Which Fender amps have tremolo? (roundup)

Fender tube amps are known for their reverb. It's kind of hard to separate from their signature warmth and satisfying clean tones, because the two just go together so well.

But what about tremolo?

A lot of Fender amps have a built-in tremolo effect as well, with the following controls:

• Speed
• Intensity

You'll also see a lot of Fender amps with onboard vibrato, which might seem similar at first because the two sounds can be confused with each other. But the definitions of these two effects are different:

• Tremolo: Created by a change in volume
• Vibrato: Created by a change in pitch

So Fender amps with tremolo are not the same as those with vibrato, at least not by the technical definition. In a lot of cases they can be mixed and the terms used interchangeably. We've done that in our best tremolo pedal roundup, as both tremolo and vibrato are considered modulation pedals, so it's not really a big deal either way.

But in this roundup, we're focusing on Fender amps where tremolo is explicitly highlighted as a feature.

Read more: Difference between vibrato and tremolo

Comparison Chart of Fender Amps with Tremolo

This is a simple roundup and comparison chart for all Fender amps that include built-in tremolo. It's not necessarily a recommendation or review. If you want to compare more amps, refer to the search option below this table.

Would a tremolo pedal be better?

If I was really sold on a Fender amp, I'd be fine with onboard tremolo or a tremolo pedal. Both can be really good choices.

In other words, there are better reasons to buy a Fender amp than just the tremolo feature. If you do get a tremolo pedal, try to find something analog.

The JHS Artificial Blonde is one of my favorites.

Read the full review: JHS Artificial Blonde

Again, yes, it's technically vibrato, so don't fuss at me in the comments section. In pedals, the line between vibrato and tremolo gets way blurrier than they do in Fender amps.

What about solid state amps?

There are a lot of solid state amps that have tremolo, but it's mostly in the context of digital effects and onboard processing.

When you have tremolo in a tube amp, like the Fender combos, you're getting a different kind of modulation that's not digitized. The digital stuff can sound good (especially these days), but the tube amp version is the genuine rendition.

Tremolo effects and tap tempo

One problem with the amp-based tremolo is that it's very hard to control.

When using a tremolo effect, it's much better to have a tap tempo that allows you to control the timing of the pulse. There's a distinct rhythmic component that you need to be able to sync with the tempo you're keeping.

You can control this with a knob, but a lot of tremolo pedals have a tap tempo built in that you can control with your feet.

This is a big plus for going with a pedal-based tremolo instead of the amp.

Read more: Tremolo pedals with tap tempo

Concluding our roundup

I might have missed a few. 

If you know of any, drop them in the comments section. I'm still not really sure what to do about this vibrato/tremolo issue, but oh well.

Lists like this one seem to be helpful to people because they curate a very specific feature, and our readers have been super helpful when it comes to updating these pages. So feel free to chime in with suggestions.

If your suggestions fit the bill, we'll add it and then give you a shout out at the top of this page.

Thanks for hangin' out. 

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