The Fender Tweed Bassman: A Short History
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- Опубликовано: 23 июн 2023
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I've been a tweed amp fan for as long as I've been playing guitar. The current daily driver is my '58 Gibson GA40 clone, a decidedly "tweedy" voiced tone machine paired with a Princeton Tone Master in wet/dry. But after playing Dr. Z's Z-Master amp I really wanted to dive back into the Tweed history world and what better place to start than with the overdue Tweed Bassman video. I hope you dig it.
Keith 
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Years ago, while an assistant engineer at Cherokee Studio, I had a day off and went to Studio Instrument Rentals (SIR) as I heard they were clearing out some older gear. After playing about 30 amps of all brands including Marshall’s, Voxs, and Mesa Boogies, I settled on a beat up ‘59 Bassman based solely on tone (a 3-10” Bandmaster came in a close second). Every time I brought that amp to a session, the guitar players in the various bands started stacking up the $100 bills trying to get me to sell it to them. I would say ”You don’t want this old thing, buy a THD.” A few years ago, I left it with an amp tech to be gone thru. When I went to pick it up, he didn’t want to give it back saying it was the best amp he had ever heard and offered me insane money. Guess I’m the one who’s insane- I still have the amp.
Keep it forever!
Of course that '59 Bassman circuit is the PLEXI circuit.
You made the right choice.
If the bills aren't eating you alive, I would hope you'll be able to hang on to it. The blionaires who have everything also want everything you have too. If, God forbid, that day comes, I hope you'll be able to find something else to sell that's more easily replaceable. In the meantime, my hat is off to you for not flipping it as though it were just another commodity to be bought and sold. (They usually end up in the hands of Saudi oil sheiks and CEOs, locked away in a vault, never to be played again, or Bonnamassa gets them)
I have a Princeton (5F2A) and a Tremolux, (5E9) and the next time they change hands will be at my estate sale.
👍🏻Way to go Glenn enjoy it all your life long!
I know that feeling myself especially with my 1951 5B6 TV Bassman all original. The tone and sparkle it has is unlike anything
Back in the early 90s I passed up one of these for less than $50 at a yard sale. I was 14 ish years old and had no idea what I was looking at. All I knew was that I had never seen Slayer or Metallica use one so it must not be cool lol
I’m 20 years old, always dreamed about playing an old bassman but never thought I’d have the opportunity. Last week while on a trip with friends however, I discovered that my friends uncle had an old bassman and a soundproofed studio. Best weekend of my life.
Start saving your money, find somebody who can help you, and build the kit. Don't cut corners. You'll be building yourself a keeper, and you're signing on for life. Tweeds of all sizes create an itch in the soul that will eventually have to be scratched. Forget the reissues and the wannabees. Victoria and Kendrick make good ones, but you'll annihilate your bank account. Find some help and build the kit.
@@jpalberthoward9My brother, who has worked (and hobbied) in the electronics world for 30 years now, suggested I do the exact same thing a couple of days ago. lol.
Can you remember the days before the internet when getting a letter from a friend or a loved one could make your week? That's what a new Short History Of... feels like. Thanks Keith.
Nice Paul…I do remember that
For years, Don Rich and Buck Owens would both plug into the same Bassman and make some Bakersfield magic.
As great as Five Watt World with Keith is, all you guys with these great comments make it even better.
I have a 68 super reverb and now a Carr Impala a boutique version of the bassman the two together sounds like gods speaking !
I swear to God if Fender would just make a Tone Master Bassman I'd buy two of them immediately for my stereo rig. Bonus if they add an effects loop.
I have the 1990 LTD bassman RI. (No ground switch). I purchased this as an accident many years ago for $550 when I didn't know any better and I just needed a good amp..They sound fantastic. I'm still using it to this day.
This video is so prophetic... just when I've been contemplating getting a 5F6 head build.
When I was a music student in Boston in the early seventies I put my 59 bassman up for sale at a local music store. The amp didnt really have enough clean headroom for jazz IMO. I was told that Bruce Springsteen when touring around Boston had bought mine and a couple of other 59 bassmans for sale at the time in the Boston area. A Super Reverb for clean and a 59 Bassman for more OD makes for a nice rig. Good work Keith !!!🔬
Super Reverb❤
@@drsrsv8884Yes! Super Reverbs are the best!
