Fender Bandmaster update with clips and new pics

[telecaster911]

Today I tore into the bandmaster. I did some housekeeping inside the amp. One of the heater wires on a power tube was not soldered to the pin. If these are the original sockets, and it looks like they are, then it was like that for the past 42 years, just through the hole and bent over. I also put a 1 ohm between the cathode and ground on both power tubes so that I could set the bias. I then sprayed all the pots and cleaned the jacks. A three prong line cord was next. Minor problem, the only line cord that I had is larger in diameter, so when I get a chance, I need to open up the plastic strain relief. I couldn't get it to close around the cord enough to get it through the chassis hole. I put a zip tie around the cord on the inside for now. I cleaned up the head cabinet and the faceplate and knobs. I haven't done anything with the hardware yet. The tubes are still the ones that I had lying around. Tubes coming soon.

Here it is on top of my 2 12



Here's a wide angle.




Here are the clips. Just some random bad noodling, but this is about the amp's tone. Recorded totally dry, no post recording anything.

Normal channel (which seems to have a bit more gain than the vibrato channel)

volume 5 treb 5 bass 6
http://hc.bloodyvelvet.com/files/129...20bass%206.mp3

volume 7
http://hc.bloodyvelvet.com/files/129...20bass%206.mp3

volume 10
http://hc.bloodyvelvet.com/files/129...20bass%206.mp3


Vibrato channel

volume 7 then 10 speed 5 intensity 4 initially, then up around 7 for both towards the end.
http://hc.bloodyvelvet.com/files/129...%20int%204.mp3

[Mark Wein]

Sweet! How do you like it? It seems cleaner than my '66 Bassman as you turn it up...

[telecaster911]

I'm liking it. It has a really cool Knopfler vibe. I haven't really had time to try it through my pedalboard. Around 6 on the volume is perfect (and pretty loud). 10 is too flubbery for me, but I didn't mess with the tone, just the volume. It might sound cleaner because of the VIN30s in that closed back cab...don't you have greenbacks? I wonder what it sounds like with the inputs jumpered?

[Mark Wein]

I have the Greenbacks and Vintage 30s in another cab.. My Bassman isn't very clean or useful to me after 6 or so but I dig it at 3 or 4....those amps are a great clean canvas to build a sound on...

[telecaster911]

Tomorrow I will try to get a couple of clips other than guitar>cable>amp. I can't imagine gigging this thing over 3 or 4. 5 was loud, 7 was louder and more dirt, and 10 was just more dirt. FWIW, I never get to open up my Holland either, but even below the sweet spot, it still sounds killer with my board driving the front end. I can't imagine the BM sounding any worse. More clips to follow. AOK

[Mark Wein]

[Ronk]

Very nice man, that one clip sounds just like Riding with the King riff

[telecaster911]

Very nice man, that one clip sounds just like Riding with the King riff

I'll have to go find riding with the king to see which one you mean. I wasn't really trying to play anything really and most of the stuff that is recognizable, I hadn't played for years. biggrin Just cold noodling so you guys could hear this thing AOK It usually takes me about 15 minutes to warm up, and anytime I do I clip, I just turn on and go thwap

[Ronk]

The BB King / Clapton version - it's not exactly but the tone and riff are pretty close.

[telecaster911]

Ok here's the last clip I'll torture you guys with biggrin

This is a stock strat plus into a barber tone press into a seymour duncan twin tube. The amp is on 3 volume wise (which would be a nice gig volume), the treble is 6 and the bass is 7. Various pickup combinations, you will know which ones when you hear them. None are the middle pickup. Again no post recording processing, reverb, or delay. Recorded totally dry except for the pedals listed in the chain. The 2 12 has 2 VIN30s in a closed back kind of rectifier clone cabinet.

http://hc.bloodyvelvet.com/files/129...%20classic.mp3

[Ronk]

Man, I think that thing sounds great - kinda wish I had one.

[Mark Wein]

Glad you bought it now? biggrin poke

[telecaster911]

uh, yea biggrin especially after seeing this.

http://cgi.ebay.com/1967-Fender-Band...QQcmdZViewItem


Now this one looks in better shape, but still. After going through it on Saturday, I know what I have. Plus it sounds really really good. Can't wait till it actually has the new tubes and caps.

[Mark Wein]

AOK

I always thought the Bandmasters were higher wattage than my Bassman, but I guess its lower and a more useful head...

[telecaster911]

I'm actually tossing around putting in 6V6's to lower it further. Another thought was to build a sweet little 2 10 combo, but again, these are just thoughts for the moment.

[Mark Wein]

I would think the 6v6's would change the sound quite a bit....

[telecaster911]

I don't want to change the sound too much, I was looking to drop the wattage.

[Prages]

That thing cleaned up really well.

The dog doesn't look impressed though. biggrin

I'll try to get the clips downloaded this evening.

[Mark Wein]

I don't want to change the sound too much, I was looking to drop the wattage.

You're probably better off either using an attenuator like the THD hotplate or if you know how putting a master volume in it.

I personally wouldn't mess with it. though smi

[Prages]

And as for jumping the two inputs, I tried it on my Bassman. If it's possible for a tone to be too big, that's what it was. It was just really, really robust, and I can't imagine it setting in any kind of mix.

Granted, I didn't spend a whole lot of time playing with it jumpered. Maybe once I get my Direct Drive, I'll spend some more time experimenting.

[telecaster911]

I'll probably leave it as is, albeit with new tubes. I was kinda thinking out loud mostly. AOK It rocks pretty hard the way it is.

[Prages]

Just listened to the clips. My favorite is volume 5, treble 5, bass 6.

They all sound good though. AOK

[telecaster911]

check the one in post 9 AOK

[Prages]

The one in post #9 sounds really good, but I think I still like the other one more.

[telecaster911]

*took another listen* Hmmmm very clean tone, but good tone nonetheless. I usually like a little more dirt in my clean if that makes sense.

[SLBluz]

Just listened to the clips. My favorite is volume 5, treble 5, bass 6.

They all sound good though. AOK

I remember reading somewhere that a classic setting for BF Bandmasters, Super Reverbs, and the like is based on sixes. V = 6, T = 6, B = 6, I = 3, and S=2 the 3X2 being 6, of course......


Regardless of that the amp sounds great and is one I would like have someday. They show up on Craigslist here in Atlanta from time to time but I never seem to have any extra $ when they do.

[tunghaichuan]

I don't want to change the sound too much, I was looking to drop the wattage.

You're probably better off either using an attenuator like the THD hotplate or if you know how putting a master volume in it.

I personally wouldn't mess with it. though smi

I agree with Mark. It would be possible to use the new JJ 6V6S, it sounds more like a 6L6 than a 6V6 and it can take the higher voltage. I wouldn't try it with vintage/NOS 6V6s. You'd also have to run an 8 ohm speaker load on the 4 ohm output to effectively double the primary impedance. Or run a 16 ohm load on the 8 ohm tap. I'm not sure what the Bandmaster has. But this is dangerous; if your tubes go, they could take out the OT, and you don't want that to happen to a vintage amp. Best thing is to run the tubes the amp was designed for.

Your best bet is probably use an attenuator. A master volume circuit would require that the amp be modded. This is not a good idea with a vintage amp.

tung

[Chihlidog]

Wow. I gotta admit that thing sounds pretty good. Im a hard rock/metal guy but I really like the way that sounds in your hands. I admit I started digging the Hendrix. biggrin