Bassman - Anyone use one?

[sunvalleylaw]

I am fascinated by the Bassman amps. At first I knew only about the combos, like the '59 re-issue you can buy. But I ran across these piggy back ones too.

They just seem to have a killer sound. If I were to buy a big amp, I think a Bassman would be high on the list. Although that H&K El84 quad looks good too. What does anyone think? Here is a vid of the '62 piggy back style Bassman. Gotta love this guy's hair!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXwoUluUKPA

EDIT: There is this old thread http://www.thefret.net/showthread.php?t=4129&highlight=bassman on the re-issue specifically, but not much info, so kind of a thread revival, but broader scope including all Bassman amphs.

 

[Guitar-Chris]

I am fascinated by the Bassman amps. At first I knew only about the combos, like the '59 re-issue you can buy. But I ran across these piggy back ones too.

I like the sound of the bassmann very much. In the moment I'm very happy with my Vox AD50VT, but I think, in the long distance I will get a real tube-amp. And the Fender Bassmann is one of my favourites. But it isn't a cheap one....

 

[WackyT]

Very nice amps by sound & reputation! Here's a '64 head on eBay with the same layout as the one in the video ending tomorrow (Monday) going for a good price, so far.

FENDER BASSMAN 1964

 

[Tone2TheBone]

I absolutely love Brian Setzer's sound from his Bassmans. I think I'll add one someday to go with my Marshall.

 

[markb]

Townshend used blonde Bassmans before he got his Marshalls. It's also the template for the early Marshalls. They're great amps if you have the chance to turn them up far enough. To my ears the Pro Junior gets pretty close to this tone in a nice affordable package.

 

[Spudman]

Townshend used blonde Bassmans before he got his Marshalls. It's also the template for the early Marshalls.

True the Marshall is based on a Bassman circuit but Townshend was a Hiwatt user.

 

[markb]

True the Marshall is based on a Bassman circuit but Townshend was a Hiwatt user.

Eventually, yes. Have a scroll down the timeline of Pete's gear here. Bassmans then Marshalls then Hiwatts is the basic pattern. There's a few other Fenders, VOXes and Selmers involved but remember there were times when The Who had gear on finance that just didn't exist anymore, they were famously hard on their gear
I'm not arguing, it just depends how far back you want to go

http://www.thewho.net/whotabs/equipment.htm

 

[sunvalleylaw]

I absolutely love Brian Setzer's sound from his Bassmans. I think I'll add one someday to go with my Marshall.

Setzer is a big influence for me too. Maybe one day.

 

[Duff]

Bassman combo

I played one of my guitars that I picked up from a pro guitar and amp repair shop in Harrisburg, Pa. thru a black heavily modified bassman combo. Used to be called Downtown Sound and now goes by a different name but everyone calls it the old name.

The Bassman sounded awesome. Way better than the showroom ones at GC. This was a 10 year old one maybe less, but these guys modded it heavily. I wanted one on the spot.

Maybe one of these days I'll get one; but for now my Fender Super Champ XD has a model of the bassman that sounds really good. I have been playing the SCXD on voice 2, the vintage bassman sound, almost exclusively lately, including tonight, even at present it is fired up and waiting for me to play my Squire tele Custom II w P90's on it. Played my Fender Hwy 1 fat strat on it earlier to excellent effect. I also played my ESP H102-fm with SD hot rodded open coil pups and flatwound strings thru it and it sounded awesome.

The new Super Sonic has a bassman voice on it and a vibrolux I believe the other one is. The bassman on the Super Sonic Fender sounds awesome. This amp is about 1400. It is very very sensitive and picks up any noise your rig might have lurking around that a lesser amp will not detect.

Duffy

 

[Andy]

In one of my old cover bands, I played Bass and the guitarist used an old bassman head thru a home made cabinet. I was constantly blown away from the tones he could get from the bassman. nice cleans to fantastic overdriven tone. I've always wanted one ever since!

 

[sumitomo]

I have an early blackface Bandmaster and really like it.Don't overlook some of the amph's that were made right along with the bassman,alot are made and layed out the same.Sumi

 

[tunghaichuan]

I have an early blackface Bandmaster and really like it.Don't overlook some of the amph's that were made right along with the bassman,alot are made and layed out the same.Sumi

One of the main differences in the two circuits (Blackface) is that the Bassman has three stages before the phase inverter tube. The Band master has only two. The Bassman also had a larger, heavier OT which didn't saturate and distort as fast as the Bandmaster. Some players like Bandmasters over Bassman amps for that reason. However, a common mod is to replace the Bandmaster OT with a Bassman OT.

