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The Fender Bassman 100T thread

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#361
My Orange Bass Terror suffered a fatal short circuit, and I'm looking to upgrade. (It's been in the shop forever--but I'm feeling mad at it now, regardless if it ever gets fixed). The Bassman 100t is looking promising to me. Does anyone know if I could run it with my little Orange SP210 cabinet, at least for practice? I'm looking to save a little money right now and not buy a new cabinet--yet. I know the proof is in hearing, and in a worst case scenario, I could sell the Orange and get a new cabinet (maybe the Neo 115 to start). I'm just wondering theoretically if it will work/sound OK...
 
#362
mickeymammoth said:
My Orange Bass Terror suffered a fatal short circuit, and I'm looking to upgrade. (It's been in the shop forever--but I'm feeling mad at it now, regardless if it ever gets fixed). The Bassman 100t is looking promising to me. Does anyone know if I could run it with my little Orange SP210 cabinet, at least for practice? I'm looking to save a little money right now and not buy a new cabinet--yet. I know the proof is in hearing, and in a worst case scenario, I could sell the Orange and get a new cabinet (maybe the Neo 115 to start). I'm just wondering theoretically if it will work/sound OK...
Click to expand...

Looks Like a beautiful cab to me. Impedance and power-wise of course you're fine, since the 100T is switchable to 8, 4 or 2 ohms, and yours is 8 ohms. Sound-wise, I know the sound of vintage Orange cabs, and I'd assume they still strive for a vintage sound? So I would think it would work great, but the Bassman has its own unique sound compared to Orange, Ampeg, Marshall or whatever, so it's kind of an expensive gamble if you're not able to try one first. The online companies that I talked to before I ordered said if I didn't like it I could send it back, so if you can get a deal like that go for it.
Maybe Tim or someone else has experience with new Orange cabs sound-wise and how it might work?
 
#364
mickeymammoth said:
My Orange Bass Terror suffered a fatal short circuit, and I'm looking to upgrade. (It's been in the shop forever--but I'm feeling mad at it now, regardless if it ever gets fixed). The Bassman 100t is looking promising to me. Does anyone know if I could run it with my little Orange SP210 cabinet, at least for practice? I'm looking to save a little money right now and not buy a new cabinet--yet. I know the proof is in hearing, and in a worst case scenario, I could sell the Orange and get a new cabinet (maybe the Neo 115 to start). I'm just wondering theoretically if it will work/sound OK...
Click to expand...

Mickey - another thing I meant to mention. I would check the 115 Neo before diving into one, or if you can get the return deal if you don't like it. Other than one HIGHLY suspect review of the 410 Neo, the 115 Neo seems to be the only one of the Neo bunch that isn't getting much love on TB. Haven't heard one myself though.
 
#366
Freight Train said:
Maybe Tim or someone else has experience with new Orange cabs sound-wise and how it might work?
Click to expand...

Thanks for responding so quickly! One problem with the Orange cab is it is so small! I'd have to put the amp off to the side. Nice to know the 115 neo is not very well loved. If I can afford to get the 100t, I'll let the forum know how it sounds with the Orange cab.
 
#367
Hey, look what was delivered to me today! Finally!!!

Been waiting for ages for these to come into the UK. I can't imaging many people have these yet so I'm kinda pleased to have something a bit special.

I have a gig tomorrow as well so it's getting thrown in the deep end, what to dail in yet... I have now idea! any suggestions for a punchy squire(ish) type tone?

bassman2.jpg
 
#370
loveboatcaptain said:
Hey, look what was delivered to me today! Finally!!!

Been waiting for ages for these to come into the UK. I can't imaging many people have these yet so I'm kinda pleased to have something a bit special.

I have a gig tomorrow as well so it's getting thrown in the deep end, what to dail in yet... I have now idea! any suggestions for a punchy squire(ish) type tone?

