Tube amps!

[docc]

2 hours ago, 80CX100 said:

I'm assuming it's not an original, but a re-issue Fender Bassman; you're the 1st modern player, I've ever heard of running a bass rig through either one of them.

Tbh iirc,both were known as killer tone monster amps for both harp & guitar; relatively good tone down low & a nice crunchy meaty brown tone, when pushed hard at higher volumes,,, those tonal qualities & characteristics are working against you running a bass through them,,, IF your goal is a loud, clean sound.

No idea re the tube layout & good substitutions,,, forums like The Gear Page, Modern Blues Harmonica or TDPRI (sp?) would be good resources to check out,,, but they're not really focussed on bass info,,, maybe there are other equivalents  in the bass world,idk. 

The speakers may be shot & flabby,,,,,, but it sounds like it's doing what it's designed to do,,, 

IIRC, this Fender Bassman is a second reissue. For sure, from the beginning, they were found to be good guitar amps in spite of the "Bassman" name.

99% of my playing is "living room volume" where it is great. It makes sense it would distort at higher volumes. And nobody wants a crunchy bass. 

[80CX100]

2 hours ago, docc said:

IIRC, this Fender Bassman is a second reissue. For sure, from the beginning, they were found to be good guitar amps in spite of the "Bassman" name.

99% of my playing is "living room volume" where it is great. It makes sense it would distort at higher volumes. And nobody wants a crunchy bass. 

It's a big,beautiful,highly respected amp; I'd be extremely hesitant before doing anything substantial to it.

I think you're probably just pushing it out of it's sweet spot.

I've never owned an amp that big & powerful, but I've read of challenges others have had trying to quell,high volume tone demons, in their amps.

Most will be redundant for you,but here's a few thoughts,on getting your signal in & out cleaner,fwiw.

Undiagnosed tube rattle, can be an issue,,, iirc the test while playing,involved a helper holding a pencil's eraser against the tube/socket area? The fix was some gadget like a Tube Tamer.

Verify all the fastenings for your cabinet,speaker,chassis etc.

Check closely for cracks in the chassis,speaker frame supports & especially the dust caps,,, while you're there,integrity of the speaker paper/fibre, magnet assembly, connectors,reverb tank,etc.

A rolled up/scrunched up bath towel placed strategically in the cab,,,or draped over the front,,back,,,all 3?

Some cabinets do better elevated on a chair or stand or just tilted back on support arms.

I hate guitar pedals,,,but there's probably one out there for a clean,dry woody sound.

You could try things like fingers vs pick,,, pick materials,,,angle & placement of string attack, but you know what works best for you.

Neck vs Bridge pick up & serious tone adjustments on your bass or amp might help.

ps. We're always our own worst critics,,,I'm sure the audience & bandmates think your tone & sound are great,,, unless you happen to have an ah in your band lol 

 

 

[docc]

2 minutes ago, 80CX100 said:

It's a big,beautiful,highly respected amp; I'd be extremely hesitant before doing anything substantial to it.

I think you're probably just pushing it out of it's sweet spot.

I've never owned an amp that big & powerful, but I've read of challenges others have had trying to quell,high volume tone demons, in their amps.

Most will be redundant for you,but here's a few thoughts,on getting your signal in & out cleaner,fwiw.

Undiagnosed tube rattle, can be an issue,,, iirc the test while playing,involved a helper holding a pencil's eraser against the tube/socket area? The fix was some gadget like a Tube Tamer.

Verify all the fastenings for your cabinet,speaker,chassis etc.

Check closely for cracks in the chassis,speaker frame supports & especially the dust caps,,, while you're there,integrity of the speaker paper/fibre, magnet assembly, connectors,reverb tank,etc.

A rolled up/scrunched up bath towel placed strategically in the cab,,,or draped over the front,,back,,,all 3?

Some cabinets do better elevated on a chair or stand or just tilted back on support arms.

I hate guitar pedals,,,but there's probably one out there for a clean,dry woody sound.

You could try things like fingers vs pick,,, pick materials,,,angle & placement of string attack, but you know what works best for you.

Neck vs Bridge pick up & serious tone adjustments on your bass or amp might help.

ps. We're always our own worst critics,,,I'm sure the audience & bandmates think your tone & sound are great,,, unless you happen to have an ah in your band lol 

 

 

Sounds a lot like tuning a V11.

My drummer-bud did tell me, early on, that "The worst thing about bands is they're made up of musicians" . . .

[docc]

I am so appreciative of all of the players that have taken me in. I am just a hobbiest coming to music-making late in life.

I don't know that the Bassman is a "powerful" amp at 45 watts.

One of the rooms I play has me through a 300 watt stage amp. I can barely crack its volume with the gain way down.

And there is another Ampeg "valve" amp that also can easily overpower the room.

So, maybe the Bassman amp is just right, after all, and there is really nothing wrong with it . . .

[cowtownchemist]

I don't know enough about your amp to make a recommendation about a different type of tube to test in your preamp.  However, I have hoarded A LOT of vacuum tubes through various estate auctions over the years.  So if you settle on a different tube type, let me know and I will check to see if I have some in my collection for you.

[audiomick]

On 10/4/2024 at 12:41 AM, docc said:

...nobody wants a crunchy bass. 

aaah, wrong. You apparently have just not met any of the individuals yet. I've had all sorts of bass sounds going through various mixing desks. Some of the fantastic, others, well, not so fantastic. One of the best combinations ever was the Ampeg with an 8 x 10 cabinet and a Rickenbacker bass. Crunchy, punchy, defined, fantastic. A dream.

Bass players using fuzz boxes do exist. Mostly not so nice, but they like it. And then there was this bloke....

 

[audiomick]

And here is some pre-meditated thread drift on the subject of "and then there was this bloke"...

 

John Paul Jones

 

John Entwistle

 

and some friends of mine from Melbourne before I moved to Germany. The bass player is Leigh Underhill, who now lives in Scotland, as far as I know

PS: I nearly forgot John Deacon

 

Edited 1 hour ago by audiomick

[audiomick]

PPS: Paul McCartney did a fairly good job as a bass player too.