[JohnnySlapback]

I have a 45 watt bassman and I need more wattage! Every show I do, I need it around 4.5 and it just breaks up too much for my liking. What would you recommend me looking at?

[Bonedaddy]

Fender Twin. You'll never need anything else, if you want loud and clean.

[Aceguitar1]

I second Bone. Can't go wrong with a twin.

[TV the Wired Turtle]

Originally Posted by Gunsage

I have a 45 watt bassman and I need more wattage! Every show I do, I need it around 4.5 and it just breaks up too much for my liking. What would you recommend me looking at?

first off.. bassman amps from the blonde to blackface to silverface use a
4ohm load and the speaker cab must match or it will overdrive quickly.
Secondly they really need to operate with a closeback cab and using speakers that can handle at least 30watts a side preferably heavy doped with large magnets and voice coils Ala Vintage 30s.

(if you are using a tweed bassman, the tube rectifier needs to be swapped for a solid state rectifier and the info below may partially apply)

Change the tubes to KT66 powertubes or military spec 7591...

these will fit but the chassis will probably have to be slid out first

[Synchro]

I agree with Tavo, there's hope for the Bassman and before jumping ship I'd try some of his ideas. If that still doesn't do the trick then I'd recommend a Twin. It's herd to improve upon the Twin. FWIW, mine is in a Showman style case with a 15" speaker and a closed back cabinet. I use it for outdoor gigs and it absolutely kicks buttocks.

[rcboals]

If it is a tweed bassman or 59 bassman reissue it is never going to clean up enough if you are wanting loud clean, cleaner, cleanest and very very loud!!!! You can screw around with speakers, tubes, and rectifiers all day long and it will still break up at around 5. The king of clean is the Twin Reverb and it looks like you are young enough to pack it around. My twin reverb started to break up at 8 and didn't really break up until 10 I can tell you it is beautiful thang a twin breaking up but you had better not be right on top of it when it does. Have you tried rolling off your guitar volume and micing your amp?

[dobro]

Non-Master Silverface Twin Reverbs can be bought for under $500 in today's market.
A healthy one sounds like a grand piano, and they're powerful enough to pull a water skiier.

[megabutter]

Love it Dobro! Love the Twin as well.

There's a solid state rectifier you can plug in to the tube socket. I'll see if I can find it. Be easy to try Tavo's idea with it too. It's a +1.

[spooky]

What exactally is a rockabilly amp?

[Raspy]

I'll probably get flamed for this but,
take a look at a Fender FM 212R.

New, it's 300 bucks. It's SS, it's
loud, and clean on channel #1.
100 watts.

Around 45 lbs.

==============================

<><> Raspy <><>

[spooky]

I have giged with a 212r. Its cheap its loud and doesnt sound bad, noone in the audience really cares what amp you use. They care about drinkin,dancin and pickin up girls or guys.

[54Memphis]

Originally Posted by spooky

What exactally is a rockabilly amp?

heavy, tubular and covered with leather or leopard fur.

[TV the Wired Turtle]

a rockabilly amp is an amp that transcends mere mortal amps with a more viking like prowess, machismo and steroidal fortitude. I've seen its power grow sideburns INSTANTLY on squares standing within a 25 foot range of its presence!

Dobro.. yes a silverface twin can be delicious especially with a set of celestion G12-75! ..but heavy as hell


ps. Raspy.. no flames man have you seen the amp that Phil Alvin (lead singer, rhythm player for the blasters) uses.. an old Crate solid state and he's what I would call a rockabilly standard I grew up with in the 80s

[Raspy]

Originally Posted by TV the Wired Turtle

I've seen its power grow sideburns INSTANTLY on squares standing within a 25 foot range of its presence!
ps. Raspy.. no flames man have you seen the amp that Phil Alvin (lead singer, rhythm player for the blasters) uses.. an old Crate solid state and he's what I would call a rockabilly standard I grew up with in the 80s

I got expelled from school in the 50's cause
I wouldn't shave my sideburns. I really pi$$ed
off the athouritive (sp) figures when I left school,
because I didn't shave my goatee. I guess I
was what you would call rebellious.

67 years old, I ain't changed.

I also heard BB King plays through a SS.

I was a little reluctant to post about a SS
amp, when others are posting about Twins.
To me a TR is the ultimate amp. I had one,
and like an idiot I sold it when I was broke.

When you're broke, the two things that are
the easyist to sell are music gear, and firearms.

=========================================

<><> Raspy <><>

[TV the Wired Turtle]

Originally Posted by Raspy

I got expelled from school in the 50's cause
I wouldn't shave my sideburns. I really pi$$ed
off the athouritive (sp) figures when I left school,
because I didn't shave my goatee. I guess I
was what you would call rebellious.

67 years old, I ain't changed.

I also heard BB King plays through a SS.

I was a little reluctant to post about a SS
amp, when others are posting about Twins.
To me a TR is the ultimate amp. I had one,
and like an idiot I sold it when I was broke.

When you're broke, the two things that are
the easyist to sell are music gear, and firearms.

=========================================

<><> Raspy <><>

how do you think I've survived the last 3 yrs! selling guitars n amps! I dont think I'd do too well selling firearms around here though.

btw.. ever play through a polytone mini-brute? I cant personally appreciate solid state amps for anything but acoustic guitar and bass but there's no denying that jazz staple of a carved top jazzbox and a polytone


oh and 'Sage let us know what you are gonna do with that amp, I'd love to help out and keep your rockabilly gear "really rockabilly"

[Raspy]

Originally Posted by TV the Wired Turtle

how do you think I've survived the last 3 yrs! selling guitars n amps! I dont think I'd do too well selling firearms around here though. btw.. ever play through a polytone mini-brute? I cant personally appreciate solid state amps for anything but acoustic guitar and bass but there's no denying that jazz staple of a carved top jazzbox and a polytone

I've never played thru one of those, in fact,
I never heard of them till now.

When I would buy an amp, or guitar, I would
just go into a shop, and play different guitars,
and amps. Whatever sounded good to me, I
would buy if it was in my price range. The TR
I had was KILLER, but I don't know if it was a
SF, BF, or whatever. Don't even know the year,
except that it was built sometime in the 70's.

All I know was, it sounded good to me, and that
was all that mattered.

===========================================

<><> Raspy <><>

[spooky]

How dare you buy an amp that sounded good to you.

[Raspy]

Originally Posted by spooky

How dare you buy an amp that sounded good to you.

LOL

===============

<><> Raspy <><>

[Jeff O]

Twin

Or use the bassman with a 2 X 15 cabinet, preferably JBL D130's

[megabutter]

Originally Posted by TV the Wired Turtle

ever play through a polytone mini-brute? I cant personally appreciate solid state amps for anything but acoustic guitar and bass but there's no denying that jazz staple of a carved top jazzbox and a polytone

No denying the Polytones! Not my cup of tea, but a jazz standard (no pun intended).

Originally Posted by TV the Wired Turtle

I dont think I'd do too well selling firearms around here though.

LOL, if you could find your way through the red tape, maybe...

Originally Posted by spooky

How dare you buy an amp that sounded good to you.

Twin Reverbs are pretty freakin' awesome. +1 to buying an amp like that, easy to like that one!

Originally Posted by spooky

Its cheap, it's loud and doesn't sound bad.

There is that.