Bandmaster reverb - opinions?

[daydreamdelay]

I've been thinking about getting a BF Bassman head in a few weeks but ultimately I think I'd like reverb.. I'm wondering if the Bandmaster Reverb head would be a good alternative and also if it could be found within the same price range

anyone familiar with them?

[StevenO]

If anything, the bandmaster would be cheaper.
Atleast in my experience, that's how it's been.

[evoluzione]

I have a mid 70's Bandmaster Reverb head (TFL5005), the one in the stupdily big box. I like it, at least I think I do. My brother has had it for the last 12 months.
I remember it sounding very much like the Tremolux, when A / B'ing the two amps, only with slightly more bite up top and more low-end, it doesn't have the pristine clean and clear tone of the Tremolux....kind of like homeless / hobo version of the blackface Fender amps of the '60s.......still loveable, if a little rough around the edges.

They fetch around the same money as the Bassman, maybe slightly less, the Bandmaster doesn't have the kudos of the Bassman

[daydreamdelay]

sounds like my kind of amp 

[daydreamdelay]

speaking of the big box.. I talked to a guy who runs a local Fender amp repair shop and he customized a bunch of these with I believe two 10" speakers and an extension cab jack. I wouldn't want one but I hope he has one when I get up there to check out his other amps, I have got to see one of these things! 

[theswingincreeper]

I now use a Bandmaster Reverb as my main amp, a Silverface without master volume. I bought it with a very large 2x12" cabinet. The first thing I noticed was it has an amazing low end, almost too bassy at times, I never need to turn up the bass past 3. Also a lot of clarity. Along with my Jazzmaster, it's just about perfect for the surf sound, just dial in a little reverb and you're there. It doesn't distort easily so in order to get distortion, I regularly use stompboxes (ProCo Vintage Rat and Dunlop JH-2 fuzz box) which seem to go along pretty well with the amp. If you like classic Fender sound, then go for it. On my first rehearsal with it, I let our rhythm guitarist try it out with his Telecaster (he plays through a blaring Pro Junior) and he looked like he was about to have a multiple orgasm. I also like the fact that as a head with cabinet, it's relatively easy to carry; I played a SFVR before and it almost broke my back.

Regards, Joe

[jetset]

My main Fender is a '69 Bandmaster Reverb chassis put into a 2x10 combo cab with Weber Sig 10S's.  It's almost identical to a Vibrolux - just an added mid pot on the reverb channel, otherwise same transformers and circuit.  Great amps.  They've gone up in price in recent years because people use them to make Vibroverb or Super Reverb clones - same chassis, different output transformer.  If you can find a head in good shape for under $400, buy it.  Classic fender reverb amp, easily 'blackfaced" if you want a more '60's sound.
-J

[daydreamdelay]

speaking of the big box.. I talked to a guy who runs a local Fender amp repair shop and he customized a bunch of these with I believe two 10" speakers and an extension cab jack. I wouldn't want one but I hope he has one when I get up there to check out his other amps, I have got to see one of these things! 

speaking of the big box combo! 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Fender-Bandmaster-R ... QQihZ013QQ

[daydreamdelay]

thanks for the info everyone.. I'm definitely keeping watch for these 

[Angel221]

I use a bf bandmaster head with a Marshall 4x10 cab, A poor mans version of a super reverb. This combo sounds very close to a Super Reverb ,but a lot lighter.

[holy-reverb!!]

all fenders sound somewhat similar and can all be compared. I have a BF bandmaster and it does not sound like  super-reverb due to the output tranny. sounds closer to a pro-reverb. if anything, it would even be closer to a concert due to the lack of the second gain stage. a BF bandmaster is a mix between a concert and pro in my opinion. concert because of the single preamp stage and solid-state rectifier and a pro due to the output tranny and original speaker conf.

a bandmaster-reverb is a great amp. its still a fender so better that anything else. haha. they are cheap, sound great, and look fine. if anything, this is going to get you really close to a super-reverb. You could change the output tranny to the larger super/bassman one and get even closer. a fender is a fender in the end and its the small stuff that make the difference. they all sound respective to other models from the era.

the fender sound is the fender sound baby so get one!

[holy-reverb!!]

if you feel like driving up to toronto there is one for sale for $900 CAN. so around $750 US. a blackface cab is included. I found in on craigslist. keep an eye out on ads. that how I found my blackface/blonde all original bandmaster for $1000.

[holy-reverb!!]

plus peter green and danny kirwan used the bandmaster-reverb. if they use bandmasters, you know they are good amps.

[daydreamdelay]

cool, thanks for the info.. that sounds like a very nice price. I still have a few more weeks to go before the money is available and I have two empty cabs I can decide on loading fairly cheap so at this point it's mainly a head I'm after so I can afford the Bass VI and effects I want to go with it

[sonicblue64]

the bassman has bigger transformers and I believe they sound better.