Original 59 Fender Bassman - holy sh*t!

Moltisanti

For those of us who have never had the privilege to play a really old amp like this wound up to full tilt, you can hear what all the fuss is about here. It couldn't get any better than this, the dynamics are insane, from clean to roar with just your picking

jesone

Outrageous. Thanks for sharing that!!!

Alnico

Awesome.
Thanks for posting that.

hotpickups

Great. So glad he's wearing ear protectors

Freebird

Has it been "Kempered" yet? 

ICBM

They are really nice - I've played a couple of all-original old Bassmans too - there's something uniquely warm and rich about a good old amp which the reissues don't seem to quite capture, although a tweaked reissue with the right valves and speakers can sound very close.

They are loud, certainly - but not overpoweringly so even though you probably wouldn't be able to use one up full at most smaller gigs nowadays… none of that harshness which can make an amp sound louder than it is.

Lodious

Great. So glad he's wearing underpants

equalsql

Bloody bloody lovely that is.. Have a huge Wow on me.
I built a '57 Bandmaster clone a couple of years ago as close to vintage spec as I could get and I gotta say the original design Fender tweed amps are just ball achingly wonderful beasts.
As an aside, listening to the clip I realise just how close Boss got with their '59 Bassman pedal.

equalsql

Freebird said:

Has it been "Kempered" yet? 

This def needs to be Kempered @Freebird ;

Moltisanti

can you get that amount of crunch at sensible volumes or do you have to really wind it up ?

monquixote

Moltisanti said:

can you get that amount of crunch at sensible volumes or do you have to really wind it up ?

You see the ear defenders right?

Moltisanti

haha yeah! i always associate amps like this with crystal cleans, but that crunch is so good

Limehouse_Blues

Awesome. Pretty tasty axe too!

Alnico

equalsql said:

Bloody bloody lovely that is.. Have a huge Wow on me.
I built a '57 Bandmaster clone a couple of years ago as close to vintage spec as I could get and I gotta say the original design Fender tweed amps are just ball achingly wonderful beasts.
As an aside, listening to the clip I realise just how close Boss got with their '59 Bassman pedal.

I thought that about the Boss Pedal too.
I also thought what a Tit i was selling it !

IvisonGuitars

Shit the bed.

thomasross20

Woah, that is a responsive amp!

shaunm

I think it's fair to say, that sound is what most of us want. It's what most amp manufacturers say they deliver but when you hear that it's apparent how far a lot of them are away. 

What a sublime sound.

nocasternoproblem

Holy fuck.  Thanks for posting this..I think! 

Sassafras

Would've been nice if he'd played a Strat or a Tele through it.
I can't stand Les Pauls.
Nice amp though.

Moltisanti

i think there's a follow up vid coming on a strat

IvisonGuitars

ICBM said:

They are really nice - I've played a couple of all-original old Bassmans too - there's something uniquely warm and rich about a good old amp which the reissues don't seem to quite capture, although a tweaked reissue with the right valves and speakers can sound very close.

They are loud, certainly - but not overpoweringly so even though you probably wouldn't be able to use one up full at most smaller gigs nowadays… none of that harshness which can make an amp sound louder than it is.

This is interesting @ICBM, what tweaks get the reissue closer? Any major surgery?