NAD - Fender 57 Bandmaster

[CV Jee Beez]

I wonder how much this amp is like a bassman.

The Bandmaster breaks up quicker, is not as loud, and not as bright. Based on my limited experience with the Bassman.

 

[Chicago Matt]

Congrats, I'm jealous. I've wished for one of those for a long time. It would fit beautifully between my 5E3 Deluxe and 5E8A low power Twin.

 

[Maguchi]

I saw this for sale online in Tucson. My buddy was headed there right around the time I would get funds from the sale of another amp. I asked him to get it for me and he did.

Just picked it up from my buddy last night.

It's 22 lbs. Lighter than the amp I sold and it sounds like the amp I sold (but not as loud).

Mostly what I can say is that there are no ugly sound, frequencies and I have no complaints. More exploring to be done at higher volume(s).View attachment 1066971View attachment 1066972View attachment 1066973

Wow, great amp! Congrats. Is this a reissue from the mid 2010s, because it is in great condition. Never played a Bandmastrer before yet. But everything I heard about them's been great.

 

[CV Jee Beez]

Wow, great amp! Congrats. Is this a reissue from the mid 2010s, because it is in great condition. Never played a Bandmastrer before yet. But everything I heard about them's been great.

Thanks. You're right. It is a reissue from the mid 2010s. It replaced my high powered tweed twin.

 

[johnb]

I tried Victoria's version of the 3x10 Bandmaster for a while several years ago. Try as I might, the amp didn't have enough headroom. It got mushy too soon.
Now that I think about it, I failed to check the bias and/or swap tubes out. But I get the impression it was more the amp.

 

[NTC]

I tried Victoria's version of the 3x10 Bandmaster for a while several years ago. Try as I might, the amp didn't have enough headroom. It got mushy too soon.
Now that I think about it, I failed to check the bias and/or swap tubes out. But I get the impression it was more the amp.

A lot of the overdrive has to do with the tone control settings. You can set them for low values (3 or 4) or high values (about 9) and get a similar tone, but there is more overall gain with the higher settings. Going up to 11 and 12 gives a radically scooped midrange that doesn't happen at lower settings. Again any of the E series with bass and treble will act this way. (Edited spelling)

 

[myfenderissues]

I saw this for sale online in Tucson. My buddy was headed there right around the time I would get funds from the sale of another amp. I asked him to get it for me and he did.

Just picked it up from my buddy last night.

It's 22 lbs. Lighter than the amp I sold and it sounds like the amp I sold (but not as loud).

Mostly what I can say is that there are no ugly sound, frequencies and I have no complaints. More exploring to be done at higher volume(s).View attachment 1066971View attachment 1066972View attachment 1066973

An ay7 in #1 will give less gain. it will lower volume by a couple dbs

 

[rschiller]

For better results -replace the first preamp tube with a 12AY7. For best results, get some 6L6WGB's or 5881's. The originals used 6L6G's according to the schematic.

Edited spelling....

Yes original Bandmaster 5E7 used a 12AY7 w/ 820 bias resistor. 12AX7 100 times gain, 12AY7 40 times gain. Depends if this builder stayed with original bias value. You can duplicate the same gain and tone characteristics by upping the bias voltage with a higher value resistor. Try 2K2 to stay w/ 12Ax7.

 

[Genadeloos]

Very nice amp
On the pictures it looks like there are two different 6L6 type of tubes in there. Most likely that doesn't matter much....
Can anyone tell?

edit: my bad, did not look at the tube schematic hahaha

 

[Telecastoff1]

Very cool amp! Congrats!

 

[kookaburra]

That’s really cool CV, congrats!

 

[schmee]

No, not 22lbs.
Cool amp!

 

[Minivan Megafun]

Congrats, I'm jealous. I've wished for one of those for a long time. It would fit beautifully between my 5E3 Deluxe and 5E8A low power Twin.

If you’ve already got the 5E8A Twin then buying a Bandmaster would be kind of redundant. The 5E8, 5E7, 5E5, and 5E4 are all nearly identical aside from speakers and output transformers.

 

[NTC]

If you’ve already got the 5E8A Twin then buying a Bandmaster would be kind of redundant. The 5E8, 5E7, 5E5, and 5E4 are all nearly identical aside from speakers and output transformers.

You can add 5E6 to that.

A 5E4 is roughly the same circuit but with 6V6 output tubes.

 

[CV Jee Beez]

If you’ve already got the 5E8A Twin then buying a Bandmaster would be kind of redundant. The 5E8, 5E7, 5E5, and 5E4 are all nearly identical aside from speakers and output transformers.

Power ratings are different enough between the Bandmaster and the Low Power Twin.