Fender M-12 (c. 1979)
Not much about the Fender M-12 survives in the archival record. Period sources show Fender entering the live sound mixing market in 1979 with this 12-channel performance mixer. High Fidelity (October 1979, p.28) noted the effects-patching jacks on the back panel, a five-band equalizer, send pots for three monitor channels and one cue channel, and two submaster modules for grouping multiple inputs.
Fender's own advertising ran through mid-to-late 1979 in the recording trade press. It pitched the M-12 as a budget alternative to professional studio consoles, and claimed the difference between a $17,000 mixer and the M-12 with its optional Expander was "about $12,000." The Expander was a separate 12-channel unit that coupled with the M-12 to reach 24 channels. The ads also touted submasters, limiters, full cueing-talkback, and high-level ins/outs that could run multiple effects at once. Headphones could monitor the program feed, three monitor mixes, or independent channels. Beyond these period sources, documentation is thin, and most of it is Fender's own ad copy rather than independent technical reviews.
Known features from period sources:
- 12-channel live performance mixer
- Optional 12-channel Expander (24 channels total)
- Five-band equalizer
- Three monitor sends and one cue channel
- Two submaster modules
- Effects-patching jacks on the back panel
- Limiters and cueing-talkback
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