Bassman 50

**fuzzy beard** · #1 09-27-2011, 08:43 PM

Looking at mid 70s bassman 50.

Some of you may have seen my post on low wattag tube amps. This looks like it fits the bill! Any thoughts, comments, or suggestions?

Just want a old school fat tone with a little bit of breakup think this will do it?

billfitzmaurice · #2 09-27-2011, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fuzzy beard

Just want a old school fat tone with a little bit of breakup think this will do it?

Bassman is more like thin tone with a lot of break up, much better for guitar. Ampeg V4 is probably what you want.

johnk_10 · #3 09-27-2011, 09:27 PM

hmmmm. i've never found bassman 50's to be thin sounding at all. they don't have a ton of power at only 50 watts, but IME, they're definitely not thin sounding.

will33 · #4 09-27-2011, 09:28 PM

I like bassmans for the round, bouncy, "warm but clean" tone. The overdrive...not so much. This happens at low volumes. Fat, louder and a little gritty would come more from ampeg, traynor, mesa....something other than a low power fender. The bassman is one of my favorite sounding amps if I could just get that louder but I'm thinking it may not be what you're looking for. Check out some 100 watt guitar heads (which the v4 is), also peavey, marshall, sunn, etc.

johnk_10 · #5 09-27-2011, 09:30 PM

i agree. if you're going for the bassman tone, but need a bit more power, a bassman 100 or a showman will do the trick.

will33 · #6 09-27-2011, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnk_10

hmmmm. i've never found bassman 50's to be thin sounding at all. they don't have a ton of power at only 50 watts, but IME, they're definitely not thin sounding.

Bassmans can sound fat, just not very loud at the same time. It's a subjective tone thing but I've never been a fan of their breakup for bass, hence the endless quest for a higher power bassman. For guitar on the other hand, mmm,mmm.

**fuzzy beard** · #7 09-28-2011, 05:47 AM

I guess I am just getting impatient! I want a tube head and just can't find many lower wattage heads for sale. The ampegs where my first choice but couldn't find one! And the v4 is just out of my price range! Been looking for a b25b or fliptop head and have had no luck.

Seen the Bassman in the classifies and thought it might work.

**fuzzy beard** · #8 09-28-2011, 05:53 AM

Also I am not talking about wanting distortion. Just that light break up tone. Think motown b15 tone. And I know tone is subjective but the best words I have for it is fat, round, creamy, gooey goodness!

okcrum · #9 09-28-2011, 06:11 AM

I heard (and played through) a MusicMan 75 head Monday, driving an Avatar 4x10. Very sweet and plenty loud enough for a small to medium size room.

billfitzmaurice · #10 09-28-2011, 06:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fuzzy beard

Also I am not talking about wanting distortion. Just that light break up tone. Think motown b15 tone. And I know tone is subjective but the best words I have for it is fat, round, creamy, gooey goodness!

Then get a B15. The Bassman isn't even close. Keep in mind that the Bassman tone circuit is the same as the Fender guitar amp tone circuit save for the deep switch, and it's misnamed. It doesn't make the tone any deeper, it just kills highs. The tone circuits of Ampegs were actually different than those of their guitar amps and were tuned to the needs of the bass.

okcrum · #11 09-28-2011, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fuzzy beard

Also I am not talking about wanting distortion. Just that light break up tone. Think motown b15 tone. And I know tone is subjective but the best words I have for it is fat, round, creamy, gooey goodness!

As the others have said, you won't get that with the Bassman 50, save for very low levels. The MusicMan 75 and 150 amps (the later series of MM amps) do not get much love here, but I've had the chance to try out both in the last week, and they are very nice. They'll cost you far less than a B15 too.

**Chef** · #12 09-28-2011, 07:46 AM

The Bassman 50 makes a nice studio head. Sounds great, not loud, at all.
The MusicMan stuff is nice, more powerful, and IMO, doesn't break up any better, and in fact is worse at that, IMO.

If you want a B15, that's what you should get.

pgk · #13 09-28-2011, 07:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fuzzy beard

Also I am not talking about wanting distortion. Just that light break up tone. Think motown b15 tone. And I know tone is subjective but the best words I have for it is fat, round, creamy, gooey goodness!

then look for an Oliver B200 head. they're rare but they're out there and one will fit your bill Perfectly. i own one. the 150 is the same amp, models with an "r" designation and reverb guitar models. they were designed by jess oliver, inventor of the B15. jess started up the company after he left ampeg and they are Killer heads. it's in that 60's ampeg ballpark tonewise, but is almost double the juice of a B15. my favorite feature is a super cool Variable (not just a switch) ultra low control. by manipulating it and the normal bass control you can shape the low end in ways that will really surprise you. just remember to pair any lo-po head up with high efficiency speaker cabs (and the more the merrier) and you're good to go

johnk_10 · #14 09-28-2011, 08:50 AM

i own both a '64 B15 and a '66 bassman. between the two, for studio tone, believe it or not i actually prefer the bassman.
keep in mind that a showman is really a guitar head, but alembic used that same circuit for their infamous F2B bass preamp.

s_mcsleazy · #15 09-28-2011, 08:53 AM

ill never trade mine. its the perfect bass sound

jimbilly · #16 09-28-2011, 10:50 AM

What cabinet are you going to use it with?
I've had a couple of Bassman 50s, through an 8x10 they sound pretty big. I've got an efficient 1x15 that the Bassman 50 works really well with too. I've had a '66 Dual Showman, it was a lot like the Bassman, but w/ more headroom. Both great amps IMO. I now have a Plush that was gutted (it was bad inside) and rewired just like a Dual Showman. The V4 is a fantastic amp, I should have kept mine. I did keep my B15N's, - the above all are good to great bass amps IMO.

I think if the Bassman 50 is a good price and in good working order, you should buy it, play through it for a few months, maybe try a couple of different cabinets. If you don't like it after a few months you most likely won't lose any money on it.

bassman4d521 · #17 09-28-2011, 11:07 AM

I've played a Bassman 50 through both a 2 15 and 2 12 cabinet and for recording... it was superb. as mentioned - the problem comes when you try to push the volume too much... the break up, to me, was not in the least bit good.

dhsierra1 · #18 09-28-2011, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnk_10

i agree. if you're going for the bassman tone, but need a bit more power, a bassman 100 or a showman will do the trick.

+1. I had an early 70s Bassman and loved the tone but it wasn't enough for beyond "quiet" rehearsals and recording (in my hands, anyway). Got a Showman, putting it through old JBL 15s and it's much more usable for gigging.

johnk_10 · #19 09-28-2011, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billfitzmaurice

....................... The tone circuits of Ampegs were actually different than those of their guitar amps and were tuned to the needs of the bass.

actually, my early Ampeg V4's (guitar amp) and V4B (bass amp) have the exact same tone circuits in them (same treble, mid, and bass freq points and circuit design) the V4b has three larger value coupling capacitors that change the amp's overall bandwidth to go down to 10Hz instead of 20Hz, but in reality and use, IME, it's hardly noticeable at best.

lonote · #20 09-28-2011, 02:58 PM

I have a silver-face Bassman 50 and I love it but you have to be aware of its limitations. Recording and low-volume applications are where it excels. I have used it pretty often to play small gigs and it worked just fine.