The 5 Most Iconic Fender Amps of All Time (With Neural Amp Models)
Discover five Fender amps that shaped music history and explore Fender Neural Amp Models that capture their legendary tones on TONE3000.
In the guitar world, there’s an old saying that goes, “Leo got it right the first time.” It’s arguable that Leo Fender actually did achieve perfection with his debut instruments (e.g., the P Bass and the Strat). But the truth is Fender amps have benefited from years of refinements, and some of their modern editions are just as good as the classics.
In this list, we’re celebrating the five most iconic Fender amplifiers of all time. While we love vintage amps more than we love life itself, we also know not every player has the budget to collect all of these treasures. So we’ve also included a Fender Neural Amp Modeler profile for all of these iconic amps so you can experience them at home.
Let’s plug in.
1. Fender Twin Reverb
The Twin Reverb is the loud, clean king of Fender amps. With 85 watts of power and massive headroom, it delivers shimmering clarity even at high volumes. The Twin’s sparkling tone and built-in reverb have made it a backline staple for touring artists for decades.
It’s the amp that can do almost everything—from country twang to studio-clean funk, to swirly shoegaze when paired with the right pedals. The only thing it can’t do is play quietly. This is not an amp your neighbors want you to buy. (But with a NAM profile, that doesn’t really matter.)
The Studio Rats keep it clean with the Fender Twin
Fender NAM Profile: Fender Twin Reverb
Notable Fender Twin Reverb Players: Keith Richards, Mark Knopfler, Johnny Marr, Jerry Garcia, David Gilmour
2. Fender Deluxe Reverb
The Fender Deluxe Reverb is perhaps the quintessential Fender combo — 22 watts of tube sweetness with sparkling cleans and natural breakup that’s perfect for studio or stage. Its lush spring reverb and smooth tremolo are instantly recognizable. But what’s really cool about the ’65 Deluxe Reverb is that it occupies a space where those glassy Fender clean tones start to get jagged and dirty at just the right spot when you’re pushing the gain.
Fender NAM Profile: Fender ’65 Deluxe Reverb
Notable Fender ’65 Deluxe Reverb Players: Stevie Ray Vaughan, John Mayer, Mike Campbell
3. Fender Bassman
Originally designed for bass, the Bassman became an icon for guitarists thanks to its punchy mids, smooth breakup, and warm tube compression. Its 4x10 configuration gives it a distinctive growl that inspired countless amp designs—including the Marshall JTM45. The Bassman isn’t the most articulate or precise sounding amp on this list, but it has a deep, ballsy tone that has a smoothness you don’t find in most guitar amps.
Fender Bassman player Buddy Guy: still waiting for a version with polka dot tolex.
Fender NAM Profile: Fender Bassman
Notable Fender Bassman Players: Eric Clapton, Brian Setzer, Jimmie Vaughan, Buddy Guy
4. Fender Princeton Reverb
Small, simple, and sparkly. The Princeton Reverb might be Fender’s best-sounding small amp. At just 12 watts, it delivers full-bodied clean tones at lower volumes, and creamy overdrive when pushed. For those of you who like a little jangle, the Princeton has one of the most musical reverb and tremolo circuits ever made.
Fender NAM Profile: Fender Princeton Reverb
Notable Fender Princeton Reverb Players: Larry Carlton, Mike Bloomfield, Mac DeMarco
5. Fender Hot Rod DeVille
I’m sure some Fender fanboys are having a fit to see such a new amp on this list, but it has legitimately earned its place as a modern classic. Introduced in the 1990s, the Hot Rod DeVille brought Fender tone into the modern era. With multiple gain stages, clean Fender sparkle, and a surprisingly muscular overdrive channel, the DeVille simply rocks. As the amp of choice for both Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond, Jr. of the Strokes, this is the singular piece of gear that defined the sound of a genre in the 2000’s.
Geek out on the Strokes guitar rigs: featuring the mighty Fender Hot Rod DeVille
Fender NAM Profile: Fender Hot Rod DeVille
Notable Fender Hot Rod DeVille Players: Albert Hammond, Jr., The Edge, John Frusciante
Bringing Classic Fender Tones Into the Future
Each of these iconic Fender amps has shaped genres; and thanks to TONE3000, you can explore all of these Fender NAMs and more in your DAW today.
