Washington could be heard on radio one houston stations, majic 102. Fender tweed bassman style transformers by classictone. Faceplate design, amp build and photos by david jones. This circuit is mostly the original 5f6a 59 tweed bassman. Its essentially the thencurrent bassman head two 6l6 power tubes, normal and bass channels, etc. Marshall would be the first to do so back when they released. Mods for reissue fender tweed bassmans carls custom amps. Kendrick 2410 5f6a bassman 2016 lacquered tweed reverb.
Plus, an original will always be a service problem because it is 56 years old. Im currently gigging with a 30 watt, 6v6 powered, cathode bias head that is kind of a doubletweeddeluxe, and how tight the bottom end sounds is almost completely a product of the speaker cabinet i. Fender 59 bassman ltd 45w 4x10 buizen gitaarversterker combo. And the 57 custom champ, plus a 57 bandmaster, a 53 bassman. The cpc40t is my version of the legendary 5f6a tweed bassman.
Gibson ga50 restored by armadillo amp works next fender amplifier cabinet restoration is a tweed pro that has been restored to original. Nov 16, 2010 i was recently given an early70s fender bassman 10 by a dear friend of mine who said he couldnt get it to overdrive. I only have two tube stages, so id use an irf820 mosfet for the cathode follower. I wonder if anyone in that shop had ever heard a real tweed bassman. Also maybe roll back the tone control on the bridge pickup just a tiny bit. Today, were going to take a quick look at one of their more iconic early lines, the tweed series. Using the pedals with the bassman i enjoyed them again so much even though the pedals are just boss a bd2 and other cheap stuff every pedal, in particular the ds1, blue box and even bd2, had so much more shades slight changes made a huge difference in tone and ive used settings i never used with a twin. I use an unshakably strong glass fiber turret board that maintains point to point wiring. Im thinking that maybe ill convert this channel to the 5f6 bassman preamp circuit. It sounds fantastic, and takes pedals incredibly well. However, an early tweed bassman is somewhat akin to a jtm45, while the later bfs especially when modded are more like a hot plexi and honestly better sounding than one. One of the most lauded and influential amps of any sort, for nearly 70 years it has been the goto for players seeking. Tweed bassman sound and clarity in a smaller, lighter amp.
If you plan on working on, or building a tweed bassman, there are a few things that you might want to know. It is the raw sound of days gone by, with modern reliability. The fender has been reissuing the 5f8a 4x 10 tweed bassman for quite some time now and its one of fender better amps but it does not sound that much like a original bassman. Things changed very quickly, however, as the tubes used in the old bassman werent readily available in the uk, so they switched to kt66. Stream tracks and playlists from bassman4 on your desktop or mobile device. Whenever a discussion turns to how the circuit for the first jtm45 was lifted nearly point for point from that of fenders 5f6a bassman combo, it seems theres always a caveat about how it ended up. Rg keens website is what started this thought, but it might be cool to have a bassman that covers the tweed and blackface sounds. The telequipment d61a is a good, basic oscilloscope. Tweed deluxe tweed bassman tweed bandmaster sterling family contact us yes, this is that bassman this is the bassman sound that you know well. Keep in mind throughout this lesson that fender is in business to make money, and the bottom line is a. These are all time classic amps and are destined to become highly priced museum pieces.
During this time i have discovered that one of the holy grail of amps is the 1959 tweed bassman. The oftentold story of marshalls birth as a recreation of the tweed fender bassman rarely includes mention of this rendition of the jtm45. A retweeded 1959 fender tweed bassman first sounds youtube. It does has a very limited bandwidth of 10meg, really making it useless for anything but audio work. Paper layer wound output transformer like originals for that ultimate tone. The actual tweed guitar amps were known by other names, like bassman, champ and princeton. I use heyboer transformers built true to the original specs with paper bobbins and interleave windings. Im a big fan of the 1950s fender tweed amps and the 5f6a bassman is a legendary amp that was copied by marshall and became the foundation of that companys amp lineup.
