Fender Supersonic 60 1x12 combo opinions

J

jpistolas

New member
I have a chance to trade my 1981 Ibanez AR-50 for a Fender SS60 1x12 combo locally. The artist is for sale btw:https://forum.seymourduncan.com/sho...s-Ibanez-Artist-AR-50-1981-with-Original-Case I've done some research here and some demos on youtube and only a few seemed to grab my attention.

Any owners or previous SS60 combo owners here that could help me on this decision? Seems like that amp could cover a lot of musical territory my current rig doesn't do as well. May be playing some more classic rock soon and my Boogie doesn't quite clean up the way I'd like for that style. Plus, carrying a combo is always better than a head and cabinet.

Plus, what is the current used price on the SS 1x12?

Thanks in advance for any advice.
 
Re: Fender Supersonic 60 1x12 combo opinions

I see them going on ebay for 550 on up. Looks like they have a large tube complement of 8 preamp tubes, 2 power tubes. I would play it a lot first before I considered that trade. I love the look of that Ibanez, and wish I could pick it up. Double creme on black is HOT.
 
Re: Fender Supersonic 60 1x12 combo opinions

Had a Blond SS 60 head for a while that I traded even for a new Marshall TSL 60 head.
The Fender SS was the better rig overall and I would do the trade on your Iby if the amp is clean.
The AMP has some really nice cleans + a fat smooth crunch channel one neat thing is the loop is foot switchable and if you jump it on the SS can be used for a nice adjustable solo boost.
Overall I found mine to be quite a usable rig.
Marshall GAS got me but after living with both wish I had kept the SS!!
 
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Re: Fender Supersonic 60 1x12 combo opinions

I have an SS60. It is a decent amp for sure. Lotta big bottles inside. This amp is pretty loud, so I really don't get to use it very often, but it sounds great. The reverb is everything you would expect from a large tank Fender.

The vintage/clean side of the amp is very tasty sounding. I don't have enough experience playing the original amp models on which the vintage channel is based, so I can't say how authentic they sound, but it is a very clean usable channel. The burn channel is interesting too, but one of the more prickly Fender gain sections I've ever used in terms of having both good and bad spots on the dials. There are some really good gain settings in here, but it took me awhile to find them.

You do hear about a lot of reliability problems with this amp, and mine is no exception. It currently makes a loud crackling noise on one channel, but I suspect I may just have a bad tube. Mine only does this after it's had 30 minutes of warm-up time. If I were you, I would give the amp a good workout before I agreed to trade.

In trade for your AR-50 (which is a damn fine guitar, BTW!) you'd probably be doing Ok. New the SS60 goes for about $1300, but they can be found for under a grand used. I paid $850 for mine, with creme tolex/oxblood grille cloth.

TL;DR: The SS60 is a great amp, but make sure you aren't getting a lemon.
 
Re: Fender Supersonic 60 1x12 combo opinions

Thanks for the input! I'm in the process of arranging a meet to give it a tryout. I must say, the clean tones on the demos did impress me quite a bit and the dirty tones weren't as bad as I'd expect from a stock Fender. Never been a fan of stock Fender od sounds. Seems like they may shine a tad more with a good transparent type OD pedal like a Boss super od or a ts9 in front of it.

Wasn't aware there were reliability issues with them. Aside of tube changes I've only had to have my Boogie repaired once in close to 15 yrs and that was due to my former bass player hooking up a speaker cab wrong. Juice went back to the head!! Ouch!!!! Luckily I have a good friend who's an electronics wiz. Didn't charge me but a 6 pack of his fav import and it only needed 2 fuses and a couple burnt caps. Nothing I could blame on the Boogie, just an idiot bandmate so I've gotten way to used to to things working with no worry. Appreciate the heads up on the Fenders possible issues.

