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Post subject: Bassbreaker 45 Variable Wattage Issue
Posted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 9:28 am
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Hey all,

I was wondering if there are any Bassbreaker 45 head owners out there that have been having issues with their variable wattage functionality?

Essentially, I've had the amp for about a year and a half. When I first got it, like a couple months in, it lost its loudness. No matter if I had the knob at 1 watt or dimed all the way up, it was still super quiet with no audible change moving the knob. I ended up filing a warranty claim and the tech that worked on it discovered a bad piece in the works that he had to replace. Fast forward to last night at practice, same thing is happening. No matter where that knob is set, the amp is quiet. Same troubleshooting steps taken (plug right in without the pedalboard, different guitars, different cables etc.) so I think it's the same thing. Got a show on Thursday so I'm a bit grumpy about it since it's an hour and a half drive to the only dude in the region that's an authorized Fender-fixer and I don't have time to go through the process. I'm going to have an in town guy look at it and see what he can do and borrow an amp from somebody for the show but I feel like this happening twice is pretty unacceptable and am giving serious thought to trading it in for something else. I'm just not sure if this is a common occurrence with this model or if I just have a lemon. Otherwise, I've really liked the amp and it fits my playing style and band situation really well (noisy arty "punk" with no bass player). I just don't know that it's dependable anymore. We play shows pretty regularly and are plotting some touring situations and I'd hate for this to happen again. Anybody in the same boat with theirs?


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Post subject: Re: Bassbreaker 45 Variable Wattage Issue
Posted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 9:52 am
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Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2009 4:50 pm
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I don't own one myself so I have had no experience with your issue.
That being said I think you have answered most of your own questions yourself.
The important ones, anyway.
Well, one really.

You don't trust your amplifier to stay running long enough to get you through a show.
That's really all you need to know right there.

It's time to make a hard decision.
You bought an inexpensive, home-use, muckin'-around, non-critical amp and what you really need is a gig worthy reliable amp.
You need to understand first that non-toy amps cost more money.
The nasty people are going to blast me for the toy-amp comment but I stand by it regardless of their wailing and gnashing of teeth.

For the time being, since you have a gig coming up, I advise you look into a rental amp for the gig and possibly the foreseeable future while you ponder your options.

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Post subject: Re: Bassbreaker 45 Variable Wattage Issue
Posted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 10:04 am
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Haha I appreciate the real talk! I mean, it is tough because for me, even though it's a sub-$1000 amp, I didn't consider it to be cheap or for mucking around at home (my wife would murder me if I was playing through 45 tube watts at home), but I do understand your point completely. I can't do my job if my gear isn't doing its job right?


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Post subject: Re: Bassbreaker 45 Variable Wattage Issue
Posted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 10:15 am
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Location: ʎɹʇunoɔ ǝsoɹ pןıʍ
Exactly.

Check and see what the rental pricing and availability is on a '65 Deluxe Reverb Re-Issue in your area.
Give that one a try for your gig and see if you like the sound of it.
There are other options as well but the DRRI is kind of a one-size-fits-all amp and is a good place to start when moving into the conventional amplifier market.

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