66 blackface bassman impedance?

[BluesBass1]

does anyone here know the impedance on a fender 66 blackface bassman head?...........AB165 schematic ....
i have googled this but get varied messages... some say 8 and some say 4 ohm.

 

[BurningSkies]

does anyone here know the impedance on a fender 66 blackface bassman head?...........AB165 schematic ....
i have googled this but get varied messages... some say 8 and some say 4 ohm.

?

Are you asking for the minimum/maximum impedance load that it wants to see from a speaker?

 

[beans-on-toast]

That amp had an 125A13A output transformer. The output impedance is 4 ohms. There are two jacks on the back that are wired in parallel.

For optimal performance, you would normally plug in a single 4 ohm cab, or two 8 ohm cabs, one into each jack. That doesn't stop folks from plugging in a single 8 ohm cab.

 

[johnk_10]

yep, they're 4 ohm heads. but you can run them with 8 or 2 ohms loads without any issues too.

 

[BluesBass1]

i have an Ampeg pn410 @8ohms that i got to match with an svt6pro...... but i wanted to plug the bassman into to see how it sounds as the original bassman cab i got with head has blown speakers and works but sounds horrible. i have no other cabs to plug it into for testing ..........just dont want to damage new pn410 or bassman head...........will it be safe?????

 

[johnk_10]

yes.

 

[BluesBass1]

thanks to all for help............
one more question..........are these heads worth putting money into (tubes, caps, etc.), or are they fairly ordinary?
either for resale or just to keep for vintage.......

 

[beans-on-toast]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Not everyone appreciates them as a bass amp. I have a deep appreciation for old Fender amps, especially of that era, so I would say that they are a joy to own. I was looking at one recently that was being offered for $500. It was well worth it.

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[will33]

Most any bassman, but especially a blackface, is well worth putting money into and hanging on to. They're one of the classic amps.

Those were all really sturdy amps. I've played a bunch on 8 ohm cabs and never broke one, but they're really made for 4 ohms.

 

[chicomalo]

I would consider recapping.

 

[beans-on-toast]

Keeping an amp in good working condition is not a negative thing on the vintage market. In general, this includes a power supply recap, a three conductor power cord, tubes, or anything else needed to make it useable. Keep the old parts.

 

[BluesBass1]

okay, well i plugged in the 66 bassman and there is a few minor crackles and pops but all in all, it sounds really good.......like a vintage tube should.......its plugged into the 8ohm pn410 and is pretty loud for a 50 watt amp......pretty sweet for not being used for 20 years.
would it be louder if i had a 4ohm cab? ..........or i guess i could add another 8ohm cab and bring it down to 4.

 

[4Mal]

Yeah, they pick up some headroom at 4 ohms. not that loud an amp but it is a beautiful classic tone. Now you gotta go get a CAR or LPB P Bass and a surf band

 

[Russell L]

Had one just like it back in the day. Oh, how I miss it. Yours looks lovely.