Wayne2

Sorry for your loss. I had a Husky years ago. Awesome dogs.

This is true. You can actually get some decent tones out of the Frontman 25 if you have the treble knob really low. If the treble in the Frontman is too much for you, the cure is an Eminence Lil Buddy. Smooths the whole thing out, darkens it and brings a lot of bass. No, it's not a substitute for 12 inch speakers or more watts, and it's not as subtle and toneful as a classic $1000 tube amp, but it's only $80. Plus you learn how to change a speaker in the bargain, and you have a good portable practice amp that can do quiet if you need it to and that you wouldn't cry if it got stolen. The only tool you need is a screwdriver. It might be more satisfying in the long run than dropping it out the window. Then you can roll the dice that you'll meet up with some nice old codger on Craigslist who just wants to give away his amp so a bunch of teens can rock out with it, go for it. More than likely you're going to meet up with someone who knows exactly what the market value of the amp is, who might need the money.

There's not a damn thing in an old Fender tube amp that can't be fixed or replaced for relatively little money. I would disagree with that statement. A good technician will charge for their time, which alone can run over $50/hour.

Well, it seems like I've gained at least a little bit of trust and respect from you guys, so there's something I should probably tell you. I'm 14. I play the guitar and the drums, I'm in a band, I'm even starting to get into the world of recording. Music is my passion and I am considered the best musician in my school. I didn't want to announce this right away, because people never take me seriously if they know I'm just a teen. The thing is, being a multi-instrumental musical fanatic at the age of 14 isn't exactly easy. I've accumulated quite a bit of nice musical gear over the years, but money isn't exactly abundant for a 14 year old and it's hard to keep up with repairs and new equipment when I play two instruments. I've been saving up for almost 3 years now, and I want to make a good decision on my amp purchase because it will probably be my only amp for quite a few years to come. I'm proficient enough in the world of amps to make a relatively good decision on my amplifier, but it's always nice to have some advice from the pros. It really means a lot to me. Congratulations and good luck with everything. If you're feeling overwhelmed by gear maintenance and expense, and would rather focus on developing your musicianship, then I'd humbly suggest that used amps with vacuum tube technology and no warranties are not your best option. Last thing you want is to buy something that will blow up and set you back three years' savings. If you buy a tube amp it should come with a good warranty. Just my two cents. I'm not going to try to sell you on solid state but if you're going to the store I'd try to keep an open mind and just try everything. Cheap entertainment.

Hey, no need to jump to conclusions. My Frontman 25R is completely useable and I intend to keep using it until i find a deal on a Deluxe Reverb or Blues Deluxe or something. However, it does have a problem where the clean channel begins to break up after the volume is past around 5, and there's no way that that's an operator error. Also, if I purchased a nice overdrive pedal, I'm sure that my amp would sound fine with gain as well. The only thing is, I'm looking for a bit more volume than 25 watts solid state and I miss that nice, warm tube sound. I don't think that any of that qualifies as an "operator error", thank you very much. Frontman 25R would take an Eminence Ragin Cajun and get a lot louder. I'm partial to the Lil Buddy but I don't have to play with a band. New Boss DS-1 pedals go on sale now and then for $35 and would be way better than the onboard distortion, or you can get a Rat or an MXR distortion for less then $100. You're going to need a pedal anyway someday if you're getting the Deluxe Reverb. But I agree with you the Frontman cabinet is a little shaky and maybe not worth investing in if you're ready to make the jump to a new amp in the near future.

Which Frontman do you have? I agree the onboard distortion is lousy but the clean channel is fine. Throw a distortion pedal in front of it, upgrade the speaker, and you could buy some time. Fender makes good stuff... that's a good plan there to save up and go try them out and get something.

Just be careful, if you quit guitar try to replace it with some other hobby. Don't let six months go by where you're just watching tv and eating to maintain your metabolic functions.

I returned one of those Fender plywood cases. I really wanted to like it, but it weighed a ton and the lid was misaligned, making it difficult to latch. I didn't like the Fender SKB. Played with it at the store and the latches seemed bulky and clumsy to me. Settled on the Gator ATA electric guitar case. http://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessories/gator-ata-polyethylene-electric-guitar-case/620026000001000. Nice latches, easy to operate and secure. Sides not quite as stiff as the other cases, but not a problem unless you're intentionally jumping on it. Holds the strat well.