princejqman
TDPRI Member
I already own a Vibroking King, which I'm thinking of selling due to lack of use. How good are these Bassman LTD 59 amps? any problems with the pc board or parts that will need to be serviced shortly?
Vibroking vs Bassman point to point. Which one is more desirable and easier to service?
- Thread starter princejqman
- Start date
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corliss1
Poster Extraordinaire
Any of the Fender reissue series amps are perfectly serviceable. The myth of "cheap parts that are designed to fail" is just that - a myth.
I would much rather work on that VK than the PCB Bassman. I suppose you are getting away from that ‘troublesome’ reverb you have been trying to deal with in the VK?
Isn’t the VK more desirable because it has reverb?
Three knob reverb.
Hand wired is more desirable and it is easier to work on.
The VK looks better as well.
On the otherhand,
Without reverb or trem, the Bman is a much more straightforward platform.
And
The 5F6-A circuit is more known, more proven and more beloved.
Three knob reverb.
Hand wired is more desirable and it is easier to work on.
The VK looks better as well.
On the otherhand,
Without reverb or trem, the Bman is a much more straightforward platform.
And
The 5F6-A circuit is more known, more proven and more beloved.
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princejqman
TDPRI Member
How would you compare the fender bassman ltd with the vibroking which has reverb and is a point to point amp?
If you’re not using the VK, you probably won’t use the Bassman either, it offers nothing “more”.
The VK is not a PTP amp. Fender’s last PTP amp was a Champ built about 73 years ago. The VK has an eyelet circuit board.
I would take the VK. Its Sonic heritage is linked to the 5F6A Bassman. It is a better built amp, and it has reverb and an effects loop.
corliss1
Poster Extraordinaire
@princejqman - I'm not sure I would compare since they are pretty different amps.
THIS^
toanhunter
Tele-Meister
I think there's a big difference between modern and vintage bassmans, the modern ones just don't sound right to me, maybe it's the tubes they use, I don't know but it looks good, sounds wrong.
MrBassmans
Tele-Meister
The filtering is stiffer in a RI tweed bassman vs. an original. Also the original had a 12AY7 in V1 vs. a 12AX7.
Edit: for example, the RI has two 20uf filter caps in parallel for a total of 40uf in the preamp stage. Originals in production used a single 20uf (the schematic shows 8uf, the JTM45 16uf).
I've lowered the filtering in RI's, & with the correct 12AY7 they became better amps.
Plate voltage was around 480V on an original 1960 I worked on, the PV on RI's is also high, so I prefer using a Brown Box with either/or.
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princejqman
TDPRI Member
Thanks for the input. I really prefer a bassman 4 holer point to point with effects loop. Any recommendation?
Nice choice !
A hand wired tweed Bassman is sweet and hot.
I think you are looking at either DIY, a kit, a kit built by the supplier or a DIY kit built by an individual.
princejqman
TDPRI Member
I Fixed the reverb myself. Changed the tank and cleaned tube sockets, one by one. I just wanted to know if i really needed to change the filter caps with F and T caps to reduce background noise to minimum? If i decided to go with a 4 holer bassman what point to point clone should i look for?
princejqman
TDPRI Member
So ill keep the VK and replace the filter caps with f and t caps.
@princejqman, part of the confusion here — I think — is that the original Bassman is ‘handwired’, not PTP.
