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Post subject: '59 Bassman Re-issue LTD recommendations/non-recommendations
Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2012 7:34 pm
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I've got a DRRI that I bought back in November (and absolutely love) but I've recently gotten the opportunity to purchase a used 2008 Bassman LTD Re-issue and am considering it as a compliment to my DRRI. At times we play some larger venues were the extra wattage of the Bassman would be nice to have, and it would be nice to be able to have the tweed tone of the Bassman as well as the classic black face DRRI tone.

I've never owned a Bassman or known anyone who has for that matter and am looking for opinions on them from folks who've actually owned (or own) one. The one that I have to opportunity to buy is a 2008 model, it's in absolutely mint condition - only played in bedrooms, not gigged with, and the guy is asking $850 for it.

Any advice, opinions, etc. would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

-Darryl

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Post subject: Re: '59 Bassman Re-issue LTD recommendations/non-recommendat
Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2012 8:01 pm
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Buy it. Put an NOS 12AY7 in V1 and nice tubes of your choice in the other locations. I like JJ 12AX7s, 6L6GCs, and 5AR4. Bias it as close to 70% as you can. It won't sound like an original 1959 5F6A Bassman, but it will sound good. :D

I built my own:

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=65668

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Last edited by bluesky636 on Sun Jul 15, 2012 9:21 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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Post subject: Re: '59 Bassman Re-issue LTD recommendations/non-recommendat
Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2012 8:10 pm
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Its a different animal that the DRRI but a fantastic amp. I don,t have the LTD model mine is a 1990 RI but it is one that I will not sell. 850,s not a bad price. They breakup nice and you can get some serious tone from them.
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Post subject: Re: '59 Bassman Re-issue LTD recommendations/non-recommendat
Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2012 10:24 am
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:D

Fantastic Amp ! I love mine.It is simple,it is not hard to get a good tone out of this amp and sounds good with single coils or humbuckers. And certainly moves some air! It is pedal friendly! I rember the day I first heard a Bassman and I had to get one.It is the one amp that I do not want to part with and would not hesitate to replace if I had to. It would go great with your Reverb.

Good luck


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Post subject: Re: '59 Bassman Re-issue LTD recommendations/non-recommendat
Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2012 2:20 pm
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Thanks guys. I'm going to go check it out in person tonight and if it's everything the guy says it is, I'm going to get it. I'll let you all know how it goes.

Thanks again.

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Post subject: Re: '59 Bassman Re-issue LTD recommendations/non-recommendat
Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2012 3:28 pm
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They are great sounding amps!

Will be my next amp as well. :wink:

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Post subject: Re: '59 Bassman Re-issue LTD recommendations/non-recommendat
Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2012 7:02 pm
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:evil:
Well, after driving 1 and 1/2 hours (each way) and wasting quite a lot of fuel to check out the amp, I am rather angry. The amp the guy showed me did not in any way even remotely resemble the amp in the pictures he e-mailed me.

The only thing similar to the pictured amp was the fact that the one he showed me was indeed a '59 Bassman LTD. However, it was not "mint" by any definition of the word. The one in the pictures looked pretty much brand new. The one I was shown had about a 9 inch long diagonal tear across the grill cloth, numerous tears and rips in the tweed covering, two or three cigarette burns in the top and to top it all off - it didn't even work. When he tried turning it on.....nothing.

In all it was a massive waste of my time and gas. Guess I'm going to have to go with a new one. Anybody have any advice on any other similar amps in the same price range? I've heard lots of good stuff about Egnator.

