Vintage Tube Home Rig: Recording/Practice

[Ray-Vigo]

I'm currently thinking about putting together a nice, vintage tube head and cab combo for practicing and recording at home. What I was thinking was an old Silverface Bassman (of some sort) head with a decent efficiency, modern small cabinet (maybe 1x12?). I've put this project off continually since last year but would like to do it this time. Would it be possible to do a Bassman 100 into a small modern cab like that and have a useable home amp for practice and recording? I was thinking the 100 mainly because I figured I could get a larger cabinet companion and then use it for band practices if need be. We're not talking large gigs here at all. Would that be the Silverface 100 or should I be thinking smaller wattage here? Is this a doable project?

[JimmyM]

the bassman should work fine.

[will33]

Aside from a B-15, a bassman 50 or 100 would be my choice as well. They really want to see a 4ohm cab but plenty of folks, including me play them through 8 with no problems, they seem to be pretty robust. I'd look at something like a 15L/TL606 cab. Stack another one under it and you can do small gigs, even large ones with PA support. Or a 4ohm 210 or two.

[will33]

FWIW, I have a 135 I had reset to run on 2 power tubes so it's a bassman 67-1/2 I guess.

Anyway, I jump the channels and it makes a nice tone lowish volumes. It's also my guitar amp and does a good job there.

[jimbilly]

I think you would find a Bassman 50 through a decent modern cabinet to be plenty powerful enough for home and recording, I think you'd be happy with one of those through a nice small cabinet. I've had a couple of Bassman50 heads (2 power tubes), and a Dual Showman, -you know that the Showman (4 power tubes) is nowhere near twice as loud, I don't know the specs, but I think 20% louder would be a safe guess.
A Bassman 50 through an efficient larger cabinet can be quite loud, I ran mine through an 8x10. I'd recommend a mid '60s blackface Bassman, they cost hardly any more than a silverface, but a '68 silverface 'backline' (about 4 thin vertical black lines on the silver face) is the same circuit. I see them often for about $600.

[seamonkey]

You can try out a lot of amp combinations with these modelers
Peavey Revalver - it has direct clones and you can modify tone stacks, different tubes, etc. This is the ultimate tube modeler for building your own ideas into amps.

IK MultiMedia Samplitube - It has many Officially Certified models from the manufacturers. Some from private collections. IK also has versions on iPad/iPod for ultimate portability. iPad has a Garage Band DAW which is very popular for home recording.

Both have demo versions. Technically, but are easy to use if you know how to record using a PC DAW.

You can download and try the different models of the amps and cabinets, and if you end up still wanting hardware you'll at least know what to hunt down in person.

[s_mcsleazy]

my bassman is too loud for home use. so i use the valve jr. insted

[will33]

Ya, you talking quiet selfpractice/recording, a lot cool stuff can happen with a valve jr. Just plug it into any bass cab you like. Got one of those here too......it ain't for sale.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by seamonkey

You can try out a lot of amp combinations with these modelers
Peavey Revalver - it has direct clones and you can modify tone stacks, different tubes, etc. This is the ultimate tube modeler for building your own ideas into amps.

IK MultiMedia Samplitube - It has many Officially Certified models from the manufacturers. Some from private collections. IK also has versions on iPad/iPod for ultimate portability. iPad has a Garage Band DAW which is very popular for home recording.

Both have demo versions. Technically, but are easy to use if you know how to record using a PC DAW.

You can download and try the different models of the amps and cabinets, and if you end up still wanting hardware you'll at least know what to hunt down in person.

lol! all i can do at this point is lol!

[96tbird]

Jimmy you always stirring it up with him. Lol. Thats all I to can do tho' LOL. It's like 'valves is fer plummin, dur.' Roflao

OP your plan sounds great.

[My name is Mudd]

Originally Posted by s_mcsleazy

...so i use the valve jr. insted

Originally Posted by will33

...a lot cool stuff can happen with a valve jr...

More Valve Jr love here...Tronographic Rusty Box > VJr > Dr B 1260 = tone!

