70's Fender 400 PS bass amp?

[thumpbass1]

I've got a book at home on Fender Amps and the 400 is in it. The book doesn't speak too kindly of this amp so be warned. My first decent bass amp was a Black faced Bassman with a small 2x12 cab. Dumbest thing I ever did was sell it when I got my Kustom 200. Selling the Kustom was just about as dumb. Oh well.

Don't feel bad, I think most of us older baby boomer musicians would love to have some of the gear back we sold or traded. I know I got rid of some stuff that in hindsight I wish I hadn't. Oh well, one can't live in regret. I still think the old Fender 400PS is cool in it's own right if one can find one that's still ticking.

 

[ann southall]

I was thinking of gettting the bassman 135, but you guys are all saying it might not be loud enough for live shows.....
And I can't locate or even get a comment really about the Fender Studio Bass amp, hunt hint...
On ampwares.com I stumbled onto the Fender 400 ps bass, it has 435 watts!!!!!!

I guess you need 3 speaker cabs and it puts 145 watts to each output, or you can plug it into this big funky cab it came with......

Are these hard to come by as well? And how do they sound????


I can't even find a review on harmony-cental.com user reviews on this one.......

Let me know what you think/find out about this amp!
Thanks!

P.S. Check out the link

Fender 400 PS Bass
The Fender 400-PS Amp Designed By Ed Jahns

 

[ann southall]

I have one of those evidently pretty rare Fender ps400 heads. It does weigh 84 lbs but I keep it on a cabinet on good casters. It does produce my favorite bass sound, although I've never used 3 speakers. I'm tempted to sell it because I could use the money, and I have two other Fender tube heads that are wonderful. And I'm kinda curious about how much it would bring. But I'm afraid that I'll regret selling it if and when my drummer grandson becomes interested in forming loud bands. Does anyone know how I can find out what it is worth?

 

[Coolhandjjl]

No one needs a 400 watt tube head. Here's my suggestions for tube heads if you want a head that will carry you for any situation and also looks like a classic head:

Orange AD200: crunchy sound.
Reeves 225: clean power
Ampeg SVT: best of both worlds and probably the loudest.

YMMV and choice of cab/s plays just an important factor as well.

 

[coreyfyfe]

But I'm afraid that I'll regret selling it if and when my drummer grandson becomes interested in forming loud bands. Does anyone know how I can find out what it is worth?

They're rare but they're also a pain to maintain and use and not very sought after. Needing three 4 ohm cabs to get full use out of the amp is a bit of an anachronism in modern settings.

There was one for sale near me asking around $2000 for a long time. As far as I know it never sold. The usual recommendation for finding sale prices is to check completed listings on ebay, reverb.com, etc, to see what the market really is. Doesn't really help for very rare items. The only completed listing I saw in a quick check of ebay was this one which was asking $1200 with local pickup only, and the final price says best offer accepted, $480. Don't know if that means they dropped the price to $480 and accepted a lower offer or if that's the offer that was accepted.

 

[ann southall]

They're rare but they're also a pain to maintain and use and not very sought after. Needing three 4 ohm cabs to get full use out of the amp is a bit of an anachronism in modern settings.

There was one for sale near me asking around $2000 for a long time. As far as I know it never sold. The usual recommendation for finding sale prices is to check completed listings on ebay, reverb.com, etc, to see what the market really is. Doesn't really help for very rare items. The only completed listing I saw in a quick check of ebay was this one which was asking $1200 with local pickup only, and the final price says best offer accepted, $480. Don't know if that means they dropped the price to $480 and accepted a lower offer or if that's the offer that was accepted.

 

[ann southall]

Thanks so much for your response! Helps a bunch! EBay doesn't even have any completed auctions for this amp. Mine has been maintenance free. I put new tubes in it when I bought it at a pawn shop in Midland, Tx about 20 yrs ago for $200.00. I sorted figured between 500.00 and 1500.00 might be about what someone who really wants one would pay, however, they'll have to come get it. Maybe mine has held up well because I never ran more than one speaker?

 

[BassmanPaul]

Does anyone know how I can find out what it is worth?

The forum rules do not allow us to tell you what the amp is worth. This kind of post is limited to supporting members.

As we have not conversed before I’d like to take the opportunity to welcome you to Talk Bass.

 

[Bflat]

Here is mine for those that haven't seen it. it is indeed a monster!!!!

 

[ann southall]

Here is mine for those that haven't seen it. it is indeed a monster!!!!View attachment 2804019

 

[ann southall]

Wow. I've never seen the speakers that went with it!

 

[ann southall]

The forum rules do not allow us to tell you what the amp is worth. This kind of post is limited to supporting members.

As we have not conversed before I’d like to take the opportunity to welcome you to Talk Bass.

Thanks for the info! I have to wait til payday to join SUPPORTTALKBASS but I certainly will do that!

 

[BassmanPaul]

We likes new victims uh I mean supporting members! LOL

 

[ann southall]

We likes new victims uh I mean supporting members! LOL

This wouldn't be Paul from El Paso would it??

 

[Bill Whitehurst]

Looks like Paul from Tornoto.

I've always been impressed with the 400PS.
I'd love to play on one.
I think I might like owning one...
BUT
the cost, size and weight put it in the not really practical catgory, for me.

 

[ann southall]

Looks like Paul from Tornoto.

I've always been impressed with the 400PS.
I'd love to play on one.
I think I might like owning one...
BUT
the cost, size and weight put it in the not really practical catgory, for me.[/QUOTE
So true about the weight. I'm a female and I have always kept it on it's cabinet on rollers which was just the right height to "slide" it into my suburban. But the suburban is down so I'm using my Bassman instead which is fine for all the venues where I play.

 

[murphy]

GAH...Zombie read

 

[Longwheelbass]

Six years too late...but I have both a Bassman 135 and a 400PS. I play both amps through two 1x15 400w Bass cabs. And the other day I scored an Acoustic 2x15 cab. Holy shot does that sound good. It's a 4 ohm cab so I'm only using one output on the PS. The 135 Bassman can JuST cut it with the two punk guitarists and animalistic punk drummer...but the PS just makes people go "awwwwww..."

 

[NecroticImbecil]

Nice. I use mine with 2 2x12s and a 2X10. Had it gone through when I bought it 12 years ago, hasn't needed service since. I wouldn't exactly call that a pain to maintain and use but it's subjective I suppose.

 

[JacklegBass]

And the other day I scored an Acoustic 2x15 cab. Holy shot does that sound good.

The Acoustic 402 is one great cabinet. It looks like the one you is loaded with the original drivers too.