NAD: Fender Bantam Bass Amp or WTF did I just buy?!

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Re: NAD: Fender Bantam Bass Amp or WTF did I just buy?!

Post by Sauerkraut » Tue May 24, 2022 4:10 am

redchapterjubilee wrote:
Tue May 24, 2022 2:35 am
The stock speaker is almost always blown on these but if intact it’s fine for guitar.
I'm not surprised; the output is supposedly 30 watts (makes sense with the 2x 6L6 output tubes). Installing a 30 watt speaker in there is asking for trouble.

I don't know anything about that Yamaha speaker, and maybe it's really good (?), but if it was my amp I'd be very tempted to go shopping for a 50-60 watt 15" to replace it with.

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Re: NAD: Fender Bantam Bass Amp or WTF did I just buy?!

Post by MrShake » Wed May 25, 2022 4:28 am

I love this. I've been going on recently here about my Bassman Ten, as you point out, they're practically cousins. The insides look pretty similar. Mine is in the shop now to get those white Mallory electrolytic capacitors replaced, a lot of people gave me some good advice in another thread - if the bias cap goes, it takes out other more expensive stuff. So don't drag your feet like I did. They're 50 years old, give them a couple hundred in maintenance.

Thanks for your pics and info, I've been under the misconception for years that these are 50W, but I'm glad to stand corrected.

I've always dreamed of stumbling across a dusty one in a pawnshop for a deal, these pre-UL silverface 2-stage gain preamp things (Bassman 100, 10, Bantam) seem like nobody's dream amp, but something people love to stumble across if it's their bag as a pedal platform. (Speaker setup aside, obviously.)

I think as long as you know you're getting a big box of Fender clean, you'll love it. Mine's never failed me when I've asked it to give me that. And I bet yours is built like a tank.

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Re: NAD: Fender Bantam Bass Amp or WTF did I just buy?!

Post by HedonismBot » Sun May 29, 2022 7:16 am

Update on the odor removal: after cleaning the cab 5 times this week with soap, vinegar, and Nature’s Miracle + applying a generous amount of baking soda to the surfaces and letting it sit wrapped in plastic for ~60 hours I (sorta) succeeded in removing the cigarette odor. I can smell it a little bit when I sniff the tolex directly but this is as good as it gets, I guess. I’m going to reassemble the amp now and put it in my room, finally. Stoked to start using it!

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Re: NAD: Fender Bantam Bass Amp or WTF did I just buy?!

Post by sal paradise » Sun May 29, 2022 8:03 am

HedonismBot wrote:
Sun May 29, 2022 7:16 am
Update on the odor removal: after cleaning the cab 5 times this week with soap, vinegar, and Nature’s Miracle + applying a generous amount of baking soda to the surfaces and letting it sit wrapped in plastic for ~60 hours I (sorta) succeeded in removing the cigarette odor. I can smell it a little bit when I sniff the tolex directly but this is as good as it gets, I guess. I’m going to reassemble the amp now and put it in my room, finally. Stoked to start using it!
You could put it out in the sun for a bit- UV is a great odour eliminator
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Re: NAD: Fender Bantam Bass Amp or WTF did I just buy?!

Post by N0_Camping4U » Sun May 29, 2022 10:26 am

I have one of these. Bought it for 500 bucks. Clean and has an upgraded speaker + it came with the original yamaha. They were blown quite easily. Even if they 'work' they're just bad and so prone to blow that there is no need to keep it in. These make great amps and are slept on. I got it because like you I did research and said F it - it'll be a good clean platform. I use it for synths, guitars, vocals, etc. Really great amp. I put tilt back legs on mine too.
"I've been waiting for you, Obi-Wan. We meet again, at last. The circle is now complete. When I left you, I was but the learner, now I am the master."

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Re: NAD: Fender Bantam Bass Amp or WTF did I just buy?!

Post by hulakatt » Sun May 29, 2022 11:30 am

sal paradise wrote:
Sun May 29, 2022 8:03 am
HedonismBot wrote:
Sun May 29, 2022 7:16 am
Update on the odor removal: after cleaning the cab 5 times this week with soap, vinegar, and Nature’s Miracle + applying a generous amount of baking soda to the surfaces and letting it sit wrapped in plastic for ~60 hours I (sorta) succeeded in removing the cigarette odor. I can smell it a little bit when I sniff the tolex directly but this is as good as it gets, I guess. I’m going to reassemble the amp now and put it in my room, finally. Stoked to start using it!
You could put it out in the sun for a bit- UV is a great odour eliminator
This is also true.
She/Her

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Re: NAD: Fender Bantam Bass Amp or WTF did I just buy?!

