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Need Some Info - Bassman 50

#21
Nice amp. I have the 100 watt version. If you are feeling unsure, then having a tech turn it on and look over it the first time is not a bad idea. Pay for an hour of bench time, and see what's what. Try to find a music shop with a tech you can actually talk to. Don't just drop it off a the front desk with some dude. If it's in bad shape, you only paid for a little time. If it just needs a couple of caps, then go for it. Honestly, the amp WILL need some work.

IMO, these are great amps - killer tone, and worth it. You will not get a lot of volume out of a 50 watt amp, unless you have some big cabs, so up to you to decide what's worth what.

Not sure about that cab. Old fender cabs do not have a good reputation, especially for bass. Might be good for low volume stuff. Pop the grill cloth or the back off and see what's what. Probably a single 15" in there?

Like the guys said:
  • make sure it's connected to the speaker cab before powering on (won't straight up "blow up" on you if you don't, but still make sure it's hooked up).
  • This amp wants to see 4ohms. 8 will work, but you will loose volume, and it's hard on the amp and your tubes. Use 4 ohms.
  • Power on in stand by, and let it warm up for a minuet before you take it off standby and play.
  • If you hear crackles, it's probably a leaky cap, or a bad pre-amp tube. It took me a while to get my amp into shape. It's old and needs some love.
  • Pre-amp tubes (the little ones) last for decades and will probably be good - might not.
  • Power amp tubes (the big ones) wear out and will need to be replaced - depending on how much and how hard they are used.
  • Don't let the tubes freak you out... it's just an amp, and Fenders are super simple and tough as balls. They can take a lot of abuse and be fixed very easy. Don't get freaked out by all the "rules" about tube amps -- some guys will tell you to warm it up for so long, cool it down for so long, do this, don't do this... Don't worry too much about that stuff.
  • Also don't let people freak you out about the "Fender Tonestack." The treble and bass controls on a fender amp are a little different that what most people are used to, and lot's of people can't wrap their minds around the lack of a mid knob or that mids are "cut only" on a fender amp. You will hear all sorts of nonsense about this... it is just that: nonsense. Fenders sound great with almost any setting. Just plug and play, and twist the knobs till you find a sound you like - it won't be hard.
 
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#22
I took in my '65 Bassman head last year for a full rehab, caps, tubes, 3-pronger, etc. Loved the reaction from the "kids" in the store curiously asking what is was. Of course, the counter guy had to give it a sniff! Aaahhh!
 
#23
That is one sweet amp. It is wht the Marshall and most other vintage tube amps were based on.
I used one for gigging in the very early 70s and it was plenty for an average club. In today's world, it may be a bit under powered, but would would be a greate practice/recording or small gig amp. Lucky you.
 
#25
bobbykokinos said:
Hmm, so I started emailing a few local shops and have gotten a variety of responses to me asking "How much would it cost just to give it a once over to see if it is safe to turn on and maybe an estimate on repairs". The responses I've gotten are:

1. Someone just replied with their hourly rate.
2. Someone replied with a fair diagnostic fee and said "If it worked the last time, it is probably ok". Hmm, that was 15 years ago.
3. Last guy, I found on craigslist, seemed the most knowledgeable. Was honest and said its hard to tell without seeing but said, after being off for that long, the amp needs to be turned on slowly with variac. Reason is because, after that long, capacitors in the power supply dry out. Just flipping it on can do anything from just blowing a fuse to smoking up the house and causing more damage. He said he'd be happy to look at it.

#3 sounds pretty legit, right?
Click to expand...

Yes. They know enough to know the filter caps can be reformed if they have been stored properly, I think. Unless the filter caps actually leak (though a crack or popped safety vent), what happens is the electrolyte does not dry out, it "settles" out. You can reform the electrolyte by bringing the amp up (usually without tubes plugged in) on a variac and watching the leakage current to stabilize at each bump of the voltage. Once you reach the working voltage of the caps, you leave it there for awhile to finish the reforming process. Any leaky caps get found and replaced this way.
 
#26
BassmanPaul said:
My only comment is that it's a great guitar amplifier. Not so much for bass. I gigged with one in the late Sixties, very early Seventies through a Marshall 4x12. It was adequate for those days but I'd not even try today.
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What ever do you mean Paul?

People play louder now?

Back then, if you had 3 stacks on stage, you actually used all 3....blaring only a couple meters behind you.

Nowdays they're cardboard cutouts, and you might get an 18 watt combo mic'd up somewhere backstage if you're lucky. More likely you're hardwired into a robot who talks to you through your earbuds.



Damn kids these days. :D
 
#28
lowphatbass said:
Ask around as much as possible for good amp tech recommendations! Good, reliable and honest amp techs are hard to come by, seriously! And again, save the old parts for posterity.
Click to expand...


Not only for posterity but also to make sure said tech isn't juicing you out of some excellent old GE's only to sell you some "new Fender" re-branded Groovetube re-re-branded Sovtek culls he got a bulk deal on. ;)
 

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