Im using twin reverb and a bassman like that
I had a 1964 Fender Bassman and 2X12 cab for many years. I bought it from a local shop for just $250. It sounded great but it was just too damn loud for the small nightclubs I played in. I sold it and have been chasing that Bassman sound ever since.
man,,,,before even watching the vid, it amazes me that an amp aimed at bassists would have such an impact on the guitar community. Leo was a Genius!!
ok, watched this,,,,Freddy Tavares was one, too ;)
Bought my 1971 Super Bassman 100 for $100 back in the day and loved the sound. Rock on Keith!
The amp that walked so every other amp could run.
I think it's funny that when you look up the schematic for the Marshall JTM45, it's the Fender factory schematic for the 5F6-A Bassman that is shown.
This is a fact and a half. One of my top 3 tones of all time is the bassman and a tele on the bridge pickup. Jimmie Page abused the hell out of it on the first 2 records.
Bryson that’s brilliant! 👍🏻
@@donbishop6994I thought with Zep it was a Supro and AC-30’s.
More like the amp that ran so every other amp could catch up
Love my bassman (Victoria 45410). The best clean tone and barks when driven hard. Imo it’s the most important amp of all time. So many great players used them, but also there would be no Marshall without them and that’s where rock came from (and many other styles afterwards).
I have one, too. It's a killer amp.
Victoria is more Fender than Fender.
@@markmcdonald5711totally agree. What as up with fender reissuing an amp and not making it like the original - meaning they use circuit boards rather than P2P
@@markmcdonald5711 Just like they used to make 'em!
@@NickGranville Just like their guitars, if you want a real strat or tele you buy a G&L.
All these episodes are just wonderful….thanks for all you do.
Oh yeah! More vintage Fender amp profiles, Please!!
Great video. A note about light switches "the world over" though - in the UK, Australia, here in NZ and possibly many other Commonwealth countries, we flip the light switch down to turn it on. We think Americans are a bit weird for doing it the other way, and that Marshall power switches are just fine.
Happy as hell for new content 😊 a video on the original Fender reverb tanks sounds nice 🤔
I have a 59 reissue it's an incredible amp. Huge tone!!!!
George Harrison and Eric Clapton used Tweed Bassman Reissues on their tour of Japan in 1992. It was Claptons first tour after his son passed, and also George’s final tour. Hey sounded great!
The amp that powered The Band since the early days, Bassmans used by the guitarist, bassist and singer!
I have a '59 reissue and I absolutely love it. I play my basses and guitars through it and everything sounds great. Best amp ever.
There's NO question that the Fender Bassman amp is THE mother of ALL amps.
I played an almost entirely original 59, shop for asking US$6k. it was an outstanding amp. loved it, but $6k was such a big price for me. I really regret not buying it. it was that good.
I bought my Sept.'59 5F6-A for $30. I was in a New Brunswick pawn shop, just down the street from the biggest music store for 100 miles, when I spied it. Couldn't believe my eyes. Looked around the back, and noted a few reasons why it was still sitting there with a $40 price tag. First, only one power tube, so clearly it couldn't be played. Second, only one of the two rear panels was on it (years later, I had a fellow make me a lovely replica panel). Lastly, it had three original P10Rs but just an empty space where the 4th one should have been. I mumbled something about the missing speaker and the clerk did some quick mental arithmetic and offered me the amp for $30 (3/4 of $40). I agreed, plunked my money down, and walked out of the shop with. Put it in the trunk and drove out of town so fast, you'd think I had sold all-purpose flour as cocaine to a biker gang.
Bought a pair of Chinese 5881 power tubes at a local shop, which very quickly burnt out, given the higher plate voltage the 5F6-A uses. Eventually put in better tubes and bought a reissue P10R to fill in the empty spot. Great amp. But one thing I'm curious about. On mine the Presence control *cuts* treble as you turn it clockwise. Given the desire to have things sound clean in 1959, I assumed the control was deliberately wired that way, since I could see no evidence of it having been modified. But I've never stumbled on another true '59, so I don't know if mine is unique, erroneously assembled, or modded by someone.
