Can you play a bass through a Fender Bassman '59 RI?

[Dick Fanguy]

Being new to this amp, I would like to know if anyone plays a bass through the Bassman. All reviews I've read were people using it as a guitar amp. I do have a bass that I would like to play through it from time to time.

 

[Del Pickup]

Yes you can - that's what the amp was originally designed for - hence the name. But it's not much use in today's band settings where guitar amps tend to be at least 20 - 50watts. The Bassman came from the era when the Fender Deluxe was considered to be loud enough for guitars - at 12W.

You can certainly use the Bassman for bass but I wouldn't recommend it for anything other than playing at home or quiet band rehearsals.

 

[Dick Fanguy]

Thank you so much for the information. It sounds like it will do exactly what I want. It will be used at jams with friends. Low volume & small venues.

 

[DeweyPeek]

Yes you can - that's what the amp was originally designed for - hence the name. But it's not much use in today's band settings where guitar amps tend to be at least 20 - 50watts. The Bassman came from the era when the Fender Deluxe was considered to be loud enough for guitars - at 12W. You can certainly use the Bassman for bass but I wouldn't recommend it for anything other than playing at home or quiet band rehearsals.

What if your running it a little hot for some overdrive?

Will that damage the amp?

 

[BobbyZ]

When Fender made the original 5F6-A Bassman for bass they also made the 5F8-A Twin for guitar at 85 watts. From those two amps until after the CBS take over the Bassmans where half the wattage of the Twins and Showmans. Backasswords for sure.

Anyway you won't hurt the amp the speakers maybe if you get loud.

 

[LostGonzo85]

When Fender made the original 5F6-A Bassman for bass they also made the 5F8-A Twin for guitar at 85 watts. From those two amps until after the CBS take over the Bassmans where half the wattage of the Twins and Showmans. Backasswords for sure.

Anyway you won't hurt the amp the speakers maybe if you get loud.

Yeah, I wouldn't really trust those speakers if you're running it loud enough to distort. You could always buy a cheap bass cab and use the Bassman as a head, provided it's seeing the correct load.

I know a guy who plays an old Tele bass through a '59 Bassman reissue in a Bakersfield-type country band. He always mics it through the PA, and it sounds great. :neutral: Wouldn't do it myself; I'm happy with Ampeg for bass, but hey...

 

[Speedy East]

In the 50s and early 60 s that amp was used all the time for bass. Heck, nearly every West Coast hit was recorded through one--Wrecking Crew sessions bass. That's low volume though. I use mine for bass.

 

[=JL=]

It also depends on what kind of bass. We're pretty much assuming from the fact that you already have a Bassman that you like traditional-style gear, but if it's a modern bass with a powerful active preamp I'd be very cautious.

 

[Dick Fanguy]

The bass I have is '62 Gibson SG. According to the serial number, it was built in '65. It has a single pickup.

 

[Lucky Day]

It should sound great but 50W doesn't allow for much headroom in the bass range. Bass eats up headroom fast.

 

[TheDTrain]

At the bands first gig our bass player used his Bassman RI as a bass amp. He was between rigs.

 

[tele_player]

FYI

The bass I have is '62 Gibson SG. According to the serial number, it was built in '65. It has a single pickup.

That would be an EB-0, the two pickup model was called EB-3. Gibson didn't didn't use the SG designation for basses back then.

Robert

 

[beep.click]

My bass player used to use my old Vox AC 50 head. I never knew how many watts you were "supposed" to use for bass, and that thing always sounded fine.

Now that old head has become vintage. I, however, have only become old...

 

[sbpark]

My '76 Precision bass sounds awesome through my BMRI at low volumes.

 

[thunderbyrd]

playing bass, at a reasonable volume - which for me would be about 2 -3 - is a good way to break in the speakers on a bassman. Talking about a new one here.

 

[Abu Twangy]

The reissues at least have more robust speakers than the originals. The few times I have seen a BMRI used for bass at a gig they were lacking in bass at higher volumes. No wonder Ampeg Portaflexes were so popular in the early '60s.
And we thought that the combo blonde and BF/SF Bassman amps had a better sound for bass than the tweed Bassman; likely it was the closed back cabinet.

playing bass, at a reasonable volume - which for me would be about 2 -3 - is a good way to break in the speakers on a bassman. Talking about a new one here.

--that's the method that I used to get the striffness out of my Excelsior's 15.

 

[Speedy East]

In the early 60s, bands used to travel with two 4 x 10 bassman amps for a PA, 1 4 x 10 bassman for bass, one for rhythm guitar, one for lead guitar, and one for keyboards--if an electric piano was used. That's right--everybody used 4 x 10 Bassman amplifiers. The amp was terrific sounding and worked across the back line.

Groups could probably do just fine using this setup today in the bars, clubs, and smaller venues that they play. A lot depends upon how grungy the guitarists want to sound.