The Fender Bassbreaker 18/30 is a Fender amplifier, currently around $580.22. Close alternatives include the Strymon Iridium and the Bad Cat Cougar 15. It pairs well with the Tone City Model B Distortion TC-T31 and the Catalinbread Formula 5F6.

Fender Bassbreaker 18/30

Fender · amplifier

The Fender Bassbreaker 18/30 is an all-tube guitar combo amplifier from Fender with switchable 18-watt and 30-watt output, part of the Bassbreaker series. EL84 output tubes provide the Bassbreaker characteristic chimey clean and smooth breakup. Two channels with switchable wattage modes allow adjustment between more intimate recording volumes at 18W and stage-appropriate headroom at 30W. A versatile Bassbreaker format suited to players who need the Fender tube character adaptable across different performance contexts.

What stands out

  • “The Fender Bassbreaker 18/30 delivers EL84 tube character across two wattage modes, each suited to different performance contexts”

    — from the reviews

  • “Two channels with switchable wattage modes allow adjustment between more intimate recording volumes at 18W and stage-appropriate headroom at 30W”

    — from the listing

  • “EL84 tubes deliver the Bassbreaker chimey, touch-responsive character in both wattage modes”

    — from the community notes

  • “The Fender Bassbreaker 18/30 is an all-tube guitar combo amplifier from Fender with switchable 18-watt and 30-watt output, part of the Bassbreaker series”

    — from the listing

  • “A versatile Bassbreaker format suited to players who need the Fender tube character adaptable across different performance contexts”

    — from the listing

  • tube
  • stage
  • chimey
  • headroom
  • touch
  • responsive
  • studio
  • saturation

Good for

  • Live
  • Studio
  • Worship
  • Practice
$580.22View on Reverb

Price updated Oct 22, 2026

Genres the Fender Bassbreaker 18/30 is commonly used in

  • Blues
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Indie Rock
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Classic Rock
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Country
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Alternative
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Rock
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.

Pedals that stack with the Fender Bassbreaker 18/30

Tone City Model B Distortion TC-T31

Tone City

23% match
$88.80via Reverb

clean platform takes the driveA clean, high-headroom stage takes on dirt it can't generate by itself. (high headroom → mid-forward)

Run Tone City Model B Distortion TC-T31 into that high headroom platform and it finally leans toward mid-forward

Goes in front of the amp

Catalinbread Formula 5F6

Catalinbread

23% match
$179.99via Reverb

clean platform takes the driveA clean, high-headroom stage takes on dirt it can't generate by itself. (high headroom → mid-forward)

Into a high headroom tone, Catalinbread Formula 5F6 brings a pull toward mid-forward that's missing

Goes in front of the amp

Catalinbread RAH

Catalinbread

22% match
$159.99via Reverb

clean platform takes the driveA clean, high-headroom stage takes on dirt it can't generate by itself. (high headroom → mid-forward)

Run Catalinbread RAH into that high headroom platform and it finally leans toward mid-forward

Goes in front of the amp

Universal Audio 1176 Compressor

Universal Audio

14% match
$129via Reverb

shapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain. (high headroom → compressed)

Universal Audio 1176 Compressor's own compressed character is the real reason this is worth trying

Goes in front of the amp

Origin Effects MAGMA57 Amp Vibrato & Drive

Origin Effects

11% match
$394.58via Reverb

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Origin Effects MAGMA57 Amp Vibrato & Drive's own voicing points at Marshall-style amps, and Fender Bassbreaker 18/30 delivers it

Goes in front of the amp

Binson Echorec Delay

Binson

7% match

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Run Binson Echorec Delay in Fender Bassbreaker 18/30's effects loop, clear of Fender Bassbreaker 18/30's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Sits in the amp's effects loop

Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret Deluxe

Catalinbread

7% match
$139via Reverb

Into Fender Bassbreaker 18/30, Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret Deluxe is right at home: it's built around Marshall-style amps — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Sits in the amp's effects loop

Friedman BE-OD Deluxe

Friedman

tonal match
$229.49via Reverb

Goes in front of the amp

Friedman BE-OD Deluxe is voiced for Marshall-style amps — Fender Bassbreaker 18/30 gives it exactly that

Cheaper alternatives

Friedman IR-D

Friedman

72% similarity
$377.77via Reverb

Friedman IR-D recreates this amp's tone in pedal form

Friedman IR-J Jake E. Lee Preamp

Friedman

72% similarity
$499.99via Reverb

Friedman IR-J Jake E. Lee Preamp recreates this amp's tone in pedal form

Soldano SLO

Soldano

72% similarity
$119.99via Reverb

Soldano SLO recreates this amp's tone in pedal form

Blackstar TV-10

Blackstar

50% similarity
$441.14via Reverb

Shared character: natural, crunch, stage

Boutique & premium upgrades

3rd Power Dragon 45 112 Combo

3rd Power

58% similarity
$4099via Reverb

Shared character: lower volumes, headroom, natural

Bad Cat Hot Cat 50 Mod Shop Combo

Bad Cat

56% similarity
$2699.99via Reverb

Shared character: two channels, headroom, crunch

EVH 5150 Iconic Series 60W 2x12 Combo

Evh

54% similarity
$1139via Reverb

Shared character: two channels, headroom, crunch

Blackstar S1-45

Blackstar

94% similarity
$814.59via Reverb

similar tone character

Gibson Falcon 5

Gibson

93% similarity
$1199via Reverb

similar tone character

Blackstar HT Club 40

Blackstar

93% similarity
$799.99via Reverb

similar tone character

Similar charactersee all similar tone character →

Strymon Iridium

Strymon

72% similarity

Strymon Iridium recreates this amp's tone in pedal form

Bad Cat Cougar 15

Bad Cat

56% similarity
$550via Reverb

Shared character: touch, crunch, studio

Matchless Chieftain 2X10 Combo Amp

amplifier

54% similarity

Shared character: smooth, studio, stage

Fuchs Blackjack21 MKII 112

Fuchs

54% similarity

Shared character: natural, touch, crunch

Peavey Classic 50W Combo

Peavey

54% similarity

Shared character: stage

Hiwatt DR20112C

Hiwatt

53% similarity

Shared character: stage

See all alternatives to the Fender Bassbreaker 18/30 (cheaper + boutique) →

Questions people ask

What are good alternatives to the Fender Bassbreaker 18/30?+

The closest matches in character are the Strymon Iridium, the Bad Cat Cougar 15, the Matchless Chieftain 2X10 Combo Amp. Budget picks: Friedman IR-D, Friedman IR-J Jake E. Lee Preamp, Soldano SLO. Boutique upgrades: 3rd Power Dragon 45 112 Combo, Bad Cat Hot Cat 50 Mod Shop Combo, EVH 5150 Iconic Series 60W 2x12 Combo.

What pairs well with the Fender Bassbreaker 18/30?+

Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Tone City Model B Distortion TC-T31, Catalinbread Formula 5F6, Catalinbread RAH — Run Tone City Model B Distortion TC-T31 into that high headroom platform and it finally leans toward mid-forward.

How much does the Fender Bassbreaker 18/30 cost?+

Around $580.22 (live listing price, updated Oct 22, 2026).

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