Still, the best $30 I ever spent.
Sweet story; if you can score an old Eminence Blue speaker they used the same Donal Kapi cone as the original P-10 Rs
Awesome story! What's even more awesome is you didn't flip it, and Bonamassa didn't get it. I hope you still have it and plan on keeping it.
But Karen says it's too loud. She's coming up the driveway right now to scream at you and call the police. She looked in through your window one day while you were out and she got offended. (The screaming is louder than the Bassman).The police are going to charge you with suspicion of failure to comply with unspecified requirements. (for the greater good) You'll have to get a simulator app for your phone and some earbuds.
That will be one of your parole requirements.
Hide the Bassman somewhere where nobody knows you have it. If one of the cops plays guitar, they'll confiscate it.
@@jpalberthoward9 I abide by Larry Sanders' dictum: "No flipping". Although, at some point, I won't be able to play it, and will have to sell it. Those nursing homes don't pay for themselves!
Cool story. What year did that occur? Everything that happened to me like that happened pre-internet. Except for a friend gave me an old Magnatone he had buried in the garage.
@@riders.oregon4474 Autumn of 1992.
Would love to see one of these on G&L
Great to see some of the photos I took of early Bassmans in your presentation. Excellent work as always, Keith!
Nice! Email me I’d like to talk to you about that.
@@fivewattworld done and done!
Another amazing segment.
It’s going to rain all-day tomorrow. I think I’ll binge these. ☮️
It is not always easy to go deep and keep it short. But Keith always delivers. Thank you sir!
Great episode again!
I don’t think I played on a Bassman ever. However, I played on many Marshalls, so maybe I have…? Sort of. 😊
I always learn something in this video series- I never knew why JTM45s were always flip down to power on- it is the oddest thing. of course it makes sense if you flip everything
Thanks for another fine video about an iconic piece of gear. Johan Segeborn's Channel is a great place to hear vintage Amps and Cabs. Since I use an HX Stomp, I find his Channel a useful resource/library to hear some of the Amps being emulated in my Modeler, and it gives me a baseline 😉by which I can tweak my settings to account for my own gear. Always good to hearing John Cordy's contributions to your videos.
Always a pleasure to stumble onto a “ 5-Watt-World “ I haven’t seen yet. Thanks Kieth for another great story . A few years ago while visiting our oldest daughter & 3 grandsons in Texas , my wife & I took a little “afternoon trip” to look around at some various pawn & guitar shops in nearby areas . I found the smallest little shop near New Braunfels that was just Packed with older guitars & amps & pedals of all makes & models ( and NO, a pack of wild horses won’t drag the name of it out of me😏) & in this little shop was an original’59 Bassman , beat up and a bit thread-worn , but all there & sounded incredible. The asking price of $6500 was higher than I could convince the wife to let me buy it , and just last year we went back to visit our Daughter again and I took a trip to find that shop
Still there , but boarded shut with all gear still visible inside near as I could tell through a tiny opening in a window blind. I was a bit bummed out as the card with the phone number I had gotten the few years earlier didn’t work when I tried to dial the number on it to try and contact the owner . The recording just said the number was no longer in service & there was no new number ……. I sure would like to find out if all that was inside that little “ hole in the wall shop “ was going to be auctioned off or something as that guy had a pretty incredible collection of stuff . There’s STILL treasures out there people , you just have to be lucky enough to stumble onto them & have the ability to take advantage when & if the moment arrives. From “ Somewhere in San Diego “
This is Steve Miller , signing off….😎👍
Grammatico makes a killer Bassman, used by Gibbons and Jimmie Vaughan among others. They sound fantastic!
A couple of additions to your great video. Firstly, the original Bassman reissues came with a plug-in solid state rectifier which you could pull and replace with a GZ34. When these first came out Guitar Player magazine ran a shoot-out with three other makes of Bassman reissue amps. Surprisingly, the Fender reissue won, much to the chagrin of the other three amps, and one of them (IF I recall correctly) was Victoria who cried “foul” since GP did remove the SS rectifier and substituted a GZ34. GP countered saying that since Fender did indeed allow for this substitution, it was OK.)
