Fender is one of the biggest frontiers in the guitar industry. The company’s reputation is built on decades of making world-class guitars and amplifiers and is a testament to its dedication to quality. Fender’s modeling amp lineup, the Mustang, is a popular choice for entry and intermediate levels. Its most advanced model, the Mustang GTX100, is one of the most versatile modeling amps for $500.
With 200 presets, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, and a 12-inch Celestion speaker, the Mustang GTX100 offers a lot of bang for your buck. Besides the knobs and buttons on the amplifier, you can use the Fender Tone app on your smartphone to switch between presets and control different parameters and effects. The app also allows you to build your own custom tones or download user-created presets. The Mustang GTX1000 doubles as a Bluetooth speaker as well. This feature can come in very handy for playing backing tracks when jamming or performing live. The 100-watt output is suitable for small- and medium-sized gigs.
We’ve tested the Mustang GTX100 with different Fender, Squire, and Gibson guitars. While the clean and slightly overdriven tones sound impressively warm and spacious, distorted presets sound rather boxy and flat. The lack of dynamic response from high-end tube amps and cabinets is more noticeable when shredding and playing harsher riffs. If you mostly play pop, jazz, blues, and classic rock tunes, the Fender Mustang GTX100 can be an excellent choice. On the other hand, if you’re more into heavy metal and distorted tones, the Boss Katana-100 MkII or the Line 6 Catalyst 100 (later mentioned in this post) are more suitable modeling amps.
