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Topic: Fender Bassman 20 - Med Power Tube Amp with 15" Speaker |
Tim Marcus
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 14 Jun 2011 8:10 pm |
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This is a very unique Fender amplifier - there were only 500 ever made. Its a Rivera era amp, from the 80's - but its all hand wired with original carbon comp resistors and orange drop capacitors. The amp is basically a blackface deluxe reverb, without the reverb or vibrato - its a single channel amp, with a dual 6V6 output into a single 15" speaker. The speaker is enclosed, so the amp can deliver even more low end than a deluxe might. It also has a line output. It would be very easy to add in an effect loop - but I always used a reverb pedal into the front input.
I just put in brand new filter caps. The amp is very quiet, and will remain so for a long time. I had plans to blackface the inverter, but I need to devote that time and energy into making my own amps.
This is a very good steel amp! It can deliver the goods, and also gives just the right amount of break up at a higher volume. If you turn it past 8, it gets nice and crunchy like a deluxe would - great for guitar too! Still has the original tubes - I think this amp did not see a lot of use until I bought it.
I'm asking $400 including shipping and fees.
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Bill Hatcher
From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
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Posted 15 Jun 2011 6:04 am Re: Fender Bassman 20 - Med Power Tube Amp with 15" Spe
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| Tim Marcus wrote: |
| The amp is basically a blackface deluxe reverb, without the reverb or vibrato - |
interesting amp, but not "basically" a blackface deluxe. this is a rivera designed amp that is more the same as the ChampII amp that he designed for fender that era. same output 18watts, with the cab/speaker set up. good voicing for guitar or harp too.
that being said, it is a good amp, with a line out put feature.. |
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Tim Marcus
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 15 Jun 2011 7:24 am
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It's really similar to a blackface deluxe's channel 1 and power section. Maybe the champ is too. If you compare the schematics side by side, you'll see what I'm talking about.
The main difference are some tweaked values in the inverter, and Rivera's changes to the power supply which I have undone. I was halfway through moving this amp in the direction of being a deluxe again.
If anyone is interested in that, I can finish the job for a few extra bucks.
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Steve Perry
From:
Elizabethtown Ky, USA
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Posted 15 Jun 2011 8:29 am
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Could this amp be modified to accept 6L6's? What speaker is in it?
Thanks. |
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Tim Marcus
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 15 Jun 2011 8:44 am
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you can probably put 6L6's in as is, but it might be wise to put in at least a new output transformer to be safe. The amp has a fixed bias - you'd need to make sure the 6L6's are in range and possibly change the bias resistor into a pot to adjust for tube swaps. Or convert it to cathode bias.
My vote would be for the latter.
The point is - this amp is really easy to modify into whatever you want it to be because its so simple.
The speaker is the original 25W Fender Speaker. Not sure if it is made by Jensen or not - it is not labeled. I put a 15" SICA in there at one point when I was using this cabinet to test my Pedal Steel Amp in its infancy, and it sounded really nice. The enclosed back makes for a lot of low end.
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Tim Marcus
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 16 Jun 2011 10:29 pm
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Bump for a unique amplifier!
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Gary Thompson
From:
Louisiana, USA
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Posted 7 Jun 2013 12:42 pm bassman 20
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| hi found this post so i joined the forum, you mentioned the mods to the power section that you undone and also mods that can be donr to the phase inverter , if you have time can you enlighten me, i have one of these coming next week been trying to buy one for a while. thanks |
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Rick Barnhart
From:
Arizona, USA
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Posted 7 Jun 2013 12:55 pm
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How much does it weigh? Thanks
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Clinesmith consoles D-8/6 5 pedal, D-8 3 pedal & A25 Frypan, Pettingill Teardrop, & P8 Deluxe. |
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Tim Marcus
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 7 Jun 2013 4:06 pm
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I think it weighs 35-40 Pounds
I never sold this amp - but its at a friends house. I had big plans to modify this amp, but I never did. Its stock except for the new JJ can cap and a few replacement tubes.
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Gary Thompson
From:
Louisiana, USA
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Posted 7 Jun 2013 4:13 pm mods
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| the mods you mentioned about undoing the rivera mods to power section and the phase inverter mods, can you explain these, is it something I should do to mine when it arrives? |
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Tim Marcus
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 7 Jun 2013 11:38 pm
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just look at the normal channel of a deluxe reverb and start there. Its basically the same amp but with no reverb or tremolo and single channel only. You'll gain a lot of nice tone by cutting out caps, and putting the 1960's values in the phase inverter
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