Ahoy Capt. Stubing!
That is my exact rig. I've now played 5 gigs in good medium-sized bars with it with no FOH support, and it has absolutely rocked. Not exactly sure what sound you're describing, but I think maybe it's similar to my approach.
I have a G&L L-1000 strung flat. My preference on that bass is the vintage channel and I normally have tone stack pretty close to 6 straight across, which if you look at my early posts was my very unscientific estimation of what I thought a flat eq setting is, even though the manual says 10 straight across is flat. ANY way, that's normally where I am on it. I'm usually going up or down no more than to 7 1/2 - 5 1/2 if that much. For my flatwound bass I go for upper bass and low mid punch, and I tend to chord quite a bit so I like those to have a nice dynamic push. So I'm saying I don't go for a rumbly super -low frequency thing. Not saying bass shy, but more punch oriented than rumble oriented let's say. I have used both the low and high boosts on occasion, and neither are too extreme.
My other bass is a Jack Casady Signature Epiphone stung round. I usually use this on the overdrive channel. I think you'll find the active eq on this channel will take some getting used to. Though I've been a bassist since mid 1960's and an audio engineer since 1974, I find the active eq to be kind of bizarre. For one thing, the midrange Q, or bandwidth, seems extremely wide to me. And the boost/cut control seems very extreme as you begin turning it and less so if you go further, which is totally backwards of the way a lot of eq's work. So the upshot is, as you're sweeping through the frequencies on the mid's, you affecting a much broader band of frequencies than you're probably accustomed to, and when you boost or cut there you probably going to get a much more extreme result with a small turn than usual. To add to this, the bass boost to me is so wack I can't imagine a use for it. It's not a nice bass hump like the vintage channel's boost, it's like some weird extreme mid scoop along with a very low-end bass boost. Others may love it, but it sounds peculiar to me. I don't like the mid-scooped sound any longer with rounds at all. I like low mids cut some, and upper mids boosted slightly, but I no longer go for the super-bright chingy roundwound sound, which I now rather detest. And I no longer do any slapping popping whatever except on one song. I now go for growl from my roundwound bass, which the JC Epiphone does in spades, not a lot of lows and a lot of highs with no mid oomph.
The high-boost is fine and I have used it occasionally. I normally have the bass eq boosted slightly, maybe at 7, and either a slight boost on the high frequency control at around 7, or the high-boost on and a slight cut on the hi eq around 5 1/2 or so. The mids II usually cut at around 5 at what I'd think is around 250 or 300 hz to my ear, or boost to around 6 1/2 - 7 at probably 2 - 2.5k I'd think.
The overdrive I think is sweet and musical, but it's a little more buzzy than I expected. I still like it and use it quite a bit with the Epiphone. I'm usually around 7 on overdrive, and adjust blend between 4 to 7 depending on how much crunch I need. The only time I use the L-1000/flats on the overdrive channel is when I want to use the overdrive, and I think the overdrive with the flats is marvelous, unlike some outboard overdrives I've tried.
At all of these gigs so far I've ended the night with both and channel volumes and master volume on 6, and the tweeter level on the cab I've had set at !!:00. I love the growl of the Epiphone/rounds, but the L-1000/flats/single coil position on the vintage channel is such tube magic it's hard to switch. I use the G&L on probably 28 of our 40 songs. Even songs I thought would be roundwound/overdrive channel songs I've liked the flats/vintage channel better.
Of course it's hard to say if any of these setting have any meaning to you at all. I guess what I'm saying is I've had no need to use extreme settings on the 100T's eq, or any external eq at all in order for the amp to make me present and strong. And I'm using passive basses with pickups that I like a lot, but are certainly not regarded as any kind of top-tier pup at all. I have a review on page 15 that gives some details on the first gig I played with the rig, dimensions of the venue and other details, or it's on http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f15/review-fender-bassman-100t-410-neo-cab-action-884153/.
Enjoy. I look into the future and predict you're going to love this rig! Let us know about the first gig and post some settings.
Click to expand...
 
