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Fender Bassman 100T Chapter 3
- Thread starter Chef
- Start date
Thanks so much for all of your help and insight.
So I picked up a pair of replacement tubes. before installing them, I took the amp out of its case to look for obvious burning on any components, and didn't see anything out of the ordinary. I'll add it was enjoyable taking this amp apart to see quality components and careful assembly.
The new Groove Tubes went in. I noticed they're a bit different "JAK" instead of "IAK" and rated 8 instead of 10 when compared with the previous pair.
With power on, in standby, autobias ran through its routine, and after a few minutes, flagged the outside pair 2A and 2B as red and orange respectively. (With the original tubes, it indicated 1A and 1B). I decided to go off standby and play a little, and it sounded fine. After about 10 minutes of this, it then went back to identifying 1A red and 1B orange.
Just for fun, I powered off, and put the original tubes in after everything had a chance to cool down. At first, it displayed 1A and 1B as orange, but after a few minutes, went back to its 1A red and 1B orange condition.
I don't know what to think here. Either I don't understand how this feature works, or something is wrong with the circuitry. One other issue I noticed was the 25W setting does not work at all. No sound whatsoever.
So the good - it appears to work as well as ever. But the bad - the erratic operation from autobias, blown fuse, and 25 watt switch point to greater issues.
Any thoughts?
So I picked up a pair of replacement tubes. before installing them, I took the amp out of its case to look for obvious burning on any components, and didn't see anything out of the ordinary. I'll add it was enjoyable taking this amp apart to see quality components and careful assembly.
The new Groove Tubes went in. I noticed they're a bit different "JAK" instead of "IAK" and rated 8 instead of 10 when compared with the previous pair.
With power on, in standby, autobias ran through its routine, and after a few minutes, flagged the outside pair 2A and 2B as red and orange respectively. (With the original tubes, it indicated 1A and 1B). I decided to go off standby and play a little, and it sounded fine. After about 10 minutes of this, it then went back to identifying 1A red and 1B orange.
Just for fun, I powered off, and put the original tubes in after everything had a chance to cool down. At first, it displayed 1A and 1B as orange, but after a few minutes, went back to its 1A red and 1B orange condition.
I don't know what to think here. Either I don't understand how this feature works, or something is wrong with the circuitry. One other issue I noticed was the 25W setting does not work at all. No sound whatsoever.
So the good - it appears to work as well as ever. But the bad - the erratic operation from autobias, blown fuse, and 25 watt switch point to greater issues.
Any thoughts?
- Feb 3, 2005
- 7,331
- 10,197
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist: Bergantino Audio Systems and GHS Strings
Found a new setting in a sense at our House of Blues show Friday night. I normally play very dirty, so I use the overdrive channel with the gain at about 6. The rig I keep at my practice room is a GK, so I run a Darkglass B3K for the dirt. The other night, I dialed back the gain on the overdrive channel some and then used the B3K (dialed back the gain a bit on it too, but was still at about 1 or 2:00) with it on the 100T. For me, it was tone nirvana. There was all the heft and tube grind of the 100T but the distortion of the B3K mixed in kept it with a bit more clarity. It is funny that I could own this gear all this time and never try what turned out to be my perfect combination.
Saturday night I had a completely new experience with my 100T/410Neo rig. Got a call late Saturday afternoon to sub on bass in an original prog-rock band that night (!). Not only originals, but a band I had never even heard (!!). So had a quick 3 hour rehearsal leaving about an hour and a half before downbeat at 11pm. As we were setting up I was telling the FOH engineer how he should love this bass rig as the DI is post power tubes blah blah. This was a three piece band, same powerhouse drummer that I usually play with in my classic rock band, and a loud guitar player blowing through a 4x12 Mesa Boogie rig. This is a good sized venue, nice high ceilings, and a good FOH system. The rig sounded just fantastic all night, again a magic combination with the Jack Casady Epiphone with round wounds. (Left the flat wound Tele bass at home.) It was truly monstrous, I hadn't had a chance to really stretch with it like that, playing King Crimson-ish type riff jams with a lot of improvisation. Anyway, afterwards I asked the FOH guy how he liked the DI feed, and he said he had none of me in the mains at all, and he was mixing everything to me (!!!). I was shocked, because as I say this is no small venue. Had a couple of friends who were there say they had never heard the rig sound so good and it truly filled the room.
I wouldn't do it. 410 & a 115 ain't a good match. Too much stress on the 115.
Two of either would kill!
I ran 2 Bassman Pro 115s for a while. Staggeringly good sound.
Two of either would kill!
I ran 2 Bassman Pro 115s for a while. Staggeringly good sound.
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Fender Super Bassman or Ampeg V4B amps. ....into. ....
A single Fender Bassman 115 neo. And sometimes a Bergantino NV412.
I had another 115 Bassman cab but it weighed nearly half as much again as the one I already had, and it was supposed to be the same. Store took it back and just as I was gonna order another, an SVT810E cab came up locally for a steal, so I grabbed that.
So that's another cab that I use also.
A single Fender Bassman 115 neo. And sometimes a Bergantino NV412.
I had another 115 Bassman cab but it weighed nearly half as much again as the one I already had, and it was supposed to be the same. Store took it back and just as I was gonna order another, an SVT810E cab came up locally for a steal, so I grabbed that.
So that's another cab that I use also.
I was gassing for a V4b as well but I scored the 100t for $800 less so went for the good deal. How do they differ and what is your opinion on owning both? Problem is still sort of gassing for a V4b but haven't really had a chance to properly test one. Love the Ampeg tone and own the latest ba 210 combo , a ba 112 combo and portaflex 350 with matching 115 but much prefer valves so the 100t is the main gig rig.
I've neve r play ed th e 100T apart from in store a couple of times. If I had a 100T tho, I'd be very dam happy and wouldn't be worrying about a V4b.
As far as the Super Bassman goes. ... I found it'll do the "Ampeg" sound easily. There are pics of other user's settings in the Super Bassman thread. I'm sure the 100T would be easily adjusted to do the V4B sound as well.
You might pm/ask TB member @Tim1 as he's owned both a 100T & V4B
As far as the Super Bassman goes. ... I found it'll do the "Ampeg" sound easily. There are pics of other user's settings in the Super Bassman thread. I'm sure the 100T would be easily adjusted to do the V4B sound as well.
You might pm/ask TB member @Tim1 as he's owned both a 100T & V4B
Okay....I have posted in this thread on this before but here goes. I have owned and gigged both the 100T and the V4b concurrently. They are both great amps. For my purposes, and I tend to go for a clean sound, I preferred the V4b and sold the 100T. The 100T has many more features and is more versatile, but I felt the V4B stayed clean louder and went into overdrive more gradually and harmoniously. I can totally understand why many go for the 100T, for just the same reason as I got rid of mine.
OTOH, I have also owned a Super Bassman 300 and an SVT VR and prefer the SB300.
YMMV
Just wondering if anyone has matched the neo 410 with the neo 115 and how it sounded? I kinda like the idea of having the flexibility of using one or the other or both. Anyway just putting it out there
I did, didn't like the combination, but I do like the 410 as a stand alone, the 115 as well.
Love the 410 for the punchy sound, love the 115 for its rich open character.
If I have to use them both, it will be 115 on top, but more likely to take the 610 instead!