Listen to bassman4 soundcloud is an audio platform that lets you listen to what you love and share the sounds you create calgary. Have not tried a 3x10 tweed bandmaster a legendary but very hard to find and very expensive amp. But, i have found a company that makes a kit that you can build with the same circuit and cabinet design that fender used all. Besides being a popular and important amplifier in its own right, the bassman also became the foundation on which. Fender bassman ten 50watt 4x10 vintage silverface guitar.
Fender amplifiers are world renounced for their highquality components and amazing tone. Its loud enough to play at most clubs and it great for a player for which touch sensitivity and awesome 50s tone is key. Genuine lacquered tweed with striped oxblood grille cloth covering. Houston radio legend, robert bassman washington dead at. Transformers should always be installed by a professional electronics technician since there are high voltages involved and may result in serious physical harm to yourself, the transformer andor your equipment if installed incorrectly. Shop for vinyl, cds and more from pete bassman at the discogs marketplace. The bassman is a clean amp at low volumes and when cranked boasts a creamy overdrive, its no wonder why its everyones favorite iconic amp. Im currently gigging with a 30 watt, 6v6 powered, cathode bias head that is kind of a double tweed deluxe, and how tight the bottom end sounds is almost completely a product of the speaker cabinet i. Input channels are wired in phase so you can plug into both inputs at the same time for.
Buy catalinbread formula 5f6 tweed bassman overdrive guitar effects. S standard stratocaster into a fender tweed 59 bassman from a. The fender bassman is a bass amplifier introduced by fender during 1952. Beefing up the capacitor filtering on a tweed bassman for more. Aug 30, 2007 using the bassman 50, this combination has a nice sound, with a little more bottom than the bassman ten, yet still tight and clear. For my purposes, however, it does an excellent job. Fender 59 bassman combo guitar amplifier tweed perth mega. I used an almost exact copy of the bassmans bright hi preamp channel and long tail pair. Tweed was an is a generic term, used not as an actual product name, but as a description of the rough cloth covering that gave the amps their unique aesthetic.
Fender output transformer, super reverb, bassman, concert, 4. Holmsies amp is a blonde 1963 model, with the 6g6b circuit. Fender vintage reissue 59 bassman ltd 4x10 guitar combo. In the 1950s, the bassman was perfect for amplifying that new. The bassman 10 is not the same as the openback tweed bassman amps guitar players love. Brian setzer is the most famous proponent of the 63 bassman, having two on stage at all times, as a key component of his rockabilly tone. Output increased to 70 watts when cbs switched to an ultralinear output transformer. Therefore, you shouldnt be paying outrageous prices for this unit. In other words, it was pretty much a dead ringer for a tweed deluxe, though with the volume and tight, focused bottom end of a 410 speaker array. This circuit was featured in the 4 x 10 tweed bassman amplifier combos manufactured by the fender electric instrument company from 1957 1959, and is. Fender bassman problem fender stratocaster guitar forum. Yes it is a completely different amp, the only real similarity being the 4x10 speaker configuration but if youre interested in fenders i think the 70s silverface models are probably the best value on the market and. About a year ago i set out to find a vintage tweed bassman, but after a few months of searching ended up with a 70s super reverb.
Fender amplifier cabinet restoration by armadillo amp works. The bassman ri is a very, very bright amp, and stays clean for a while, especially with single coils. Fender collection 2 for iphone or ipad comes with classic tweed amp models from. The tone stack was a bit different, so they were a bit dirtier. Legendary fender bassman the tweed covered fender bassman is considered by many to be the epitome of tone, and every current tube amplifier myth revolves around this amplifier. Aug 24, 20 ever since i have been involved in electronics i never once built an electronic kit of any sorts. He said hed lose money trying to sell it and hed rather give it to someone who would use it.
Im hoping that this latest rig will be a good compromise between the big, bassy eden 15 cab and the bassman tens undersized box, providing good note definition but enough bottom to sound like a bass. The 10 inch, 30 watt weber 10a125 alnico is my favorite for a 4x10 or 2x10 bassman cab. The reissue bassmans wide stage coverage, touchsensitive dynamics and full frequency swirl make it perfect for building great tone with almost any guitar or. Get that classic fender bassman tone from this vintage reissue. The tweed 59 bassman influenced many amp builders to replicate or to improve the circuit in there own way. A tweed super doesnt sound anything more like a bassman than a vibrolux reverb sounds like a super reverb. Of late i have been dabbling in tube guitar amp repairmodding with my good friend kris and discovering how great older tube fender amps can sound.
