Fender’s First Bluetooth Speakers Are Still Rock and Roll to Me

One of music's most storied names is cutting the cord

July 18, 2017 9:00 am

With names like Clapton, Garcia and Van Halen, the list of individuals who’ve blasted their music through a Fender amp is impressive to say the least.

Wanna add your name to that list?

For the first time in company history, Fender is releasing a line of Bluetooth-streaming speakers that will allow music lovers to enjoy an authentic audiophile listening experience at home or on the road. Created with the Fender aficionado in mind, the heavy duty speakers are styled after the brand’s classic “silverface” amp design and provide a crisp, clean, powerful sound that lives up to the high standards Fender has set for itself.

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“Another interesting part of the design that makes these products authentically Fender is the mnemonic sounds we use to let you know the speaker is powered up and paired,” consumer electronics senior vice president Jim Ninesling tells us. “It is actually one of our product managers playing a couple chords which we recorded and embedded into the software.”

Named after two iconic SoCal music festivals, the Newport and Monterey models both have an amp-style metal front grille and tuning knobs to adjust sound, and a blue LED amp jewel light. The main difference between the two, besides price, is that the Newport is a battery-powered model made for portability whereas the Monterey is a high-fidelity stereo system for the home.

Fender Speakers (3 images)

“The sound quality of both products is fantastic. The build quality is second to none. Pick one up and you can feel the quality.” Ninesling added. “Fender plays on both sides of the mic. Our iconic guitars, amps and IEMs are used to create and perform the music. Now our Bluetooth speakers can be used to experience it.”

Available now, look for the Newport ($200) and Monterey ($350) at Fender dealers and online.  

Crank ‘em to 11.

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