives me a very nice sound. I wish the amp had a chorus feature but I can live without it.

The amp is very LOUD. If you are looking for a practice amp, look somewhere else. If you are looking for an amp to play for crowds of 400 or more on a regular basis, look somewhere else. This amp can get very loud and you will go deaf if you turn it up past 2 on the volume knob. At band practices, I use it at 1.25 and that's when I am playing a SOLO to get over the whole band. Very loud amp.

The quality is a typical Fender tone. The mid shift makes for a cool sound. The reverb on the amp isn't too great, so don't expect the reverb of a Marshall.

I never have and never will use the distortion built into the amp. If you are not going to buy a seperate distortion pedal, do not get this amp. I love this amp like hell but I love it for its clean channel and nothing else. The amp has a clean channel to die for, and does not distort unless you make it VERY loud, not recommended.

I can see this amp handling just about any style of music as long as you use a seperate distortion pedal for heavier stuff... the built in distortion does not have bite/edge. If you are looking for something that sounds like a "sharp" preamp setting on an Ibanez SmashBox, you better buy a seperate pedal.

I have used this amp for about 10 shows, and has been used for crowds of over 300 people. The quality of the amp has decreased from when I bought it. Fender put tremendous power into their smaller/medium-sized amps when these were made to compete with Marshall. This is not a good thing, because you could EASILY blow the speaker in here, as well as your ear, by turning the volume past 3. The amp has not caused me many large problems but I would not use it for a big show again... a singe 12" isn't designed to handle gigging volumes on a regular basis.

I got it used, never dealt with Fender. I know these are no longer in production though.

I really really like this amp, but unfortunately will have to sell it because the single 12" in it cannot handle my gigging volumes regularly. I have already ordered a Randall RG100SC 2x12 which is on its way... hopefully the clean sound will live up to the Fender's.

If you are looking for an amp to jam with at your band practices, play for crowds of less than 300 people, occasionally push it more, then this is good for you. If you are going to be playing very very loud shows over 2 times a month, I'd recommend going with something else.

Don't get me wrong, I really love this amp... the single 12" in it is just not designed for frequent loud gigging, so it's not for me.

Overall this is a great amp for practices and small shows.

Great clean sound, decent distortion, footswitch, real reverb, 100w (160w w/external spk.) weighs 900 pounds, looks cool.

I play mainly Strats, and look mostly for that Fender sound. The clean channel is excellent and chimes like a Strat with a Fender amp should. Oh... this amp is LOUD! Too loud for the bedroom, I can't get it past "1" if I want to keep my hearing. The distortion is adequate for my style and I have a Boss GT-6 if I need more. I bought this thing used as a "practice" amp and was quickly slammed by the power. The thing is too cool to ditch but now I still need a practice amp...

No opinion as of yet. I usually use Peavey stuff which is very dependable so we'll see...

n/a

Been playig a relatively short 3 years (considering I am 40 years old), I love the clean sound, I am SHOCKED by how loud this (and many other Fender amps) is. Don't get this for a practice amp, it will peel the paint off the walls if you turn it past "1". It's a great amp, just way more than I bargained for! Did I mention it's loud?

1998 MODEL, BOUGHT SECONDHAND A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO.
2 CHANNELS, CLEAN AND YOUR DRIVE CHANNEL.
CLEAN CHANNEL HAS A MID SHIFT BUTTON GIVES THE AMP MORE BASS, WHICH IS NEEDED UNLESS YOU LIKE YOUR SOUND HARSH AND TREBLEY.
I WISH IT HAD A THIRD GAIN CHANNEL LIKE THE NEW STAGE'S HAVE.
IT HAS A SOCKET FOR A EXTENSION CAB TO MAKE A 160 WATTS.
LINE OUT SOCKET.
AND A EFFECTS LOOP.

I PLAY A VARIETY OF MUSIC WITH MY BAND, MANY 60'S, 70'S COVERS WITH A 52 TELE AND JAP STRAT AND I WAS VERY DISAPOINTED WITH SOUND FROM THIS AMP. I'M SURE IF YOU WERE TO CRANK IT UP IT WOULD SOUND OK, BUT YOU JUST COULD'NT. YOU REALLY CAN'T. THERE IS NO GIVE IN IT. YOU JUST HAVE TO TOUCH THE VOLUME AND BLOWS YOUR BRAIN OUT! ITS JUST SOOOOOO BLOODY LOUD!!! THE DRIVE CHANNEL IS TO0 TREBLY AND THE CLEAN CHANNEL PICKS UP EVERY BLOODY SLIDE ON THE FRETBOARD! THE CLEAN CHANNEL IS BETTER CHANNEL THOUGH.
I MADE A MISTAKE IN BUYING THIS AMP, WHAT IS THE POINT OF BUY A 100 WATT AMP (POTENTIAL OF 160WATTS!) WHEN IF U DO PLAY IN BIGGER PLACES YOU USELLY GET MIKED UP. ITS A SHAME U JUST CAN'T MAKE IT SING.

