'65 Super Reverb vs. '59 Bassman LTD

SlowGroove

SlowGroove

New member
Guys, help me see the light !

Why would you buy/play a '65 Super Reverb (RI) over a beautifull LTD '59 Bassman (RI) ???

I know the Super Reverb has tube Vibrato, but you can use the tube driven EHX Wiggler on a Bassman !

SR - 65lbs
BM - 53lbs

What is your thoughts ?

Thanks
James
 
Re: '65 Super Reverb vs. '59 Bassman LTD

they sound nothing alike but both are very cool and can be loud.

the bassman is more mid focused with a stinging upper mid range. jump the channels crank it up to 10 and you have one hell of a touch sensitive rock and roll amp but it will be LOUD, even with the inefficient p10r speakers in there. clean these are brighter dry amps. there is alot of punch and meat to the sound even clean. these amps need at least two of the speakers replaced to sound their best and i would replace all of em. i prefer the bassman cranked up for dirty tones, remember marshall based his amps on this one. i put p10q's in mine and it was a big improvement.

the super has reverb and trem so isnt as dry sounding as the bassman. on low volumes it has classic beautiful blackface clean sounds. a little mid scooped but lush and big sounding. dirty its a very rich sound but not as aggressive as a tweed amp. i think these can sound great clean or dirty but just like the bassman to get the dirt, it is going to be really loud.
 
Re: '65 Super Reverb vs. '59 Bassman LTD

Both great amps and great choices....I love the BF Fender stuff and so I'm partial,but the 59 Bassman is really great also....Jeremy(as usual) really gave you a great tonal comparison of both amps.
 
Re: '65 Super Reverb vs. '59 Bassman LTD

jeremy said:
they sound nothing alike but both are very cool and can be loud.

the bassman is more mid focused with a stinging upper mid range. jump the channels crank it up to 10 and you have one hell of a touch sensitive rock and roll amp but it will be LOUD, even with the inefficient p10r speakers in there. clean these are brighter dry amps. there is alot of punch and meat to the sound even clean. these amps need at least two of the speakers replaced to sound their best and i would replace all of em. i prefer the bassman cranked up for dirty tones, remember marshall based his amps on this one. i put p10q's in mine and it was a big improvement.

the super has reverb and trem so isnt as dry sounding as the bassman. on low volumes it has classic beautiful blackface clean sounds. a little mid scooped but lush and big sounding. dirty its a very rich sound but not as aggressive as a tweed amp. i think these can sound great clean or dirty but just like the bassman to get the dirt, it is going to be really loud.
Click to expand...


Thanks Jeremy !

Don't know if you know this model of Emi speaker, but if you do (...or anyone else for that matter) how do you think four of these will sound in a '59 Bassman RI ???

http://www.eminence.com/guitar_speaker_detail.asp?model=DELTADEMON&speaker_size=10&SUB_CAT_ID=4 - Delta Demon

I take it, it will tame some of that hi-end !?

Any thoughts ?

Still trying to find some good clips (Utoob or otherwise) of a fully cranked Super Reverb. Anyone knows of any good clips ?


Thank
James
 
Re: '65 Super Reverb vs. '59 Bassman LTD

Tweed bassman amps are sort of scooped (no where near as scooped as a BF Fender) and the bottom is FAR from tight and the highs are really glassy however if you try and tame the high in a 4x10 Bassman you're likely to end up with a lot of flubby bottom and not much else.

Cranked Bassman...Buddy Guy...keep in mind he turns the bass and mids all the way down...

Cranked Super Reverb...SRV all day...keep in mind the Tubescreamer and or Fuzz Face but SRV is the one that made the Super Reverb a sought after amp...
 
