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The Fender Super Bassman 300 thread

#3,561
BN5HardCaseGuy said:
Hello All,

Silly question: Is the Super Bassman 300 overkill for home practice volume at 8 hms?

I am interested in getting a tube head, but I am not a gigging musician. I only practice solo in a room, no band or anything. I currently use a Trickfish 1K bullhead and a matching 2x8 cabinet and the volume is manageable for home practice. I am sure this is covered somewhere in this thread and I have scoured the first twenty five pages, but I just thought I would ask as overtime opinions can change.

Any thoughts on this are greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
Click to expand...
Is 300 watts from a tube amp necessary? No, not by a long shot. Are you able to use a 300 watt tube head at home? Absolutely. That’s why there is a volume pot.

I just picked up a 30 watt tube head and that thing is overkill for practicing alone. Previously I owned a Bassman 100t and I loved the tone. Even its 25 watt mode could be overkill when playing alone. Circumstances led me to the SB300 and though it has the same pre as the 100t it sounds different. There’s “more” behind it… maybe it’s the 200 additional watts of 6550 tubes.

To sum up: the Ashdown CTM-15 (15 watt tube head) would probably be plenty for playing alone at home but if you like the tone of the Super Bassman then you should definitely get the Super. Nothing sounds like it, not even the heads with the same front end. You just may need to exercise some restraint with the volume knob :bassist:
IMG_6268.jpeg
 
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#3,563
BN5HardCaseGuy said:
Hi Bassi5t,
Thanks for the reply, photo, and for enabling me to purchase this head:)!
Click to expand...

My only thought would be that getting the volume level just right on a head with that much power can be tricky at low volume. But it’s certainly doable. You might check out the Adam Clayton all-tube 50w combo, but it’s tone is quite different

I use the Ampeg pf50t with the 210 flip top cab for practice. It’s great at lower volume. Might be worth a look
 
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#3,566
DB66 said:
Keep in mind the fan on the SB300 will be audible at low volume practice at home. The 100-T Bassman is dead silent since the fan only runs when it’s super hot.
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And really not even then. When I had the 100t it would get so hot that the speaker cable plug was almost too hot to unplug.

Sure the SB300 has a fan on always but it is crazy quiet. I totally dug my 100t and would still have it if the autobias didn’t go funky on it. The 100t is really what I would suggest for you.

That said, I’m keeping my SB300 and if I add a 100 watt tube head to my collection it will be the V4B (since I already have a Fender and Ashdown)
 
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#3,567
Greetings from the North,

Back in the way back I purchased a 2 year old first series SVT from a studio in Detroit. It had a fan cut off switch installed. It wasn't that noticeable when on and I was lucky to find no damage to it from overheating. Over the years I used it in studios and no engineers complained of roaring propeller noise. The slight purr from the fan on the SB I find reassuring letting me know the tubes and electrics aren't being cooked in my favourite Fender. Behind the glass in the studio you could not hear the fan in between the bass notes. And I have never heard a bass amp fan before or after a mix down or live gig. Not saying it's impossible but I've never run into it.

Rezdog
 
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#3,569
Bassi5t said:
Ok all. I’ve found an Ampeg SVT-212av for way too good of a deal to pass up. What do you all think of its tone with the SB300? Also how does it compare to the 410 and 115 Neo cabs?
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Haven't played that cab. Only heard good things about it with a SVT tho. And SVTs are pretty similar in my books
Should be a great pairing
 
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#3,570
Well folks. I picked up a Bassman 115 Neo cab from GC for pretty cheap. I really wanted to like it more than my Neo 410 and get a second for a modular rig. I like it… if I did a lot of tweaking on my SB300 I could get it to sound great. But it just did not do what the 410 does with far less tweaking.

I found a great home for it… a real nice guy who recently made the move from a rumble 200 to the Bassman 800. At least I know it will be taken care of.

