Fender Silverface Heads - HELP!

[Lock]

I had a supersonic combo--agreed that the bassman channel is the best. I'd pick up a head if I saw one locally. It was super versatile, just way too loud for what I need at the time.

[ludobag1]

Curious cause i prefer thé vibrolux Channel on thé supersonic ,but thé bassman side is Nice too

[MayTheFuzzBeWithYou]

So, there is a Dual Showman for 600€ (+Shipping) and a Bandmaster (with a 2x12) Cab for 1000€.

Any owners, please speak up!
The one is a 135W Mastervolume Amp with Reverb - and the other one a 40W non Mastervolume non Reverb Amp.

Does the Showman ever break up?

[andy_tchp]

Does the Showman ever break up?

Not much, and not in a very nice way when it does IMNSHO. The clean sounds available are something else though. I use a Vibrosonic Reverb which is the same circuit but not the UltraLinear version, so 'only' ~85 Watts in a 1x15" combo. Turning it up to the point of distortion is painfully loud, there is no scenario where that level of volume would be acceptable or desirable. And it doesn't even sound that great when it is breaking up.


Those are really quite different sounding amps out of the Fender family. If you're after chewy/saggy/compressed breakup/edge of breakup sounds the Bandmaster would definitely be the ticket.

[Embenny]

So, there is a Dual Showman for 600€ (+Shipping) and a Bandmaster (with a 2x12) Cab for 1000€.

Any owners, please speak up!
The one is a 135W Mastervolume Amp with Reverb - and the other one a 40W non Mastervolume non Reverb Amp.

Does the Showman ever break up?

I agree with Andy. The only distortion I've heard from one of those Showmans was speaker distorion from cranking it so absurdly loud, and I didn't find it pleasant (or remotely practical). Those 135W Showmans (and Twins) Delivered on the promise of LOUD clean tone, and unlike most amps that came before them, that design principle couldn't really be circumvented through the volume knob. I've never tried slamming their inputs with super high amounts of boost to get preamp distortion out of them, which would probably be more feasible, but that also sounds totally different from the power amp distortion you loved from the Bassman 50.

[ludobag1]

i think the more power amp have to less it cruch ,those 135 w twin ,showman,bassman are not made for crunch but to have a nice clean tone and to be pedale friendly also (and they are real heavy too ,not an amp you would like to move often)
the normal twin is already difficult to make it crunch only 85 w but at 4 at volume it is real loud and more it is an amp you must play with in a another room
my 100w bassman head don't crunch at 8 on master and 8 on volume with my jazzmaster ,but do it nicely with a ocd for exemple
if you like to have an amp who crunch or overdrive easely take a low wattage ,if not and want a sound clean even at loud level take a big wattage

[MayTheFuzzBeWithYou]

I've been thinking about this a lot yesterday!

And I must say... yes I tried to crank the Bassman 50 and it was lovely - but on the Bassman 100 this tone simply wasn't possible - so I mostly dialed in a clean sound - even with the bright switch activated. I can play my super sonic on 0,5 at home and at 0,9 - 1,5 in the rehearsal room. it's supposed to be similar to the Bassman 59 tone... whether it's sounds that way or not - I know it sounds a lot bigger and dirtier than its vibrolux mode - but besides that it's still quite clean.
so maybe I don't even need a cranked amp - 'cause most of my sounds still come from my various Fuzz pedals. I know... some folks love to push their already cranked amp even further with their pedals. I also did this for a time. I had a Tube Amp Doctor Silcencer - that allowed me to play the amp at max and the Silencer/Attenuator should throttle that down to a volume that you don't get your ears bloody. it was nice - but in a live setting it happened that my lead tone wasn't any more present than my rhythm tone and so my wah-solo got completely lost. Since that I moved back to direct dial in on the amp and sold the Silencer.

so maybe the Dual Showman Reverb with two tubes pulled like mijmog recommended would indeed be a way that works.
I played neither of those amps in person. and the review videos I found on youtube just don't come anyhow close to my sound - but hey John Dwyer is using a Dual Showman Reverb - so it can't be that wrong - well he's playing a lot bigger venues than I probably ever will - but sound wise he might be the closest.

[MayTheFuzzBeWithYou]

I talked to the guitar tech of confidence last week.
He told me (joking) to take both the Bandmaster and the Showman!

But if I have to decide I should go for the lesser wattage amp. also he seems to prefer non reverb amps - as they're somehow better sounding or are just less prone to interferences. He played a Twin Reverb 135W (so more or less the same as the Dual Showman Reverb) for years 'till he finally had a gig where he finally could push it a little further than usual. Now he plays a modified Blues Deluxe. He looked up the schematics of both amps and explained his conclusion. He also knows and trusts the guys in Vienna who serviced the Bandmaster one year ago.

And: I'm finally going to try/hopefuly buy the amp on wednesday! I'm super exited! I'll keep you updated!

[MayTheFuzzBeWithYou]

Hey guys! sorry to keep you waiting so long.
with the homepage being down due to the update and a few other projects on my list (first wiring and soldering experience...slightly overstrained) I seem to have forgotten to keep you up to date...



NAD was already 2 months ago. But I'm still happy every single day. I simply love this amp! great for cleans and with fuzz (and any other pedal I own).
nice vibrato channel too (I wish I could make my EH Stereo Pulsar sound just like this - so I could reproduce that sound on my other amp) - and man, that amp is super quiet! (as long as that contact mine of a US to EU power adapter is on the ground/far away from the amp)

can be played low enough for at home use and get's really nasty when pushed to it's limits - not Bassman 50 nasty - but really close and equally awesome... works with any cabinet I own but I still prefer the 15" cabs for my recent sound! also takes Bass for at home use - I didn't try how it'd sound at rehearsal volumes.

I also sold the cab it came with - so in total I payed 600€ for a recently serviced - perfectly working (I'd say) mint condition drip edge silverface fender amp from either 1968 or 1970 (depends on the source) vs. 650€ to 800€ plus shipping plus service plus other expansive modifications... at the moment - the best thing I could do. And I'm super satisfied with it!

The fact that it doesn't have a built in reverb tank doesn't really bother me. At the moment I play the Boss/Fender FRV-1, a Electro Harmonix Cathedral is on the substitute bench and I'm thinking about pulling the trigger on one of those Surfyindustries Surfy Bear FET Reverb DIY kits (now that I have some soldering experience).

one on one comparisons with the Bassman 100 (the one I had borrowed) are coming soon!

Thanks again for your insight and council.

[s_mcsleazy]

no worries man. welcome to the family. i got to use my bassman recently at a friends house (most my amps are in storage atm) ran it with a 2x10 and my deluxe 90.