Best Mods for '59 Bassman Reissue?

[G&Legacy]

Well I have a 59 Bassman Reissue (not lmd.). What would be the best mods for my setup: Guitar->Boss V-Wah->MXR Phase 90->Jeckyl & Hide Ultimate Overdrive-> SD Pickup Booster-> Digitech Digidelay->Bassman

I Would use the amp for clean tones and the Ultimate overdrive, for overdrive and distortion (distortion is usually one) tones. So I guess I want a lot of headroom.

What would be the best mods for my amp to achieve the best sound out of my setup

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Best Mods for '59 Bassman Reissue?

I've had the 90's reissue and LTD, and the Jensens definitely make the amp a little nicer than the Eminence. I've never tried it, but I've always had a feeling that Celestion 10's in a Bassman would make it sound more Marshall-like, and therefore handle humbuckers and OD pedals better.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Best Mods for '59 Bassman Reissue?

It all depends on how far you want to go and how much ou want to spend!

-New Speakers, lots of people would say go with new Jensens because the LTD's come with Jensens but I really dislike most if the new Jensens...I would go with Webbers...personally I would put 2 Ceramics and 2 Alnico's in it, that would really tighten up the bottom and give it some killer punch but the alnico would still give you the killer tweed breakup. If you are looking for max head room, 2 ceramic's would be better but it will loose some of the classic tweed tone IMO...

-Pine cab, most people won't do this because it's hard to look at an amp with a perfectly good cab and replace it but the 90's reissues can get a lot more of the 50's tweed tone if you put them in a nice pine cab.

-Tubes, this is often overlooked...good tubes can make a big difference. If you want a more stock Bassman type of tone get a good (NOS if you can swing it) 12AY7 for V1 and good 12AX7's for V2 and V3, then get some small bottle 5881 power tubes...thte TAD's are nice, the reissue Tung Sols are very cool. If you want something a bit different from classic tweed put a 12AX7 in V1 and get some bigger bottle power tubes...you could even put a SS plug in rectifier in it if you wanted to. Going to a SS rect, and some big bottle 6L6's (I like the winged C SED's personally) will give you more clean headroom, keeping (or putting) a 12AY7 in V1 will also help.

 

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Re: Best Mods for '59 Bassman Reissue?

Yup, i have to agree with Christian, about the S/S rectifier !

Over at the FenderForum, that is the cheapest, and fastest way (acording to many Bassman owners) to get more headroom !
If, on the other hand, you want min. headroom, and max. valve sag, get a 5U4 tube, it is even 'better' (...for sag) than the 5R4 valves !


My 2cents

 

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Re: Best Mods for '59 Bassman Reissue?

Well I have a 59 Bassman Reissue (not lmd.). What would be the best mods for my setup: Guitar->Boss V-Wah->MXR Phase 90->Jeckyl & Hide Ultimate Overdrive-> SD Pickup Booster-> Digitech Digidelay->Bassman

I too want to get a Bassman LTD, and my set-up will look very simmilar to that of yours !!!

Guitars -->*Toadworks DeathRattle -->DE7 -->EHX LPB -->Bassman

* The DeathRattle is the same idea as the J&H OD of yours, (OD & Dist), but the OD side is voiced like a Tweed amp, and the more agro Dist. side, that of a Plexi. They are not spot on, but they are still very good sounding OD & Dist. tones in their own right - regardless of the names given to the channels !

* http://www.toadworksusa.com/dr/index.html

Very cool sound clips - do give it a listen !!!

I NEVER could get into the J&H, not one of the channels do anything for me !
That, and the Fact that the STROKES use the very same pedal, and i HATE their tone - all of it :blackeye:


Cheers

 

[J.LaGrassa]

Re: Best Mods for '59 Bassman Reissue?

I dont have the LTD version but mine did come stock with the Jenson speakers, the only thing I did was to replace the tubes with JJ tubes including a JJ Rectifier.
I only run the amp clean and use dirt pedals, for me there is not much more I can think of to mod that amp it already sounds very good!

 

[Scott_F]

Re: Best Mods for '59 Bassman Reissue?

I'd install a bias pot for it so you can easily swap power tubes. Then I'd put in the best tubes i could afford. For me, I'd go with a 5U4 rectifier and a set of those reissue Tung Sol 5881's, with a 12AY7 in V1.