Mesa BassMASTER 400??

[SludgeFeast]

Hello all. Long time lurker, first time poster.

I bought this head from some guy off craigslist a couple months ago. It's my first all tube bass head and I love the tone. One little problem though.

I can't find any info on it. There are tons of threads about the Bass 400 and the Bass 400+, but nothing anywhere about the BassMaster 400. My guess is that it was the short lived model that came between the D-180 and the Bass 400. I'd like to know if anyone else out there has seen a head like this or owns one. And if they could share any info on it that would be great.

Now for some pictures, hopefully I do this right.













Its hard to see but in the last photo, over the mesa logo there is a black line. It seems to be sharpie and under it, engraved in the head it says "Model D-180 Amplifier". So, maybe this is one of the first in-between models? Any info you guys could share with me would be appreciated.

[anonymous02282011]

caps look new . . . a good thing

[chicago_mike]

Its a bass 400. The only things I would do:

Make sure the rust on the trannies isnt causing any undue conduction.
Replace the carbon resistors off the power tube sockets with metal film.
The Tech-Caps aren't new. I would have those checked for leakage.

[Caca de Kick]

Wow, intersting find! Yeah it does look like a transition model, or probably prototype. It has a mix of both heads, but that B012 serial seems like this might have actually been a test mule at Mesa for a while. The circut board is dated 8/85, I had a D180 dated early '86, and I've also had a Bass400 dated late'86, so your unit sure seems like it was a test mule to me.

[anonymous02282011]

my bad!

[Grooveman1961]

It's a Bass 400 for sure. All the 400's and the 400+'s used that circuit board. Nice find by the way! Congrats!

[ebenezercore]

I have the same Mesa Bass Master Bass Amp.
Yours is Serial # B012
Mine Is Serial # B015
Crazy......
I have to run but if you want to follow up on this with me please email me at justinhobartbrown@msn.com
or look for me again here!


yay!!!!!! I finally found another one of these extraordinary Bass Amps..... I am NOT CRAZY!

[garmenteros]

Looks built like a tank. Mesa makes awesome gear that will probably outlive most of us. I have a mesa tube head on my to get list when I have my own studio and won't be lugging it around much.

[chaosMK]

Are those 6550's?