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MUSIC MAN SIXTY FIVE HEAD + 115RH CABINET: 1978...should I?

J

Jona-s

Mar 22, 2006
77
0
#1
So... I visited local musicstore today and saw MM head and cabinet and they said it would go for 1000€. Should I go and get it, or look for something else?

Also saw 77' ampeg v4b but it was on hold :( :crying:
 
#3
Hi
I know this is an old conversation but just FYI -
I just picked up a MusicMan HD65 on EBay for $375US and it's immaculate. New tubes and sounds incredible with a new AMPEG 410LFH. These heads TMM are one of the best deals going. Incredible warmth even with the solid state PreAmp section. It's interesting that the industry went the other way. Now every high end Bass preamp you see will have a single AX27 or two.

All I can say is it was cheaper than a full rack option and sounds fabulous. I'll keep the head forever probably as a collectors item.

BTW - The cabs are going for $250 to $300 and a full setup like this (with 115RH) is listed at $800 on EBay and has not been moving.
 
#4
yorkbass said:
...Incredible warmth even with the solid state PreAmp section. It's interesting that the industry went the other way. Now every high end Bass preamp you see will have a single AX27 or two.

...
Click to expand...

Marketing! Leo later changed his designs to include 12AX7 preamp tubes too...

There are a number of amps from the '70s that have solid-state preamps and tube phase inverter/tube power amps...Music Man, Peavey, Earth and probably others.
 
#5
way too expensive IMHO... I've bought a 70' 1x15 Fender cab for 90 euros and the guy had a Musicman HD150, he sold it for less than 400 euros... I would say you could find a head for around 500 euros (and sure you can find one for less if you're patient)

The HD150 was fine but my Bassman 135 is much better IMHO... I've paid 1000 euros for a Bassman 135 and matching 4x12 cab, so the musicman you saw is too expensive!
 
#7
JTE said:
Nope. Leo took the 12AX7 driver OUT of those amp designs. The earliest ones had the tube driver but it was removed on later ones (apparently due to problems with cascading damage of thebwhole power section if that tube failed).

John
Click to expand...

I thought the original MusicMan amps had a solid state preamp and later amps went all tube...or at least preamp tubes and power tubes.

Edit: The RD-50A has a 12AX7 in the preamp section, but is driven by (and followed by) solid state devices... Invalid Link Removed
 
#10
I was a Fender dealer from '77- '88 but I bought a Music Man HD-130 bass head in late '77 because it was clearly better to me than the Fender Bassman 100/135 series. I tried both the Music Man and the Fender (and an Ampeg V-4b) at gigs, all in the same club, same band, and with the same cabinet (Music Man 212RH). I bought the Music Man because I thought it was a much better sounding unit than the Fender and better to my ears than the Ampeg. Both the Ampeg and the MM were way better built units than the Fender too- better physical construction, better and more rugged components, and much much tidier wiring and routing.

The low end spoke with a a lot more authority on the Music Man head than the Fender. However, the one in this thread is the 65 WRMS version, not the HD-130. Having only two output tubes it's much more in the range of the original Bassman and the later Bassman 50/70 amps. And that made a HUGE difference to me as far as being a viable bass amp for real world gigs.

John
 
#11
To answer the initial question, almost 1600 quid for a 65/115 pair here in the States would be obscene. That said, how many are available in the UK........ it's a supply and demand issue. As for the "cascading power section failure", IMHO is nonsense. I've been playing my 65 rig since January of '75 and never even heard of such a failure. Leo needed to make a change to differentiate his amps from being Fender clones and this was a cheap, "modern" way to do that.


Here's my MM 65/115/115 from the first year of production w/preamp tube that I bought new: MusicMan 65 Stack pictures by kensmithphotobucket - Photobucket
 
#14
Hello there , this is my first post on this site. I just purchased a Musicman 115 RH in a bulk purchase off of craigslist. The cabinet cost me a whole 30 bucks. I had nothing to push it with , so I went and bought a Gallien Kruger amp , for another 40 bucks( There are some good deals on CL) I have to say that for an old beat up cabinet it sounds absolutely incredible.

I have been reading that the cabinets are 1x15. My cabinet has what looks like a two horns , one on either side of the woofer. Did these come this way or did someone alter the cabinet?


Thank you for your time. Shane.
 
#16
urb said:
Hello there , this is my first post on this site. I just purchased a Musicman 115 RH in a bulk purchase off of craigslist. The cabinet cost me a whole 30 bucks. I had nothing to push it with , so I went and bought a Gallien Kruger amp , for another 40 bucks( There are some good deals on CL) I have to say that for an old beat up cabinet it sounds absolutely incredible.

I have been reading that the cabinets are 1x15. My cabinet has what looks like a two horns , one on either side of the woofer. Did these come this way or did someone alter the cabinet?


Thank you for your time. Shane.
Click to expand...
The grille comes off. Usually screwed on. They were 1-15 only with a scoop ported bottom. They must be tweeters. I have one with a PV BW and it sounds amazing with my Ashdown 500 and Ampeg V4.


http://www.tnt-audio.com/feedback/june12.html


.
 
#17
These aren't ports , I am just wondering if any came from the factory like that . I tried to post a pic , but it want's me to link to a URL. I think I have it
 

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#19
urb said:
These aren't ports , I am just wondering if any came from the factory like that . I tried to post a pic , but it want's me to link to a URL. I think I have it
Click to expand...

Doubtful. That looks very 'mod' to me... Dispersion wise, that config doesn't make much sense. 1 good horn oriented horizontally would have been a better choice. I can't see any factory guy doing it that way. I also recall that my RH115 grille snapped into place amd didn't use screws.

Rehabbed an old RD100 last year. Need to find new corners for it. If I can, I might get the gumption to retolex it. Nice soundin head, SS pre or not. To me it's always been about the power section anyway. Preamp tube distortion sucks ... (um, IME, IMO, YMMV and the other 40 disclaimers if you like it )


Oh yeah. And good to see you back old Zombie thread, it's been a while...
 

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