Fender Bassman 100T - chapter 2

[Dan55]

The FSR versions (Blonde/Oxblood) are on MF and Sweetwater's sites for pre-order. Both the 100 and 300 as well as the cabs. Supposed to ship in a month or so. Great - more GAS.

Dan

[Tim1]

I think it is cool that Fender are catering to all tastes and offering the blonde/oxblood versions at no extra cost. However, for me it will always be black tolex for both practicality and looks. Each to their own but kudos to Fender for providing options.

[StrangerDanger]

Yeah I had the option to go with the blonde and it was tempting but I decided to stick with the black.

[mr.mow]

As someone coming from an ampeg SVT VR (into fender 610), what's the volume like on these bassman 100T heads? I usually have the SVT at gigs around the 1/3 to 1/2 volume.

The SVT is too heavy for me, this looks like it may be good option?

[Tim1]

I too moved from svt vr to the 100T. To be honest it is unfair to expect a 100 watt amp to compare with 300 watts, but I suspect you know this. The 100T will not come close to the svt vr at half volume, and while it may come close to a third you will notice the lack of head room. This is not a criticism of the 100T which is a superb amp. I ended up buying the Super Basman 300 as well which in my opinion is more than a match for the vr and way more versatile. I am very happy with both and use the 100T for rehearsals, but to be honest for my purposes and with hindsight if I had to choose one it would be the SB300. This is primarily because I enjoy clean headroom, and the 300 is a match for the svt vr in this area. Personally I feel the 100T is the best 100 watt all tube head I have used in 35 years of playing.

[godblender]

I'll be laying down some bass this evening for our band's upcoming ep. I'll be running the 100T into my Dually 2x15. I'm planning on using 2-3 mics on the cab/in the room and a line directly from the back of the 100T. I'll try and get a few of the isolated direct out tracks to post here as I know that some people were interested in clips and there really aren't many at all floating around.

[mr.mow]

Originally Posted by Tim1

I too moved from svt vr to the 100T. To be honest it is unfair to expect a 100 watt amp to compare with 300 watts, but I suspect you know this. The 100T will not come close to the svt vr at half volume, and while it may come close to a third you will notice the lack of head room. This is not a criticism of the 100T which is a superb amp. I ended up buying the Super Basman 300 as well which in my opinion is more than a match for the vr and way more versatile. I am very happy with both and use the 100T for rehearsals, but to be honest for my purposes and with hindsight if I had to choose one it would be the SB300. This is primarily because I enjoy clean headroom, and the 300 is a match for the svt vr in this area. Personally I feel the 100T is the best 100 watt all tube head I have used in 35 years of playing.

Thanks for that.
We're just a regular originals rock blues thing, we get fairly loud, but its always hard to tell when people on the web talk up how loud their gear is.. nice to get some balance to it!

Put it this way.. my GK MB200 into the 610 cab j-u-s-t keeps up.. But I'm aware that 200w class D is not necessarily the same as 100w valve into the same cab.

[60bass]

Originally Posted by mr.mow

Thanks for that.
We're just a regular originals rock blues thing, we get fairly loud, but its always hard to tell when people on the web talk up how loud their gear is.. nice to get some balance to it!

Put it this way.. my GK MB200 into the 610 cab j-u-s-t keeps up.. But I'm aware that 200w class D is not necessarily the same as 100w valve into the same cab.

Watts is watts doesn't matter if it's tube or SS. If you're running out of headroom with 200 watts a 100 watt head of any type will have the same issues.

Now a 300 watt tube head is a different story. Lots more headrom available there. If you need clean available headroom more watts is the answer.

Just my opinion, others may disagree.

[idoru]

Hey hey, Mr. Mow. Long way from home

The key here is 'clean headroom' - I don't ever go for squeaky clean tone, and I _love_ the sound of power tubes working hard. So far, my Bassman 135 has been doing fantastically in a three-piece rock setting with my 215 Pro. At least one other user here has stated anecdotally that his 100T is louder than his 135, so given the size & superior efficiency of your cab I can't really see power being an issue for you.

(rudemech)

[StrangerDanger]

Watts ain't watts. Anybody that says a 100 watt class D amp is as loud as a 100 watt tube amp needs to see an audiologist.

[adivin]

Originally Posted by StrangerDanger

Watts ain't watts. Anybody that says a 100 watt class D amp is as loud as a 100 watt tube amp needs to see an audiologist.

+1.

[bigsnaketex]

Originally Posted by 60bass

Watts is watts doesn't matter if it's tube or SS. If you're running out of headroom with 200 watts a 100 watt head of any type will have the same issues.

Now a 300 watt tube head is a different story. Lots more headrom available there. If you need clean available headroom more watts is the answer.

Just my opinion, others may disagree.

I keep hearing this "watts is watts" theory and I'm sure that in theory it is correct.

