CrazyFrankSD
TDPRI Member
I know as I type the title this is will not end with a resounding and unified opinion, yet I still ask because I've not paid any attention to the subject in 20 years.
So back in the late 90's I had a Blackface 1967 Fender Bassman head that I absolutely loved. As I recall the channel was clean even at reasonably high volume and it was DEEEEEEEEP luscious Fender nirvana. Floor rattling lows and chimey highs that LOVED any pedal you ran into the front end of it. I loved that amp. If I was going to compare it to anything it would be if you had a 50 watt Twin without the reverb and vibrowhatever. The sound was immersive and I loved spending hours bathed in its deep glorious waters.
My Twin largely scratches this itch today, but I'd like something a bit easier to move around and maybe not as loud.. and I see these modified Bassmans with a Marshall-esque #1 channel that sounds awesome.. so I've decided that's my next amp build.
The question is.. what way to go?
Originally I'd thought I'd build an AB165 since that's likely the circuit that was in my beloved '67 Bassman and then after that was built essentially "stock" then I'd try different mods on the first channel.. but now I read all these people swear by the AA165 - which really doesn't sway me much other than having a bias pot seems like a good thing to have.
So that brings me to today. I have some vintage Schumacher iron (1965) out of a mid 60's Epiphone Futura EA-12 (along with whatever 1/4" jacks, sockets, and odds n ends worth salvaging from that circuit.. obviously no electrolytics lol) and I have a Fleabay sourced Blackface Bassman chassis en route... the real question is what circuit do I build for it?
Knowing that I'd love to have "45-50 watt Twin-ish sans effects" in one channel and "Fire breathing Marshall" in the other channel is there a "from the ground up" circuit design floating around that would cover those bases?
Thoughts, suggestions, criticism, etc is greatly appreciated!
So back in the late 90's I had a Blackface 1967 Fender Bassman head that I absolutely loved. As I recall the channel was clean even at reasonably high volume and it was DEEEEEEEEP luscious Fender nirvana. Floor rattling lows and chimey highs that LOVED any pedal you ran into the front end of it. I loved that amp. If I was going to compare it to anything it would be if you had a 50 watt Twin without the reverb and vibrowhatever. The sound was immersive and I loved spending hours bathed in its deep glorious waters.
My Twin largely scratches this itch today, but I'd like something a bit easier to move around and maybe not as loud.. and I see these modified Bassmans with a Marshall-esque #1 channel that sounds awesome.. so I've decided that's my next amp build.
The question is.. what way to go?
Originally I'd thought I'd build an AB165 since that's likely the circuit that was in my beloved '67 Bassman and then after that was built essentially "stock" then I'd try different mods on the first channel.. but now I read all these people swear by the AA165 - which really doesn't sway me much other than having a bias pot seems like a good thing to have.
So that brings me to today. I have some vintage Schumacher iron (1965) out of a mid 60's Epiphone Futura EA-12 (along with whatever 1/4" jacks, sockets, and odds n ends worth salvaging from that circuit.. obviously no electrolytics lol) and I have a Fleabay sourced Blackface Bassman chassis en route... the real question is what circuit do I build for it?
Knowing that I'd love to have "45-50 watt Twin-ish sans effects" in one channel and "Fire breathing Marshall" in the other channel is there a "from the ground up" circuit design floating around that would cover those bases?
Thoughts, suggestions, criticism, etc is greatly appreciated!
