Gig Report: Band Master Reverb

Paul in Colorado · May 27th, 2007, 05:57 AM

About four years ago, I found a BMR in a pawnshop. I figured any Fender amp in decent condition would be worth $350. I then took it to Bruce Collins at Mission Amps who serviced it, put reverb on both channels and tweaked the preamps a little. I've played it in the garage at low volume, but until tonight, I never gigged with it. So I took it, a 2 X 12" cab with JBL K-120's and my usual pedals (Dyna-Comp, Direct Drive, TS-5, Boss Dimension & Boss Delay) to the gig. I took two Strat-clones for guitars, one with EMG's and a hardtail with a Duncan JB and a P-90 that I use for slide.

Man, did that amp sing! There was plenty of head room with just a little natural compression. I dialed it in and forgot about it. Other then turning on the bright switch on one channel and turning up the reverb for one song, I didn't touch it all night. I just forgot about it and played. Isn't that what makes a good gig rig? When you can just play and not think about your gear.

The band is an eight or nine piece band playing from the songbooks of CSN&Y, Grateful Dead and Bob Dylan with a few other things in there. We played for several hours. As the amp heated up, nothing changed, no noises appeared, it just sat there with tubes glowing making my guitars sound good.

I think I have a new favorite amp.

Telenator · May 27th, 2007, 08:56 AM

Great find! I love it when a plan comes together like that.

WireLine · May 27th, 2007, 10:50 AM

I remember those...seems I had one eons ago, and have always kicked myself for seliing for something stupid like food or rent...

Bluesbob · May 27th, 2007, 03:41 PM

Open or closed back?

getbent · May 27th, 2007, 03:51 PM

cool Paul! post your set list!

9 pieces! Wow, what is the lineup instrument wise?

tazzboy · May 27th, 2007, 04:48 PM

I've seen one down at the music store and played through it. It was a very nice to play. I believed it had a price tag of $550.

Paul G. · May 27th, 2007, 05:53 PM

Fender did not become the most respected amp maker in the world by making junk. While some may sound better than others, they are all professional grade tools. That's why your maintained BMR performed perfectly.

As far as the tone, well it is essentially a Silverface Super Reverb head, just as the Dual Showman Reverb is really just a Twin Reverb head.

Enjoy your new favorite amp, your taste is impeccable.

P.

blue metalflake · May 27th, 2007, 06:07 PM

One of my bands long ago, the other guitar player used a Bandmaster Reverb. Sweet sounding amp, his was a closed cabinet. Just a little less of the highs than my Pro Reverb.

The cabinet was huge though - a brutal piece of kit to carry.

Paul in Colorado · May 28th, 2007, 02:24 AM

Yeah, a well maintained Fender amp will sound good, but it surprised me just how good it sounded. I'm using a closed back cab that a local carpenter cloned from a small Bassman cab I used to own. I've got some outdoor shows coming up this summer, so I think this rig is going to get used a lot.

The band is called "Not Dead Yet." The core of the band is a group of guys who have known each other for years and get together on Friday nights to jam. I've played with them about three years. I sing, play lead and slide guitar, and sometimes lap steel and mandolin. Besides me there's:
John, Electrified acoustic guitar, percussion and vocals
Bill, Harmonica and vocals
Mike: Electrified acoustic guitar, percussion and vocals
Greg, Electric guitar, percussion and vocals
Tony, Percussion and vocals
Robb, percussion
Dave, Bass, keyboard and vocal
and the new guy,
John, Mandolin (last night was the first time he played with all of us)
The percussionists play hand drums rather then a trap set. A couple other people have a conga or shakers or djimbe or something.

The song list is huge and not everybody always plays every song. Some of our favorites include:

Grateful Dead:
Althea
Half Step Mississippi Uptown Toodeloo
Bertha
Black Muddy River
Deal
Wharf Rat
Franklin's Tower
Fire on the Mountain
Man Smart-Woman Smarter/Iko Iko
Bird Song
Cassidy
Lovelight

CSN&Y:
Cortez the Killer
Woodstock
What Are Their Names/Find the Cost of Freedom
Almost Cut My Hair

Bob Dylan:
You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go
You're A Big Girl Now
All Along the Watchtower

Others:
Working Class Hero - John Lennon
Jump for Joy - Kingfish
Watching the Detectives - Elvis Costello
Season of the Witch - Donovan
You Win Again - Hank Williams
Heart Attack and Vine - Tom Waits

And that was just what we played last night.

It's not a serious band and it gives me an outlet to play electric guitar in a format where I have a lot of freedom and don't have to be the main singer/guitarist. The downside is it's not a serious band and there's a lot of wasted potential because they don't want to rehease and do things like arrange vocals and sometimes the soloists can step on each other. But it sure sounded better then the last time we played out, so I guess some of the guys are practicing more. All in all, it was a lot of fun last night. There's othing like a good gig!

