harmonicchaos Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 I've been interested in getting a vintage fender bassman head and i was doing a little research. Why do they sell for so cheap? They sell for reasonable prices. I'm kinda surprised because most 'vintage' fender amps in even decent condition go for quite a bit of money. Were there some issues with the bassman or what? Just something i noticed... thought i'd ask. Maybe I should just shut up and, when i've got the money, take advantage of the reasonable prices! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffster Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 I was wondering the same... http://nashville.craigslist.org/msg/1029631270.html I remember Rich and Surfpup talking about this a few months ago... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruznolfart Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Not sure why they'd be so relatively cheap, chaos, and in fact there are probably some models that aren't, but they're worth looking into. You might be surprised at the number of mods available for the tube bassman amps that are very much like the mods done to the original schematic by Marshall and Vox. I'm considering one m'self. Just don't mention it to Gramma any time soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basshole Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 I got my bassman for pretty cheap as well. It wasnt working though so I put money into fixing. After it was all said and done Ive probly spent about $450 on a Bassman 135. You have to remember that basses and tube amps dont get along. They break alot easier than guitar tubed amps. I think its beacause of the frequecy or something. Michael Anthony always had problems with his ampeg, they would catch on fire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundergod Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 I was under the impression the fender bassman was one of those legendary amps... (what with those stompboxes modeled after it?). How much do they sell for? Maybe they are not as reliable as other amps, but I have only heard good things about their tone, so, maybe it's worth the try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djroge1 Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 I'm not an expert, but I've spent the past couple of months studying amps and I've counted at least 21 different versions of the Fender Bassman amp as stated in Dave Funk's book "Tube Amp Workbook." There may be quality issues with which version you buy, but overall I've only heard good things about the Bassman as a 6 string guitar amp. I'd think it would be a good purchase - if the amp is from the 70's or earlier and has all original parts you will probably need to replace some caps as some only last around 20 or so years and if you do it your self it shouldn't cost more than $10 for parts or pay a $65 per hour bench charge (cost depends on where you live). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harmonicchaos Posted February 12, 2009 Author Share Posted February 12, 2009 okay, I'm hearing that it's a pretty good guitar amp but how is it for a bass? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basshole Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 It is amazing, best amp ever, better than any ampeg. Extremly deep, trebly, thick sounding for bass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harmonicchaos Posted February 12, 2009 Author Share Posted February 12, 2009 It is amazing' date=' best amp ever, better than any ampeg. Extremly deep, trebly, thick sounding for bass. [/quote'] Good!!! That's EXACTLY what I was hoping for. Why i want to get a bass amp instead of a guitar amp is so that i can play a bass through it as well with good results and i like the sound of a guitar through a bass amp. Played my VM through an ampeg the other day and it was amazing. I downtune my guitar so much it sounds like a bass sometimes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elantric Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Over the years the "Fender Bassman" has been several models The one that is on all the DSP modelers is the 1959 Tweed 4 x 10" speakers & open back - this was the model James Marshall started his company by duplicating a version of the '59 Fender Bassman for the UK Market. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshall_Amplification In '61 the Fender Bassman became a piggyback design - "Brown face" head + 2x12" cab from '64-66 arrived the Black Face version - marketed as a bass amp . in 1967 it became the Silver face http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fender_Bassman The Bassman was designed for the first mass-production electric bass, the Fender Precision Bass. It was introduced in 1952 and discontinued in 1983. In 1990 Fender began producing a reissue of the 1959 Bassman model 5F6A, known as the '59 Bassman. The newest version of this reissue is the '59 Bassman LTD. The LTD version has a lacquered tweed covering and 4x10 inch Jensen speakers instead of the Eminence speakers used in the earlier reissue '59 Bassman. The evolution of the Bassman amplifier followed that of the Fender amplification line. The Bassman amps of the 1950s were covered in tweed and had a more raw sound than later models. The tweeds were followed by the Blonde, Blackface, and Silverface "piggyback head" (excepting the Bassman 10 and 20, which were combo amplifiers) versions of the 1960s, 1970s, and early 1980s with cleaner sound and more headroom. A unique aspect of the Tweed Bassman circuit is the use of a cathode follower, which provides a slight compression of the sound while also allowing an increase in current, and thus more signal is sent to the power amp. It also had the secondary consequence of increasing the amp's dynamic. Despite the fact that it was originally designed for bass guitars, it was more famous for its use with normal electric guitar and thus, when Fender recently reissue the 59 (5F6A) edition, it was categorized under guitar amplification instead. Many famous amplifier manufacturers, including Marshall and Traynor, based their first batch of amplifiers upon the 5F6A Bassman, in examples such as Marshall's JTM45 (a clone of Bassman, using British-equivalent parts), and Traynor's YBA-1 (Head form of Bassman). