Fender Bassman Ten (10)

[RufusFussbuster]

Or, Bassman X, if you want to be "artsy".

 

Anyone have experience with these?

 

I just picked up a combo on Sunday for a fair price, and I'm becoming pretty fond of it.

 

I've seen them called the "poorman's super reverb". No reverb, vib, trem, or any of that pussy stuff. It's the first amp I've owned that doesn't sound like it needs a smidge of reverb to sound better to me.

 

It sounds nice straight in (clean clean clean), and it seems to make any pedal I run into it sound great. I've been spending most of my guitar time this week on the deep end of silliness, with a Zoom G2.1u in front of it, screwing around, experimenting, and reliving my gain days.

 

Nice, tight, full bass with a closed back 4x10.

 

It goes into my "Fender Goofballs" collection, next to my Prosonic combo.

 

I think I've dated mine to 1980, which is the ultralinear OT and slightly higher output. These are looked down upon compared to the earlier ones, but I'm happy.

 

Sorry, no NAD, pics are still on the camera.

 

[PlectrumPete]

Never been very convinced by the practicality of a 4x10 combo. What's the point of that design?

[lowbrow]

Converted mine to a head and have been slowly doing a couple tweaks and maintenance to it. Sometimes I run it through my Marshall 4X10, other times a Marshall 2X12. Loves pedals. I really like it. Fun to jump both channels and crank it up too.

 

[RufusFussbuster]

Never been very convinced by the practicality of a 4x10 combo. What's the point of that design?

 

Oh yeah, good point. I don't play out, so I didn't have to consider moving this thing except wheeling it around the house.

 

It is ridiculous to cart or carry anywhere. There is a strap on top, but I'd call it useless if you're under 7'.

 

It is also too top-heavy, but luckily again, I won't be doing EVH leaps at the end of my cord in the living room. Often.

[RufusFussbuster]

Converted mine to a head and have been slowly doing a couple tweaks and maintenance to it. Sometimes I run it through my Marshall 4X10, other times a Marshall 2X12. Loves pedals. I really like it. Fun to jump both channels and crank it up too.

 

Nice! You have one of the older "better" ones. I remember seeing your thread just before(?) the whole 2.0 thing. I couldn't find much other info here , so I just went and played it, and liked it pretty quickly.

 

Yeah, I immediately jumped the channels and saw what it could do when I got it home. My wife was less than impressed.

 

Me,

[guitarcapo]

I had a friend with one. It seemed to me to be a "Bassman" in name only. I mean each channel has just one preamp tube...then theres a driver tube and then the power tubes. Not much gain there and a solid state rectifier.

 

[RufusFussbuster]

 

I had a friend with one. It seemed to me to be a "Bassman" in name only. I mean each channel has just one preamp tube...then theres a driver tube and then the power tubes. Not much gain there and a solid state rectifier.

 

 

Oh, right - this is not "The" Fender Bassman. Just pretty fun in it's own right.

[Cortfan]

I have one just like the pic you posted, in near mint condition w/original cover. Good solid amp for guitar or bass. Like someone else said, it loves pedals and effects boards. Some of these amps had 70 watts. I play guitar and bass, so it comes in handy, and I don't have to worry about pluging in a bass and blowing the speakers. I have several "piggy back" bass rigs, but for jammin, rehearsals, and small bar gigs, this one gets the call. I think I paid about $400 for mine about 6-7 years ago. I bought it from my amp tech-he had just gone over it completely. I think you will like it. They are louder than most people need.

[sxyryan]

Sweet... I was looking at those when I was looking for a new gigging amp.

 

Seemed kind of overkill for my application, and I wanted foot switchable channels, but I still would have jumped on one if I found a good deal, if for no reason other than I think they are cool.

 

How do you jump the channels? What's it do? I have a Twin Reverb... can I do it to that? Sorry to show my ignorance....

[RufusFussbuster]

 

Sweet... I was looking at those when I was looking for a new gigging amp. Seemed kind of overkill for my application, and I wanted foot switchable channels, but I still would have jumped on one if I found a good deal, if for no reason other than I think they are cool. How do you jump the channels? What's it do? I have a Twin Reverb... can I do it to that? Sorry to show my ignorance....

 

 

Plug one channel into the next with a patch. I'm not sure, but I assume it nets more drive. It sounds fatter or more "full".

 

To get any real natural breakup you have to go pretty loud on this thing. It sounds awesome, but I was risking both hearing damage and getting kicked in the pouch by my wife, at the volume I was going to.

