Fender Eric Clapton Series Amplifiers

[Tig***]

This was unexpected news. I don't remember any Fender signature amps. I bet they'll co$t!

http://www.fender.com/products/clapton

www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGbxaXk9DG8

In a historic collaboration, Fender introduces its first artist signature amplifiers—EC Series amps bearing the name of legendary guitarist Eric Clapton. Built to the exacting specifications of Clapton himself, the three amps—the EC Twinolux™, EC Tremolux™ and EC Vibro-Champ®—are fascinating variations on their original '50s-era ancestors (the '57 Twin™, '57 Deluxe™ and '57 Champ®, respectively), and are our answer to his call for special models with distinctive features.


Handmade in the United States, all three amp models feature '50s—era output tube bias tremolo (which produces a more throbbing pulse than later Fender tremolo circuits) and a switchable power attenuator (reduces speaker output), in addition to other premium features. In a historic career now in its sixth decade, Eric Clapton has long been known as one of the world's foremost exponents of classic Fender tweed amp tone, and the three new amps bearing his imprint present the pinnacle of personally inspired amp tone for stage and studio alike. Each is a must for Clapton fans and guitarists who want the ultimate in tweed tube amp performance.

[Robert****]

Buddy playing Twinolux

[Katastrophe]

Sounds and looks fantastic. Buddy's tone hasn't sounded that good in years.

I'll bet the cost is more that the GDP of several small developing nations, though.

[cebreez]

I could listen to Buddy Guy play all day! Clapton too. But the amp doesn't sound like Eric Clapton. It sounds like any other well made amp on the market. Buddy Guy and Eric Clapton could sound good through anything including a cheap $100 tube combo and leave everybody saying "How did he get that tone?". Sorry but I just can't stand signature pieces of anything. They developed a style and tone that best suited them and their abilities. Every other musician should strive to do the same.

...and Cebreez steps down from the soapbox.

[sunvalleylaw]

I love the fender tweed look, and generally, the tweed sound. I am not sure I feel the need to have a signature on it though.

[Tig***]

MSRP for the Tremolux is $2800
MSRP Twinolux is $4200!
That makes the $1400 MSRP Vibro-Champ a bargain, kinda'. I'd guess about $1000-$1100 street.

[Robert****]

Well I'm gonna pass on those amphs!

[deeaa*]

I might pass something on those amphs too...

[duhvoodooman***]

Nice amps, but priced w-a-a-a-y-y too high for what they are. Targeted at the corksniffers and status seekers....

[Robert****]

Found this clip of Buddy with Mayer. Not sure what amp he used there, but it sounds good to me.


Compare and see which think sounds better!

[cebreez]

The tweed is a Fender Vintage Reissue '59 Bassman LTD which seems to be his preferred amp. Seen it onstage with him several times. Cant tell if the other is maybe a Twin Reverb? Looks tall for a twin though. Doesn't matter Buddy and John both sound phenomenal.

[deeaa*]

I have to say, I really don't much care for how either sounds. Just don't dig that kind of sound so much. Or the music. I could play that kind of stuff ad nauseam, but I wouldn't listen to it much. Just too simple stuff like most blues is...not much to enjoy soundwise, I personally know a few dozen players who can play with much more skill and feel, hell, I think some guys on this very forum could do better or at least just as well as these guys, and nothing interesting songwise either....just not my cup of tea, really.

[Bookkeeper's Son]

The amps sound like typical Fender amps, so no big deal as far as I'm concerned. In the marketing world, where a new iPhone comes out seemingly every couple of weeks, guitar companies do pretty much the same thing. Repackaging the same ol' and calling it "NEW". But it'll increase sales - that's how it's done nowadays. The old adage about "building a better mousetrap" no longer applies; now it's "build a better package/ad campaign/hype". I kinda miss the old days, when musical gear was for musicians, not mass consumers.

And I agree with Dee about the monotony of most "blues", and that Buddy Guy is no big deall in any case.

[Eric***]

I kinda miss the old days, when musical gear was for musicians, not mass consumers.

I get your point, but I have to admit to myself that if that was the case, I probably wouldn't be playing the guitar. I'm sure I'd be all right and everything, but overall it's been a positive experience for me, so I can't hate on the market too much.

[Tig***]

The amps sound like typical Fender amps, so no big deal as far as I'm concerned. In the marketing world, where a new iPhone comes out seemingly every couple of weeks, guitar companies do pretty much the same thing. Repackaging the same ol' and calling it "NEW". But it'll increase sales - that's how it's done nowadays. The old adage about "building a better mousetrap" no longer applies; now it's "build a better package/ad campaign/hype". I kinda miss the old days, when musical gear was for musicians, not mass consumers.

