This was perfect for my needs, Derek - many thanks! The white resistors had come loose in a 212r chassis that I bought for $40 US. Good as new now. I converted it to a head, and it screams through my 4x12 cab. 👍🏻👍🏻🤘🏻😎
Great video i just bought one for $40. That sounded like i was scratching on a turntable but with this iwas able to fix it for $6. Thanks for the video you have a new sub my guy
I had the same issue with the resistors. They get really hot. They´re 5 watt types so I changed to 20 watt resistors with the same resistance. Problem solved, hopefully forever.
@@OulouCoptaire I just used the same type, the same value but the 20 watt version I found in my parts bin. Resistors are simple things. Just use the same value that can handle more power.
Hey man, I have the same fender 212r and Squier duo that you had in the vid! But I think something is wrong with it. Whenever I plug in a distortion pedal and crank the distortion past twelve o'clock the more drive yellow light kicks on and it sounds like I dropped by guitar on the floor and starting stomping on it. This sound continues for a good 5-10 seconds then stops. Except I didn't play anything or drop my guitar and stomp on it lol. My conclusion is a bad cable because it doesn't happen when I play with my new cable. But I don't know for sure and I'm not an expert. Anyways great video and hope you can help me man!
That's a weird behaviour. Probably you're right about the cable but I'd check the soldering of the big resistors as described in the video. It's still the most likely cause of your noise, possibly in the early stages. Good luck 🤞
Hi. When I turn on my amp I hear a zzzzzz noise. I connect the guitar cable and nothing happens. The red light turns on but the circuit doesn't connect the guitar. Can you help me?
That sounds like the big white ceramic resistors have come loose. They desolder themselves by the heat they produce during normal operation. It's a matter of removing all the knobs and loosening all the control potentiometers and jacks. Then removing the screws that secure the main board as well as those attaching the transistors to the chassis. Be very careful here. Make sure you know how it goes back. Finally you can lift the board and see where the big resistors solder to the board. I lengthen the leads and keep them raised from the board about 1cm. If you don't have electrical know how, take it to a tech. Dangerous voltages lurk within!
Hi Derek - great video. My FM12R has developed a slight fault - there is "something" wrong with the reverb, possibly the connecting wires. I say this because I can mimic the fault by manually moving the wires and the amp makes a knocking sound (which I does at certain frequencies of sound when I'm playing through it!) - but it only does this if the reverb knob is turned up. The good news is I use a reverb pedal and so don't need the amp's reverb, but I would like to fix the problem. Or - do you have any experience of rhe reverb unit itself prone to this "knocking" problem? Cheers, Andy.
I'm afraid that without hearing exactly what you are, it would be a bad guess at best. It's a good start to try cleaning the connectors with contact cleaner.
@@DerekHerbst747 Hi Derek, thanks for getting back to me. On closer inspection it's clear that damage has occurred where one of the phono connectors goes into the reverb unit in the bottom of the back of the cabinet, so I'll start there!
@@DustyKorpse that's pretty much normal. It's been a common gripe about the Frontman series that there's not enough fine control at low volume. It can be modified by playing with some resistance values but it's not easy. Most guys go the easy way by using a foot volume.
Hi Derek, I have one of those amp: fender 212r front man. The amp had a problem with the clean channel, it sounds so dirty like the drive channel, you know what are the problem and how I fix it? I'm italian sorry for my English..
@@SktXhp4 Hey Chapa studios. I have the same problem you had. Which solder joints did you reflow? I've just done all my white power resistors and replaced U6 which looked suspect. Still having the dirty sounding clean channel. What else do you think I should be looking for?
Hi I have a 65r and for some reason the master volume knob does not work . It tends to cut out and always stays VERY LOUD. Can someone please help me?? 😓😓
The volume knob is known to fail on these amps, causing the problem you mentioned. It's also known that even when working correctly, the volume control is very sensitive.
Derek Herbst so there’s nothing I can do to fix it? It is so loud but still sounds beautiful! Just don’t want to piss of neighbors or break windows lol
@@kmatt420 you can replace the 50k logarithmic pot with a linear pot. The FM212R uses one and it makes the volume control smoother and more controllable at the lower end of the scale.
Thanks a ton for this video! I have a Frontman 212R and it's always great to have videos to reference if I want to work on it!
This was perfect for my needs, Derek - many thanks! The white resistors had come loose in a 212r chassis that I bought for $40 US. Good as new now. I converted it to a head, and it screams through my 4x12 cab. 👍🏻👍🏻🤘🏻😎
Glad it helped!
Could you provide the reference of the resistor you used plz?
Thank you Derek. The disused Fender my nephew left here can now be made useful again. Nice playing too by the way. God bless. 🎶🎶😊
Great video i just bought one for $40. That sounded like i was scratching on a turntable but with this iwas able to fix it for $6. Thanks for the video you have a new sub my guy
Please let me know what you did for 6 bucks before I leave mine to get diagnosed for 50 bucks
nice sound in that room...amazing actually.
Cool video. I have this amp and paid 180 to have it playing like new in sunny and rainy Florida. Cheers dude
Thanks Derek, good video. I just bought the same amp for 120€. I wish I could play like you ... practice, practice, practice ... Greetings, Rainer.
