Exclusive Amps by Fargen

11/17/2025

Are you ready to hear how the fender concert OD mods sound? Here we go!

11/13/2025

After 25+ years of repairing, modding, and dialing in Deluxe Reverbs for players at every level… I finally put some highlights in
My new e-book — The Ultimate Guide to the Deluxe Reverb — is officially live. 🎸 Grab your copy here:
👉 https://stan.store/FargenAmps/p/the-ultimate-guide-to-the-fender-deluxe-reverb
This is the exact playbook I use when a DR walks into my shop:
• Best tubes for tone
• The speaker combos that actually work
• Hidden performance killers
• My essential maintenance checklist
• Easy mods that make these amps come alive
• And the real-world settings I’ve used on thousands of DRs
If you want to get the best tone your Deluxe Reverb has ever had, this guide will get you there.
If you want me to DM you the link instead, just comment DR below.
Thanks for all the support — this community is the reason I’m finally bringing these projects to life.

11/12/2025

I built this custom amp for Mike Campbell of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers. It went on tour across the world and captured tones you’ve heard on Mojo and beyond.
This is the kind of build that doesn’t come around twice... but 12 years later, I built the first one again.
Watch this short clip to hear the story — and the sound.


https://www.instagram.com/reel/DM1FC_nBHqo/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

12/06/2024

Hey everyone, it’s Ben Fargen here. I could really use your support. If you could do me a favor and follow our new Instagram page, https://www.instagram.com/fargenamps/, it would mean a lot. I’m excited to share what we’ve accomplished over the years and connect with new people along the way.

We lost access to our original Instagram page years ago, and it just vanished. Now, I’m rebuilding from scratch and working to share a 25-year archive of Fargen history—something I’m really proud of.

Thank you!
Ben

11/22/2024

Is the Fender Bassman 10 really the worst Silverface amp? 😬 Maybe... but with a few mods, it can sing like a classic Fender! 🎸✨ "

11/18/2024

🎸🔧 On the bench today: a classic Marshall JCM 800 — hand-wired with top-notch parts and craftsmanship. You’d think it would sing right out of the gate, right? 🎶
..But nope. It sounded flat and uninspiring. 👎

Here’s the truth: great parts and good wiring are just the starting point. Real tone magic takes 20+ years of hands-on experience, thousands of amps, and the know-how to make everything work harmoniously.

It’s not just about what you use but how you bring it all together. Now, this JCM 800 is sounding legendary. 🎛️🔥

Want to unlock your amp’s full potential? Let’s make it happen.

11/01/2024

Here’s a little labor of love I built back when we were in the old Ice Factory in Fair Oaks—a hand-crafted, hand-wired Fargen B15 flip-top clone. I wanted to capture the warmth and vintage vibe of the original Ampeg B15 while adding a few personal touches. Every part was carefully chosen and put together by hand to get that deep, rich tone.

It’s always a rewarding journey taking on these builds, and I’m grateful to see it come to life. If you were to plug in, what would be the first song you’d play?

10/30/2024

Here’s something special I built back in the day for my Fargen Custom Shop: a hand-built amp inspired by the iconic Brownface and Blackface tones of the 50s and 60s, wrapped in beautiful, live-edge cedar from Washington State. This 20W amp brings warmth and soul to your sound with a unique blend of vintage tones beyond any stock model. Thoughtfully crafted by Jeff Earl at J Design, the cedar cabinet is just as rich in texture as in tone – a true piece of natural beauty. 🌲

10/30/2024

Have you ever wondered about the technical difference between speaker and instrument cables? My new blog post can help you understand. 👌🧠🎸

By Ben Fargen / July 3, 2024 Speaker vs. Instrument Cables: How to Tell Them Apart Understanding the differences between speaker cables and instrument cables is crucial for musicians and audio enthusiasts. The anatomy of these cables is quite different, as they are designed to perform completely dis...

10/25/2024

This one goes to 11! My new favorite video of 2024 courtesy of 😂🤣☕🎸

07/07/2024

🎸🔧 What's on Ben Fargen's Workbench?

Just finished up working on a gem—a 99.9% factory original silverface dripedge Fender Princeton. I always forget how fun these are until I get one in for service. This beauty has such a unique character and tone, it's always a treat to bring it back to life.

And a shoutout to Jim Dunlop Guitar Products MXR! I'm loving the il Tornio overdrive for achieving those great cranked amp tones at low volumes, perfect for late-night jamming or recording. 🎶

Repairing a Silverface Fender Princeton: Ben Fargen's Workbench + MXR il Tornio Overdrive! Join Ben Fargen as he dives into testing a 99.9% factory original ...

07/05/2024

I hope you all had a rockin' 4th of July! Just a quick note to let you know I've slowly been redesigning the Exclusive Amps by Fargen web page. I'm bringing back my vintage amp guide, a new blog to share stories about past custom shop designs, including a new web store for amps, mods, and cables. Speaking of that, I'm running a little 20% off on all Fargen Custom Shop cables. Hand-crafted in the USA with Evidence Audio Cable. This is the easiest 2-minute DIY swap to hear better tone & clarity from any guitar amp! https://www.exclusiveamps.com/shop/