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fender_Bassman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G u e s t Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 How's things hangin' wit you, harmonicchaos. Are things cooler ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrosurfer1959 Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 There a good amp and the only reason I could figure on the prices is they were popular they made a gazillion of them in tons of different models. Value is always a combination of the quality and the rarity kind of like anything else if something is easy to get and there's a lot available the cost stays down. Same reason half the teenagers in the 70's drove VW bugs as their first car they were solid dependable and for sale on almost every corner after 20+ years of wrecking them they were a collectable and a classic, Car didn't change we just killed off most of the herd... Glad to see your still on the net Chaos hope everything's cool, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djroge1 Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Over the years the "Fender Bassman" has been several models The one that is on all the DSP modelers is the 1959 Tweed 4 x 10" speakers & open back - this was the model James Marshall started his company by duplicating a version of the '59 Fender Bassman for the UK Market. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshall_Amplification In '61 the Fender Bassman became a piggyback design - "Brown face" head + 2x12" cab from '64-66 arrived the Black Face version - marketed as a bass amp . in 1967 it became the Silver face http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fender_Bassman The Bassman was designed for the first mass-production electric bass' date=' the Fender Precision Bass. It was introduced in 1952 and discontinued in 1983. In 1990 Fender began producing a reissue of the 1959 Bassman model 5F6A, known as the '59 Bassman. The newest version of this reissue is the '59 Bassman LTD. The LTD version has a lacquered tweed covering and 4x10 inch Jensen speakers instead of the Eminence speakers used in the earlier reissue '59 Bassman. The evolution of the Bassman amplifier followed that of the Fender amplification line. The Bassman amps of the 1950s were covered in tweed and had a more raw sound than later models. The tweeds were followed by the Blonde, Blackface, and Silverface "piggyback head" (excepting the Bassman 10 and 20, which were combo amplifiers) versions of the 1960s, 1970s, and early 1980s with cleaner sound and more headroom. A unique aspect of the Tweed Bassman circuit is the use of a cathode follower, which provides a slight compression of the sound while also allowing an increase in current, and thus more signal is sent to the power amp. It also had the secondary consequence of increasing the amp's dynamic. Despite the fact that it was originally designed for bass guitars, it was more famous for its use with normal electric guitar and thus, when Fender recently reissue the 59 (5F6A) edition, it was categorized under guitar amplification instead. Many famous amplifier manufacturers, including Marshall and Traynor, based their first batch of amplifiers upon the 5F6A Bassman, in examples such as Marshall's JTM45 (a clone of Bassman, using British-equivalent parts), and Traynor's YBA-1 (Head form of Bassman).[/i'] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fender_Bassman Just a little FYI history: When Jim Marshall made his clone american type amp part of the reason he did this was because it cost a lot to ship amps from overseas. Also at the time there was no patent on the fender bassman amp so there was not patent infringement or legal issues. In other words - we all love Marshall amps and what he did was legit. I got to tour the factory when I was stationed in England and met Jim Marshall at the end of our tour - seemed like a great guy and signed a poster for each of us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikko18 Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 i have been thinking about a bassman as well. they seem like a pretty cool amp and i have found myself falling in love with those fender tones. does anyone know if you could plug a bass and a guitar into it at the same time? or even a bass and two guitars? i am trying to compensate for the lack of loud equipments in my band and it would be kind of cool if we could ll use the same amp. then we would all be the same watts too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harmonicchaos Posted February 14, 2009 Author Share Posted February 14, 2009 How's things hangin' wit you' date=' harmonicchaos. Are things cooler ?[/quote'] not really... but I'm going to hang out with a friend i haven't seen in a while today and tomorrows my b-day so i guess there are some good things going on right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basshole Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 i have been thinking about a bassman as well. they seem like a pretty cool amp and i have found myself falling in love with those fender tones. does anyone know if you could plug a bass and a guitar into it at the same time? or even a bass and two guitars? i am trying to compensate for the lack of loud equipments in my band and it would be kind of cool if we could ll use the same amp. then we would all be the same watts too. I wouldnt try it, i know you can cross channel the bass and the guitar imputs and get some cool tones out of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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