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The Fender Super Bassman 300 thread

#2,001
IN. Picked up today, band practice tonight.

WOW.

And that's from all 4 of us. Classic rock stuff. Played my Aerodyne (stock) tonight, sounded hyuuge. Cannot wait to jam with my other band doing hard rock, will try out the DI in that situation, and play an active bass. It has some work to do to surpass the excellent DI on the D800 (see below.)

Been using (and keeping) a D800, with which I've been able to dial in really good tone, but the Fender makes it sound like a freakin toy in a live environment. So much more of everything good :D .

Used with GK Neo 2x12, it seems to be a very good pairing. Been on a big gear spending splurge, so may or may not end up getting some Fender cabs.
SuperBassman.jpg
 
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#2,002
Congrats @keto and I agree with you that the SuperBassman seems to make other amps "feel" like toys :woot::bassist::hyper: Is that a problem? I know not. But the ONLY "micro" that DOESN'T feel like a toy. - to me - is the Aguilar Tone Hammer 500. Admittedly, the Super Bassman is on another level, but there sure is a certain "magic" in that 4lb Aggy head. I don't feel like I'm losing THAT much by using it when access is hard or I'm just plain lazy.
But. .....that said. ...the Super Bassman is just SO good. ..I'm spoiled. So BIG sounding. ..even thru a single Fender Bassman Pro Neo 115 cab. Lush, tubby, fat, weighty, gritty, smooth, solid etc are ALL words I've used to describe the Super Bassman tone. Unbelievable!
I'm just SO glad I bought it when I did.
Readers of this thread are probably sick of me going on about it, but. ...... bad luck! :roflmao:

I'm a fan of clean tube tone - & dirty, over driven tube tone when I desire it too. And the SB300 just delivers on all fronts. And. ....it ain't too heavy. The difference between 65lbs & 85lbs is .... um..... 20lbs :woot: I jest.... but that much is just enough and just too much for me. If ya catch my drift.
 
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#2,003
I still haven't seen anyone else talk about experimenting with the temperature control for the tubes on the back. It seems like users are afraid of shortening the lifespan of the tubes if they run it "hot". I figure it can't be that drastic if it is a feature of the amp. I run mine at the hottest setting the most, it really does get the tubes to where I want them quickly (I have always been in the camp of "The hotter the tubes, the better it sounds"). I've had my Super Bassman and Fender 610 Neo for nearly a year now. After 30+ years of searching for my Holy Grail of tone, This is it. I'm done!
 
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#2,004
HOOLIGAN said:
I still haven't seen anyone else talk about experimenting with the temperature control for the tubes on the back. It seems like users are afraid of shortening the lifespan of the tubes if they run it "hot". I figure it can't be that drastic if it is a feature of the amp. I run mine at the hottest setting the most, it really does get the tubes to where I want them quickly (I have always been in the camp of "The hotter the tubes, the better it sounds"). I've had my Super Bassman and Fender 610 Neo for nearly a year now. After 30+ years of searching for my Holy Grail of tone, This is it. I'm done!
Click to expand...

I have experimented a little - but no heaps. Running them hotter - how does it sound compared to in the middle setting?
 
#2,008
keto said:
IN. Picked up today, band practice tonight.

WOW.

And that's from all 4 of us. Classic rock stuff. Played my Aerodyne (stock) tonight, sounded hyuuge. Cannot wait to jam with my other band doing hard rock, will try out the DI in that situation, and play an active bass. It has some work to do to surpass the excellent DI on the D800 (see below.)

Been using (and keeping) a D800, with which I've been able to dial in really good tone, but the Fender makes it sound like a freakin toy in a live environment. So much more of everything good :D .

Used with GK Neo 2x12, it seems to be a very good pairing. Been on a big gear spending splurge, so may or may not end up getting some Fender cabs.
SuperBassman.jpg
Click to expand...

Congrats on the Super Bassman. I would go for a 2X12 cab, but I just recently went with a Bassman410 Neo. 12's are a great speaker.
 
#2,009
west al said:
Congrats on the Super Bassman. I would go for a 2X12 cab, but I just recently went with a Bassman410 Neo. 12's are a great speaker.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I know I'm honeymmooning bigtime - 1 band practice does not make for a full experience - but that Neo sounded great, exceeding my expectations. I've been reading that the 2x12 is the best of the Neo's for many people, it was a deciding factor on acquiring it. Likely all the cab I will ever need, but you know how GAS is :P
 
#2,010
I just bought one. It was between the SB 300 and Aguilar DB751. Loved the 751. But the SB is a chameleon. I payed the floor model, side by side with the 751. The SB won out for versatility and the ability to get old school tube tones and modern flavors. It won't be in for a week or so. Pairing it with two Trace 1153s.
 
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#2,012
keto said:
Yeah, I know I'm honeymmooning bigtime - 1 band practice does not make for a full experience - but that Neo sounded great, exceeding my expectations. I've been reading that the 2x12 is the best of the Neo's for many people, it was a deciding factor on acquiring it. Likely all the cab I will ever need, but you know how GAS is :p
Click to expand...

Yeah,........ I know what you mean about GAS!!!
 
