• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Fender Bassman 100T Chapter 3

#641
Just bought a 100T (with a NEO 115 cab).

25 watt mode seems to be working oddly. After switching it to 25w (under standby), I noticed some strange things on the bias lights... orange and red. No sound... Switching back and forth from 25 to 100 and then 25 again, and it worked but the sound seems distorsioned, even at very low volume. Normal? Do I have an auto bias system problem, or is it a tube problem?

Also, with my AM STD P Bass, vintage channel, volume at 5, bass 2, mid 7, treble 5, I hear a fair amount of compression (no matter the output volume). Is it normal? Not that I don't like the tone, but I just want to know if this is THE tone of this amp, or do I have to replace the pre-amp tubes as well???

Any info welcome'd.
 
#642
Hi David, turn the amp off and let it sit for a few minutes. Then turn the amp on and let it warm up for at least one minute and then take it out of bypass mode and wait a one minute to give the auto bias time to adjust and then all of the lights should be green and steady . Hope this helps.
 
#644
If I was rich I would have the SB300. Rod you know the big debate about the two amps, In my way of thinking is you can always turn the volume down. But I always have pa support but I would love to crank up one of those 6550,,s
 
  • Like
Reactions: rodl2005
#645
Bias seems to be fine now, both at 25 and 100w. Don't understand what happened. At one point, one of the 6L6 was all RED, and a big hum was coming out of the speaker!! ... Seems ok now though.

Playing with my Jazz now still at low volume (don't want to neihbors to hate me!), and I can clearly hear a distorsion when I'm on the bridge pickup. Vintage channel, volume at 4.5.

Is the compression/distorsion I hear normal??
 
#646
It is important to let the amp bias the tubes before you start playing at least that is what I was told. The manual said the bias doesn't work while playing. On the vintage channel it should be clean at low volume on 100 watt setting
 
#647
I think what I try to describe comes from the 115 cab... I tryed the cab with my RH450 head and I still hear the same 'distorsion', so it's likely to some from the 15" speaker...

On the other hand, I would like to try the 100T with my RS210 cab, but this one only accpet speakon cables and I don't have a 1/4 to speakon, sadly...
 
#649
I did that. Thanks for all the advices BTW! :)

I'm wondering... $ and power excluded, what are the differences between the 100T and the SuperBass? Any significative tone difference? How does the 6550 sounds vs the 6L6?

Thanks for your comments!
 
#651
I'm honestly having a hard time choosing between the V4B, 100T, and Superbass... ($ is not an issue).

The V4B (with matching cab) seems to have a wonderfull tone, but might be a bit limited (features, power).

The Superbass is VERY heavy and I don't think I would need the extra power anyway (will only use the 115 cab).

The 100T appeared to be the best for my studio work (with the 25w setting) and for its overall features, but I'm still wondering...

Tough decision for me.
 
#652
I have owned both and sold the 100T after a while. The 100T has many virtues which make it an excellent amp, but for me the extra headroom and the weight behind the notes of the SB300 made it my main amp and the 100T simply did not get used. Three big points in favour of the 100T, though, are the silent recording mode, 25/100 watt switch and the post power tubes DI. In the end you weigh up your priorities and makes your choice - for me the major factor was simply that I clearly preferred the tone of the SB300 (although the 100T remains a great tone machine).
 
#653
IMHO The 100t is the best choice for the studio. More options with the 100t . I have used it in the studio with very good results. Tim1 good to see you are still keeping up with the 100t crew
 
#654
Hello Tim, thanks for your comment. The Super Bassman still has a 'silent record' switch at the back, I see it in the manual. However, you're correct about the XLR out in post mode; only the 100T source his output after the power amp.
 
#656
davidchampoux said:
I'm honestly having a hard time choosing between the V4B, 100T, and Superbass... ($ is not an issue).

The V4B (with matching cab) seems to have a wonderfull tone, but might be a bit limited (features, power).

The Superbass is VERY heavy and I don't think I would need the extra power anyway (will only use the 115 cab).

The 100T appeared to be the best for my studio work (with the 25w setting) and for its overall features, but I'm still wondering...

Tough decision for me.
Click to expand...

The Super Bassman is only 65 lbs. It's not that heavy.
 
#657
davidchampoux said:
I think what I try to describe comes from the 115 cab... I tryed the cab with my RH450 head and I still hear the same 'distorsion', so it's likely to some from the 15" speaker...

On the other hand, I would like to try the 100T with my RS210 cab, but this one only accpet speakon cables and I don't have a 1/4 to speakon, sadly...
Click to expand...

If you've verified it's coming from the speaker, it's possibly because a wire has come lose and is dangling down on the back of the cone. A couple of people on the board had that happen, but after a few weeks of playing, not right out of the box. Bust it open and see if that's it.
Regarding distortion from the vintage preamp channel itself, on my passive G&L L-1000 it starts distorting with channel volume around 7 or 8, and only if I really dig in. My normal vintage channel volume setting for gigs is 5 - 6.
 
#659
davidchampoux said:
I'm honestly having a hard time choosing between the V4B, 100T, and Superbass... ($ is not an issue).

The V4B (with matching cab) seems to have a wonderfull tone, but might be a bit limited (features, power).

The Superbass is VERY heavy and I don't think I would need the extra power anyway (will only use the 115 cab).

The 100T appeared to be the best for my studio work (with the 25w setting) and for its overall features, but I'm still wondering...

Tough decision for me.
Click to expand...

I don't think you have a tough decision to make at all, because there's not a bad choice in the bunch! Everything you mentioned you wanted was recording as opposed to gig oriented, and I think it's a no-brainer the 100T is the answer. The best, yet probably still not the most expensive, direct box out there IMO. And the 25W mode puts it over the top. Also I believe someone mentioned that even though the SB 300 has silent record mode, its DI is post-preamp, not post-power tubes, and that's a huge thang.
Just to beat the old dead horse, I'm one of the guys who bought the 100T (with 410 Neo) strictly as a gigging amp - power trio, power drummer. I thought the sound I had been striving for over the decades was actually a tube amp just on the verge of breaking up. And I figured a 100W tube amp would get me there at bar/club volumes. It turned out I was right. It's exactly the lack of headroom I wanted because I want the power tubes to bark without setting off car alarms in the parking lot. Now to my ear, the 100T does this without sounding overly constrained before it gets to the audible breakup point. A lot of the older tube amps I've tried began sounding really mushy and compressed well before you got the breakup point. But the 100T still sounds punchy (though not like the SB300 I'm sure) even after it's gone into self-compression and right up to where it starts breaking up. And as for stage volume, it's been perfect now through 2 years of gigging with plenty of volume for small/medium clubs w/no FOH, and perfect stage volume for larger gigs w/FOH support.
I just love the damned thing. Best amp I've ever owned.
 
#660
Thanks for this message!! I've had a chat with different persons around and I think the 100T is the best choice for me.

I just tryed it direct with a Gretsch guitar and it sounds very nice as well as with my basses...

I still have those BIAS/power tube problem though. I'm going to see my dealer's tech in the next hours. He'll swap the tubes I think. I need to get this fixed.

I really like the vintage channel. It has a nice low mid bump/softness to my ear. Sounds nice.

I also like the 'overdrive' channel, with or without distorsion. I would have wished a broader Q for the parametric mid frequency EQ though. I feel the Q is about 1.5 or 2, and I would have prefered a Q of 0.7-1.0 ... Personnal preference...
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back