Fender Mustang GT40
Look, no cables! Fender introduces the world’s first Wi-Fi amp
Digital modelling is a wonderful thing, making it possible to carry around a whole truckload of virtual amps and effects in one small box. For manufacturers though, technology is a double-edged sword, because there are constant changes that make it difficult to stay ahead of the curve. Fender has always been out in front when it comes to innovation, with digital modelling products like the Cyber Twin. Now, its popular digital Mustang series has been refreshed with the Mustang GT, the first amps to feature Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Let’s look at the smallest and most affordable in a new, three-combo range: the Mustang GT 40.
Compact and stylish, the Mustang GT 40 is presented in black textured vinyl with a black control panel and grill cloth, offset by the old-style flat aluminium Fender badge. The control panel and display both point upwards, which means the Mustang needs to be low down if you want to see what’s going on. The controls are conventional with a set of gain, volume and tone knobs and a small but very sharp colour display, a handful of soft-touch button switches and a rotary encoder incorporating a ‘push to select’ switch.
The more interesting stuff happens underneath the hood on the Mustang GT 40’s printed circuit board. The GT 40 is Bluetooth-enabled, so that you can hook it up to your phone, and it has Wi-Fi, which Fender claims is a first. This amp can access the internet directly without being connected to a PC, handling its own firmware updates and downloading presets and patches from Fender’s Tone portal.
Fender Tone is the new app for the Mustang GT. The mobile app allows full control over the amp, with a seamless connection to Fender’s online portal and you can also stream audio from your mobile to the amp over Bluetooth.
Set up is easy: connect the Mustang GT to your Wi-Fi network, register the amp, then download firmware updates and add to the 100-plus presets that come ready loaded on the amp.
The Mustang GT 40 promises new, more realistic amp and effects models and spillover when changing patches so reverb and delay tails aren’t abruptly cut. The core sounds are superb with 20 amp models, mostly inspired by classic Fenders from the tweed and blackface eras but a fair smattering of British sounds as well, together with dozens of delays, modulation, stomp-box and reverb effects.
Amps like the Mustang sell themselves though their preset sounds and the GT 40’s are impressive. Whoever programmed them has mostly resisted the urge to show off what the effects can do, resulting in patches that are
the patches are instantly playable and usable