Your Opinion Of Fender Bass Amps

[nocontrols]

1) Do you have a generalized opinion of the whole line? Possibly an unfair sweeping statement but people do tend to prefer some brands over others.

2) What are your favorite Fender amps currently in production? Why?

3) Least favorite? Why?

4) Do you find the better Fender amps to be a good value for cash, taking into consideration sound quality, build quality and durability, relative to competitive brands like Ampeg, G-K, Peavey, Markbass, Eden, etc?

Thanks!

[John Wentzien]

I lke 60's Deluxes the best!...for guitar anyway.

[John Wentzien]

Bassmans are underpowered...but sound good!

[John Wentzien]

Speaks for itself..http://www.fender.com/products/index...ries+Bass+Amps

[JimmyM]

I like Fender guitar amps, and for certain specific sounds, I like the Fender tone stack on bass. But Fender didn't start making bass cabs worth a crap until the mid 90's. Bassman heads rock, but the cabs rocked at very low volumes and sounded like crap the second you tried to give them the gas.

There are a few current products they make that are cool, but they all seem to be flawed in some way...lack of expandability in $1000 combos, good cabs mated with blah heads in the cheaper combos and vice versa. I don't know...I'm not turned off by Fender bass amps, but I'm not finding much of a reason to switch.

[AwkwardLoudness]

I wouldn't consider any current production Fenders. I cringe whenever I walk into a music store and see Made in Indonesia 'Fender' amps.

Fender did make one of the all time greatest tube amps from 1970 to 1975: The 400PS. They are heavy and require three 4Ω cabs to tap the full power, but the tone is awesome. Tons of headroom.

A vintage Silverface Bassman 135w is also a wonderful amp. Fender Showmans and Super Twins are good for bass. The choice of cabs (if not a combo) and speakers is critical of course.

I like the various lower powered vintage Bassmans as well, but their lack of headroom makes them better suited for lead guitar. An early 60s blonde Bassman (50 watts I think) is among the greatest guitar amps I've played.

[faulknersj]

Well Jimmy, if you ever get a chance to play thru an 800pro or a TBP-1 you might change your opinion. Those amps are absolutely creme de creme in my opinion and from my experience. The best bass player I have ever seen or known, Mel Brown, records thru a TBP-1 in his home studio and is on 80% of the smooth jazz records that come out today. He plays an 800 pro live and omg, every one in the crowd is scoping that thing out after one of his performances. Unfortunately, my 800 Pro got ripped off a while back. These 2 afformentioned heads really make a Fender Bass sound like a Fender should. I think they are among the most under rated under appreciated amps on the market today.

[nocontrols]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

I like Fender guitar amps, and for certain specific sounds, I like the Fender tone stack on bass. But Fender didn't start making bass cabs worth a crap until the mid 90's. Bassman heads rock, but the cabs rocked at very low volumes and sounded like crap the second you tried to give them the gas.

There are a few current products they make that are cool, but they all seem to be flawed in some way...lack of expandability in $1000 combos, good cabs mated with blah heads in the cheaper combos and vice versa. I don't know...I'm not turned off by Fender bass amps, but I'm not finding much of a reason to switch.

Originally Posted by AwkwardLoudness

I wouldn't consider any current production Fenders. I cringe whenever I walk into a music store and see Made in Indonesia 'Fender' amps.

Fender did make one of the all time greatest tube amps from 1970 to 1975: The 400PS. They are heavy and require three 4Ω cabs to tap the full power, but the tone is awesome. Tons of headroom.

A vintage Silverface Bassman 135w is also a wonderful amp. Fender Showmans and Super Twins are good for bass. The choice of cabs (if not a combo) and speakers is critical of course.

I like the various lower powered vintage Bassmans as well, but their lack of headroom makes them better suited for lead guitar. An early 60s blonde Bassman (50 watts I think) is among the greatest guitar amps I've played.

Good info here. Thanks, guys.

Too bad most of their amps lately are a bit lacking in some area or another. It's a shame that they're not really hitting a true homerun with any one amp as they probably have more R&D spending power than anyone.

Are any of their higher-end heads made in America? The price tag would indicate that a few of them are. And I am well aware of their guitar amps... classics for bright, chimey tone with worlds of headroom. I was just wondering if the current company is producing a bass amp truly worthy.

BTW - I've never heard of a 400PS. That's interesting.

[nocontrols]

Originally Posted by faulknersj

Well Jimmy, if you ever get a chance to play thru an 800pro or a TBP-1 you might change your opinion. Those amps are absolutely creme de creme in my opinion and from my experience. The best bass player I have ever seen or known, Mel Brown, records thru a TBP-1 in his home studio and is on 80% of the smooth jazz records that come out today. He plays an 800 pro live and omg, every one in the crowd is scoping that thing out after one of his performances. Unfortunately, my 800 Pro got ripped off a while back. These 2 afformentioned heads really make a Fender Bass sound like a Fender should. I think they are among the most under rated under appreciated amps on the market today.