And I agree with Dee about the monotony of most "blues", and that Buddy Guy is no big deall in any case.

While I won't defend Fender or these amps, you'll find that these are not just re-badged amps. They put in quite a bit of time trying to copy the modded by Suhr amps that Clapton has been touring with for years.

As for bashing blues and Buddy Guy, you are entitled to your opinion. We all have different tastes. I do however get annoyed when people present their opinions as fact, like AM conservative radio talk show hosts.

[Eric***]

like AM conservative radio talk show hosts.

You mean like all radio talk show hosts, right?

...or maybe that's just how it is around here...

[Tig***]

You mean like all radio talk show hosts, right?

...or maybe that's just how it is around here...

I stand corrected! I was just going for the easy example out of laziness.

[deeaa*]

Yep, that's annoying indeed. I don't see how can someone say things like 'that baseball player really sucks' or 'that guitar player really sucks' etc...well if the said player plays in some major league team and the guitarist has sold a million albums, well they must be doing something right.

In music it's not always so obvious, I'd be tempted to say there are indeed some out there with loads of success with quite mediocre skills at best, and I might say also that in MY opinion some player sucks, but for sports that's really just plain stupid - if a major league player sucks, then it can be deduced that most any players in lower tier teams suck way more, and definitely just some sports fan/radio host claiming that would suck infinitely more himself....because you just don't get forward in sports unless you have constantly a good record of performance.

Everybody sucks at some point, too. I suck a lot of the time, sometimes I might be able to pull of a nice performance too, but I definitely have sucked and will suck at times to come now and then, especially when trying to pull off something that goes beyond my capabilities. Same goes for everyone, it's no point really ever saying that someone sucks, period. It's for teenagers. I also get a twinge sometimes when people throw the word hate around, I hate this and I hate that, sometimes with surprising gusto...it just feels odd to me. OK I 'hate' it when I get my shoelaces tangled etc. but I can't say I hate somebody and mean it, if I hated someone it'd mean he'd done something like assault my children and I'd be going for his guts already...I just don't feel right about using the word hate too lightly, especially about people. This post sucks bad too, I just woke up and maybe am not making sense.

Just the other day I watched a RHCP video on Tube, and boy Frusciante pulled a sucky, clumsy solo...but I don't think he sucks as a guitarist by any means, despite sometimes stumbling bad on a lead -he's just not a guitar hero lead player, that's all.

We're mammals, so everybody has sucked a lot at some point and likely will do so many times over in their lives. No biggie.

[Eric***]

Yep, that's annoying indeed. I don't see how can someone say things like 'that baseball player really sucks' or 'that guitar player really sucks' etc...well if the said player plays in some major league team and the guitarist has sold a million albums, well they must be doing something right.

In music it's not always so obvious, I'd be tempted to say there are indeed some out there with loads of success with quite mediocre skills at best, and I might say also that in MY opinion some player sucks, but for sports that's really just plain stupid - if a major league player sucks, then it can be deduced that most any players in lower tier teams suck way more, and definitely just some sports fan/radio host claiming that would suck infinitely more himself....because you just don't get forward in sports unless you have constantly a good record of performance.

Everybody sucks at some point, too. I suck a lot of the time, sometimes I might be able to pull of a nice performance too, but I definitely have sucked and will suck at times to come now and then, especially when trying to pull off something that goes beyond my capabilities. Same goes for everyone, it's no point really ever saying that someone sucks, period. It's for teenagers. I also get a twinge sometimes when people throw the word hate around, I hate this and I hate that, sometimes with surprising gusto...it just feels odd to me. OK I 'hate' it when I get my shoelaces tangled etc. but I can't say I hate somebody and mean it, if I hated someone it'd mean he'd done something like assault my children and I'd be going for his guts already...I just don't feel right about using the word hate too lightly, especially about people. This post sucks bad too, I just woke up and maybe am not making sense.

Just the other day I watched a RHCP video on Tube, and boy Frusciante pulled a sucky, clumsy solo...but I don't think he sucks as a guitarist by any means, despite sometimes stumbling bad on a lead -he's just not a guitar hero lead player, that's all.

We're mammals, so everybody has sucked a lot at some point and likely will do so many times over in their lives. No biggie.

That's a lot of sucking, Dee!

I agree that a lot of stuff is subjective, but often we get so conditioned to never saying anything negative about anyone that we seem to lose the sense of objectivity along with it. Kind of reminds me that Ellsworth Toohey quote from The Fountainhead about conditioning people to accept crap, thereby breaking the curve of subjective quality.