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So, anyone here own, or ever owned, a Bassman 135?


Beedster
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I owned a 78 one that I paired with an Ampeg SVT 115 USA cab, sounded awesome but I got sick of the weight and space was an issue at the time travelling to gigs. Amazing head though. The tubes were from Watford Valves but like the settings they are one thing my memory hasn't retained

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I got one off vegas_hooker on here a few years back. 1980 version as well I believe. Paired with a Matamp 2x12. At bedroom/low volumes it was super bassy and really 'creamy'...didn't have much bite at all, but in a band setting, cranking it, it really roared and sounded superb. Can't remember EQ settings. I tried bridging the two channels, but felt there wasn't much difference between that and 'normal' mode. I'd get one again in a heartbeat...if I actually needed one. Sold it to Jigster eventually. Great amp! B)

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Ha ha, i see the jury's out here also. Still trying to get the tone I want out of mine, it's very close but lacks something at the bottom (I'm using a matching 1x15). Wonferful low mids for sure. Time will tell, but at present whilst it's a lovely vintage sounding amp, it ain't in the same league as the all-tube Ampeg gear

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I still have my Bassman 135 and I reckon they are killer amps - they stay clean right to the top and are clear and warm with plenty of punch.
If you want a bit of extra gain and grit in the sound, you can jump the two channels with a patch lead to run both sides of the pre-amp valves and it gets just as punchy as an Ampeg.
Main problem I found was with getting the right speakers/cab.
When I occasionally play bass these days I now use an old MusicMan 115RH loaded with a vintage RCF 15" 8ohm speaker which sounds fine; but the best tone I've got has been using the original 70s 2x15 Bassman cab.

At first that 2x15 cab was horrible - it was too weak and farted a lot.
Once I had rebuilt the cab with all seams lined, glued and screwed with 1x2" wood and braced front panel to back with 2x4" wood, the cab was strong as anything and no farts or rumbles, just heavier with super tight tone once I got the right speakers.
I tried numerous fancy speakers and eventually found that a pair of tight bright Eminence drivers worked best to give a full, round and detailed tone.
I can't remember which speaker models they were but they cost about £85 each some years ago.

I finally found bass amp/tone heaven and now I am playing guitar rather than bass!!
So this Bassman 2x15 cab will be making way for a guitar amp.

Edited by Bassnut62
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[quote name='Bassnut62' timestamp='1378478327' post='2200924']
I still have my Bassman 135 and I reckon they are killer amps - they stay clean right to the top and are clear and warm with plenty of punch.
If you want a bit of extra gain and grit in the sound, you can jump the two channels with a patch lead to run both sides of the pre-amp valves and it gets just as punchy as an Ampeg.
Main problem I found was with getting the right speakers/cab.
When I occasionally play bass these days I now use an old MusicMan 115RH loaded with a vintage RCF 15" 8ohm speaker which sounds fine; but the best tone I've got has been using the original 70s 2x15 Bassman cab.

At first that 2x15 cab was horrible - it was too weak and farted a lot.
Once I had rebuilt the cab with all seams lined, glued and screwed with 1x2" wood and braced front panel to back with 2x4" wood, the cab was strong as anything and no farts or rumbles, just heavier with super tight tone once I got the right speakers.
I tried numerous fancy speakers and eventually found that a pair of tight bright Eminence drivers worked best to give a full, round and detailed tone.
I can't remember which speaker models they were but they cost about £85 each some years ago.

I finally found bass amp/tone heaven and now I am playing guitar rather than bass!!
Sadly, I now play guitar rather than bass; so this Bassman 2x15 cab will be making way for a guitar amp.
[/quote]

Interesting post Rupert, thanks. I'm playing mine through an original Fender 1x15 that sounds like it suffers from a similar lack of stability as did your 2x15 before you modified it. All going well I'll be playing the 135 through a Barefaced '69er which is due in the next few weeks, and at which stage I'll decide whether I'm going to hang on to it or move it on and get something more Ampeg (although for the time being I'll be putting a Tech 21 VT ahead of the 135 - or even between the two channels - when I use the 69er for some Ampeg-like tones, and if it gets close it'll stay). If you're looking to offload the 2x15 get in touch sometime as I may be interested. A 2x15 would be a great cab for the 135, as you say above, the great thing about the 135 is that it can stay clean and warm right up the volume scale, and that can be a lovely tone through two 15s

Chris

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I´m playing my 135 with the original 4x12" cab. The lowend of this combination is not as solid as my SVT+8x10" but the beauty of the fender stack is the midrange and overtones which are quite different than what the Ampeg does. Currently I´m looking for a Boogie 1x15" to try it with my 135. I have the feeling that the amp needs a cab which has lot´s of lowend by default.

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