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Classic Fender tone amp suggestions?


Dan Dare
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Have been through a number of heads trying to recreate the sound I used to get from my Jazz through a valve Bassman 135 and 2x15. Currently have an EBS HD350 with 1x15 and 2x10 SVT cabs. Still too modern/mid prominent (find that to be the case with most stuff I try). An old BBE pre with a low powered Peavey power amp into my 2x10 gets the sound I want, but I lose it when I try to scale it up. Any suggestions? Cheers.

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It would help if you listed what you've already tried and how big you're trying to scale up to. Maybe obvious, but why not go back to the Fender setup? I suspect I can guess why!

I'd go with a trace V-type head (or pre and poweramp setup) into a sealed cab of some sort myself (or in my case a barefaced retro which is supposed to emulate something sealed).

Edited by Bigwan
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Passinwind built an ESP designed pre a few years ago that used a Fender style tone stack. I don't know what amp it was use with but I Seem to remember a Fender fan reported it was just like his old Fender Bassman. I will ask Charlie to respond later when he is awake.

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Thanks chaps. Someone asked what I've tried. When the Bassman went (too large/heavy), a Trace AH350+4x12 (and 1x15 when more volume needed). Nice and quite close to the Fender sound, but was not exactly light/easy to get around. Next I got the BBE pre with a couple of power amps (Peavey and RSE), biamped. As stated above, BBE + Peavey into the 2x10 makes the right noise, but not at any volume. Tried a Markbass LM3. Didn't like it - too quacky/midrangey. Then got the EBS, which I find much the same as the LM3 - a little smoother, but not much. Am looking at going back to the BBE/power amps, but wondered if you all had any ideas worth pursuing. Being ancient - 60+ - I find most modern bass set ups too hi-fi and possessed of what I hear as a clangy midrange. I like that fat old school sound (but not dub/reggae - like some string tone, too). Have just put a replacement driver (Oberton) in the SVT15, which fattens things somewhat. Thanks for all suggestions.

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Even tho they are not valve, the new Fender Rumbles (V3) combo's can sound fairly old school to me.
If you can get the chance to try one.

Edit to say, you might be pleasently surprised :)

Edited by Highfox
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Maybe not the most obvious choice, but what about an Orange Terror bass? Can sound vintage and "tubey" with the gain low, or swap the valves for some lower gain ones for a more useful range of gain. One of my favorite amps. Some say they're tonally limited... but it's a good tone!

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I don't try to recreate sounds of bygone times. All the gear was different, the amps, cabs, our ears and memories, all different.

I don't see much hope of recreating an old sound with modern gear. Either get the old gear or get a good sound out of something modern.

Have you tried an Aguilar TH500 or Ampeg SVT3 PRO? Or an Ampeg 115, Bergantino HD series or Barefaced Retro Two10?

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[quote name='Dan Dare' timestamp='1435874172' post='2813330']
Have been through a number of heads trying to recreate the sound I used to get from my Jazz through a valve Bassman 135 and 2x15. Currently have an EBS HD350 with 1x15 and 2x10 SVT cabs. Still too modern/mid prominent (find that to be the case with most stuff I try). An old BBE pre with a low powered Peavey power amp into my 2x10 gets the sound I want, but I lose it when I try to scale it up. Any suggestions? Cheers.
[/quote]

SHAMELESS PLUG ALERT!!!

It's currently withdrawn from the market until September but the rack i had for sale with a Alembic F1-X (fender tone stack design) and a 1000W class-H KMT power amp looks like it could be the answer to your question. The sound i get from it fits your requirements and you have more than enough power to play anywhere. If you don't find one that fits you until then drop me a line when i get it back for sale ;)


Sorry for the pub!

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IIRC, the Streamliners have a tone stack modelled on the one used by Fender, they're certainly warm and valve-y enough when you want them to be, the 900 has shedloads of headroom, gotta be worth a look/listen...

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[quote name='Dan Dare' timestamp='1435921751' post='2813615']
As stated above, BBE + Peavey into the 2x10 [b]makes the right noise, but not at any volume[/b].
[/quote]

That's the exact same experience that many of us have had with most Fender all tube amps used for bass. An inherently scooped tone stack wants lots of power, and even then, the natural loudness curve that our ears work with are just not the greatest fit for that when we turn things up. So exactly which Fender sound are you looking for? My benchmark would maybe be Phil Lesh ca. 1970, how about yours?

The preamp Chienmort mentioned was based on [url="http://sound.westhost.com/project27.htm"]ESP Project 27[/url], not all that different than the BBE Bmax or Bmax-T. In my experience the Alembic F2B or F1X models do cop the sound just a little better, especially the F2B. I owned an F2B for a little while but didn't really find it to offer much over my solid state one once I turned up though. I modded one channel of my F2B to actually be able to boost mids and the guy who bought it greatly preferred that channel by itself, even though my intent was to mix the two channels -- go figure.

In any case, I'd start with an 8 X 10, not a 2-by. For me a really robust 2-15 would do better, and there are at least a few relatively lightweight modern production ones that have the right vibe. I'd leave that alone until you sort everything else. IMHO, lots of power is going to be key, and I'd set 500 watts as the lowest workable figure if given modern solid state power amp sections. Best of luck getting what you want and need.

Edited by Passinwind
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[quote name='Ghost_Bass' timestamp='1435930674' post='2813749']
It's currently withdrawn from the market until September but the rack i had for sale with a Alembic F1-X (fender tone stack design) and a 1000W class-H KMT power amp looks like it could be the answer to your question. The sound i get from it fits your requirements and you have more than enough power to play anywhere. If you don't find one that fits you until then drop me a line when i get it back for sale ;)

[/quote]

Yep. Sorry to repeat myself. The F1-X into a sealed cab is the answer.

Or an answer at least. :)

Ideally, you'd want to power it through a valve power amp.

Edited by bigjohn
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Thanks all. Would love an 8x10, but am old and live in a first floor flat - would never get it up the stairs. Think you're right re. power and headroom. Plan to get a large PA power amp - cheap these days (that's what Trace did - combined a decent pre with PA power stage), use with the BBE and experiment with cab combinations. Phil Lesh 70s tone would do nicely.

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