 

I don't know if you can jumper a Twin, I just came across the jumpering when I was reading up on the Bassman.

 

I see the Kustom Coupe in your sig - coinkydink, I was actually torn between getting this, or a supposedly mint, blue '36 Coupe for $500 obo. I could have really dug that, too, but I was already farting around with one seller on this, so I let it go.

[Brian Krashpad]

Never been very convinced by the practicality of a 4x10 combo. What's the point of that design?

 

To include the Super Reverb?

 

 

A 4x10 combo is no more "impractical" than a 4x12 cab is. In fact, it's more practical.

 

Casters or a dolly or handtruck and you're good to go. Same as a 4x12 cab.

 

Only you don't have to stick a head on top. One trip instead of two.

 

By weird coincidence, my Super Reverb was cut into 2 cabs (2x10 combo + 2x10 extension cab) long before I bought it. But that just makes it (in some ways) more practical than the usual. As a single cab, a 4x10 is still more practical than a halfstack.

 

And yes, I have a halfstack as well.

[lowbrow]

 

Plug one channel into the next with a patch. I'm not sure, but I assume it nets more drive. It sounds fatter or more "full".

 

 

It works much better if you get a "Y" cord so you can plug the guitar into both channels at once. The channels are different...not just different voicings resulting from some cap and resistor changes, they have very different topography. Channel one is very close to a Showman. Channel two is more or less unique among Fender amps.

[RufusFussbuster]

 

It works much better if you get a "Y" cord so you can plug the guitar into both channels at once. The channels are different...not just different voicings resulting from some cap and resistor changes, they have very different topography. Channel one is very close to a Showman. Channel two is more or less unique among Fender amps.

 

 

Cool, I'll try a Y. I was already pleased to get a number of different sounds depending on which combination of input/jump I used. Thanks for the tip!

[guitarcapo]

Yea that's one advantage over a Super Reverb, you can just use a Y patch for both channels. All the Fender amps with reverb get that phase canceling

going on when you try that and it sounds horrible.

[PlectrumPete]

To include the Super Reverb? A 4x10 combo is no more "impractical" than a 4x12 cab is. In fact, it's more practical. Casters or a dolly or handtruck and you're good to go. Same as a 4x12 cab. Only you don't have to stick a head on top. One trip instead of two. By weird coincidence, my Super Reverb was cut into 2 cabs (2x10 combo + 2x10 extension cab) long before I bought it. But that just makes it (in some ways) more practical than the usual. As a single cab, a 4x10 is still more practical than a halfstack. And yes, I have a halfstack as well.

 

See what you are saying, but the advantage of a head is that you can take it to the cabs.

 

Most of the time I like to be able to carry my stuff on my bike. I can do that with a guitar and small combo or guitar and head, but a 4x10 is not going to get home (I live up the hill).

[Brian Krashpad]

 

See what you are saying, but the advantage of a head is that you can take it to the cabs. Most of the time I like to be able to carry my stuff on my bike. I can do that with a guitar and small combo or guitar and head, but a 4x10 is not going to get home (I live up the hill).

 

 

OK Big I dig.

 

Yeah, I'm not in a sitch where a big cab is going to be sitting and waiting on me to arrive with a head, and don't go anywhere to speak of on a bike.

[jhamnett]

Or, Bassman X, if you want to be "artsy". Anyone have experience with these? I just picked up a combo on Sunday for a fair price, and I'm becoming pretty fond of it. I've seen them called the "poorman's super reverb". No reverb, vib, trem, or any of that pussy stuff. It's the first amp I've owned that doesn't sound like it needs a smidge of reverb to sound better to me. It sounds nice straight in (clean clean clean), and it seems to make any pedal I run into it sound great. I've been spending most of my guitar time this week on the deep end of silliness, with a Zoom G2.1u in front of it, screwing around, experimenting, and reliving my gain days. Nice, tight, full bass with a closed back 4x10. It goes into my "Fender Goofballs" collection, next to my Prosonic combo. I think I've dated mine to 1980, which is the ultralinear OT and slightly higher output. These are looked down upon compared to the earlier ones, but I'm happy. Sorry, no NAD, pics are still on the camera.

 

Any chance that was the Bassman 10 on the Philly CL?

[RufusFussbuster]

 

Any chance that was the Bassman 10 on the Philly CL?

 

 

Nope, this one was in Wisconsin for $400 on CL.