Thanks trevorus on the compliment. That thing is a beauty. It gets so little play I'm having a hard time justifying it. The #1 reason I'm considering the trade is I'm thinking I can sell the Fender quicker and for a little more $$ than the Ibanez. Love to keep the artist but bills have been killing us lately. :grumble:
 
Re: Fender Supersonic 60 1x12 combo opinions

Well, after a 1 hr demo I did the trade. So far I'm more than pleased. I can't say enough about the clean tones and talk about LOUD! I was also pleasantly shocked by the "burn" channel. Enough gain for rock or 80's metal. Not quite the over the top gain a Boogie or the sort have but with an eq pedal, a booster or OD pedal I think it would pass. Right now I'm leaving it on for a few hours. Doing the Mesa factory burn in test. I figure if it fails after being on for appx 24 hrs it should be all good.

Amp was quiet too. Read several complaints about noise and hissing and the only noise I got was feedback which is to be expected when playing distorted right in front of it! LOL!

in the end: I'm pleased with the trade and I made the guy promise if he decided to part with the Artist I traded I'd get first dibs. I have two other artists and this one never got played anyway but money providing I would love to have it back.

Worse case, I can sell the Fender for more than the pitiful offers I was getting on the Artist. Guess if it was a chambered weight relief Les Paul I could have gotten thousands out of it.
 
Re: Fender Supersonic 60 1x12 combo opinions

Those amps are great. The overdrive is really it's own thing, but it sounds better than any overdrive I've heard coming from another channel switching Fender (I thought stuff like the Prosonic sounded like garbage in comparison). With a great clean channel and great overdrive, what's not to like about it? Only thing that would have sold me further is if it was P-T-P given the reliability issues I've heard about with them, but the sound is definitely there and priced right.
 
Re: Fender Supersonic 60 1x12 combo opinions

I think they are one of the best channel switching amp designs out there today. I know they sound good, at least the ones I have heard in person.
 
Re: Fender Supersonic 60 1x12 combo opinions

That90'sGuy said:
Only thing that would have sold me further is if it was P-T-P given the reliability issues
Click to expand...

If more amp manufacturers would take quality control more seriously I don't believe there would be so many issues with PCB based amps. I truly believe slack QC is the reason PCB amps get such a bad rap.

Still, keeping my fingers crossed. With my luck it'll give out in a week. LOL!
 
Re: Fender Supersonic 60 1x12 combo opinions

jpistolas said:
Not quite the over the top gain a Boogie or the sort have but with an eq pedal, a booster or OD pedal I think it would pass.
Click to expand...

Sure, but remember this?

jpistolas said:
With so many modern high gain amps on the market I don't see the logic in piling pedals in front of an amp when Mesas, 5150's, Diezels etc. do it perfect right out of the box with no need for pedals.
Click to expand...

Yes, I just don't see the "logic." You should get a Diezel, not a Supersonic.
 
Re: Fender Supersonic 60 1x12 combo opinions

As a devoted SD pickup fan with Alnico II Pros in my ES-335 and Fret King Elise semi, and Duncan Antiguities II in my CP Jaguar (250k pots in lead channel, 1 meg pot in rhythm channel), I recently acquired the newer Fender Super Sonic 60 with script logo and wanted to report on it.

Despite so many bad reviews on hissing, volume pots, loudness, etc. for the SS 60, I wanted to report that mine has no hiss, and the volume knob has a smooth taper. I replaced V30 with a well broken in Eminence Red Fang 8 ohm 50W alnico speaker, and the Vibrolux and Bassman channel 1 are wonderfully sweet, with deep bass, smooth mids and highs. The gain channel 2 is also great, without those V30 upper mids that are so predominant.

I gig regularly, and play blues, R&B, funk and classic rock, also a few harder rock covers, and it blends well with our other guitarist's LP and Marshall; it can cut through his rhythm as well when I'm on leads.

I also plan to put the adjustable Eminence Maverick in an extra cab, which acts as an attenuator, so I can dime the SS at gigs, pumping the power tubes, at a hearing level that won't burst eardrums.

For me, it's just a more powerful DRRI or Vibrolux blackface on channel 1 leads, and punchy like a Bassman when wanted on rhythm.