Post by HedonismBot » Sun May 29, 2022 12:40 pm

hulakatt wrote:
Sun May 29, 2022 11:30 am
sal paradise wrote:
Sun May 29, 2022 8:03 am
HedonismBot wrote:
Sun May 29, 2022 7:16 am
Update on the odor removal: after cleaning the cab 5 times this week with soap, vinegar, and Nature’s Miracle + applying a generous amount of baking soda to the surfaces and letting it sit wrapped in plastic for ~60 hours I (sorta) succeeded in removing the cigarette odor. I can smell it a little bit when I sniff the tolex directly but this is as good as it gets, I guess. I’m going to reassemble the amp now and put it in my room, finally. Stoked to start using it!
You could put it out in the sun for a bit- UV is a great odour eliminator
This is also true.
Yup, it’s been living outside for a few weeks now. Loads of sunshine and fresh air. Now that it passed the sniff-test, I’m officially allowed to bring it inside the house. Woo-hoo! I’m almost done putting it back together. Can’t wait to go test it.

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Re: NAD: Fender Bantam Bass Amp or WTF did I just buy?!

Post by MrShake » Wed Jun 29, 2022 4:33 am

HedonismBot wrote:
Sun May 29, 2022 12:40 pm
Yup, it’s been living outside for a few weeks now. Loads of sunshine and fresh air. Now that it passed the sniff-test, I’m officially allowed to bring it inside the house. Woo-hoo! I’m almost done putting it back together. Can’t wait to go test it.
Well... how did the testing go? Did it fire up properly?

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Re: NAD: Fender Bantam Bass Amp or WTF did I just buy?!

Post by HedonismBot » Fri Jul 01, 2022 6:53 am

MrShake wrote:
Wed Jun 29, 2022 4:33 am
HedonismBot wrote:
Sun May 29, 2022 12:40 pm
Yup, it’s been living outside for a few weeks now. Loads of sunshine and fresh air. Now that it passed the sniff-test, I’m officially allowed to bring it inside the house. Woo-hoo! I’m almost done putting it back together. Can’t wait to go test it.
Well... how did the testing go? Did it fire up properly?
Yes it did! I’ve been using it for a few weeks now and I’m loving it. The felt (or whatever you call it) on the speaker still smells a bit, though. Dry cleaning didn’t seem to do much so I’ll have to look into re-coning it.

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Re: NAD: Fender Bantam Bass Amp or WTF did I just buy?!

Post by MrShake » Wed Jul 06, 2022 4:19 am

HedonismBot wrote:
Fri Jul 01, 2022 6:53 am
Yes it did! I’ve been using it for a few weeks now and I’m loving it. The felt (or whatever you call it) on the speaker still smells a bit, though. Dry cleaning didn’t seem to do much so I’ll have to look into re-coning it.
Awesome! Nice!

Maybe a gentle misting of Febreze or something might help with the felt in those cones?

Either way, enjoy your score. And I got my Bassman Ten back from a recap and it sounds (and feels) totally refreshed. Maybe worth it for your new Bantam Beast?

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Re: NAD: Fender Bantam Bass Amp or WTF did I just buy?!

Post by HedonismBot » Wed Jul 06, 2022 7:38 am

MrShake wrote:
Wed Jul 06, 2022 4:19 am
HedonismBot wrote:
Fri Jul 01, 2022 6:53 am
Yes it did! I’ve been using it for a few weeks now and I’m loving it. The felt (or whatever you call it) on the speaker still smells a bit, though. Dry cleaning didn’t seem to do much so I’ll have to look into re-coning it.
Awesome! Nice!

Maybe a gentle misting of Febreze or something might help with the felt in those cones?

Either way, enjoy your score. And I got my Bassman Ten back from a recap and it sounds (and feels) totally refreshed. Maybe worth it for your new Bantam Beast?
Yeah, the plan is to re-cone and re-cap. The local amp guy that was recommended to me doesn’t return my calls for some reason. Maybe he went out of business. I’ll explore the alternatives this week.

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Re: NAD: Fender Bantam Bass Amp or WTF did I just buy?!

