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Fender Bassman 500HD First Impressions/Issues

chiphaleonbass

chiphaleonbass

Supporting Member
Jul 15, 2015
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Richmond VA,
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#1
So I recently purchased the Fender Bassman 500HD from Sweetwater, and this evening took it for a test run with my Lakland Skyline 44-51 and my Aguilar GS 212 4 ohm cabinet. First off, aesthetically this amp takes the cake, very cool look and in a very light package. All of the controls worked well and obviously with the Fender tone stack you're adding and subtracting things along the lines of bass and treble. I could definitely get the tones I was looking for, but I found that volume was a bit of an issue. Having typically played out of a Tonehammer 500, I feel like the Fender was lacking in power. I found too that the more I rolled the tone up, the seemingly louder the bass got, and as I rolled it off I lost a lot of volume. The bass itself is fairly new, and I've never had that issue until tonight. Curious if there's anyone out there that may have an explanation for what seems like a lack of volume, and the tone effecting my volume.
 
#2
chiphaleonbass said:
So I recently purchased the Fender Bassman 500HD from Sweetwater, and this evening took it for a test run with my Lakland Skyline 44-51 and my Aguilar GS 212 4 ohm cabinet. First off, aesthetically this amp takes the cake, very cool look and in a very light package. All of the controls worked well and obviously with the Fender tone stack you're adding and subtracting things along the lines of bass and treble. I could definitely get the tones I was looking for, but I found that volume was a bit of an issue. Having typically played out of a Tonehammer 500, I feel like the Fender was lacking in power. I found too that the more I rolled the tone up, the seemingly louder the bass got, and as I rolled it off I lost a lot of volume. The bass itself is fairly new, and I've never had that issue until tonight. Curious if there's anyone out there that may have an explanation for what seems like a lack of volume, and the tone effecting my volume.
Click to expand...
I've not had volume issues so far. A couple of weeks back we were playing in a Marquee (about 80 yards by 30 Yards and about 10 yards tall. The support band used our backline (the Bassman 500 through a 410 Neo) with Channel and Master at about 5. It was absolutely rock solid and really cut through. A strange effect though, standing outside the Marquee it sounded much louder, the bass actually drowning everything else out. Maybe to do with the projection characteristics of the 410 or pressure within the marquee.
Anyway, based on this, I actually turned the master down to 4 when we took to the stage and it was fine
 
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#4
So I played my jazz bass through the rig and it sounded great. Looks like my Lakland is the problem which is strange. Hopefully it's just faulty wiring somehow. Maybe connection to the capacitor or wiring loose from the front pickup. All is well. Love this amp, plenty of volume a vast improvement from the Tonehammer 500
 
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#5
chiphaleonbass said:
So I recently purchased the Fender Bassman 500HD from Sweetwater, and this evening took it for a test run with my Lakland Skyline 44-51 and my Aguilar GS 212 4 ohm cabinet. First off, aesthetically this amp takes the cake, very cool look and in a very light package. All of the controls worked well and obviously with the Fender tone stack you're adding and subtracting things along the lines of bass and treble. I could definitely get the tones I was looking for, but I found that volume was a bit of an issue. Having typically played out of a Tonehammer 500, I feel like the Fender was lacking in power. I found too that the more I rolled the tone up, the seemingly louder the bass got, and as I rolled it off I lost a lot of volume. The bass itself is fairly new, and I've never had that issue until tonight. Curious if there's anyone out there that may have an explanation for what seems like a lack of volume, and the tone effecting my volume.
Click to expand...

Curious to know, do you still have the lakland? This is the Skyline tele-style slab body, correct? I've been looking at one as an alternative to the Fender sig Mike Dirnt (which mine weighs 12lbs and is unplayable standing up). I'm interested in:
- how the EMG pickups are compared to typical fender alnico,
- the weight (hopefully sub 9.5lbs)
- and if the neck is too lacquered (seems that's what they have)?
- and any other pros / cons

I haven't been able to test drive it so would be buying sight unseen. Thanks for any input.
 
#6
bons said:
Curious to know, do you still have the lakland? This is the Skyline tele-style slab body, correct? I've been looking at one as an alternative to the Fender sig Mike Dirnt (which mine weighs 12lbs and is unplayable standing up). I'm interested in:
- how the EMG pickups are compared to typical fender alnico,
- the weight (hopefully sub 9.5lbs)
- and if the neck is too lacquered (seems that's what they have)?
- and any other pros / cons

I haven't been able to test drive it so would be buying sight unseen. Thanks for any input.
Click to expand...
Sold the Lakland a while ago, was a slab body Tele style.. mine had to have weighed 11 pounds plus. Back then when they were producing them it had a really really nice satin finished neck, so not glossy at all; played really well. The EMG's were really nice as I'm sure you can read around here, they did that P-bass thing really well. It's been a long time since I've had this bass and I don't necessarily miss it
 
#7
chiphaleonbass said:
Sold the Lakland a while ago, was a slab body Tele style.. mine had to have weighed 11 pounds plus. Back then when they were producing them it had a really really nice satin finished neck, so not glossy at all; played really well. The EMG's were really nice as I'm sure you can read around here, they did that P-bass thing really well. It's been a long time since I've had this bass and I don't necessarily miss it
Click to expand...
Thanks for the input. The "don't necessarily" miss it gives me a good idea of the bass. The weight turns me off.
 
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#8
bons said:
Thanks for the input. The "don't necessarily" miss it gives me a good idea of the bass. The weight turns me off.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I've got an AVRI 58' that weighs around 8 pounds and it does the same thing; and I can play it all night without destroying my shoulder. The neck on that bass was super nice I will say. But it didn't do anything that can't be done by another bass
 
#9
Cheers. Ya I would have like to stick with the Dirnt as the pups in that guy are unique for fender. Can't get them in any other guitar (52s or 56s I can recall) but they were very nice. Slab just a truck to play though
 

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