Fender Frontman 25?

**sgcim** · 01-31-2021, 06:30 PM

I was walking past a drugstore yesterday, and I noticed they had a Fender Frontman25 for sale (used) in their store window. The place was closed, so I couldn't find how much they wanted for it, and they're closed now. Does anyone know anything about this amp? Is it powerful enough for small gigs? Big band gigs? Or is it just a practice amp?

**Headshot** · 01-31-2021, 07:35 PM

I have had a few...great practice amp, however did take it to a restaurant gig on a couple of occasions. It was my buddy playing chords on an archtop, other backing tracks through monitors, and me playing mostly single note melody on a Strat. Never able to take volume past 4. Outside might be closer to 7 on the volume. My settings were bass 1, mid 5, treble 1, reverb 3. Simple and light...wished I still had one, but sold all of my amps a couple of years ago to start fresh. What a dumbass...lol.

**silvertonebetty** · 02-01-2021, 07:56 AM

I really wouldn’t waist my time asking they are about a $50 amp used. Don’t get me wrong though it’s not a bad amp and with a speaker I will make an great little amp

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**Gitterbug** · 02-01-2021, 01:54 PM

A few years ago I spent time at a well-stocked music store, trying to find the best jazz tone among dozens of amps. Ended up liking a Frontman 40 more than all those 5-15X more expensive amps. Haven't tried the 25, but I think they all share more or less the same circuitry, hooked to a budgety-budget "Special Design" speaker. As suggested, a speaker change might kiss this definitely non-frog into a prince.

**Litterick** · 02-01-2021, 02:15 PM

Is it normal in your part of the world for a drugstore to sell amplifiers?

**John A.** · 02-01-2021, 03:44 PM

Originally Posted by sgcim

I was walking past a drugstore yesterday, and I noticed they had a Fender Frontman25 for sale (used) in their store window. The place was closed, so I couldn't find how much they wanted for it, and they're closed now. Does anyone know anything about this amp? Is it powerful enough for small gigs? Big band gigs? Or is it just a practice amp?

They're not bad little amps. I've tried them in stores, but not played one on a gig, and it makes an OK, Fender-like sound. I have a Fender Champion 20, which is about the same power/loudness. I use it often for small-room/small-group gigs and jams. I don't think it would work with a big band, or with a small but loud group (e.g., with a loud drummer and electric bassist), but it's great for stuff in small spaces where the overall volume is limited by a reasonable drummer and un-mic'ed horns. As a point of comparison, I have a Princeton Reverb, which on paper is less powerful, but in reality is much, much louder. Also, IMO, the Champion series amps sound better than the Frontman series, and is pretty inexpensive new (under $100 for the C20 and ~$150 for the 40 watt version). So if the Frontman is cheap enough, sure, why not? But for a surprisingly small amount of money you can get something better and more versatile if you're looking to get serious use out of it.

John

**Headshot** · 02-02-2021, 12:13 PM

John A, I agree on the Champion 20. I got one 2 months ago as not only a practice amp, but also as an amp I am almost sure to always find in a guitar store to test out a guitar on, with identical settings that I use at home. Yes, it is bettr than the later modeled Frontman 25, but only because of the extra sounds available. I do enjoy the simplicity of an amp that is a one trick pony...which the Frontman 25 definitely was.