Another story I heard was that in the early 50’s Fender was receiving a number of Bassman with their 15” speaker blown under warranty. Freddie Taveres went to Leo about this, but (as you stated) he was too busy and told Freddie to take care of it. He did… and created a legend.
I played a fender baseman 10 throughout high school. It had two separate inputs and two channels. A fender precision base as well. in marching band, the amp would distort when it was cold outside. thinking back, it was a good sound.
That’s so cool. A marching band with a P Bass and a Bassman bringing up the rear. Bet it sounded killer
@@handle433 it would have sounded better if I had lessons. However, thank you for the support. it wasn’t easy finding someone to push the amp around.
This was fun video to watch. The late '50s Bassman amps will always be my favorite guitar amps. Once you play through one, you'll know why.
About 12 years ago, I had a Bassman LTD reissue that was FANTASTIC! Had to let it go for financial reasons, but if I ever get ahold of one again, I'll hold on til the eagle grins!😂
In the early 90s when I started playing bass, I always wondered why so many guitarists I worked with were using these bass amps. I never really dug into why though. Thanks for this video. It answered a question I'd forgotten to ask.
That's probably why I so love the 4x10 speaker combo...depth, soul, and heat!
Excellent short history. I would like to know more of the famous bassists who used tweed Bassmans as well. Thanks for the video!
Me too!
Good video. Tone is in the eye of the beholder - it really depends on what you play and how you like to sound. I have a ‘55 5E6 and a ‘58 5F6-a Bassman and the ‘55 is the one I’d grab from a burning building! It’s amazing in the way it saturates at the perfect volume. The ‘58 needs a big room to push it to heavenly overdrive decibels . They both sound amazing clean too.
Out of all of the amps out there, I think this one intrigues me the most. Thanks for the episode.
Dude! What a great video. Thanks for that. I have been hunting that Soul of Tone book but it is rare and pricey! Just like a tweed Bassman. lol. ❤
Thanks for the great info! The other thing I'd love to know is what Bassman revisions particularly gave birth to the Mark I, SLO, Rectifier, 5150 and 5150-III, sort of like the 5F6-A was the beginning of the JTM. No doubt, to other famous models as well.
Love Johan's playing and videos! Nice history Keith, really enjoyed it and looking forward to the next part too. Rock on!
Great show! Iplayed through a 59 4-10 Bassman once and it was amazing. No effects needed. Just crank it up till you get the overdrive that you want! I currently use an early 70's modified Bassman head it also sounds quite good. I think it's a smart idea to have an amp that is just an amp with no built in effects. Then get a box for what ever sound you are trying to accomplish.
Thanks, Keith. Amp stories are as good as guitar stories for me!
Quick pedantic note: light switches do not work up for on "the world over".
Down position is the normal ON for UK, and many other places.
Thanks for the amazing video - don't ever stop!
Ah, such a local am I it seems.
I was fortunate to have had the opportunity play on Basemans. Thanks for another great video !
I'm going to be interested in hearing about the heads, especially the silver face, since I'm lucky enough to have one of those!
Nice to see a nod to Johan Segaborn ! His demos of the ‘59 Bassmans are absolutely awesome!
Prior to The High Numbers / Who equipping with Marshall, Pete Townshend's rig was a Blackface Bassman, w/ 2x12" cab, perched on a table or chair.
Wasn’t it a blonde Bassman?
I’m so glad you do amps as well👍 This is my favourite amp.
I love these videos Keith, they really inspire me to go play my monoprice 5 watt lol
Thanks Keith, another great episode.
I have a ‘71 Silverface head and it just does it all! Awesome video and can’t wait for part two!
Thank you so much for all the time and effort you put into these video's. The amount of detail is amazing. And also i love the Snorlax in the back.
A very pleasant way to spend 22 minutes. Thanks again Keith.
Great, great video! Too many glowing remarks to make about all of it; Fender amps, Bassman amps specifically, the video, the clips, the history… great stuff
Two enthusiastic thumbs up!! I would love to see more Fender amp history. I may be a little biased (pun intended) because I just completed my first hand wired class A amplifier based on the Prinston thanks to D Lab Electronics. Good job, Keith! bring us more!! 👍👍
This was great Keith, such a rich and interesting history for the Bassman, thanks so much!
