Fender Bassman's - Pedal platform specialty ?

[griff10672]

The only Fender I have ever owned was a early 70's Twin back in the late 80's ...
I need a solid pedal platform amp .... it's going to be mainly to test boosts , drives and distortions
I've seen / heard some great vids with the Bassman ..... and I've seen / heard it mentioned a million times as being a great pedal platform amp .
are there ones to look out for ? not to buy ? to buy ?

 

[LPMojoGL]

Hard to go wrong with a bf-70 sf. One of the best sounds I had was a ts into a sf bassman. Absolutely killed the Bogner Shiva, same day. Killllled it. Sold the Shiva that week.

 

[JackBootedThug]

The only Fender I have ever owned was a early 70's Twin back in the late 80's ...
I need a solid pedal platform amp .... it's going to be mainly to test boosts , drives and distortions
I've seen / heard some great vids with the Bassman ..... and I've seen / heard it mentioned a million times as being a great pedal platform amp .
are there ones to look out for ? not to buy ? to buy ?

I would say the silver face 135….they are just loud and clean versus the standard version. I don’t think they would color the tone. Think it’s the 135….

 

[griff10672]

Hard to go wrong with a bf-70 sf. One of the best sounds I had was a ts into a sf bassman. Absolutely killed the Bogner Shiva, same day. Killllled it. Sold the Shiva that week.

could you elaborate on which model you mentioned .... ??? GC has a few 70's but I wouldn't know the difference between any of them .

 

[LPMojoGL]

could you elaborate on which model you mentioned .... ??? GC has a few 70's but I wouldn't know the difference between any of them .

Mine had 69 parts, sold January 70. Brown turd caps that are supposed to be bad. Don't know the actual circuit. Honestly don't think it matters as much as folks say. It rocked. Had to be loud tho.

 

[Bxlxaxkxe]

The AB165 is the circuit that’s supposed to have some nice overdrive when cranked. I had the prior circuit, AA165, it was a nice amp. Pre- CBS so not super cheap. Surprising amount of midrange content. Took pedals really nicely.

I honestly feel like the low input of a 2204/2203 is an even better pedal platform- more open/wide for my tastes

 

[griff10672]

The AB165 is the circuit that’s supposed to have some nice overdrive when cranked. I had the prior circuit, AA165, it was a nice amp. Pre- CBS so not super cheap. Surprising amount of midrange content. Took pedals really nicely.

I honestly feel like the low input of a 2204/2203 is an even better pedal platform- more open/wide for my tastes

The AB165 is the circuit that’s supposed to have some nice overdrive when cranked. I had the prior circuit, AA165, it was a nice amp. Pre- CBS so not super cheap. Surprising amount of midrange content. Took pedals really nicely.

I honestly feel like the low input of a 2204/2203 is an even better pedal platform- more open/wide for my tastes

well crap ...... I've got a 2204 sitting right here .....

 

[Bxlxaxkxe]

well crap ...... I've got a 2204 sitting right here .....

Don’t let me talk you out of acquiring more amps ?

Just for my tastes, I realized the low input on my 2204 was more satisfying. Dime the gain and keep the bass knob pretty low.

 

[griff10672]

Don’t let me talk you out of acquiring more amps ?

Just for my tastes, I realized the low input on my 2204 was more satisfying. Dime the gain and keep the bass knob pretty low.

I was going to mention " there goes my excuse to buy another head " lol

wait a minute ...... are you Blake Mansfield ??

 

[Bxlxaxkxe]

I was going to mention " there goes my excuse to buy another head " lol

wait a minute ...... are you Blake Mansfield ??

Yes sir.

Maybe an early 70s silver face AB165 on the cheap would be worth trying out. It’s funny because they really aren’t that mid scooped fender sound you would expect- hefty mids are what make it take pedals so well.

 

[JackBootedThug]

Yes sir.

Maybe an early 70s silver face AB165 on the cheap would be worth trying out. It’s funny because they really aren’t that mid scooped fender sound you would expect- hefty mids are what make it take pedals so well.

the fighter Blake Mansfield?

 

[SpiderWars]

I have a Blackpanel AB165 and it did sound good as a AB165 and took pedals well.

And I'll throw this out there I think another great affordable amp for testing ODs/Boosts/Distortions would be an early Silverface Vibrolux Reverb.

 

[griff10672]

Yes sir.

Maybe an early 70s silver face AB165 on the cheap would be worth trying out. It’s funny because they really aren’t that mid scooped fender sound you would expect- hefty mids are what make it take pedals so well.

No kidding ..... I'm a big fan of your channel .... you've coaxed me into buying a few Bogners over the last few years ...
and to recently build a Xotic BB Pre amp clone ....

going down the " Bassman " rabbit hole now .....

 

[Racerxrated]

The cheaper and more 'clean' versions of the 70s Bassmans all have a master vol. The earlier more desired circuits do not. That's the easiest way to tell which is which. Those also have the 'non linear' transformers that also contribute to a mostly clean tone cranked.

 

[Bxlxaxkxe]

the fighter Blake Mansfield?

yes

 

[JackBootedThug]

Your mark play through was awesome btw….damn thing sounds good bwah.

 

[Bxlxaxkxe]

Your mark play through was awesome btw….damn thing sounds good bwah.

Which mark?

 

[JackBootedThug]

Which mark?

VII....

 

[Rex Rocker]

Depends on the kind of gain pedal, TBH.

TS's? Klons? OCD's? Sure.

I wouldn't think a high-gain chugg chugg pedal would sound good through a 10" speaker in an open back cab.

 

[Jdub]

I have a 1966 AB165 Bassman and it a great pedal platform. But it also sounds insane on its own when cranked. It gets some killer dirt that sounds way more Marshall than what most think of from a Fender,

Like Blake said the 2203/2204 take pedals like a champ too. The Bassman is bit smoother and the Marshall a bit bit more snap and crackle.