#375
loveboatcaptain said:
One thing I have noticed just from a home test is that when I crank the volume and master vol up to get some idea of the power of this thing, it is quite/very hummy. Any suggestions/thoughts ??
Click to expand...

Haven't noticed that on mine at all. I usually use my single coil position which is a bit hummy, but one I move away from the amp it's fine. Humbucker position is nice and quiet I think. I'll check tonight. Anyone else?
 
#377
hdracer said:
Bad tube
Click to expand...

loveboatcaptain said:
One thing I have noticed just from a home test is that when I crank the volume and master vol up to get some idea of the power of this thing, it is quite/very hummy. Any suggestions/thoughts ??
Click to expand...


Actually, I think it was user error lol and quite possibly the high gains in my Ric 4003 as I noticed when I plugged in my Fender Precision (which I never use) it was fine. But anyway yesterday I gigged with it for the first time and it was fine.

Actually it was more than fine, it was incredibly awesome!!! I've always wanted a bassman tube amp and now finally fender have released this amazing classic with superb modern features it is everything I've ever wanted and nails the sound I've dreamt of getting for years.

My band mates now how long I've wanted this and had it on order, and the drummer works for Ashdown Amps and in fact got me my Ashdown which I've been using for the last few years, I toyed with getting a vintage bassman 135 or something a couple years back, but decided against it for reliability as I play every week all year round. When Fender announced they were bring these two bassman amps out I knew I had to have it. I must admit it took me a while to decide on the superbassman or the 100T but in the ed I went for the 100T and I am so glad. If anyone is in any doubt or on the fence about if the 100T is capable of going loud enough, I can confirm that it most certainly DOES!! This amp is amazing !!

My band mates were so impressed at how good it sounded and the drummer who works for Ashdown, who had been nudging me to get an Ashdown tube head was taken back at how good it sounded. His comments were 'it sounds as good as you here on records'.

I'm currently in between sets at the moment so am going to play another set now. I'll report more on setting etc later.

I can also confirm (as suspected) the Bassman 100T is amazing with Rickenbackers. (if that rig is good enough for Paul McCartney, it's good enough for me :)
 
#378
Can any of you ther 100T owners give me some advice, as this is my first tube head I wanna make sure I look after it and use it properly.

1. Is there any way I should use the volume and master controls in particular? At the last gig I had the vintage channel volume on about 6 and the master on the same. Is there any rule like the master volume should be higher or vice versa?

2. I have noticed after using the the amp for two full gigs that the large 6L6 tubes have some black staining at the bottom on the grey bits (burning I guess) I assume this is normal once the amp starts to get used regularly?
 
#380
loveboatcaptain said:
Can any of you ther 100T owners give me some advice, as this is my first tube head I wanna make sure I look after it and use it properly.

1. Is there any way I should use the volume and master controls in particular? At the last gig I had the vintage channel volume on about 6 and the master on the same. Is there any rule like the master volume should be higher or vice versa?

2. I have noticed after using the the amp for two full gigs that the large 6L6 tubes have some black staining at the bottom on the grey bits (burning I guess) I assume this is normal once the amp starts to get used regularly?
Click to expand...

At all gigs so far I've ended the night with both channel and master volumes on 6. The deal is, you can push the preamp to get a little distortion there if you want. I don't particularly like it, but if you have a bass with a hotter pickup than mine you'll get different results. So nothing wrong with running the channel volume up to 9 or 10 if you like the grit. As a general rule in audio, the preamps are designed to have their best, cleanest specs run from around 1/3 to 2/3 full - so maybe between 4 to 6 or 7 on the 100T? - then the master volume adjusted for the volume you need. But if you run channel volume too low and master volume high, it should be noisier.
So with my passive basses, I usually go for 5 to 6 on channel, then adjust master volume.
 
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