Bassman LTD/Bandmaster Kit Question

Greetings... I think I have an interesting question to bat around.

I don't like to buy anything used anymore that I have ideas for upgrading. I want it to be something that is already exactly what I want. So I hang out looking on craigslist and wait patiently. I'm in the Bay Area and so there is a lot of stuff that comes and goes. I figure that I've let a lot of stuff go that I've upgraded and I just don't like the idea of losing the money anymore... but no regrets on swapping pickups and tubes and what not.

Anyway. I have a Bassman LTD that I bought. The previous owner swapped the speakers for blue frames he found and put in Tung Sol (I think) KT66 for power tubes. It sounds pretty sweet.

It is a lot of amp. I only use it for outdoor gigs and as I get older, I tend to play quieter. So I had this idea that I would sell it and get maybe a tweed bandmaster clone. Someone has one for sale right now. It looks well done, maybe wired up by Weber themselves (that's the kit). But I look inside and it has Fender Groove Tubes. Would that make you think that other components inside my be cheaper as well? Does Weber offer kits that are lower grades? I haven't seen them. Would the cheap tubes alone scare you off? I would have to find better tubes I think and then I don't feel comfortable changing power tubes. Are they cathode based? Doesn't that mean I wouldn't have to bias?

Can you help? Thank you.

I built one of the Weber bandmaster kits. It came with Chinese tubes that were unbranded. They are in a box in the garage and have been replaced with other tubes. The amp is a screamer. If you are looking for quiet, the three-10 bandmaster ain't it. Listen to early Doobie Bros. for an example of one.

Thanks for the reply. No, I don't want quiet. I need a louder amp. Just maybe not Bassman loud!!! Anyway good to hear. Thanks.

I wouldn't let the Groove Tubes scare you off. You have to remember that they aren't necessarily "cheap" tubes (its that you pay more for their testing/screening of tubes you can buy for less elsewhere) and also that they are the only "brand" of tubes that a lot of local music stores stock if the person needed some and didn't have time to mail order. If I didn't have a decent supply of spare tubes at home I would be hard pressed to find anything but Groove Tubes with a 40 minute drive of my house and I live in an area that has at least 5 music stores within 25 miles.

Groove Tubes can be almost any brand and these days their model number will let you know which tube you actually have if you do some research, though I don't know if that numbering system carries over into the Fender labeled GTs. For instance, I have two sets of GT branded JJ 6V6s laying around the house that came in amps that I have owned and a lot of people would recommend the JJ 6V6, but the GT branded pair probably costing $20 more than a set tested by other sellers. Granted, some of the tubes they re-brand aren't known for their quality, but at least they should be properly screened with having the GT name on them.

Weber did use some lower quality parts at one time (tubes are still not the best), but they have been improving things when there becomes a trend of a certain part not being real consistent.

The narrow panel tweed Bandmaster, Pro & Super circuits are virtually identical. The amps only differ in their impedance rating of the OTs, the cabinets and speaker layouts. They stay relaticvely clean about 3/4s of the way up on the dial, but start to get snarly at that point on up. Not quiet amps by any means, but not as much punch as the Bassman.