Wow. I will check out both the next chance I get.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by faulknersj

Well Jimmy, if you ever get a chance to play thru an 800pro or a TBP-1 you might change your opinion. Those amps are absolutely creme de creme in my opinion and from my experience. The best bass player I have ever seen or known, Mel Brown, records thru a TBP-1 in his home studio and is on 80% of the smooth jazz records that come out today. He plays an 800 pro live and omg, every one in the crowd is scoping that thing out after one of his performances. Unfortunately, my 800 Pro got ripped off a while back. These 2 afformentioned heads really make a Fender Bass sound like a Fender should. I think they are among the most under rated under appreciated amps on the market today.

I've not heard the TBP-1 preamp with me playing it, but I've heard several recordings of one, and I will agree that it's a top of the line product. They quit making it, but they still use it in their high end hybrid heads, so I have no doubt those are killer sounding. And a few folks on here have a Bassman 300 and like it, so they can definitely put out good stuff when they put their minds to it.

But in the public's eye, it doesn't carry the cachet of other brands, and I understand why to a large extent. Making the Bassman TV combos unexpandable and very expensive was a gigantic mistake, possibly one of the biggest I've ever seen. They sound great...but I'd never own one based on lack of expandability alone. Plus while you shouldn't judge a company based on their cheapest amps, I find in those price categories, I always prefer something else.

[faulknersj]

I feel ya Jimmy, but their top end stuff is as good as anything I have played thru...especially if you are a Fender Bass O Phile

[faulknersj]

I should also mention that their 4x10 cab with the top 2 10's slated up toward the player are money...especially if your cab is often utilixed as a bass monitor during live performances.

[enricogaletta]

I'm not crazy about Fender bass amp, they sound's good but unfortunately they are always a step behind other brand in terms of sound evolution for bass.
Cheers. Enrico
YouTube
WebSite

[seventhsunbass]

My practice amp since the early 90's has been the Fender BXR 60. Nice tone, full sound and the mid notch is very useful. It also records well and I found it quite expressive mixing it miked and direct boxed in the studio. I like the 60 for the 12" speaker more so than the 15" in the 100 or 200 version. I may have gone through many amps for the stage but for the studio and home, this is my weapon of choice.

[powmetalbassist]

I generally don't like Fender. not sure why, just more of a peavey/SWR guy. I had a Fender RBX 300, 1998 model, it worked well and was solid. Only fender I ever bought. Was never a fan of their basses either too bulky, heavy and awkward.

[bluesdogblues]

Originally Posted by John Wentzien

Bassmans are underpowered...but sound good!

+1

I've been also used & like their TBP-1 Pre + MB1000 Power + 1x15 & 2x10 cabs few times.
Sounds a bit flat compare to, say, SVT, but suited me well when I was looking for a clean amp.
IMO they're good combination of racked type of bass amp.

[bluesdogblues]

Originally Posted by AwkwardLoudness

I wouldn't consider any current production Fenders. I cringe whenever I walk into a music store and see Made in Indonesia 'Fender' amps.


speakers is critical of course.
.

I think those "made in Indonesia Fender amps" are aiming for it's 'own market', and IMHO they're good enough for that purpose.

YMMV

[s_mcsleazy]

did someone call for a fender amp fanboy?
no, well tough. you got one.

honistly i dont see what everyone says about bassmans being underpowered. just do what i did. buy a bassman head and use modern cabs. fender cabs have always been better with guitar than bass but use a bassman with a modern cab and you'll love it. now here is some porn

[JxBass]

They're no longer in production and aren't gig-worthy, but the Fender Bassman 25 and RAD Bass 25 are two of my all time favorite combos for at home use or in the smallest live settings.

[Russell L]

Originally Posted by JxBass

They're no longer in production and aren't gig-worthy, but the Fender Bassman 25 and RAD Bass 25 are two of my all time favorite combos for at home use or in the smallest live settings.

+1.

I have a Bassman 25 combo that has about the best tone I've ever heard, but, of course, it's only 25w solid state. But, it's what I practice through in the headphones.

Also have a Bassman 150 combo, but don't use it much. Nice tone at low volume, but can't get very loud with the internal speaker, and there's no ext. jack. Odd, though, that I can uplug the speaker and use a different one with the head, but it doesn't say what the impedance is.

Had a Bassman 60 once that had a really nice tone with its 15" speaker, but, of course, 60w solid state was not enough to gig with.

Best thing was my old early-to-mid 60s Bassman head with the large twin twelve cab. I put EV SRO 12s in it. You talk about a rig of doom for guitar. Holy smokes!!! Played that thing six nights a week with my '64 Gretsch Tennessean for 19 months. Really sweet. Traded it for a CBS Super Reverb.

In general I like Fender amps, especially many of the old guitar amps. They have their cheaper stuff just like many other brands do, though.

Took my Bassman 25 and '01 Jazz camping with us at an RV site recently. Ah, staring at the fire and the stars while playing bass. LOL, my bass smelled like smoke for a week.