need a new amp

Casey · 07-29-2009, 11:30 AM

So...

I have a 5150 that I bought from Evergreen Terrace. Run it through a marshall 412 cab with the v30s. It's too much for my band and I just can't dial in the right kind of sound that I want. We do have a couple of heavier songs that it's great for, but most of the time, it's ehh.

you can take a quick listen here: myspace.com/shawnfisher

I've put it up on craigslist and have several offers on it, but when I finally get rid of it I'm not quite sure what to get. Very much looking into Vox (some great deals on the 50 and 100 watt classic plus heads on ebay), and Fender Bassman (bassmen?).

I run through a podxt live that I pretty much only use for the effects. I had a gig once though where I borrowed another guy's head which was a silverface bassman, looked old-ish. Made my pod sound absolutely amazing.

It's been a while since I've lurked amp forums so I'm not all up to date on the latest stuff. I've got a 600-750 USD budget until the endorsements start rolling in.

Any advice gentlemen?

EDIT: Checked out the Vox Night Train last week. pretty great but i just want to research my options before I settle.

mulletman · 07-29-2009, 02:21 PM

Have you checked out Orange? Just another little British amp....

Ax · 07-29-2009, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Casey

So...

I have a 5150 that I bought from Evergreen Terrace. Run it through a marshall 412 cab with the v30s. It's too much for my band and I just can't dial in the right kind of sound that I want. We do have a couple of heavier songs that it's great for, but most of the time, it's ehh.

you can take a quick listen here: myspace.com/shawnfisher

I've put it up on craigslist and have several offers on it, but when I finally get rid of it I'm not quite sure what to get. Very much looking into Vox (some great deals on the 50 and 100 watt classic plus heads on ebay), and Fender Bassman (bassmen?).

I run through a podxt live that I pretty much only use for the effects. I had a gig once though where I borrowed another guy's head which was a silverface bassman, looked old-ish. Made my pod sound absolutely amazing.

It's been a while since I've lurked amp forums so I'm not all up to date on the latest stuff. I've got a 600-750 USD budget until the endorsements start rolling in.

Any advice gentlemen?

EDIT: Checked out the Vox Night Train last week. pretty great but i just want to research my options before I settle.

That Night Train is what i'm eying right now and I play some rock that verges on Grunge and Metal at points. I literally went into the store a couple weeks ago with my pedal board and the Nightshade and and jammed for almost an hour. Was freaking amazing. No joke. It breaks up really fast, but it's classic Vox breakup. It's just... well.. what it is..

Almost Enough · 07-29-2009, 02:29 PM

Single channel?

I love my Bassman. The silverfaces are AWESOME effects amps. If you're running dirt pedals I recommend them. Lots of headroom, too.

If you're looking for a two channel amp, I love my Peavey Classic 30. They also make a Classic 50. Awesome, versatile, and durable. The tweed ones look pretty slick, too. They have a boost switch that's great for getting TONS of different tones out of it.

pooleman0 · 07-29-2009, 02:40 PM

Diddo on the Bassman. I like the Fender Deluxe reverb as well. Silverface.

***BillSPrestonEsq*** · 07-29-2009, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Casey

So...

I have a 5150 that I bought from Evergreen Terrace. Run it through a marshall 412 cab with the v30s. It's too much for my band and I just can't dial in the right kind of sound that I want. We do have a couple of heavier songs that it's great for, but most of the time, it's ehh.

you can take a quick listen here: myspace.com/shawnfisher

I've put it up on craigslist and have several offers on it, but when I finally get rid of it I'm not quite sure what to get. Very much looking into Vox (some great deals on the 50 and 100 watt classic plus heads on ebay), and Fender Bassman (bassmen?).

I run through a podxt live that I pretty much only use for the effects. I had a gig once though where I borrowed another guy's head which was a silverface bassman, looked old-ish. Made my pod sound absolutely amazing.

It's been a while since I've lurked amp forums so I'm not all up to date on the latest stuff. I've got a 600-750 USD budget until the endorsements start rolling in.

Any advice gentlemen?

EDIT: Checked out the Vox Night Train last week. pretty great but i just want to research my options before I settle.

You can't lose with either the vox night train (AKA the armored toaster) or an old silverface bassman. They are however going to be very different sounds. I know if I were to go for more amp distortion, night train would be the way to go. Pedals, the bassman would be a better choice IMO.

So, I think it is going to really, ultimately come down to that for you, and I know where that would take me. (NIght train) YMMV.

Casey · 07-29-2009, 03:22 PM

good lordy I love that night train. It's a little annoying that I can't tweak the EQ on the thick channel, but what a beast. The only thing I haven't done is test it out with the pod which I may end up doing today.

once again, that bassman was amazing, but what EXACTLY am I searching for when it comes to bassman? I had someone offer me a trade on a '81 bassman with the matching 2x15 cab (amp has blackface cosmetics, and i understand that to be pretty rare). This thing is near mint which seems would make it a great trade. I know there are a bunch of different kinds of bassman amps is all...

***BillSPrestonEsq*** · 07-29-2009, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Casey

once again, that bassman was amazing, but what EXACTLY am I searching for when it comes to bassman? I had someone offer me a trade on a '81 bassman with the matching 2x15 cab (amp has blackface cosmetics, and i understand that to be pretty rare). This thing is near mint which seems would make it a great trade. I know there are a bunch of different kinds of bassman amps is all...

Not to be snarky, but I would look for a tube based bassman, and whether YOU like it. Thats ultimately the razor.

Now I would check the size of the transformer. (You want large. I have seen a sf bassman with a transformer that was undersized, probably aftermarket, though if it was, it had been on there a long while, but still...)

I would also factor in the cost of a cap job in an almost 30 year old bassman. Budget at least 100-to 200 on that because that is an important aspect and you will need it before too very long if it has not been done.

Casey · 07-29-2009, 03:31 PM

it is a tube bassman... ?

edit: nvm you were responding to what sort of bassman I should look for.

of course, whatever i get will be all tube haha.

***BillSPrestonEsq*** · 07-29-2009, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Casey

it is a tube bassman... ?

Take a look in the back. My brother used to have a Bassman 60 which was a solid state bass 1x15 amp combo.

There was a solid state series that used the bassman name IIRC. Now as to whether that was in '81 or whether this amp is one of them... I can't say. But, IIRC, my brother's had a blackface aesthetic.

That would give me enough pause to look in the back of the head.

Almost Enough · 07-29-2009, 03:37 PM

Yeah, according to this it is.

If you want headroom, look for silverface. If you want that renowned bassman dirt, look for blackface, and be ready to dish out more cash.

Personally, I like the sound of the silverface. Mine is a '73. I had a guy go through and do a sort of blackface mod to it, but not completely. It's got a little bit lower of headroom, but that's fine for me, since I normally can't ever let the soundguys let me put my amp past 4 or 5.

Definitely make sure it's got new caps, or plan on paying to have it recapped.

I know that my Bassman is a workhorse, and has been through a lot of unfortunate mishaps (including falling off of the top of a 2x15 cab and onto the guy modding my amp, then onto the floor). We went through and checked it all and it still works like a dream.

To get some really GREAT tonez from it, I like to plug into the guitar 2 input, and run a patch cable from guitar 1 into bass 1. You use all the knobs for tone shaping, and you get a little more of a fat, gritty sound.

Play on it. The 15"s are really fat and big sounding. With 12"s you get a pretty big sound, good low end. It's a very open sounding amp from what I've noticed.