You are correct a 1965 bf bassman should be the ab165 or aa864 circuit, while the original marshalls were based off the old tweed 5f6a bassman. From the early tube amps that created what we now know as american tone to the modern versions that remain in heavy use today, fender amps are an integral part of rock history. Bassman 10s produced between late 1980 and 1982 have a black control panel and black white silver grill cloth. Brown forward facing w white labels, controls numbered 1 10 knobs. The reissue bassmans wide stage coverage, touchsensitive dynamics and fullfrequency swirl make it perfect for building great tone with almost any guitar or. Admittedly, they sound great for guitar, but lets back up a little and see as. It is brighter and harsher sounding and the overdrive is not the same. It is a great general purpose upgrade for super reverb, concert and many bassman style amplifiers since it offers the best available grain oriented m6 steel for cool running and high performance, offers the multiple impedances of 4816 ohms and has the correct, offset and raised mountings. One of the most lauded and influential amps of any sort, for nearly 70. Headstrong amps is a boutique guitar amp company specializing in point to point hand wired blackface and tweed fender style tube guitar amplifiers headstrong amps also designs, restores and repairs vintage fender tube amplifiers. Marshall would be the first to do so back when they released the jtm45 in 62.
Fender bassman 59 reissue settings gretschtalk forum. The third edition extends the heritage of the fender bassman 5f6a by examining the modifications marshall incorporated into its famous bluesbreaker combo and plexi amplifiers. Headstrong amplifiers hand wired tweed and blackface. Testing some warm guitar tones for new live projects and recording purposes playing my 91 u. The silverface fender bassman amp from the 1970s has a great reputation as an affordable, vintage tube rig. Van oorsprong een basversterker, maar populair bij vele rock, country en. The tweed covered fender bassman is considered by many to be the epitome of tone, and every current tube amplifier myth revolves around this amplifier. While each instance or variation of the bassman design is slightly different, most have a classic sound that is recognizably bassman. Aug 10, 2014 three speakers have been reconed, one has the original cone. Input channels are wired in phase so you can plug into both inputs at the same time for endless possibilities of clean, crunch, and high gain tones. I explain a few safety measures i take when checking out an amp for the first time. If you have an original tweed bassman, dont touch it unless its broken.
The straightforward fender 59 bassman outperforms most of the fancy amps on the market today. Admittedly, they sound great for guitar, but lets back up a little and see as fender makes a bass amplifier. I am somewhat familiar with getting the bias current for a marshall, but am new to bias a fender amp like the bassman. With a tele and that amp things can get really bright and piercing, so really, really watch the treble control, and keep it set low.
The bassman bias voltage is set as high as possible again. At 40 watts its great mid powered amp for blues, rockabilly, rock and roll and classic rock players. If they could have just one amplifier, many guitarists from barroom grinders to arena megastars would choose a fender bassman. A multi turn 50k trim pot and a 33k resistor in series, replacing the fixed bias resistor on the bassman circuit board. I told him it was never designed to overdriveit was built to stay clean. Unfollow fender bassman to stop getting updates on your ebay feed.
Robert bassman washington, a beloved radio personality and houston legend passed away at the age of 48 on sunday, dec. The bassman channel sounds like a bassman through a 12inch along with the drawbacks of the current drri type amps they generally lack the warmth of the hand wired ones. I built a 5f6a head amp and its the sweetest sounding amp ive ever heard so i decided to design a micro version of the bassman. Three speakers have been reconed, one has the original cone. Who knew the bassman could out marshall a marshall. This 61 bassman headandcab in blond tolex marked a major change of format, but is also an enduring classic. I have a pretty accurate boutique tweed bassman copy.
It was indeed designed to be a bass amp in the early 70s. They give each of these amps a completely different sound, unique dynamics, and a separate place in history. Restoring a vintage amp does not mean replacing all the parts. The truth about vintage amps skip simmons amp repair.
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