[Ray-Vigo]

I have heard some good things about the Valve Jr as well, though I do like the old Bassman tone. It sounds as if the 50 or 70 may be preferable to the 100. 4x 6L6 is pretty formidable for a home and recording type situation, even with a smaller cab. It sounds as if the 50 would be friendlier in that environment. I suppose I could even try my guitars through it as well for a nice clean tone. I'm avoiding modelers right now, my experience with them is that they're capable of some nice tones, but that they sort of feel more like a caricature of an amp rather than the real thing. That's not to say they're bad, but they just don't have the same dynamics and feel of the real thing. They have improved a lot over the years though.

Any suggestion on small cabinets to go with it? Some of the smaller stuff from Ampeg doesn't look bad, but I haven't gone dedicated cab shopping before.

[will33]

Just for recording a little 110 is all you'd need. An EV 15L is one of those classic tones and sounds nice with a bassman although they can get pretty loud for home recording.

If you're using it for guitar do yourself a favor and pickup an EH Holy Grail. Most natural sounding reverb I've heard in a pedal. Pickup whatever other dirt pedals suit your tastes.

[My name is Mudd]

Originally Posted by Ray-Vigo

I have heard some good things about the Valve Jr as well, though I do like the old Bassman tone.

There is that...the VJr is a guitar amp that does full-range/hi-fi/whatever-it-is bass tones well, IMO. It wouldn't be my first choice for the vintage p-bass w/original ancient flats > B-15 tones.

- EDIT FOR CLARIFICATION (just in case) - I'm talking about the VJr head, not the VJr combo amp

[ButtUglyJeff]

I'm just going to put it out there. Have you tried one of the new Fender TV combos yet? They really have some old Bassman mojo, with a more modern speaker. The only reason I don't own one is the fact that you can't add an extension cabinet. I suspect the internal speaker runs at 4 ohms...

You should really taste one before you jump on something vintage...

[zachoff]

I'll +1 to the Bassman and add that I've never owned a head that took to pedals as well as my Bassman.

[Ray-Vigo]

A reverb pedal will play a role in the mix. Holy Grail is a good pedal certainly. One may be in my future, though at the moment I am liking the Boss '63 Fender Reverb pedal. It's the closest thing in pedal form I've heard to some of the old style reverb tanks. One thing it does not do terribly well is getting "room" type reverb (not sure it even was intended to get that), though it is pretty good with spring type.

The small Bassman TV combo looks interesting too. I think they're a step in the right direction for Fender. I probably should try one out before buying an old head. I've been staying away from new Fender amps for about 5-6 years now. Around 2000 I got my little Bassman 25 kickback and that's a great little bedroom amp. But about 2004 or so I got a Princeton 65 DSP guitar amp in a blowout sale and found it to be near junk. They touted it as their answer to Line6 in the ability to get variety from an amp, and at first it seemed alright. But as I played it more and more I found it could only do the purest clean tones acceptably. I mistakenly thought with time and patience I could get decent tones from that amp. Ever since, I've steered clear of new Fender amps-- that Princeton was a serious disappointment and I didn't feel like repeating it. I may stop by the local shop and see if they have the small TV there, just to see what it's like.

[nysbob]

Originally Posted by seamonkey

You can try out a lot of amp combinations with these modelers...

.

You, sir, are pathetic.

Get a life.

Where exactly did the OP ask for information about modeling?

Any relatively efficient cab will work well with a bassman.

[will33]

Originally Posted by Ray-Vigo

A reverb pedal will play a role in the mix. Holy Grail is a good pedal certainly. One may be in my future, though at the moment I am liking the Boss '63 Fender Reverb pedal. It's the closest thing in pedal form I've heard to some of the old style reverb tanks.

Hmm....haven't tried that one.

Aren't the TV's a bit spendy? Granted it's a combo and if it does what you want then good. I would think you could pick up an old bassman and probably have it gone through/brought up to snuff for less.

[My name is Mudd]

Originally Posted by will33

Aren't the TV's a bit spendy?

My thought also...maybe the 210, but still...