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#2,014
If you have noticed, our TB member Kirk (SVT15) has stated that there is a movement amongst some of his cohorts and fellow players to be dropping the SVT for the SB300.. I have both.. I love the SB300 over the SVT as well.. though, I just had to put a fresh set of tubes in the SVT.. oh wow what change that made.. the tubes that were in it were 3 7025, 2 12au7 tubes that had a sticker on them Made in China, but only writing on the tube was 12au7 and that is it.. then the power tubes, I am going to presume that they were 6550 type tubes.. there wasn't any writing on them at all! I replace all of that with Sovtek 6550WE (matched), (2) GE 12au7 (matched) and (3) Ei 12ax7 pre war Yugo made Telefunken type tubes) Now let me put it this way.. before changing the tubes I was running the amp with the master dimed and controlling with the gain, the gain was at 930. Now, the master is at 10 o'clock and the gain is at 10 o'clock.. and it is almost too loud with that!
rodl2005 said:
Slowly but surely the SB is gathering ground. Saw it on Late Late show with some band the other night.
It sure is a winner!
Click to expand...
 
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#2,018
rodl2005 said:
Congrats @keto and I agree with you that the SuperBassman seems to make other amps "feel" like toys :woot::bassist::hyper: Is that a problem? I know not. But the ONLY "micro" that DOESN'T feel like a toy. - to me - is the Aguilar Tone Hammer 500. Admittedly, the Super Bassman is on another level, but there sure is a certain "magic" in that 4lb Aggy head. I don't feel like I'm losing THAT much by using it when access is hard or I'm just plain lazy.
But. .....that said. ...the Super Bassman is just SO good. ..I'm spoiled. So BIG sounding. ..even thru a single Fender Bassman Pro Neo 115 cab. Lush, tubby, fat, weighty, gritty, smooth, solid etc are ALL words I've used to describe the Super Bassman tone. Unbelievable!
I'm just SO glad I bought it when I did.
Readers of this thread are probably sick of me going on about it, but. ...... bad luck! :roflmao:

I'm a fan of clean tube tone - & dirty, over driven tube tone when I desire it too. And the SB300 just delivers on all fronts. And. ....it ain't too heavy. The difference between 65lbs & 85lbs is .... um..... 20lbs :woot: I jest.... but that much is just enough and just too much for me. If ya catch my drift.
Click to expand...


rod - kudos for sticking with this thread right from the top - I just finished reading all 101 pages, took me 4 days off and on lol. My brother is a gigging pro/session guy and swears by his TH500 (I'm a ham handed hack amateur tho in 2 bands).

I had a question but damn I am getting old, forget now. Observation - I'm surprised that the manual doesn't tell you what the mid freq knob on ch2 does, ie, is moving it up raising the freq or lowering it? I'll have some time today to mess with it (going to try the SVT settings from earlier in the thread, and test a couple drive pedals), I'm sure I'll quickly figure it out on my own. I also wish there was a speakon jack on the head. Long & McQuade (the big Canadian chain) charged me for a 1/4" to speakon cable grrrr, and there was no speaker cable in the package :rolleyes:

Hemming and hawing about ordering a F Neo 410 (in a city with 10 music stores and a million pop there are no big F cabs in town) L&M have some in BC and Manitoba (me in Alberta), but that's more out of wanting a matching cab than any dissatisfaction with my GK Neo2x12, which certainly can provide all the volume I am ever likely to need and sounded good as noted above.
 
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#2,019
keto said:
rod - kudos for sticking with this thread right from the top - I just finished reading all 101 pages, took me 4 days off and on lol. My brother is a gigging pro/session guy and swears by his TH500 (I'm a ham handed hack amateur tho in 2 bands).

I had a question but damn I am getting old, forget now. Observation - I'm surprised that the manual doesn't tell you what the mid freq knob on ch2 does, ie, is moving it up raising the freq or lowering it? I'll have some time today to mess with it (going to try the SVT settings from earlier in the thread, and test a couple drive pedals), I'm sure I'll quickly figure it out on my own. I also wish there was a speakon jack on the head. Long & McQuade (the big Canadian chain) charged me for a 1/4" to speakon cable grrrr, and there was no speaker cable in the package :rolleyes:

Hemming and hawing about ordering a F Neo 410 (in a city with 10 music stores and a million pop there are no big F cabs in town) L&M have some in BC and Manitoba (me in Alberta), but that's more out of wanting a matching cab than any dissatisfaction with my GK Neo2x12, which certainly can provide all the volume I am ever likely to need and sounded good as noted above.
Click to expand...
IMO the Fender neo cabs are the best bass cabs they have ever produced, as I have stated before. They really do match well with tube heads, look cool, respond easily to tone tweaking and are an easy schlep. You simply cannot go wrong with them.
Re the earlier point about bias adjusting, I am in the if-it-ain't-broke-don't-fix-it camp. I have never adjusted mine and never had an issue with it, and don't intend to tempt fate even though it should be fine.
 
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#2,020
Tim1 said:
IMO the Fender neo cabs are the best bass cabs they have ever produced, as I have stated before. They really do match well with tube heads, look cool, respond easily to tone tweaking and are an easy schlep. You simply cannot go wrong with them.
Re the earlier point about bias adjusting, I am in the if-it-ain't-broke-don't-fix-it camp. I have never adjusted mine and never had an issue with it, and don't intend to tempt fate even though it should be fine.
Click to expand...

I believe it harmonically matches up better with a Fender Super Bassman, or other Fender heads. They're bases on the same platform.

GZnMEqx.png
 
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