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Post subject: Inherited Bassman amp
Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2014 2:55 pm
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My guitar-playing brother in law passed away last year, leaving 21 guitars and 7 amps to my wife. One of the amps is the venerable Bassman. I'm trying to date the amp. The tube chart doesn't have the 2-letter year and month code or any serial number written down. The top control panel has BM04493 stamped into the base plate, right under the fuse holder. Based on this number alone, the only information I can find is that this may be a 1960 manufactured amp, but the overall condition looks much newer. It has 4 Peavey Scorpion speakers. I haven't inspected the tubes for any clues of year or original parts.

Any idea of year for this beauty, or signs I can search for?

Thanks in advance.


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Post subject: Re: Inherited Bassman amp
Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2014 3:54 pm
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Welcome to Forum! :D

Can you post any photos? Thanks!


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Post subject: Re: Inherited Bassman amp
Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2014 4:25 pm
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You'll need to decipher the EIA codes stamped on the trannies, pots, and electrolytic caps to determine the amp's "birthday".

As mentioned, pics would be a big help.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Inherited Bassman amp
Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2014 6:23 pm
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Need some pics! Love to know what other inventory you acquired!

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Post subject: Re: Inherited Bassman amp
Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2014 6:57 am
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Check the fuse, sometimes it is not the good one and amp is not protected


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Post subject: Re: Inherited Bassman amp
Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2014 7:17 am
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bassmanamp wrote:
My guitar-playing brother in law passed away last year, leaving 21 guitars and 7 amps to my wife. One of the amps is the venerable Bassman. I'm trying to date the amp. The tube chart doesn't have the 2-letter year and month code or any serial number written down. The top control panel has BM04493 stamped into the base plate, right under the fuse holder. Based on this number alone, the only information I can find is that this may be a 1960 manufactured amp, but the overall condition looks much newer. It has 4 Peavey Scorpion speakers. I haven't inspected the tubes for any clues of year or original parts.

Any idea of year for this beauty, or signs I can search for?

Thanks in advance.


According to this

http://www.fender.com/support/articles/ ... ct-dating/

"BM" would not be a valid date code. "B" (the year) could be either 1952 or 1991. 1952 is not valid because the amp did not come out until 1953 coincident with the Precision Bass and it only had a single 15" speaker. 1991 could be valid as the 1959 Bassman Reissue was introduced in 1990 (It had four 10" Eminence speakers). However, "M" would not be a valid month code as it it the 13th letter of the alphabet and there are only 12 months in the year ("L" would be the last month code). Bottom line is we need photos, particularly of the amp guts.

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Post subject: Re: Inherited Bassman amp
Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2014 10:06 am
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Just an FYI:

To post a photo. Go to Photobucket.

1.) Click onto photo you wish to post. See "Links to Share The Photo" on the right side?

2.) Now, scroll your mouse (the computer's mouse :lol: ) over the IMG address window.

3.) Left click onto address window.

4.) It will say: "Copied"

5.) Now, paste the copied IMG address into the window of this Forum.

6.) So... this:

{URL=http://s1191.photobucket.com/user/BMW2002Ti/media/IMG_0397.jpg.html]{IMG}http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z461/BMW2002Ti/IMG_0397.jpg{/IMG}{/URL}


7.) Becomes this, when the { } that I placed into address line is kept as the original [ ]:


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Post subject: Re: Inherited Bassman amp
Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2014 10:14 am
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A sterling example of why alpine roofs were created.

Brrrr......!

:shock:

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Inherited Bassman amp
Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2014 10:38 am
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Thanks for the photo instructions. Here's a few pictures of the amp.

Image
Image
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Post subject: Re: Inherited Bassman amp
Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2014 10:41 am
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3 more pictures:

Image

Image

Image


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Post subject: Re: Inherited Bassman amp
Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2014 10:59 am
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Congrats! What a beauty!

What would be nice is to have photos of the serial numbers on the transformers. Unfortunately, you need to pull the chassis out of the cab to get to the irons. Also, any numbers on the pots may help ID the date of manufacturer. Speakers are definitely after-market items. If those were the original Jensens.... wow! Do you have them?

Some of the components look updated (resistors and filter caps). It'd be nice to see the main filter caps. You may need to replace those.

Boy, does that tolex & grille look nice. If it's a redone job, it was done well.

:mrgreen: :D :mrgreen:


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Post subject: Re: Inherited Bassman amp
Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2014 11:25 am
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The cab appears to be a repro from Mojotone or Rodgers. Under the hood pics seem to confirm it's an authentic 5G6-A chassis, albeit with some replaced/upgraded components.

Tranny numbers (if the iron remains original) will tell the tale......

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Inherited Bassman amp
Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2014 1:03 pm
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3 pics of the transformers.

The black component has no stamps or numbers.

The smaller brass covered component has two ID numbers stamped in the metal:
125C1A
606048

The larger aluminum covered component is ink stamped:
45249

No numbers on the aluminum covered component.


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Image

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Post subject: Re: Inherited Bassman amp
Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2014 1:18 pm
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I would date the amp as late 58/early 59 based on the presence pot configuration (last pot on the left with the big blue cap attached to it). In mid 59 and throughout 1960, the presence pot was changed to this configuration:

Image

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Post subject: Re: Inherited Bassman amp
Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2014 1:25 pm
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The choke dates to the 48th week of 1960 and the output tranny has the correct P/N for a 5F6-A. However, the latter looks much newer than what is commonly found in production tweed Bassmans -- almost as if it were a tranny for a 6G6 that had been re-stamped with a '50s-era part number.

Arjay

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