Post by MrShake » Wed Jul 06, 2022 9:01 am

HedonismBot wrote:
Wed Jul 06, 2022 7:38 am
MrShake wrote:
Wed Jul 06, 2022 4:19 am
HedonismBot wrote:
Fri Jul 01, 2022 6:53 am
Yes it did! I’ve been using it for a few weeks now and I’m loving it. The felt (or whatever you call it) on the speaker still smells a bit, though. Dry cleaning didn’t seem to do much so I’ll have to look into re-coning it.
Awesome! Nice!

Maybe a gentle misting of Febreze or something might help with the felt in those cones?

Either way, enjoy your score. And I got my Bassman Ten back from a recap and it sounds (and feels) totally refreshed. Maybe worth it for your new Bantam Beast?
Yeah, the plan is to re-cone and re-cap. The local amp guy that was recommended to me doesn’t return my calls for some reason. Maybe he went out of business. I’ll explore the alternatives this week.
Good luck finding someone, and I hope you're as pleased with the results as I was. Will be eager to hear how it all turns out.

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Re: NAD: Fender Bantam Bass Amp or WTF did I just buy?!

Post by HedonismBot » Thu Jul 07, 2022 7:35 am

Update: turns out, the local guy has retired. The closest (reputable) alternative is an hour drive away and happens to be Skip Simmons who is a proponent of an “as long as everything works, keep it original” philosophy. Called him yesterday and it sounded like he was talking me out of taking any immediate action. He recommended that, if I must swap out the speaker, I replace it with an Eminence Legend 15, which I did order. I don’t see why I couldn’t change the speaker by myself so I guess I’ll do that and save some money on gas and labor. I’ll keep you posted.

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Re: NAD: Fender Bantam Bass Amp or WTF did I just buy?!

Post by MrShake » Thu Jul 07, 2022 8:22 am

HedonismBot wrote:
Thu Jul 07, 2022 7:35 am
Update: turns out, the local guy has retired. The closest (reputable) alternative is an hour drive away and happens to be Skip Simmons who is a proponent of an “as long as everything works, keep it original” philosophy. Called him yesterday and it sounded like he was talking me out of taking any immediate action. He recommended that, if I must swap out the speaker, I replace it with an Eminence Legend 15, which I did order. I don’t see why I couldn’t change the speaker by myself so I guess I’ll do that and save some money on gas and labor. I’ll keep you posted.
That sounds... frustrating.

I mean, good luck with the speaker, I have no doubt you can take care of that yourself.

But as far as not changing anything... huh?

So, I'm super new to my amp tech education. I know enough to know I barely know anything. I only have basic, limited understanding. But I was in a similar situation over the last year. And reading a lot and trying to learn about amp maintenance basics only reinforced what other more experienced players told me when I asked around here last year. If that bias cap goes, so go the tubes and maybe the transformer.

I looked at the invoice for the maintenance I just got last month. It was for *four* capacitors, totalling ten dollars. The ones I got replaced were identical to those white Mallory caps in yours, my photos are still up in that thread. Your amp appears to have a fifth cap (the big metal-can one near the transformer) in the bias balance circuit. I don't know about the metal ones, but they seem like they could be original.

And I have to imagine the filter caps underneath are probably original if everything else is. So, altogether, that's, what... ten capacitors? Maybe $50 in common parts?

So, whatever their reputation might be, I find this person's diagnosis very suspect. If even *I* understand that electrolytic caps have a limited life span before they dry up, and that the failure of a CBS-era component purchased for the fewest cents -- and rated for what, twenty years? -- could knock out the whole amp, WTF is this person's problem with preventative maintenance? Why wouldn't they want an easy single hour of bench work money? Do they want you to ruin your amp so they can charge for a rebuild?

The Bantam Bass is awesome and a really cool, unique thing to have. I'm happy for you and jealous I don't have one. I adore these weird early-'70s oddballs.

But some tech treating it like it's a blonde Showman is insane, especially if it risks taking out the amp, even without audible symptoms.

Sorry, your plight really got me pissed off. Maybe some nearby forumite can help, and I really hope you can find somebody to safeguard that cool amp for you.

[P.S. - Like I said, I'm new to the technical side of amps, so take anything I'm saying with a grain of salt, ask people smarter than I am. But read my Bassman Ten thread here or find my posts on TGP and let their advice about the bias cap speak for itself.]

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Re: NAD: Fender Bantam Bass Amp or WTF did I just buy?!

Post by DeathJag » Thu Jul 07, 2022 9:32 am

Mrshake - I like how you think! Great to read your thoughts. Thanks for posting.

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