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Post subject: NAD...BANTAM BASS AMP Redux
Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2012 6:32 pm
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Well, it appears that Bantam Bass Amps are following me around. I found another 69 Bantam and just like my other one it needs a thorough clean up and a replacement of the Yamaha speaker...although this one was still working and while no Vintage Jensen, it didn't sound horrible...but I am chalking the tone up to the RCA Tubes it was packing!

So I will be making a new baffle over the next month or so and doing the clean up. Since I am going to be following the same process as my previous post I won't bore everyone with the details, but going with a 15 inch speaker again...unless I stumble on a couple nice 12 inch 16 ohm speakers of the right type.

My son will be assisting with this one too, and this time, I am going to let him do a bit more of the work. I will probably end up selling this one or using it to trade bait for a BF Bassman head once it is completed. Here is a couple "Before" pics. I will post the "After" pics once this gets cleaned up and re-assembled.
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T2

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Post subject: Re: NAD...BANTAM BASS AMP Redux
Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2012 11:15 pm
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Cool pickup! I'd wouldn't play that Yamaha speaker too long. The foam gets fragile and is difficult (read: impossible) to replace.


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Post subject: Re: NAD...BANTAM BASS AMP Redux
Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2012 11:48 pm
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A quartet of vintage C10R's would sound righteous in that thing.

8)

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: NAD...BANTAM BASS AMP Redux
Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 4:15 pm
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Beemer don't worry, that Yamaha has already been pulled! I did the tear down of it, and cleaned up some of the rust parts. Got the knobs all clean, they look great.

Since I have 1x10, 2x10, 1x15, and 4x10 configuration I am thinking of throwing in a pair of 12 inch 16 ohm Jensen reissues or maybe Webers in it, trying to keep costs down as my plan is to sell it but if I decide to keep it, I have something I don't have for now and the 2x12 configuration might make it more desirable. I will say this, this is a great platform...30 watts of 6L6 goodness, tube rectified, bassman style electronics, these are a well kept "Secret" in my opinion...and at least around here, they seem to pop up quite a bit for an amp that was only built in limited production for three years.

I have some time, still got to work pulling the grill cloth off the baffle frame tonight and do the clean up on that. I am going to cut out the baffle out this week sometime and put the frame around it first. Shopping CL and Ebay for a pair of 12s or a good 15, which ever comes up first is what I will go with, but kind of wanting to hold out for the 2x12s but keeping my options open for now.

It needs to go to my amp tech, I looked under the doghouse and those caps are original, so time for a cap job! One of these days I might take the plunge and do it myself if I can find a guy willing to do some over the shoulder OJT!

T2

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Post subject: Re: NAD...BANTAM BASS AMP Redux
Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2013 4:06 pm
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Well with a bit of advice and help from Arjay, I finished the Bantam today. Thanks for the assist especially on the tube chart! I ended up being able to re-use the grill cloth and went with two Jensen Reissue 12 inch speakers.

I hadn't liked anything I had heard from the jensens in any other amps I had heard, but since I got this one with the expectation of doing the refurb and then selling it, I thought why not try a set since some others like em, I went with the MOD's...I really like these speakers! They sound nice and tight, good crisp highs but not piercing, mids are sweet and the bass is nice and hefty! I do like the tone of these Bantams once you replace those Yamaha POS's.

I will take and post some pics in an update tomorrow...it has been a long day!

T2

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Post subject: Re: NAD...BANTAM BASS AMP Redux
Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2013 8:13 pm
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It's a good thing you had a decent reference photo of the tube chart from the other Bantam -- otherwise I wouldn't have had a clue as to its text or layout.

Rawk on!

8)

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: NAD...BANTAM BASS AMP Redux
Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 2:17 pm
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Here are the update photos. This one was not nearly as clean as my first one, but since the tolex was tear free I decided to keep it...although the paint splatter stripes on the top drive me nuts, it is a 69 so can't expect perfection.
Image
Here is my tube chart Arjay helped me with, came out pretty good. I didn't line it up perfect as the original tattered one wasn't. CBS at it's best :shock:
Image
And finally the newly made baffle and speakers. And yes, I did notice the missing baffle screw...went and looked on my workbench and there it was...don't ask me how I missed it :roll:
Image
All in all a fairly nice project that sounds fantastic. My son enjoyed the time together and was happy that he got to do some of the work. And now he says it is time to do a kit, maybe a pedal first and then a Champ type.
It still needs to head to the amp tech for a cap job/check up and some new tubes...the RCA's all around sound fantastic, but I will pull those as a spares for my BFSR!

T2

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Post subject: Re: NAD...BANTAM BASS AMP Redux
Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 7:00 pm
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That turned out pretty righteous, Tony!

8)

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: NAD...BANTAM BASS AMP Redux
Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2013 6:05 pm
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Retroverbial wrote:
That turned out pretty righteous, Tony!

8)

Arjay



Thanks Arjay...now if I could just find something that would take off the white paint splatter! Do you think something like Naptha would do it? It is flammable so not sure I want to try it. Thoughts? Or am I just better off leaving it alone?

T2

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Post subject: Re: NAD...BANTAM BASS AMP Redux
Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2013 6:49 pm
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Have you already tried Goo-Gone, Windex, Mr. Clean, and rest of the "usual suspects"?

Regards,
Roger

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Post subject: Re: NAD...BANTAM BASS AMP Redux
Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2013 7:08 pm
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Yep and even 409...I even thought about trying WD-40 I have heard it might work. Just trying to line up some more items to try.

T2

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Post subject: Re: NAD...BANTAM BASS AMP Redux
Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 5:58 am
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Looks great. The paint splatter won't keep me from buying it. I won't worry about it too much.

Great father/son project.

So how do these sound? Can you use a guitar with them or are they strictly a bass amp?


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Post subject: Re: NAD...BANTAM BASS AMP Redux
Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 4:56 pm
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phansford wrote:
Looks great. The paint splatter won't keep me from buying it. I won't worry about it too much.

Great father/son project.

So how do these sound? Can you use a guitar with them or are they strictly a bass amp?


These sound fantastic and work great for guitar. I think these are a very well kept secret and are great amps once you cut loose that Yamaha Speaker!

It is essentially a 30 watt, tube rectified amp based on the Bassman. I have another one that I refurbed with a 65 Jensen 15 inch Concert Speaker. They can be cranked for some nice distortion at about 5-6 on the volume and it also takes pedals quite well. They are more than loud enough to gig with too. It won't replace my BFSR, but when I go to jams or practice this is my go to amp!

FWIW

T2

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Post subject: Re: NAD...BANTAM BASS AMP Redux
Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 4:59 pm
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Have you tried jumpering the channels yet, Tony?

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: NAD...BANTAM BASS AMP Redux
Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 5:11 pm
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Not sure how to do this, I have always used one channel. Would this be plugging into input 1 on the clean channel and then running a cable into channel 2 number 1 input?

I have heard about this but never actually done it.

T2

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