Which Fender Bassman head and cab is this?

[OldGit]

When I were a lad, and this were all fields, I had one of these rigs
[attachment=49649:fen68bas...head_cab.jpg]

I'm toying with getting one again as it sounded lovely (or so I remember)
Can anyone identify exactly which models they are? Head and Cab.
It just says "Bassman Amp" on the head.

TIA
OG

Edited May 14, 2010 by OldGit

[BluRay]

My first amp head, back in the mid 80s, was just like that (or very similar), bought in a junk shop for next to nothing. I stupidly "upgraded" to something new and I've regretted it ever since. I think its known as a bassman silverface.

[OldGit]

Hi OG
[url="http://www.ampwares.com/amp.asp?id=28"]The head is a Bassman Amp Silverface[/url]
Model/Circuit Number: AA165, AB165, AA270, AA371, AA568, AC568, AA864
Years of Production: 1968 - 1983
Era: Silverface

50 or 70 watts.

On that web page is also a chart of the average price these sell for (in the USA)
EG 21 examples were spotted in April 2010 with an average selling price of $425

And the schematics ..

Sorry nothing on the cab so far.

OG

[OldGit]

Hi OG
Found a little somethijng about the Fender Bassman 50/70 - McCartney used on on the recordings for Let It Be and on the roof for the famous event. You can just about see it in this picture though not clearly enough to see if it's teh diagonal 2x15 or teh straight side by side version.


Good luck with your search.
OG

[OldGit]

Wow OldGit, Thanks for the info. Now do you have anything on talking to yourself? I'm a bit worried ...
Cheers,
OG



(or, in other words, do the simple research before asking for expert help, as I often tell people )

[cheddatom]

[OldGit]

[quote name='cheddatom' post='836987' date='May 14 2010, 11:06 AM'][/quote]


Thanks Tom .. Needed that

[Cat Burrito]

er, back on Planet Earth I have a Fender Bassman 135 head. It's a 1978 model. These ran from 76-83 and came in 3 sizes, the 135w being the loudest. I'd quite like the matching cab but I hear the heads are good (a great one trick pony, if you like what they do great, if not they ain't for you) but I've heard the cabs are a bit weak. Anyhow, some pics to share...

[OldGit]

[quote name='BurritoBass' post='837397' date='May 14 2010, 05:07 PM']er, back on Planet Earth I have a Fender Bassman 135 head. It's a 1978 model. These ran from 76-83 and came in 3 sizes, the 135w being the loudest. I'd quite like the matching cab but I hear the heads are good (a great one trick pony, if you like what they do great, if not they ain't for you) but I've heard the cabs are a bit weak. Anyhow, some pics to share...[/quote]


Cheers.
I think I know what the one I'm after is called now.
It's the silverface "bassman amp" (70 watt) and the "short" cabinet.

No idea where to find one though

[Cat Burrito]

The 70 was the smallest one. They ran from 1976-83 and the 100 was the middle one. They do crop up fairly often both here and on the Bay. Best of luck

[OldGit]

[quote name='BurritoBass' post='837404' date='May 14 2010, 05:13 PM']The 70 was the smallest one. They ran from 1976-83 and the 100 was the middle one. They do crop up fairly often both here and on the Bay. Best of luck[/quote]

There was a 50 watt too. "A great recoding guitar amp but not up to a band for bass". They say. Also tales of people running 8x10's from the 70 watt head "not loud but sounded fabulous"


I'll peel my eyes and look out for a 100 I think.

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

[quote name='OldGit' post='836840' date='May 14 2010, 03:42 AM']Can anyone identify exactly which models they are? Head and Cab.
It just says "Bassman Amp" on the head.[/quote]
[url="http://www.ampwares.com/"]http://www.ampwares.com/[/url]

[lemmywinks]

Spotted this on eBay the other day whilst looking for local pickup bargains:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Fender-Bassman-100-/170484850319?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_MusicalInstr_Amplifiers_RL&hash=item27b1b05e8f"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Fender-Bassman-100-/...=item27b1b05e8f[/url]

Similar? That's a 70s Bassman 100 but with a whopping 4x12

[OldGit]

[quote name='Bill Fitzmaurice' post='837448' date='May 14 2010, 06:04 PM'][url="http://www.ampwares.com/"]http://www.ampwares.com/[/url][/quote]


Ta Bill. I found that about 30 seconds after posting my first post, hence my visible internal dialogue

[OldGit]

[quote name='lemmywinks' post='837453' date='May 14 2010, 06:08 PM']Spotted this on eBay the other day whilst looking for local pickup bargains:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Fender-Bassman-100-/170484850319?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_MusicalInstr_Amplifiers_RL&hash=item27b1b05e8f"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Fender-Bassman-100-/...=item27b1b05e8f[/url]

Similar? That's a 70s Bassman 100 but with a whopping 4x12[/quote]

Spot on but for the cab ..

[Bassnut62]

I've had a '78 Bassman 135 for the last 10 years and it is a truly fantastic bass amp. When I bought I was strongly urged by various people to get the 3 EQ 135 amp as it has more headroom. The beuaty of this amp is that you can drive it very hard indeed and it still sounds so sweet.

If you really want it a bit more gritty, you can jump the two channels with a patch lead to use both sides od the pre-amp tubes.

I agree that the cabs are weak though. I have the vertical 2x15 cab loaded with some nice tight high end Emminence speakers. I completely rebuilt and strengthened the cab before reloading it. All the seams are now lined with extra wood and glued and screwed. The baffles are braced back to front across the waist of the cab too. Now it weighs a ton and sounds absolutely incredible.