I've read all the arguements by lots of really smart people here who have described the "why" of that.

All I know is that my Fender Bassman 100T is MUCH MUCH louder than my 500 watt Gallien Krueger MB 500.

And the Super Bassman 300 is louder than a jet airplane when played through a 8x10 cabinet.

So "watts is watts" may be correct on some level - but on the stage, it just ain't true!!

[Freight Train]

Originally Posted by bigsnaketex

I keep hearing this "watts is watts" theory and I'm sure that in theory it is correct.

I've read all the arguements by lots of really smart people here who have described the "why" of that.

All I know is that my Fender Bassman 100T is MUCH MUCH louder than my 500 watt Gallien Krueger MB 500.

And the Super Bassman 300 is louder than a jet airplane when played through a 8x10 cabinet.

So "watts is watts" may be correct on some level - but on the stage, it just ain't true!!

Nuff said, and well said. Let's PLEASE not drag this excellent thread down with this tired b.s. You gotta realize that some guys are so dug in on this, there's nothing you can say to convince them otherwise, so it's a waste of time. They can look at meters and measurements and yes, 100watts = 100watts. But there's so much more going on with a tube amp than the meager little specs that we know how to measure. It gets down the volume you PERCEIVE, not the wattage you measure.

[One Drop]

Originally Posted by Freight Train

Nuff said, and well said. Let's PLEASE not drag this excellent thread down with this tired b.s. You gotta realize that some guys are so dug in on this, there's nothing you can say to convince them otherwise, so it's a waste of time. They can look at meters and measurements and yes, 100watts = 100watts. But there's so much more going on with a tube amp than the meager little specs that we know how to measure. It gets down the volume you PERCEIVE, not the wattage you measure.

Exactly. Watts are watts but they are not a good way alone to judge the useful loudness of an amp.

Any well designed 300w tube amp will be very loud through enough cabbage, how much clean headroom you have will depend on the design of the amp and how you use it's gain staging.

[bigsnaketex]

Originally Posted by Freight Train

Nuff said, and well said. Let's PLEASE not drag this excellent thread down with this tired b.s. You gotta realize that some guys are so dug in on this, there's nothing you can say to convince them otherwise, so it's a waste of time. They can look at meters and measurements and yes, 100watts = 100watts. But there's so much more going on with a tube amp than the meager little specs that we know how to measure. It gets down the volume you PERCEIVE, not the wattage you measure.

You hit the nail on the head - some folks are married to this notion and will shout it from the rooftops!!!

So I apologize for mentioning it!!

[Tim1]

Thanks for knocking that one back, guys. As the OP I would be hacked off if this thread started going the same old way as many others over the years. As has been said, the 100T is a loud amp and SB300 is even louder. Personally I can categorically state that I have not played a better sounding 100 watt head in all my years of playing and the quality control seems way ahead of some other brands.

[Dan55]

FSR Blonde/Oxblood 100T and 4x10 are ordered. Now all I have to do is wait for a month until they start shipping them out.

Dan

[kobass]

Originally Posted by Dan55

FSR Blonde/Oxblood 100T and 4x10 are ordered. Now all I have to do is wait for a month until they start shipping them out.

Dan

Nice!

[tombowlus]

Breaking news on the Bassman front! After a bit of recent correspondence with Fender, I have some news to report which varies slightly from what I wrote in my Super Bassman review in BGM #10.

In my review, I highlighted a quote from the user manual which stated that "A speaker must ALWAYS be connected to the MAIN SPEAKER jack when the amplifier is ON or damage may occur to the unit." This seemed contrary to what I thought the Speaker Output Mute switch was doing, but since Fender put it in the manual, I wanted to be sure that people were aware of that.


However, the engineers at Fender now tell me that if the Speaker Output is set to Mute, the Super Bassman can be safely operated without a load (meaning, without a speaker attached). There is no high voltage power supply to the output section when the Speaker Output is set to Mute, and you are good to go.

[StrangerDanger]

Originally Posted by tombowlus

Breaking news on the Bassman front! After a bit of recent correspondence with Fender, I have some news to report which varies slightly from what I wrote in my Super Bassman review in BGM #10.

In my review, I highlighted a quote from the user manual which stated that "A speaker must ALWAYS be connected to the MAIN SPEAKER jack when the amplifier is ON or damage may occur to the unit." This seemed contrary to what I thought the Speaker Output Mute switch was doing, but since Fender put it in the manual, I wanted to be sure that people were aware of that.


However, the engineers at Fender now tell me that if the Speaker Output is set to Mute, the Super Bassman can be safely operated without a load (meaning, without a speaker attached). There is no high voltage power supply to the output section when the Speaker Output is set to Mute, and you are good to go.

If thats the case then whats so hot about the 25 watt silent mode on the 100T?