Thanks for making this video Keith! You are my favorite "Video maker" as you would put it. I would add well spoken, highly knowledgeable in music, electronics and well reasearched ! a great reference to get the most knowledge from condensed in the least time possible.
Another truly wonderful 'Short History'---thanks so much! Also, I have a '59 Reissue LTD, that I blend onstage with a Z-Wreck and a Mesa Rectoverb, as needed. The other two amps are incredible and expressive in their own right, but it's the Bassman that I use as my 'color amp'. All effects (including overdrive, used sparingly) run through the Bassman channel, while the other two amps only have their own independent overdrive stomps. The Bassman is an incredible amp...especially when run clean with an optical compressor as its baseline setting. It's amazing that this almost-65-year-old design is still so vital and relevant!
Great video on the most incredible sounding amplifier for bass and guitar... my love is my '66 Bassman and early '70's Marshall.Superleads!!! Love the punch, warmth, clarity, and overdrive!!! Of course I tinkered with upgrading the grounding, capacitors, wiring, etc., but the circuitry remains basically intact! RESPECT
Another fascinating and fantastic installment of Five Watt World! Guess I have to go find a 1958/59 5F6-A😵💫
your videos have so much detail, thanks for spending the time doing this, you also need to cover Ampeg B-15
That’s coming soon
The "USA" setting on the DSM Humboldt Simplifier mk2 is based on the 59 Bassman. Sounds and feels incredible!
I’d like to have about a dozen of those things squirreled away. Thanks Keith. Nice job on this video as usual.👍🏻
Wish Keith would have covered more of the 60s and 70s era Bassman heads and cabinet designs. I own a Silverface '69 drip-edge 50-watt head, that I paired with an Avatar 2X12 cabinet loaded with a pair of Weber 12F150 speakers. I installed RCA preamp tubes and GT-6L6GE power tubes. This amp is a tone monster. Occasionally I jumper the Bass Instrument (BI) and Normal inputs to bring out some really nice tone variations. My favorite jumper set up is; jumper BI input 1 to Normal input 2, guitar to Normal input 1. BI selector switch set to DEEP, and Normal input selector switch set to BRIGHT. You can't go wrong with these amps. Despite their simplicity, they ooze tone for days. Thanks Keith for your wealth of knowledge and all the historical research you do prior to presenting your information. Well done!
See the second video.
There was a local band in the early 90’s who played the bar scene and frat parties around here, the guitar player had one of those 90’s reissues. I have no idea how it actually stacked up to the old ones, but it sounded like God and was equally as loud.
I’ve had a first year 1990 RI (with the original Eminence Blues with the cones by the original manufacturer) with the GZ34 rectifier and old style 6L6’s since new. Killer amp.
I was literally hoping the other day you would do a video on the tweed bassman. Great video and thanks for making it!
As always Keith another great episode that is informative as well as entertining.Keep up the great work!!!
The 58-60 High Power Twin is identical with the addition of two 5881’s. The Bassman/Twin really are amazing guitar AND bass amps. If you have a reissue Bassman lying around, don’t be afraid to use it for bass. They sound really cool and very unique.
The open back sound break up will get worse as the volume is increased. Closed back cabinets are overall better for bass.
@@larryn2682 there is no “better” or “worse” when it involves art. If the musician likes the sound, they like the sound.
@matthewf1979 Farty distortion of the bass guitar sound when playing with much volume isn't very appealing to most people.
@@larryn2682except Jack Bruce, Mel Schacher and Andy Fraser 😂. And they sounded killer.
And yet again I learn some great music history. I so look forward to these SH posts! Thanks Keith!
Nice presentation of this amp's history. Enjoyed it! Thank you. 🌞
Another informative and enjoyable video. I’m sure it takes a lot of hard work to put some thing out that is so well done. Thank you Keith!
Always great to start my day with one of your videos!
✌️😎🎸🎶🎵🎶🎵🎶
I've been wanting to learn about these for a while now. Thanks for another great video!!!
