Best Bassman for Bass?

[Rafael]

SO, my gigging rig is my Carvin BX500 through a homemade 410 neo cab, and I usually play my Godin....three lightweight things that I don't mind hauling back and forth.

BUT, at practice I use the community stack, which is a Bassman 100 through an SWR 410, and I usually play my Hamer Blitz Bass that I recently outfitted with vintage Barts.

The combination of the Godin and its active pups through the Carvin into my neos give me a versatile, flexible rig that I can move myself.

On the other hand, I'm really digging the Bassman with my Barts! But it got me thinking:

Which of the classic Bassman amps is the best for Bass? Between the Tweed, Blonde, Black and Silverface, which has the most appropriate tone for Bass? I hear the debate quite a lot among guitar players, but their needs are different than mine as a bass player.

Now, I don't doubt this will create some controversy, so plead your case without attacking others, OK?

 

[kosmicwizard]

The best bassman is the Ampeg V4b Cheers!

 

[s_mcsleazy]

i voted silver my brother

mine is plenty loud and awesome

 

[JxBass]

My favorite is the Bassman 25 combo, not acceptable for gigging but a great tone and a terrific at-home practice combo.

 

[klejst]

At one time I used two Fender Bassman 4x10 black faces, but lurking them around got tiring so I sold them and got the Mesa I use now. Overall good cabs though.

 

[solodb]

1969-1971 Superbassman, silverface, very loud and clean

 

[Rafael]

Tweed pulls into an early lead, but nobody wants to step up and explain why?

 

[D.M.N.]

Bassman 300 pro.

 

[mtb777]

Bassman 300 PRO hands down. Actually, could you give me a hand there?

 

[eyeballkid]

what they said. +300

 

[Boot Soul]

The best Bassman, may not be an actual Bassman, but the lesser known Fender Studio Bass. At 200 watts from 6, 6L6GC tubes (or even more, if one is lucky enough to use 7581A's) this amp is the Bassman tone with enough power to actually keep up with loud drums and guitars.

Made only for a few years in the late 70s and early 80s these amps were not too popular due to only being available as a combo (and not as a separate head), and bad timing (when solid state bass amps were being successfully marketed as the next new thing, as an "upgrade" from tubes). The tone is much the same as from an older Bassman, just about twice as loud.

Some of these combos were converted to separate heads, for ease of transport and versatility, but are not often for sale. But the combos show up on Ebay and CL fairly often, and head cases for a perfect fit, from Mojo, are around $200.

Here is one that I purchased from JohnK a few years ago...

JohnK did a beautiful job with this conversion. More info on this amp here...

Fender Studio Bass

 

[Tom Howland]

1969-1971 Superbassman, silverface, very loud and clean

These heads are nice.
Also like the Bassman 100B.

 

[AwkwardLoudness]

Vintage 135 watt Silverface Bassman is my favorite for bass.

I like the early 60's blonde and blackface Bassmans best for lead guitar.

For a whole lotta tube power, I like the Fender 400PS. It's not a Bassman, but the preamp circuit in one channel is similar to a blackface Bassman I think.

 

[charlie monroe]

I used a silverface Bassman 100 for years. Still have it in the home studio.

I agree with Awkward, the others on the list usually get more love as guitar amps.

 

[s_mcsleazy]

The best Bassman, may not be an actual Bassman, but the lesser known Fender Studio Bass. At 200 watts from 6, 6L6GC tubes (or even more, if one is lucky enough to use 7581A's) this amp is the Bassman tone with enough power to actually keep up with loud drums and guitars.

Made only for a few years in the late 70s and early 80s these amps were not too popular due to only being available as a combo (and not as a separate head), and bad timing (when solid state bass amps were being successfully marketed as the next new thing, as an "upgrade" from tubes). The tone is much the same as from an older Bassman, just about twice as loud.

Some of these combos were converted to separate heads, for ease of transport and versatility, but are not often for sale. But the combos show up on Ebay and CL fairly often, and head cases for a perfect fit, from Mojo, are around $200.

Here is one that I purchased from JohnK a few years ago...

JohnK did a beautiful job with this conversion. More info on this amp here...

Fender Studio Bass

oh my

anyone know if many made it to the uk.

 

[Mirios]

My high school band actually had a Silverface that I loved. Asked if I could buy it and the director laughed at me

 

[Interceptor]

Bassman 100.

Easy to maintain, classic tone stack and the 100 didn't run the output tubes as hard as the 135 did.

Played one through college in a theater pit. I gigged a Bassman 100 for about year recently - best tone I've had. That was through one or two EV TL606 cabs. Played a handful of gigs with it into an Epifani t-112. Just sweet in a jazz setting.

I parted with that rig when I started playing in a jazz combo and got tired of the schlep across the frozen tundra and followed by the maze of big hotels.

The jazz act folded. Wish I still had the Bassman.

 

[gbazinet]

Musicman HD 130!

 

[JTE]

Musicman HD 130!

I agree. I was a Fender dealer from '77 'til '88, but my rig was an HD-130 and an RH-212 cabinet. We weren't a Music Man dealer.

Jogn

 

[Munjibunga]

Bassman 400 Pro.