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Post subject: So how much of a difference is there between a SF Bassman an
Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2010 1:53 pm
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Ok, I've been sold some stuff and seen two great deals of which I can only take up on one.

Seen a early 1970's (71-73) Bassman 70 (70watt I think?) with 2x 15inch cab

or

a 1974 SF Twin reverb 100w 2x12.

My only experience with Fender is a HRD, so im looking for a step up in the clean tone. I've googled this question but not much comparison between then two came up, and there both very far from me to just go try out. I'm not trying to start a vs thread, just information between the two, from whomever has experience with one or both of them.

I mainly play blues ( mainly clean or with a little drive from pedals), I usually would play the rock classical 80's stuff on my JCM 800 (which I wont sell to buy both just incase anyone was thinking it :P). So pretty much Im looking for the clean quality between the two. Wont be gigging or anything, mainly for house use (which can take a reasonable amount of volume). I hear the Bassman is the top dog, but lacks any reverb, and a twin is right up there, but has that classic reverb.

Any help please? :)


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Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2010 2:14 pm
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Clean tone the Twin. I have a 76. The downside is 100 watts is way too much power for small to medium stages. The Twin is really heavy too. They should sell them with a truss.

The Bassman's not as clean but I really sweet sounding amp. I don't like the SF Bassman as much as other versions. 70 watts is really loud too. I'd look for either a BF or SF Deluxe Reverb.


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Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 5:21 pm
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+1 on Supro's comments; for non-gigging, both are going to be very very loud, if not too loud, for home use.

On Bassmans, the circuit changed considerably throughout its life from starting as a tweed bass amp, through blackface and then silverface.

A Deluxe Reverb or even a Princeton Reverb will get you that Fender clean sound, great Fender tube-driven reverb at levels that won't get you evicted (the JCM800 can do that). Plus as Supro mentioned, you don't need a truss for lifting either of them.

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Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 7:03 pm
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Yeah Az, you can trust the advice of both Supro and Ned, they have the experience of working in bands with a lot of different amps. But I like the idea of a Twin Reverb and JCM800 as complimentary amps, especially if you are running EL34's in the Marshall. My experience has been playing rhythm on a Twin Reverb, in a blues pick-up band, with a lead guitarist on a 50watt JCM800 half stack. Seems to me they matched up really well, so I think you could move from one to the other quite easily. The Yin and Yang thing with amps, you know what I mean? As a tech and player, I surely like those JCM800's, great amps! And welcome to the forum. Art

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Post subject: Re: So how much of a difference is there between a SF Bassma
Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2010 10:04 pm
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Azaril000 wrote:
Ok, I've been sold some stuff and seen two great deals of which I can only take up on one.

Seen a early 1970's (71-73) Bassman 70 (70watt I think?) with 2x 15inch cab

or

a 1974 SF Twin reverb 100w 2x12.

My only experience with Fender is a HRD, so im looking for a step up in the clean tone. I've googled this question but not much comparison between then two came up, and there both very far from me to just go try out. I'm not trying to start a vs thread, just information between the two, from whomever has experience with one or both of them.

I mainly play blues ( mainly clean or with a little drive from pedals), I usually would play the rock classical 80's stuff on my JCM 800 (which I wont sell to buy both just incase anyone was thinking it :P). So pretty much Im looking for the clean quality between the two. Wont be gigging or anything, mainly for house use (which can take a reasonable amount of volume). I hear the Bassman is the top dog, but lacks any reverb, and a twin is right up there, but has that classic reverb.

Any help please? :)


The Bassman 70 was not in production until 1977.

The amp you've mentioned above is a Bassman 50 (see photo). This 50-watt silverfaced piggyback was made between 1972 and 1976.

Image

Below you'll find an exquisite example of a Bassman 70. Notice the "scripted tailless" decal on the left side of the grill. This one was manufactured during the first year of production.


Image

1976 was the first year of the so-called "scripted tailless" period, which also marked the transition from the blue sparkle grilles to the silver/orange sparkle grill clothing.

For more details and info about the silverface Bassman amps, click here:

http://ampwares.com/amp.asp?id=28

Super Bassman, Bassman 100 and Bassman 135, click on the link below:

http://ampwares.com/amp.asp?id=29

Hope this information helps!


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Posted: Wed Mar 17, 2010 7:24 pm
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Posted: Wed Mar 17, 2010 7:27 pm
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Posted: Wed Mar 17, 2010 11:11 pm
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I used a (66 I believe) Bassman 50 and on the plus side, it had a great blues sound. Very warm, touch of mud, not very much breakup even running at full volume. On the minus side, 50W in a bass amp design got lost very quickly in a bigger room.

In a room the size of a typical school gym, the general comment was that I couldn't be heard unless you were standing very close. Used for bass (when I did that), it was only effective in small jazz clubs.

I used a 2 X 12 cab and I have to wonder if 2 X 15 would be a bit deep for guitar, especially if you're going for a lot of current sounds. I have a 2 X 15 (with a 1983 Bassman 135W) and I don't think the sound is as crisp for guitar as either my 2 X 20 Super 210 or the Band Master VM 2 X 12 I just got..

I also used Twins enough times back then to say that they're VERY loud and stay clean up to high volumes. While I tended to like the warmer sound of the Bassman (personal preference), a Twin would be the better choice unless you're only playing small rooms.

(Or mic'ing of course, and then take your choice.)

So unless you're going for a vintage blues or early classic rock sound, I too would go with the Twin.


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Posted: Wed Mar 17, 2010 11:55 pm
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philip602 wrote:
I used a (66 I believe) Bassman 50 and on the plus side, it had a great blues sound. Very warm, touch of mud, not very much breakup even running at full volume. On the minus side, 50W in a bass amp design got lost very quickly in a bigger room.

In a room the size of a typical school gym, the general comment was that I couldn't be heard unless you were standing very close. Used for bass (when I did that), it was only effective in small jazz clubs.

I used a 2 X 12 cab and I have to wonder if 2 X 15 would be a bit deep for guitar, especially if you're going for a lot of current sounds. I have a 2 X 15 (with a 1983 Bassman 135W) and I don't think the sound is as crisp for guitar as either my 2 X 20 Super 210 or the Band Master VM 2 X 12 I just got..

I also used Twins enough times back then to say that they're VERY loud and stay clean up to high volumes. While I tended to like the warmer sound of the Bassman (personal preference), a Twin would be the better choice unless you're only playing small rooms.

(Or mic'ing of course, and then take your choice.)

So unless you're going for a vintage blues or early classic rock sound, I too would go with the Twin.


The blackface Bassman (manufactured between 1963 and 1967) had 45 watts.

Silverface Bassmen produced between 1968 and 1971 were also available with 45 watts. CBS increased the power from 45 to 50 watts in 1972. The change from 50 to 70 watts occurred in the mid 1970s.

I'm very very curious about the strange-looking silverface PA-100 and PA-135 piggyback heads.

These 4-channel tone monsters were indeed made during the 1970s, but I'm unable to determine their exact manufacturing date.

I was searching for some detailed information about the silverface PAs on the Fender Amp Field Guide, but I've found nothing.


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Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 11:02 am
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Pretty much an ultralinear Twin with low-impedance mic inputs.

Some more info here and you could call Rich:

http://newsgroups.derkeiler.com/Archive ... 00554.html

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