DID'NT HAVE IT LONG ENOUGH TO KNOW HOW RELIABLE IT IS, BUT IT WAS 4 YEARS OLD BEFORE I BOUGHT IT, SO I GUESS ITS BEEN MADE WELL.

WELL, THIS WAS MY FIRST FENDER AMP AND I CAME AWAY DISAPOINTED. IT WAS MORE ABOUT THE SOUND AND SHERE POWER OF A 100 WATT AMP. I JUST RECENLTY SOLD IT AND GOT MY MONEY BACK. I'M SURE IF YOU ARE PARTIALY DEAF THIS AMP WOULD BE GREAT, BUT FOR ANYBODY WHO LIKES TO KEEP THEIR EAR DRUMS STAY CLEAR. I AM CURRENTLY USING MY TRUSTY YAMAHA DG 60 WATT AMP, WHICH HAS ENOUGH POWER AND TONE TO SATISFY.

I DID USE A FENDER TWIN THE OTHER DAY AND IT SOUNDED MUCH NICER THAN THIS PIECE OF CRAP. IT A HAS USEFUL 25WATT OPTION.

This is the "BEST" damn amp I've ever played through ! It has a clean and a drive channel, but I favor the clean because of the pristine "bell-like" clean (but full) sound and with my Korg AX30G effects processor, it's like they were made for each other. I just sold my other 2 amps (Hot Rod Deluxe & Line 6) because this blows them away. A great feature is that if you add a speaker cabinet and get the ohms to 4, this monster screams with 160 watts rms !!!

This amp has push-pull controls similiar to the Soldano and Rivera Amp lines which is a very nice feature on stage. When playing through the clean channel and overdrive on Korg AX30G it gives you a nice "natural" break up when the volume is on 4 or 5. You can check out all the specs on this amp at www.fender.com, then click on Mr. Gearhead, then Manuals, another nice feature from Fender !Also, there are preferred settings for a variety of tones you may like.

I think this amp could fall down a flight of stairs and still work. I've used it for about 240 gigs over the past 3 years with no problems at all. It's gotten wet on "booze cruises" and sat in the sun on hot outdoor concert gigs, it takes a licking...but keeps on tickin'.

I have never had to phone the company because their website and Mr. Gearhead features give you all the info you ever wanted + more !

I am 47, and have toured the East Coast from Florida to New England in several "road bands" including backing Donna Summer on her '97 comeback tour. If this amp were lost or stolen, I would locate another one asap ! Soundmen have told me it is the "quietest amp" they have mic'd, usually Fender amps are notorious for hums !

Has basic clean/dirty channels with reverb and a footswitch. Dig the contour control. IT puts out 165 watts I think, which is hellaloud and use ful in nearly anysituation except quiet home practice.

I've used a Fender Telecaster Plus with Lace Sensor pickups, a '69 Thinline Telecaster with stock pickups, a '68 reissue Strat with both stock and Lace Sensor pickups, and some other electrics at various points. My typical rig when I used this amp live was a Rotovibe, a Vox wah, an old Boss Tremolo/Pan, and sometimes a Boss EQ or even a Tube Screamer for boost purposes.

I was also very pleased with both the clean and distorted sounds with this amp. It could nail a good crunch perfectly after a few minutes of tweaking, though I always thought it sounded better with the gain dimed, especially in live situations. The clean was spectacular, though you wouldn't be fooled into thinking it was a tube amp. I always liked the clean with a lot of bass and alot of treble. I used this in small clubs and some larger venues, and it always did the job very well.

Never had a problem with this amp. It's pretty beat up, too.

no dealings with customer support

I've been playing for about 13 years. This is the largest and most powerful amp I've owned, and really dig it. It doesn't get used much anymore because I don't gig around or play out, but I've used it for recording purposes and it still sounds great. I had a 100 watt Yamaha dog before this, and have never regretted selling it to get this amp. If you're particular about tubes, I think this amp would at least make a good backup if you're tube amp fried out. I've always been very pleased with it.