Thanks Derek. Very helpful!
This is amazing -- thank you! Like others have said, great for reference on this amp.
instaBlaster
I had the same issue with the resistors. They get really hot. They´re 5 watt types so I changed to 20 watt resistors with the same resistance. Problem solved, hopefully forever.
Could you provide the reference of the resistor you used plz?
@@OulouCoptaire I just used the same type, the same value but the 20 watt version I found in my parts bin. Resistors are simple things. Just use the same value that can handle more power.
Hey man, I have the same fender 212r and Squier duo that you had in the vid! But I think something is wrong with it. Whenever I plug in a distortion pedal and crank the distortion past twelve o'clock the more drive yellow light kicks on and it sounds like I dropped by guitar on the floor and starting stomping on it. This sound continues for a good 5-10 seconds then stops. Except I didn't play anything or drop my guitar and stomp on it lol. My conclusion is a bad cable because it doesn't happen when I play with my new cable. But I don't know for sure and I'm not an expert. Anyways great video and hope you can help me man!
That's a weird behaviour. Probably you're right about the cable but I'd check the soldering of the big resistors as described in the video. It's still the most likely cause of your noise, possibly in the early stages. Good luck 🤞
Hi. When I turn on my amp I hear a zzzzzz noise. I connect the guitar cable and nothing happens. The red light turns on but the circuit doesn't connect the guitar. Can you help me?
That sounds like the big white ceramic resistors have come loose. They desolder themselves by the heat they produce during normal operation. It's a matter of removing all the knobs and loosening all the control potentiometers and jacks. Then removing the screws that secure the main board as well as those attaching the transistors to the chassis. Be very careful here. Make sure you know how it goes back. Finally you can lift the board and see where the big resistors solder to the board. I lengthen the leads and keep them raised from the board about 1cm. If you don't have electrical know how, take it to a tech. Dangerous voltages lurk within!
@@DerekHerbst747 Thank you very much Derek!
Hi Derek - great video. My FM12R has developed a slight fault - there is "something" wrong with the reverb, possibly the connecting wires. I say this because I can mimic the fault by manually moving the wires and the amp makes a knocking sound (which I does at certain frequencies of sound when I'm playing through it!) - but it only does this if the reverb knob is turned up. The good news is I use a reverb pedal and so don't need the amp's reverb, but I would like to fix the problem. Or - do you have any experience of rhe reverb unit itself prone to this "knocking" problem? Cheers, Andy.
I'm afraid that without hearing exactly what you are, it would be a bad guess at best. It's a good start to try cleaning the connectors with contact cleaner.
@@DerekHerbst747 Hi Derek, thanks for getting back to me. On closer inspection it's clear that damage has occurred where one of the phono connectors goes into the reverb unit in the bottom of the back of the cabinet, so I'll start there!
Hi Derek, I have a frontman 212r, the drive channel seems really loud at a low setting (1 or 2) any ideas what could be causing that?
@@DustyKorpse that's pretty much normal. It's been a common gripe about the Frontman series that there's not enough fine control at low volume. It can be modified by playing with some resistance values but it's not easy. Most guys go the easy way by using a foot volume.
@@DustyKorpse I mean a foot volume patched into the effects loop.
Awesome. My fender 212 r is playing up, very crappy sound. It's choppy and very unclean. so I suspect it's something that's unsoldered itself.
Those big white ceramic power resistors are notorious for unsoldering themselves. First place I would look.
Hi Derek, I have one of those amp: fender 212r front man. The amp had a problem with the clean channel, it sounds so dirty like the drive channel, you know what are the problem and how I fix it? I'm italian sorry for my English..
Hi Andrea. I'm sorry, I have no way of knowing. It's an unusual fault so it would need to be checked by a repair person.
having the very same problem.
@@SktXhp4 check under the board for bad solder joints, especially at the big white power resistors
@@DerekHerbst747 thanks, problem solved, reflowed and changed some cold solder joints
@@SktXhp4 Hey Chapa studios. I have the same problem you had. Which solder joints did you reflow? I've just done all my white power resistors and replaced U6 which looked suspect. Still having the dirty sounding clean channel. What else do you think I should be looking for?
Knob removal, Did you used some special tools?, I can not fit a screwdriver under the knob.
The knobs came off quite easy. No tool was necessary. I normally use a small scraper to get under knobs if they are stubborn.
Hi I have a 65r and for some reason the master volume knob does not work . It tends to cut out and always stays VERY LOUD. Can someone please help me?? 😓😓
The volume knob is known to fail on these amps, causing the problem you mentioned. It's also known that even when working correctly, the volume control is very sensitive.
Derek Herbst so there’s nothing I can do to fix it? It is so loud but still sounds beautiful! Just don’t want to piss of neighbors or break windows lol
@@kmatt420 you can replace the 50k logarithmic pot with a linear pot. The FM212R uses one and it makes the volume control smoother and more controllable at the lower end of the scale.
@@DerekHerbst747 did you mean replace the *linear pot with a *logarithmic pot? I'm looking to do this myself. I think the stock pot is linear.
What did you use to "blow the pots" out?
Compressed air.
Subbed!
What fluid did you use?
I used a generic contact cleaner. Not sure of the name.