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Post subject: Re: '59 Bassman Re-issue LTD recommendations/non-recommendat
Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2012 7:18 pm
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I would go try a Blues Deluxe. They sound awsome. If you ever want to play on a Bassman let me know Im not to far from you. I live in Delmont


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Post subject: Re: '59 Bassman Re-issue LTD recommendations/non-recommendat
Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2012 7:49 pm
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tbazzone wrote:
I would go try a Blues Deluxe. They sound awsome. If you ever want to play on a Bassman let me know Im not to far from you. I live in Delmont

I own a BDRI w/ matching extension cab and agree it is a great sounding amp. But, there is a world of difference IMO between its sound and a Bassman. It does have the extra volume beyond the DRRI, but not the "growl" or grind of the Bassman.
Try 'em both to see which appeals to you. There's a GC not all that far from you.

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Post subject: Re: '59 Bassman Re-issue LTD recommendations/non-recommendat
Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2012 9:15 pm
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Darryl_H wrote:
:evil:
Well, after driving 1 and 1/2 hours (each way) and wasting quite a lot of fuel to check out the amp, I am rather angry. The amp the guy showed me did not in any way even remotely resemble the amp in the pictures he e-mailed me.

The only thing similar to the pictured amp was the fact that the one he showed me was indeed a '59 Bassman LTD. However, it was not "mint" by any definition of the word. The one in the pictures looked pretty much brand new. The one I was shown had about a 9 inch long diagonal tear across the grill cloth, numerous tears and rips in the tweed covering, two or three cigarette burns in the top and to top it all off - it didn't even work. When he tried turning it on.....nothing.

In all it was a massive waste of my time and gas. Guess I'm going to have to go with a new one. Anybody have any advice on any other similar amps in the same price range? I've heard lots of good stuff about Egnator.


Man, that sucks. Really sorry to hear that. I have a BDRI as well as the 5F6A clone I built. The BDRI sounds nothing like a Bassman. I have my BDRI set up for use with Humbucker equipped guitars and my 5F6A set up for my Fenders. Very different sounding.

Check out the link I posted in my earlier response. It details my build of my 5F6A clone. Better than the 59 LTD Reissue in my opinion. It was not that hard to build, but it was time consuming. Something you might want to consider if you have any experience with a soldering iron.

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Post subject: Re: '59 Bassman Re-issue LTD recommendations/non-recommendat
Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 2:55 pm
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Stopped at Guitar Center today. They didn't have any Bassman's but I did get to try out a Blues Deluxe, Blues Deville and an Egnator Tweaker 40. The Blues Deville and Deluxe sounded good to me but, well neither of them sounded like a Bassman to me. The Egnator didn't sound much like a Bassman either, but I've got to admit, it seemed like a cool little amp with loads of versatility. So I guess I'm going to have to continue on in my search.

Making my own is definitely out - I have zero skill with a soldering iron (or even a regular iron for that matter). Sounds like it be a neat project, but I'm quite certain I'd end up electrocuting myself.

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Post subject: Re: '59 Bassman Re-issue LTD recommendations/non-recommendat
Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2012 7:29 pm
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Well after trying out an extensive selection of amplifiers over the past week (the list I've tried include Fender, Marshall, Mesa/Boogie, Egnator, Blackstar and Two-Rock) I've come to the conclusion that, to my ears, nothing out there sounded as good as my 65 DRRI to me. I suppose for the bigger venues, I'm just going to put a mic in front of it and go from there.

On a different note, I did play one of the PRS Santana SE guitars and was really impressed. I'm not really into imported guitars but this one seemed really well built (in fact better built than many of the Gibson's hanging on the wall for three times the price).

All told, I guess that the Deluxe Reverb is the amp for me. Everything else I tried sounded "less than" it.

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Post subject: Re: '59 Bassman Re-issue LTD recommendations/non-recommendat
Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2012 7:44 pm
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Did you try the Super Reverb


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Post subject: Re: '59 Bassman Re-issue LTD recommendations/non-recommendat
Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2012 7:02 am
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:) Glad to here your opinions.Boutique is not always best.I had a Super a few years ago and if you can find one it is defineatly worth a try. It is a pretty clean amp until you turn the volume up high to to get that great tone. If you really like the 65 you may like the Super as other members have suggested.


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