Welcome me to the Fender Bassman LTD family

[OlinMusic]

Well, I had one amp that just sat in a case unused so I traded it for Fender Bassman LTD. I have 30 days thru GC, so let's see how I like it.

I toiled over many amps

Fender Vibrolux RI
Super Reverb RI
Deluxe RI

but this one seemed to have the swetest clean tone and then a special something.

I even considered a VHT Pitbull 50, but I thought it was too similar to my Bogner Shiva, just gain-ier. I thought about the Soldano Avenger, but I dunno - I think I like the Bogner high gain stuff better. Soooooooooo I settled on something I liked which was this Bassman LTD.

Seems to sound great with pedals. I just have to get used to the glass in the tone - I have been into high gain heads and EL34 amps for a year now.

I wanted a CLEAN amp to use with pedals. Though it has no Reverb, I perceived the clean to be sweeter, and more balanced with less break up at around VOL 5 than a Super Reverb RI or the Vibrolux.

Any thoughts?

 

[ErikH]

Re: Welcome me to the Fender Bassman LTD family

GREAT choice. I love Bassmans, and since Marshalls started off as a modified Bassman circuit, it's even more fitting. Crank that baby up and listen to the sweet overdrive. I want one myself but for now, I'm settling with using a model of one. Another thing I love about them is not just the clean, but even when you're overdriving them by cranking 'em up, just rolling back the guitar volume cleans it all up beautifully. Yeah, I'm jealous.

 

[Curly]

Re: Welcome me to the Fender Bassman LTD family

I don't see a down side to getting an LTD.

 

[Bludave]

Re: Welcome me to the Fender Bassman LTD family

A/ B it with either your Marshall or your Bogner. It will give you a lot of versatilty.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Welcome me to the Fender Bassman LTD family

I love that amp, and sometimes wish I hadn't sold mine. I like bridging the channels with a Holy Grail in the middle, just so that big fat woody clean has reverb on it.

In the mid 90's, I bought a Reissue Bassman 4-10, but it was too honky with those speakers, and the bias seemed cold. It was a nice amp, but I had Blues Pearls that killed it. Then, in 2005, I bought a new/used LTD. and realized it sounded a lot better than that reissue. I think the Jensens, bias pot, better cab, and extra handwiring make a big difference....not to mention the good tubes they come with...GT's.

 

[philthis]

Re: Welcome me to the Fender Bassman LTD family

A/ B it with either your Marshall or your Bogner. It will give you a lot of versatilty.

great idea, the best of both worlds. I love this amp. Like you I noticed it just has that special tone that sets it apart. Its thick but still sparkles. Great amp, my favorite clean tone by far.
:beerchug:

 

[That90'sGuy]

Re: Welcome me to the Fender Bassman LTD family

Sounds like you made the right choice Olin. With humbucker guitars, it really is difficult to get any real stage volume out of a Vibrolux or similar without having it breakup ("4" is right around where it loses its pristine cleans). I'm sure that Bassman cranks!

 

[OlinMusic]

Re: Welcome me to the Fender Bassman LTD family

PHEW

Thanks Guys.

Yeah, Chris, I just thought hmmm I must be out of it - but the Clean on the Bassman LTD was sweeter and more balanced than the very BASSY Bassman Relic (which looks cool btw), and you can crank and get break up. I just felt the Super was a little more on the harsh side and broke up wayyyy to easy esp with humbuckers.

I am wildly impressed with this amp. Given I have 30 days, I am over thinking it. I went in for a high gain head, but the manager said he could cut me amazing deals on my choice of Budda, VHT, or Soldano (Avenger or Lucky 13). I even thought of making a move on an Ecstasy. I was sooo tempted, but really - with the exception of some weird gigs here and there (punk bands etc) which I am cutting back on ever doing again - I really prefer my Marshall and my Shiva for gain. I felt I needed a nice Fender. I am soooo Marshall'd out I almost went for ANOTHER Marshall, and thought hmm this is mooooreeeee of the saaaaaaaaaaaaame. I said, FENDER with some meaty tone, and this LTD fit the bill - so I THINK.... lol.

I saw a Victoria Bassman on Craig's, but I just don't wanna be Mr. Boutique guy. I want a nasty workingman's amp, something to go with my Marshall in an A/B.

I passed on another high gain had because I feel the Bogner with a Pedal is more than enough gain. I never thought the Bogner had enough til I hear back recordings and realize that it's gain is balanced as well as the EQ such that it comes thru in the mix, it sounds nice and gain-y, but articulate at the same time - much better than Rectos I have played OR played against. The Shiva allows me to do R&B and Reggae (people ask me to do everything from ska to acoustic strum) and still have my rock Marshall tone anywhere I go.

I love the opinions from this board. Some previous Bassman threads had it in my head. One day breaking this in and it already sounds nicer. I might trade it in if I find something better - had my eye on that Bad Cat - but this amp takes me back to High School. My Boss pedals, maybe an OCD, and a guitar and this thing just ROCKS for DAYS! beautiful sound, LIGHTWEIGHT, huge tone, and a clean that is MAGICAL yet still different in tone from my Marshall and Bogner. I might stick with these 3 amps for a while.

 

[Falstaff]

Re: Welcome me to the Fender Bassman LTD family

Great amp...I hope you love it.

 

[75lespaul]

Re: Welcome me to the Fender Bassman LTD family

Sweeeet amp bro. I put a Plexitone through mine and my goodness, it's like I've got a Marshall for distortion and a Fender for cleans. I love my Bassman.

 

[britishgeetah]

Re: Welcome me to the Fender Bassman LTD family

One day, I'm gunna get one of those.


If only it had a reverb tank though.

 

[Skoora]

Re: Welcome me to the Fender Bassman LTD family

I've been playing through those at the stores and think they're amazing with a Gibson. Didn't like it with a Tele. Even cranked/saturated I couldn't roll off the top end that was killing me. With a SG loaded with P-90's it was Rock n Roll personified. I know what you mean about choosing it over high gain amps. I have a '78 Marshall 2203 and everytime I try a nice, high dollar, hi gain head I realize my Marshall with a good pedal does as good if not better but those Bassmans are so unique and when you turn them up with the right guitar it just screams Blues and Rock.
What I like as well is it's nice and tight with the bass set real low or off but if you want to get a little fingerstyle swamp going on just roll up the bass to taste and you get that magical low end squish that a Marshall can't get.

I do wish they had a regular speaker out so I could experiment with a 2x12 but they wanted them to be faithful to the original in that regard.