I felt that there should be a positive review of this amp online, particularly on a forum dedicated to players who can hear the nuances of tone.

For reference, I have owned a Fargen Blackbird, a Bogner Alchemist, and most every Fender over the years, being particularly susceptible to 6V6/6L6 tubes. This amp is a keeper. I still have my DRRI and Alchemist.
 
Re: Fender Supersonic 60 1x12 combo opinions

I have the super-sonic twin 100 and it's great! I have not had reason to add a pedal yet. Great tube distortion and a few models to choose from with the push of a button. Great reverb too.
 
Re: Fender Supersonic 60 1x12 combo opinions

Teobeck said:
As a devoted SD pickup fan with Alnico II Pros in my ES-335 and Fret King Elise semi, and Duncan Antiguities II in my CP Jaguar (250k pots in lead channel, 1 meg pot in rhythm channel), I recently acquired the newer Fender Super Sonic 60 with script logo and wanted to report on it.

Despite so many bad reviews on hissing, volume pots, loudness, etc. for the SS 60, I wanted to report that mine has no hiss, and the volume knob has a smooth taper. I replaced V30 with a well broken in Eminence Red Fang 8 ohm 50W alnico speaker, and the Vibrolux and Bassman channel 1 are wonderfully sweet, with deep bass, smooth mids and highs. The gain channel 2 is also great, without those V30 upper mids that are so predominant.

I gig regularly, and play blues, R&B, funk and classic rock, also a few harder rock covers, and it blends well with our other guitarist's LP and Marshall; it can cut through his rhythm as well when I'm on leads.

I also plan to put the adjustable Eminence Maverick in an extra cab, which acts as an attenuator, so I can dime the SS at gigs, pumping the power tubes, at a hearing level that won't burst eardrums.

For me, it's just a more powerful DRRI or Vibrolux blackface on channel 1 leads, and punchy like a Bassman when wanted on rhythm.

I felt that there should be a positive review of this amp online, particularly on a forum dedicated to players who can hear the nuances of tone.

For reference, I have owned a Fargen Blackbird, a Bogner Alchemist, and most every Fender over the years, being particularly susceptible to 6V6/6L6 tubes. This amp is a keeper. I still have my DRRI and Alchemist.
Click to expand...

So you put a speaker with a 50 watt power handling rating into a 60 watt amp?
 
Re: Fender Supersonic 60 1x12 combo opinions

'Grats,heard really good things about them!
Actually,jammed w/a guy at a Super Bowl party who played thru one,sounded really good,but I got too drunk to check it out...
 
Re: Fender Supersonic 60 1x12 combo opinions

Old thread - new info. I bought 2011 (Script Logo) combo used at GC for $599. My 335 (Alnico II Pros) and Fender CP Jag (Duncan Antiquities) sound great through it at gigs and practice. No noise issues, no volume drop upon changing vintage channels. FTSW works well. I changed Vintage 30 for Eminence alnico Red Fang speaker. I Like amp so much I sold my DRRI. I play clean classic R&B, funk and classic rock. I haven't yet re-tubed, but when I do it'll be ANOS tubes. I like it better than my old Rivera. Bassman/Vibrolux vintage channel sound great. This amp is under-rated.
 
Re: Fender Supersonic 60 1x12 combo opinions

jpistolas said:
If more amp manufacturers would take quality control more seriously I don't believe there would be so many issues with PCB based amps. I truly believe slack QC is the reason PCB amps get such a bad rap.

Still, keeping my fingers crossed. With my luck it'll give out in a week. LOL!
Click to expand...

There's alot of truth to this. I can't say enough about how good my Splawn sounds, and it's a PCB amp.

Electrons don't care whether they're going through a wire or a silver trace glued to a slab of phenolic material. They get where they're going just the same.

ETA: I think that the percieved ccompromise in tone has more to do with the caps, pots, resistors, diodes amd so on that get used in alot of amps rather than the PCBs themselves.
 
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