This thread makes me nostalgic for the 80s: you could buy Blackface Bandmaster and Bassman heads in pawn shops for $100-$200 each all day long. :AOK:

tung

 

[Andy]

tell me about it ! I had an old bandmaster head because that was all I could afford at the time. soon as I could afford something "better" I traded it in :thwap:

 

[tunghaichuan]

tell me about it ! I had an old bandmaster head because that was all I could afford at the time. soon as I could afford something "better" I traded it in :thwap:

Yeah, I swapped a mid-60s BF Tremolux and matching 2 x 10" cab and some cash for a Roland JC-120. :thwap:

tung

 

[sumitomo]

Thanks for that input Tung,You explained that amph to a t,Like I said I dig it,most of the time no pedals just plugged in and the amph is powering a 2/12 cab.It needs caps now,it was getting noisy,I paid 100 something for it about 17 yrs ago.For me it was a good mate to my Super Reverb.Sumi

 

[tunghaichuan]

Thanks for that input Tung,You explained that amph to a t,Like I said I dig it,most of the time no pedals just plugged in and the amph is powering a 2/12 cab.It needs caps now,it was getting noisy,I paid 100 something for it about 17 yrs ago.For me it was a good mate to my Super Reverb.Sumi

After (at least) 17 years, I'd take it in for a cap job. Have all the electrolytic caps replaced, it's good preventative maintenance. Unfortunately, it may change the sound as you've probably gotten used to the sound of the amp with worn out caps.

tung

 

[sumitomo]

That's what I,m afraid of(sounding different with new caps)and that is why I put it off for so long any suggestions on cap types Tung?Sumi

 

[tunghaichuan]

That's what I,m afraid of(sounding different with new caps)and that is why I put it off for so long any suggestions on cap types Tung?Sumi

I haven't bought filter caps for a while, so I don't know which ones are currently available. Some like the Illinois caps, others hate them. Same with Nichicon. Xicon caps seem to work okay, but they seem kinda cheesy to me. Sprague caps seem to be well regarded, but I don't believe they're made anymore, so it might be hard to find the values you need. The best caps I've ever used were the F&T brand (made in Germany) from Antique Electronics Supply. Very pricey though.

Eventually the caps will need to be replaced, but if the amp isn't making noise, (hum, ghosting, etc.) it may be all right for a while. Once you start to notice the tone degrading, or start noticing any weird noises, I'd have the caps changed out ASAP.

tung

 

[sumitomo]

Hey SVL look in craigslist in bend,oregon there is a bassman amp for sale and it looks nice.Sumi

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Hey SVL look in craigslist in bend,oregon there is a bassman amp for sale and it looks nice.Sumi

Hmm, so tempting. At some point I might actually go for it. Not ready for a while yet though. He is selling due to the loudness of the amps, and until I am playing out a lot, I think it would be overkill for me now. I would love to A/B the Bassman re-issue and the Hughes and Kettner EL 84 Quad too.

 

[cherokee747]

I've got a 1965 Bassman, local craigslist pickup. I did a cap job, retubed with JJ's and did the 3 prong cord mod. It absolutely wails. Good breakup at about 5 on the dial. Also put a pair of Weber 12F150's in the cab. Mike

 

[sunvalleylaw]

I envy you!

 

[Duff]

I played an incredible one.

I played a highly modified vintage one at a place in Harrisburg, Pa., called Downtown Sound. They just repair amps and guitars. Two guys.

I had them do some work on my Schecter hybrid C1 E/A, hybrid semi hollow body C1 style super beautiful guitar. I had them put in Seymour Duncan humbuckers in place of the duncan designed ones and a useable tone pot. I had them put in a SD '59 in the neck and a JB in the bridge, both nickel plated.

There is no access port on the back of this guitar and it has some sophisticated electronics inside the body you don't want to mess up, so I had the pro's do it. Came out great.

I tested this guitar after it was done on an amp they had sitting there. It was an old bassman, at least ten years old, highly modified and sounded incredible. I asked them if they would sell it and, of course, it wasn't for sale. They use it.

It was one of the best sounding amps I've ever played. Nicer than the Super Sonic Fender, which by the way is awesome and has a bassman setting on it, awesme amp as well.

That bassman left an impression.

Duffy