bassmanses's

[drew_half_empty]

ok, well, i was considering getting a '59 RI bassman, but a local shop has a early 70's bassman head, with master volume, for around $300. But the thing is, this thing is almost impossible to overdrive, and if i get a bassman I want it to be that real fat, rich, creamy, bassy tube od tone. So will a new set of tubes, and, well, i guess i'd need some speaker OD, so a 2x12 with greenbacks get me there? Or are they pretty much set in stone, purely clean heads?

also, which tubes would you reccomend, think hendrix in red house, but a little less fuzzy

 

[Luke Duke]

Re: bassmanses's

Hey man I've never played through a 70's head but have heard they are great clean and are good blank slates for mods. If you change up your tubes to say a easier break up level (ex. 5 to 3) that will help but this will still not be a marshall. A 59 RI will get you close but the speaker size is different and components are different too. I like tens and I think you could get close with a RI. That said the bassman is a steal and you could get it and have it modded/hot rodded to plexi specs. The big help would be EL34's. Remember tube amps can be changed especially the old ones due to their simplicity.

Luke

 

[TheArchitect]

Re: bassmanses's

That vintage of Bassman had circuit changes specifically to make them virtually distortion proof. The circuit can be modded but if thats the model I am thinking of the mods would have to be rather extensive to get Marshall style gain out of it. Personally, I would buy it because I love that old fender tone but if gain is what you want, that probably isn't your best choice unless pedals are your preferred choice for gain.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: bassmanses's

I wish more guys knew that the silverface Bassman head and '59 Tweed Bassman 4x10 combo amp are two completely differant amps with very little in commen with each other.

The tweed Bassman is like a Marshall plexi or JTM-45. The Bassman head is like the normal channel on a blackface or silverface Fender: needs mods to sound like a Marshall.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: bassmanses's

Also, stay away from the Master Volume Bassman heads. thry to get the early, non-master volume version. Chances are that the latter ones I mentioned still have the Blackface circuitry.

 

[drew_half_empty]

Re: bassmanses's

well its master volume

and hendrix did use a bassman on red house

so okay, no tube od, thats fine, longer tube life, however, is there a pedal that can be used in combination with it to get the tone I'm after? Also, would a 2x12 with greenbacks be a good choice? I heard they have a nice and early breakup, but a good one, that'll add bass & warmth but not kill definition or get farty, is this correct? My original plan was to use it in combination with my hrdx for fattening, and thats still part of the plan, but i'd like it to have a usable tone on its own, not just a one-trick pony

 

[drew_half_empty]

Re: bassmanses's

bump, i found the pedal, but i need to know about the speakers


and whats bad about the master volume ones

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: bassmanses's

Put the greenbacks in a closed enclosure, that way they tend to sound the best.
MV Bassmans are slightly less fat sounding than a non MV one....about the only proper sounding MV amp is an old Hiwatt.

 

[drew_half_empty]

Re: bassmanses's

so whats a good fat sounding one that can be picked up for pretty cheap?

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: bassmanses's

so whats a good fat sounding one that can be picked up for pretty cheap?

Earrly 70's Silverface. They usually still have the BF circuit. The Silver Face circuit is brittle sounding to me, personally.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: bassmanses's

Look for one from '73 or '74. IMO, those are two excellant years for silverface Fenders. Lew