Another great short history… can’t wait for Pt 2!!!
Looking forward to this one, 5F6-A.
Wow, Kieth! Great choice of subject matter! My 50wt Bassman head is STILL my 2nd fav amp (after my Princeton reverb)
Excellent vid! Really looking forward to part 2 that will cover my Bassman head!
Cheers, from BC Canada!
The big question is how does Johan get his hands on all of those fun toys?
I've always said that at the end of the day, there's a lot that can be done with a Tele, a fuzz, and a Bassman.
Yet another excellent video, Keith. Serious awesome.
This is a dam good history video.
I just love the Bassmans
Thank you Five-Watt for the detailed information on Tweed Amps. Now I have to take a flashlight every time I go into a guitar store so I can see in the back of each tweed model I come across...
Keith mentioned at the beginning of the video that this would be a two part series. I have not been able to locate aTweed Bassmen part 2...
As always extremely well description of the product. Thank you.
Thank you Keith for your great knowledge and presentation.
Holy Grail amplifier. Amazing video Keith
Absolutely love your videos! Thank you!
Thank you Keith for a thoroughly educational and entertaining installment of "A Short History" series. Until now I have been torn between getting a 45 watt Fender '59 Bassman LTD (at 53 lbs) or the 12 watt Fender '57 Fender Custom Deluxe (at 26 lbs). Knowing that I am looking more for a studio environment amp, your video has helped me to lean towards getting the '57 Custom Deluxe over the Bassman, .Thank you for all you do. Stay safe and be well!!
Built one using the 5F6 design. Using 4 ten inch alnico speakers harvested from a 70s or possibly 80s era Sunn Beta Lead I had laying around. Love the sound and feel of the circuit.
Nice gear-head info!!
Just a week ago I bought a Fender Bassman 1959 reissue, dated 3/3/1995 !
This beauty has only been out 3-4 times...that's it!!
IOW, it's unused, like new...
I took it to Bruce Doan in Grass Valley for a check up,
(after TWENTY NINE YEARS!!)
He replaced all the rectifiers ((7) and gave it a Xcelnt bill of health.
I have left it on for extended tines to "burn in" the tubes and amp,
And looking forward to Feb 3 at Uncle Sonny's Bar to begin breaking in the speakers!
Another great video, thanks Keith.
Thanks for spreading the good word, Keith.
I've got two Bassmans, a '69 and a '70 I believe. The '69 has 3 tone controls on channel 2 but only 2 on channel 1, and you can turn those 2 right down and still get sound. In other words, "flat" is right down, not in the middle. I like that "knobs right down" sound too. The 1970 model looks like Paul McCartney's. I use ElectroVoice 15 inchers, and play Fender Precisions including a '62 through them. I was in an Open Mic houseband for a few years and every bass player that used either of my rigs said they were the best in town.
Another GREAT video, as always!
The best amp ever produced by Fender, followed by the Super Reverb.
I've repaired (and played through) just one tweed Bassman: a *transitional* model inbetween the 5F6 and 5F6a. Much of the circuit matched the 5F6, but it had the 5AR4 rectifier (with factory installed octal socket) and not the #83 Mercury-vapor rectifier (which would have used a completely different 4 pin socket). I only worked on the chassis, and never saw the cabinet (I think the guy bought the chassis by itself without a cabinet) so I don't know if the tube chart would have been for a 5F6 (with handwritten changes) or 5F6a. The amp reportedly came up from Mexico, and I spent hours chipping and swabbing baked/caked red-brown clay and dust out of it before doing any electronics work. Sounded awesome when I was done with it (it needed new filter caps, tube socket cleaning, replacement of a frozen presence pot, and a fair bit resoldering), but required one minor mod to the heater circuit because the centertap wire went "open" towards the end of the process (probably suffered a tube short in the past), creating a loud buzz, and so I had to install a pair of balancing resistors as an artificial centertap, mounted to the pilot lamp socket as we would soon see on the black and silverface Bassman heads of the 60's and 70's. It also had a number of solder joints that were never properly soldered by the factory, and I remember being able to tug several component leads right up out of the eyelets, and off of the tube socket terminals, because the solder had never properly wetted to the leads.