Re: '65 Super Reverb vs. '59 Bassman LTD

You might shart yer skivvies to find out that alot of that '59 Bassman holy grail tone is in the 4x10 open back 2 ohm cabinet with the alnico 10's. I can attest to the fact that I hooked up a different 4 ohm tube head-known for being mosstly clean- into the Bassman Cab. and i liked it a hell of a lot. Not quite the overall tone, but tons of that slamming bass SPL and pleanty of the sa,me style of distortion. Enuf to convince me I needed to lose the Bassman( not enuf volume) and pick up a open back 4x10( Mesa, Bogner , even Peavey) and load it with some decent Alnicos and run about a good 60 watt tube head into it.
 
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Re: '65 Super Reverb vs. '59 Bassman LTD

you and i play in very different places. a bassman cranked up is way to loud to be usable in most of the clubs i play with the channels jumped both volumes on 10, mids & treble at 12, bass at 2 & presence off. crunchy and fun as hell but LOUD. the guy i played with used a 60w hot rod deville and he couldnt keep up.
 
Re: '65 Super Reverb vs. '59 Bassman LTD

I have used a bassman to drive my vibratone (leslie) cabinet and have used a super reverb for getting that hot driven texas blues tone.

Together, this combination can't be beat - but it will be LOUD!

(Also heavy equipment to haul around)
 
Re: '65 Super Reverb vs. '59 Bassman LTD

Stratman said:
I have used a bassman to drive my vibratone (leslie) cabinet and have used a super reverb for getting that hot driven texas blues tone.

Together, this combination can't be beat - but it will be LOUD!

(Also heavy equipment to haul around)
Click to expand...

Hey Stratman you are one ugly looking beast! :biglaugh:
 
Re: '65 Super Reverb vs. '59 Bassman LTD

Thanx for all the info !
Keem 'em comming if there is anything else that can be added !


James
 
Re: '65 Super Reverb vs. '59 Bassman LTD

the guy who invented fire said:
Tweed bassman amps are sort of scooped (no where near as scooped as a BF Fender) and the bottom is FAR from tight and the highs are really glassy however if you try and tame the high in a 4x10 Bassman you're likely to end up with a lot of flubby bottom and not much else.

Cranked Bassman...Buddy Guy...keep in mind he turns the bass and mids all the way down...

Cranked Super Reverb...SRV all day...keep in mind the Tubescreamer and or Fuzz Face but SRV is the one that made the Super Reverb a sought after amp...
Click to expand...

MMmmm, if you have to crank that Bassman to get it crunchy, i s'pose i'd Better start to lookinto a 5E3 clone then !
15watts of cranked amp, will be a little easier on the ears me think !



James
 
Re: '65 Super Reverb vs. '59 Bassman LTD

a little easier for sure but the tone is pretty different, a single 12 doesnt sound like four 10's. there isnt any amps i know that sound like a tweed bassman with out being loud. a 5f4 will get you some of the flavor at a lower volume
 
Re: '65 Super Reverb vs. '59 Bassman LTD

jeremy said:
a little easier for sure but the tone is pretty different, a single 12 doesnt sound like four 10's. there isnt any amps i know that sound like a tweed bassman with out being loud. a 5f4 will get you some of the flavor at a lower volume
Click to expand...

Thanx Jeremy . . .

. . . and what about a 5E3 (custom made head) pluged into a 4x10 ?

I have my eye on a Nick Greer Underdog Mod 1 head.

Hot rodded 5E3 . . . or so he says !




James
 
Re: '65 Super Reverb vs. '59 Bassman LTD

^^^^ . . . does nayone have this Greer head or combo ?

Does anyone have any Greer amp at all ?



James
 
Re: '65 Super Reverb vs. '59 Bassman LTD

the tweed deluxe circut is pretty different than the larger tweed amps. im sure it would sound cool but maybe not much like a bassman
 
Re: '65 Super Reverb vs. '59 Bassman LTD

jeremy said:
the tweed deluxe circut is pretty different than the larger tweed amps. im sure it would sound cool but maybe not much like a bassman
Click to expand...

Thanks man !
Might still look into a 5E3, as i was told they have more crunch anyways !
And there is some tasty Utoob clips out there !



James
 
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