Fender TV Bassman 12?

[chuck3]

I've got one offered to me at what seems like a good price. The TB discussion of this amp seems to be from a while ago - I guess it was discontinued. I don't really need it but there are some situations where I could use it.

Any love for this amp? Or not?

 

[Linnin]

Yes! The Fender TV Bassmen were great hybrid bass amps that were quite simply over priced for the market. I'd pounce.

 

[king_biscuit]

I love my TV12. I got it new at a closeout price from The Perfect Bass.

 

[JimmyM]

The big problem I had with the TV series was the price tag combined with the lack of expandability, which IMHO is criminal in an amp costing that much. Sound was pretty good in the TV 15 I tried, though.

 

[tombowlus]

Yessir! The TV 12 is the sweetheart of the line, IME/IMHO (and Bobby Vega's, too - we discussed this at NAMM one year after playing through all of the new Bassman TV models. They did seem a bit over priced and under powered, new, though. But, if you see one on the used market for a decent price, I'd nab it (and did - see below). It's not the loudest combo out there, nor the lightest, but it has great tone!

Here's mine:

 

[chuck3]

Yessir! The TV 12 is the sweetheart of the line, IME/IMHO (and Bobby Vega's, too - we discussed this at NAMM one year after playing through all of the new Bassman TV models. They did seem a bit over priced and under powered, new, though. But, if you see one on the used market for a decent price, I'd nab it (and did - see below). It's not the loudest combo out there, nor the lightest, but it has great tone!

Here's mine:

great, thanks to all. Yes, it's on the used market for a very decent price. Gonna go for it!

 

[Linnin]

SWeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeT!!!

ROMP On It

 

[svtb15]

I would love to do a gig with that amp, a Mic and a DI... Done

 

[AlexanderB]

I liked the TV15 as I tried it a couple of times in shops. As Jimmy said, it is a package you can not really expand on.

 

[king_biscuit]

I liked the TV15 as I tried it a couple of times in shops. As Jimmy said, it is a package you can not really expand on.

There are plenty of expandable/tweakable amps out there, that is not what the TV series was about. You want it louder? Run it through the PA.

 

[JimmyM]

There are plenty of expandable/tweakable amps out there, that is not what the TV series was about. You want it louder? Run it through the PA.

I'm sure that's what Fender's brass said right up until they discontinued them

 

[bushwhacker]

I have a TV12 and a 100T and I really love my TV12. It doesn't have the range of my 100T but for vintage sound it is fantastic. I am sure you will love it.

 

[Feral Feline]

Forgive my ignorance, but is there any way to mod the TV series?

For example: I'd like the power of the 15, but with the 12" speaker. So... Rebaffle a 15 with a 12" speaker and partially fill the cab with sound foam or whatever to tune it for the 12"?
Just showing how little I know about gear/acoustics.


Pity Fender didn't "get it", as I really like the looks and sound of these. I didn't "get it", why Fender didn't make the 12 with the same power as the 15. Never got to try the 12, but the 15 I tested in the local shop seemed dang heavy – but then I'm used to my EA Micro/Wizzy 10.

 

[king_biscuit]

I'm sure that's what Fender's brass said right up until they discontinued them

I don't think a speaker out jack would have saved them. They were just a bit too expensive.

 

[chuck3]

one question - there doesn't seem to be a schematic anywhere on line for this amp - is the DI out post the pre-amp but before the power amp? So you're getting the tube pre-amp in your DI out?

 

[JimmyM]

I don't think a speaker out jack would have saved them. They were just a bit too expensive.

Markbass and Genz Benz sell a goodly amount of combos in the same price range and they're expandable. Lack of expandability is a clear cost-cutting measure so they can use a smaller 4ohm amp
or an 8 ohm amp without circuit protection for 4 ohm usage. You expect that in combos costing $500 or less, but not in combos costing in the $1000 range, and certainly not with the class D heads used in the TV series. That is absolutely why they never caught on, 100%. Definitely wasn't tone or looks or lack of schleppability. People expect to be able to add an extension cab to a $1000 class D combo, and Fender didn't give it to them. Meanwhile the combos with expandability fly off the shelves, many costing more than the TV's. Sorry...it's true.

 

[king_biscuit]

Markbass and Genz Benz sell a goodly amount of combos in the same price range and they're expandable. Lack of expandability is a clear cost-cutting measure so they can use a smaller 4ohm amp
or an 8 ohm amp without circuit protection for 4 ohm usage. You expect that in combos costing $500 or less, but not in combos costing in the $1000 range, and certainly not with the class D heads used in the TV series. That is absolutely why they never caught on, 100%. Definitely wasn't tone or looks or lack of schleppability. People expect to be able to add an extension cab to a $1000 class D combo, and Fender didn't give it to them. Meanwhile the combos with expandability fly off the shelves, many costing more than the TV's. Sorry...it's true.

Expandability was only one component of it, though. The TV also lacks an active EQ section (the passive Fender stack does very little in the way of tone shaping, especially for some one who is used to modern active graphic EQs), no tweeter (which along with the passive tone stack creates a very old school tone that has a limited market), no effects loop, no neodymium speaker (adds weight), etc. Also, and this was the chief complaint from the peanut gallery here, it was a vintage niche amp, but with a single tube preamp, and a digital class D power amp -- people really wanted and a full tube setup for the price and styling.

You are making too much out of the lack of speaker out jack.