As for the Ampeg 212av… I like it fine with the SB300 but it does not dethrone my 410 Neo. It does however sound GREAT with my Ashdown Little Bastard. Planned to flip it but might just keep it for my LB30
 
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#3,572
M
RobertAuCoin said:
What tweaks were good, with the 115?
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the vintage channel is my favorite by far. For the 115, I would need to engage the treble boost and dime it. There isn’t a lot of natural high end in the 15 but that would bring it alive. The 15 isn’t as tight as the 10s and I like to run my SB300 cold and the 15 was just too loose for me.
 
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#3,573
Bassi5t said:
Well folks. I picked up a Bassman 115 Neo cab from GC for pretty cheap. I really wanted to like it more than my Neo 410 and get a second for a modular rig. I like it… if I did a lot of tweaking on my SB300 I could get it to sound great. But it just did not do what the 410 does with far less tweaking.

I found a great home for it… a real nice guy who recently made the move from a rumble 200 to the Bassman 800. At least I know it will be taken care of.

As for the Ampeg 212av… I like it fine with the SB300 but it does not dethrone my 410 Neo. It does however sound GREAT with my Ashdown Little Bastard. Planned to flip it but might just keep it for my LB30
Click to expand...

I tried both too and ended up keeping the 410. There's a magic to that cab I didn't find in the 115. To my ear it brings all the low end I could ever want with more definition and just raw power. I've had other band members comment that it's like standing in front of a freight train.
 
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#3,578
Hey gang ~ I know this discussion is buried in this thread but can't seem to find a recommendation on the fix.

I have a 2021 SB with v.2 auto bias. Hooked up to my cab, and off standby and off mute, it blinks green for all tubes and doesn't stop. I've even had an instance where all lights just go solid red but the amp still works. Is there a way to fix this or does this need to be brought into a tech. This thing is obviously out of warranty.

As a secondary note, I feel like in conjunction with this behavior I'm not getting the same distortion out of the vintage channel I once was.

Thanks for the input.
 
#3,579
bons said:
Hey gang ~ I know this discussion is buried in this thread but can't seem to find a recommendation on the fix.

I have a 2021 SB with v.2 auto bias. Hooked up to my cab, and off standby and off mute, it blinks green for all tubes and doesn't stop. I've even had an instance where all lights just go solid red but the amp still works. Is there a way to fix this or does this need to be brought into a tech. This thing is obviously out of warranty.

As a secondary note, I feel like in conjunction with this behavior I'm not getting the same distortion out of the vintage channel I once was.

Thanks for the input.
Click to expand...

Finding a good tech familiar with this head is an excellent idea. It is real easy to go inside this amp and end up with an expensive repair for a dead amp.
The old grey matter remembers some troubles with "auto bias" but I "think" it was with a Behringer product. The concern with the vintage distortion is most likely not connected with the crazy bias lights. That distortion is in the preamp section well before it gets to the output stage. Could be time for a couple new tubes let the tech tell you. I remember again in the dusty alcoves some PI (Phase Inverter) tube premature wear. Again a tech needs to address.
 
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#3,580
bons said:
Hey gang ~ I know this discussion is buried in this thread but can't seem to find a recommendation on the fix.

I have a 2021 SB with v.2 auto bias. Hooked up to my cab, and off standby and off mute, it blinks green for all tubes and doesn't stop. I've even had an instance where all lights just go solid red but the amp still works. Is there a way to fix this or does this need to be brought into a tech. This thing is obviously out of warranty.

As a secondary note, I feel like in conjunction with this behavior I'm not getting the same distortion out of the vintage channel I once was.

Thanks for the input.
Click to expand...


Bias adjusts the baseline current level passing through the output tubes. It has nothing to do with operation of the preamp. However it is possible there is a faulty power supply voltage that effects both the preamp and bias circuits. I don't have a schematic for this amp, so this is a guess.

Blinking green indicates adjustment in process.

From the OM:
NOTE: If an LED blinks continuously for longer than 5 minutes (after power-up or bias adjustments), that tube is worn out and should be replaced.​

Red indicates that a tube is not working. The amp can still operate with some red indicators lit, but it will not make full power. If all tubes indicate red, you should get no sound...so the indication appears to be false. You can try new tubes, but this sounds like faulty bias operation

IMHO, the amp needs to see a good Fender authorized tech.
 
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