This rig cost me not much more than £500 all in and nocks the crap out of everything going. I honestly mean it, it gives a truly great bass sound. Many unknown punters at gigs over the years have noticed how good the bass sounds and asked me how to get such a good full, warm, clear, punchy yet gentle and allround dynamic bass sound.

So my recommendation is pick up a Bassman 135 and an old cab and you will never look back, if you don't mind doing a bit of work on the cab.

Now I've got a Catalinbread SFT to drive the amp front end with too and this has opened up even more versatile and scrumptious crunchy tones.

Edited May 14, 2010 by Bassnut62

[OldGit]

Thanks for all the input
OG

[JTUK]

Cool as f*** but not sure how practical it would be if you want to gig it...underpowered by today's standards.
Didn't some of the cabs come with JBL's..?


I have a pr that came out of 4550 cabs..

[Bassnut62]

[quote name='JTUK' post='839714' date='May 17 2010, 12:53 PM']Cool as f*** but not sure how practical it would be if you want to gig it...underpowered by today's standards.
Didn't some of the cabs come with JBL's..?


I have a pr that came out of 4550 cabs..[/quote]

I guess you're right about being underpowered by today's standards; but who really ever uses 400 valve watts on stage?
I reckon 135 valave watts is equivalent to about 350 solid state watts.
Anyway I have never yet found my Bassman 135 to lack enough grunt to splatter brains when required and it always cuts through the mix even with two rock guitarists in my last band.

Re JBLs, I think you're right, a lot of Fender cabs did have JBLs at soem point. My 2x15 Bassman cab came unloaded. My first thought was JBLs, I tried them and they weren't that nice in this cab - a bit too harsh and sterile. The top-of-the-line Emminence speakers I went for sounded much much better. They have all the usual JBL clarity and definition, but also the warmth and bottom end of classic 70s bass tones.

So, yes ...... cool as f**k and sounds un-f**king-believable and a cheap-as-chips antique in the making!

[OldGit]

[quote name='Bassnut62' post='841021' date='May 18 2010, 03:58 PM']I guess you're right about being underpowered by today's standards; but who really ever uses 400 valve watts on stage?
I reckon 135 valave watts is equivalent to about 350 solid state watts.
Anyway I have never yet found my Bassman 135 to lack enough grunt to splatter brains when required and it always cuts through the mix even with two rock guitarists in my last band.

Re JBLs, I think you're right, a lot of Fender cabs did have JBLs at soem point. My 2x15 Bassman cab came unloaded. My first thought was JBLs, I tried them and they weren't that nice in this cab - a bit too harsh and sterile. The top-of-the-line Emminence speakers I went for sounded much much better. They have all the usual JBL clarity and definition, but also the warmth and bottom end of classic 70s bass tones.

So, yes ...... cool as f**k and sounds un-f**king-believable and a cheap-as-chips antique in the making![/quote]

He might have been referring to my orginal post where the picture is of a Bassman 50 or 70

Yup if this ever happens I'll be looking for the 135 as I'm used to having loads of headroom.
Wonder how it woud sound with my brace of Bergantino 1x12s ....
or could the little Fender cab be loaded with neo drivers (have to think of the ol' back thesedays...)

[JTUK]

Not sure how 135watts of Bassman power equates to SS watts... but I was thinking that poor speaker power
of the cabs of that time, anyway.

If the cabs have the original speakers, I think you'll have trouble, if they are more modern, then I doubt you will.
Even my JBL's are nomimally rated 150watts which is lame by todays standards.

[OldGit]

[quote name='JTUK' post='841071' date='May 18 2010, 04:25 PM']Not sure how 135watts of Bassman power equates to SS watts... but I was thinking that poor speaker power
of the cabs of that time, anyway.

If the cabs have the original speakers, I think you'll have trouble, if they are more modern, then I doubt you will.
Even my JBL's are nomimally rated 150watts which is lame by todays standards.[/quote]


Valve Amp watts are way louder than SS ones, in general ...
Good point.

Well it's all a bit theoretical right now

[Bassnut62]

yes, i see what you mean about under-powered vintage speakers. I bet you're right.
One thing is for sure though the old Bassman cabs are generally weak and definitely need strengthening to meet modern performance standards, otherwise they fart like a dog.

I do reckon the heads are top drawer just as they come. Before I had a 135 I did have a 70 for a while and that was a sweet head too; but the extra headroom of the 135 is definitely worth having and it comes with a mid control and deep and bright filters for the two channels.

[JTUK]

I would love a trad Bassman 135 amp...I'd probably run it with The Aguilar DB series of cabs in black unless I had the inclination to address whatever shortcoming a matched Fender vintage cab may have.

In fact, I think Aguilar should have a go at the Bassman series with Valve amps... maybe..??

Now, where can I get me a Bassman amp..???

[Bassnut62]

I know where there is one that needs to be released to someone that will love it.
It has the matching 2x15 cab too.
PM me and I'll let you know where.
NB. I don't own it and it doesn't belong to a friend either!

Good idea about Aguilar or anyone trying to recreate this amp / cab; but fully fit for modern usage.
It is a thoroughly underrated and unrecognised diamond; which IMO is a lot nicer to live with than its obvious rival - a big old Ampeg lump.


[quote name='JTUK' post='841667' date='May 19 2010, 08:03 AM']I would love a trad Bassman 135 amp...I'd probably run it with The Aguilar DB series of cabs in black unless I had the inclination to address whatever shortcoming a matched Fender vintage cab may have.

In fact, I think Aguilar should have a go at the Bassman series with Valve amps... maybe..??

Now, where can I get me a Bassman amp..???[/quote]