May 27th, 2007, 05:57 AM	#1 (permalink)
Paul in Colorado Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Fort Collins, CO Age: 57 Posts: 5,329 3 Photos	Gig Report: Band Master Reverb About four years ago, I found a BMR in a pawnshop. I figured any Fender amp in decent condition would be worth $350. I then took it to Bruce Collins at Mission Amps who serviced it, put reverb on both channels and tweaked the preamps a little. I've played it in the garage at low volume, but until tonight, I never gigged with it. So I took it, a 2 X 12" cab with JBL K-120's and my usual pedals (Dyna-Comp, Direct Drive, TS-5, Boss Dimension & Boss Delay) to the gig. I took two Strat-clones for guitars, one with EMG's and a hardtail with a Duncan JB and a P-90 that I use for slide. Man, did that amp sing! There was plenty of head room with just a little natural compression. I dialed it in and forgot about it. Other then turning on the bright switch on one channel and turning up the reverb for one song, I didn't touch it all night. I just forgot about it and played. Isn't that what makes a good gig rig? When you can just play and not think about your gear. The band is an eight or nine piece band playing from the songbooks of CSN&Y, Grateful Dead and Bob Dylan with a few other things in there. We played for several hours. As the amp heated up, nothing changed, no noises appeared, it just sat there with tubes glowing making my guitars sound good. I think I have a new favorite amp.

May 27th, 2007, 08:56 AM	#2 (permalink)
Telenator VENDOR Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Connecticut Posts: 7,179 5 Photos	Great find! I love it when a plan comes together like that. __________________ Dogs have the right idea! www.telenator.com

May 27th, 2007, 10:50 AM	#3 (permalink)
WireLine Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Midland TX Age: 53 Posts: 168	I remember those...seems I had one eons ago, and have always kicked myself for seliing for something stupid like food or rent... __________________ Ken Morgan Wireline Studio Midland TX The Only Thing That Really Matters is Your Sound Please Support American Indian Schools

May 27th, 2007, 03:41 PM	#4 (permalink)
Bluesbob Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: East Suffolk L.I. Posts: 1,277 20 Photos	The cab... Open or closed back? __________________ What, me worry?

May 27th, 2007, 04:48 PM	#6 (permalink)
tazzboy Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: May 2005 Location: Oregon Age: 32 Posts: 5,092 1 Photos	I've seen one down at the music store and played through it. It was a very nice to play. I believed it had a price tag of $550. __________________

May 27th, 2007, 03:51 PM	#5 (permalink)
getbent Moderator Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: San Benito County, California Posts: 14,484 37 Photos	cool Paul! post your set list! 9 pieces! Wow, what is the lineup instrument wise?

May 27th, 2007, 05:53 PM	#7 (permalink)
Paul G. Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 904	Of course!!!!! Fender did not become the most respected amp maker in the world by making junk. While some may sound better than others, they are all professional grade tools. That's why your maintained BMR performed perfectly. As far as the tone, well it is essentially a Silverface Super Reverb head, just as the Dual Showman Reverb is really just a Twin Reverb head. Enjoy your new favorite amp, your taste is impeccable. P. __________________ Listen to your mother

May 27th, 2007, 06:07 PM	#8 (permalink)
blue metalflake Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: ireland Age: 56 Posts: 2,781 10 Photos	One of my bands long ago, the other guitar player used a Bandmaster Reverb. Sweet sounding amp, his was a closed cabinet. Just a little less of the highs than my Pro Reverb. The cabinet was huge though - a brutal piece of kit to carry.

May 28th, 2007, 02:24 AM	#9 (permalink)
Paul in Colorado Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Fort Collins, CO Age: 57 Posts: 5,329 3 Photos	Yeah, a well maintained Fender amp will sound good, but it surprised me just how good it sounded. I'm using a closed back cab that a local carpenter cloned from a small Bassman cab I used to own. I've got some outdoor shows coming up this summer, so I think this rig is going to get used a lot. The band is called "Not Dead Yet." The core of the band is a group of guys who have known each other for years and get together on Friday nights to jam. I've played with them about three years. I sing, play lead and slide guitar, and sometimes lap steel and mandolin. Besides me there's: John, Electrified acoustic guitar, percussion and vocals Bill, Harmonica and vocals Mike: Electrified acoustic guitar, percussion and vocals Greg, Electric guitar, percussion and vocals Tony, Percussion and vocals Robb, percussion Dave, Bass, keyboard and vocal and the new guy, John, Mandolin (last night was the first time he played with all of us) The percussionists play hand drums rather then a trap set. A couple other people have a conga or shakers or djimbe or something. The song list is huge and not everybody always plays every song. Some of our favorites include: Grateful Dead: Althea Half Step Mississippi Uptown Toodeloo Bertha Black Muddy River Deal Wharf Rat Franklin's Tower Fire on the Mountain Man Smart-Woman Smarter/Iko Iko Bird Song Cassidy Lovelight CSN&Y: Cortez the Killer Woodstock What Are Their Names/Find the Cost of Freedom Almost Cut My Hair Bob Dylan: You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go You're A Big Girl Now All Along the Watchtower Others: Working Class Hero - John Lennon Jump for Joy - Kingfish Watching the Detectives - Elvis Costello Season of the Witch - Donovan You Win Again - Hank Williams Heart Attack and Vine - Tom Waits And that was just what we played last night. It's not a serious band and it gives me an outlet to play electric guitar in a format where I have a lot of freedom and don't have to be the main singer/guitarist. The downside is it's not a serious band and there's a lot of wasted potential because they don't want to rehease and do things like arrange vocals and sometimes the soloists can step on each other. But it sure sounded better then the last time we played out, so I guess some of the guys are practicing more. All in all, it was a lot of fun last night. There's othing like a good gig!

IMPORTANT:Treat everyone here with respect, no matter how difficult! No sex, drug, political, religion or hate discussion permitted here.