With apologies to
@Schmo for taking so long to commit to buying this
, I finally decided I was never going to see a better one - in fact I seriously doubt if there is a better one anywhere - and bought this lovely, near-completely-original '73 Fender Bassman 50. It's even got the original cover, which although a little tatty is more or less intact.
https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/251358/fs-fender-bassman-50-head-silverface-1973-74-800#latest
I'm happy calling it a '73 since the latest date code anywhere on it is the 48th week. That makes it almost exactly the same age as my Rickenbacker 4001, which was a (silly, but you know how it is!) factor in finally going for it... even though I had tried to convince myself that the last thing I need is an underpowered (for bass) vintage valve amp that's actually heavier than my modern 500W Class D 1x10" combo.
I've been repairing amps since 1986 and I've never seen another one this pristine - even though a similar amp would have only been 13 years old at the time. Remarkably, even though the filter caps are original and conventional wisdom says that at 50 years old they need changing, there's no sign of any problem - the amp doesn't hum or ghost, there's no leakage, and so I'm just going to leave them alone until I have to.
The only non-original parts I can see are the output valves, one preamp valve, one knob, and the back panel screws, and the chrome bezel ring from the pilot light and the cabinet anchors are missing. By a curious coincidence I already happen to have all of those - including a pair of Fender-logo'd 70s Sylvania 6L6s - apart from the chrome bezel, which I should be able to find one of somewhere.
The only serious problem is that I'm now going to need a cabinet - the original would have been a 2x15" the size of a Marshall 4x12", but they're too big and heavy, and a bit soggy-sounding, for me to want one. For now in the house I'm using an old Marshall 2x12" combo cab wired for 4 ohms, but I really need a proper 2x10" or 2x12" bass cab, or just possibly a 4x10" if I can find a light enough one...
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
Comments
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
Congratulations on what sounds like a definite 'meant to be' purchase
https://edmorgan.info
Really nice to meet up with you today Sir & stoked to see the amp going to such a knowledgeable & appreciative new owner.
Look forward to seeing you pairing it with a new matching cab, that will be a cool pic to come...
Enjoy...
It looks like a lovely amp
Feedback : https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/58125/
Cab-wise, maybe keep it in Scotland and give Modulus a shout?
As for "when am I ready?" You'll never be ready. It works in reverse, you become ready by doing it. - pmbomb
But the Modulus F-style 2x12" looks almost perfect. I've even got a set of the anchor bolts I could fit... @Modulus_Amps - would making the cab the same size but with the baffle cut for two 10s be an option?
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
Awesome score
There was a silver panel Twin in a local guitar shop a few months back - I daren't go back to see if he's still got it. Was hard enough to leave it be the first time.
Wrong.
It's absolutely incredible how only 50W can somehow be *that* loud - if anything it seemed to fill the room better than the Ampeg. OK, it's true that it was always slightly overdriven even when I was playing 'clean', but it didn't sound farty, the low-end was deep and solid, and the clarity between notes even when playing double-stops was quite remarkable. With fuzz it just got huge and brassy, and didn't sound overly compressed either, even though it was then fairly heavily overdriven. Not only that, the *tone* was really quite beautiful - and it's got just three knobs and one switch on each channel... no fancy sweepable mids or graphic EQ - just volume, bass, treble and a deep switch. Deep switch on, all controls at 6, and there it is - perfect classic bass tone.
It's utterly brilliant. Anyone who thinks that 'low powered' valve bass amps are out of date in a modern context - and I admit to being one of them before tonight - is wrong.
And I haven't even plugged a guitar into it yet.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein