• From: Frederick County, MD
  • Registered: 2006-04-21
  • Posts: 857

Topic: Cab recommendations for a '66 Bassman?

Against my better judgment and primarily due to G.A.S. exacerbated by reading this very forum topic, I pulled the trigger on a '66 50 watt Bassman blackface head today.   If I can find my digital camera, I'll take a few shots and try and post them here.  It's in fairly good cosmetic shape for a 43 year old amp and sounds very nice.

As StratPaulGuy (Justin?) said, it is loud as crap when you get it to the point of sweet breakup.....I've been jamming with it plugged into the 2 12's of my Hot Rod Deville, and it sounds pretty damn sweet.

I play uptempo blues and some classic rock primarily in basements, backyards and small bars.  My question to the forum at large is......what kind & style of extension cab would you recommend for someone who doesn't have a lot of extra money lying around to spend, including speaker brands/models.

Always appreciate the depth and breadth of knowledge shared here, so fire away.

CarljMD

Takers get the honey, givers sing the blues
  • From: Florida, USA
  • Registered: 2008-06-04
  • Posts: 1,420

Re: Cab recommendations for a '66 Bassman?

A lot of guys swear by the Marshall 1936 2x12 cabs.  It would definately add a little more of that Marshall flavor to it.  There are a ton of 2x12s that can be had on the cheap though.  I've seen some really nice Two-Rock cabs go for under $500 and they are suppose to sound great.  I usually run my Bassman through my Dailey 2x12 cab with mystery speakers in it...sounds great!

      -Justin

'67 and '74 Fender Twin Reverbs, '74 Marshall 1987 lead mkII, Metro Superlead 100. Pedals from TC Electronic, Ibanez, Dunlop, BK Butler, Electro-Harmonix, Fulltone, Maestro/Gibson, Loopmaster switching, VoodooLab, Boss. Gibson and Fender guitars, Dimarzio pickups.
  • From: Frederick County, MD
  • Registered: 2006-04-21
  • Posts: 857

Re: Cab recommendations for a '66 Bassman?

stratpaulguy86 wrote:

A lot of guys swear by the Marshall 1936 2x12 cabs.  It would definately add a little more of that Marshall flavor to it.  There are a ton of 2x12s that can be had on the cheap though.  I've seen some really nice Two-Rock cabs go for under $500 and they are suppose to sound great.  I usually run my Bassman through my Dailey 2x12 cab with mystery speakers in it...sounds great!

      -Justin

Justin:  Thanks for the input.  I was on the fence this morning about whether to take the plunge or not and watching your little Bassman demo for the 2nd time pushed me to the "go" side.  It does sound sweet with the Dailey cab.  Maybe I'll get enough Xmas cash to buy a Fulldrive 2, as the stock TS9 doesn't quite "get" it, although very close.

Let me hear from some of you other guys (and gals?) too, please :-)

CarljMD

Takers get the honey, givers sing the blues
  • Registered: 2007-11-04
  • Posts: 404

Re: Cab recommendations for a '66 Bassman?

Hey Carl nice to see another Marylander,

My dad has a mid 60's bassman that he pulled out of the head unit and placed in combo with 2 10 inch webers.  He had a 15 which was alright but the 10's are amazing. 

If I ever get a Bassman I will be using a 2x10 cabinet. It has plenty of bass and it is clear as a bell.  Sounds great.

Good luck with your search.

  • mbcl
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  • Registered: 2008-05-01
  • Posts: 1,491

Re: Cab recommendations for a '66 Bassman?

I got an original 1961 blondie bassman cab with original speakers for sale, not cheap cheap though, open for serious offers. Also have the original amp and matching reissue reverb tank.

jgalvan8804 wrote:

Hey Carl nice to see another Marylander,

My dad has a mid 60's bassman that he pulled out of the head unit and placed in combo with 2 10 inch webers.  He had a 15 which was alright but the 10's are amazing. 

If I ever get a Bassman I will be using a 2x10 cabinet. It has plenty of bass and it is clear as a bell.  Sounds great.

Good luck with your search.

Martin
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  • From: Florida, USA
  • Registered: 2008-06-04
  • Posts: 1,420

Re: Cab recommendations for a '66 Bassman?

jgalvan8804 wrote:

Hey Carl nice to see another Marylander,

My dad has a mid 60's bassman that he pulled out of the head unit and placed in combo with 2 10 inch webers.  He had a 15 which was alright but the 10's are amazing. 

If I ever get a Bassman I will be using a 2x10 cabinet. It has plenty of bass and it is clear as a bell.  Sounds great.

Good luck with your search.

Great point about the 10" speakers as the original "piggyback" setups were this way I believe.  I really like what the Ferromax Vintage Series Webers did to my old '68 Super.  They are cheap and sound very good so you may want to check those out Carl.  Also, try putting a higher gain or hotter 12AX7 in V1 (the preamp tube farthest from the power tubes).  It literally turned my Bassman into one of the most badass firebreathing rock machines I've ever heard!  You really sacrifice that classic Fender sparkle and headroom, but man it really sings with a hotter preamp tube in V1.  The cool thing is it really reminds me of a Trainwreck in the respect that it still cleans up amazingly well by lowering your guitar volume for the "classic Fender" tones.  Balls out grind to chimey cleans...it's an amp that I'll never EVER part with!!! cool

'67 and '74 Fender Twin Reverbs, '74 Marshall 1987 lead mkII, Metro Superlead 100. Pedals from TC Electronic, Ibanez, Dunlop, BK Butler, Electro-Harmonix, Fulltone, Maestro/Gibson, Loopmaster switching, VoodooLab, Boss. Gibson and Fender guitars, Dimarzio pickups.
  • Registered: 2008-04-02
  • Posts: 671

Re: Cab recommendations for a '66 Bassman?

Hi Carl,
  If your looking to buy a cab to load with speakers of your choice, I've had great luck with this guy. You won't find a better cab for the price anywhere and he'll build you what you want down to the tolex and grill cloth so you could match up that badass bassman just right.

                                                 http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-2X10-EXTENSIONS … 20ae5e1bd5

Hope you post a vid when you get it together brother,
Jack

Rock On and Keep the Faith

Jack Loves Patty Loves Joe
  • Registered: 2007-09-30
  • Posts: 556

Re: Cab recommendations for a '66 Bassman?

fuzzy wuzzy wrote:

Hi Carl,
  If your looking to buy a cab to load with speakers of your choice, I've had great luck with this guy. You won't find a better cab for the price anywhere and he'll build you what you want down to the tolex and grill cloth so you could match up that badass bassman just right.

                                                 http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-2X10-EXTENSIONS … 20ae5e1bd5

Hope you post a vid when you get it together brother,
Jack

You mean I had luck,  I was the one that bought them LOL.

I'd go 2x12's, I hate 10's though.  A single 15 would be cool, that would be a lot of air movement lol.  Plenty of speaker options.  I prefer the EV's, but be prepared to buy a handtruck if you use them haha!

Ben

  • From: Frederick County, MD
  • Registered: 2006-04-21
  • Posts: 857

Re: Cab recommendations for a '66 Bassman?

Thanks everyone for the good suggestions.  For the time being, I'm going to talk to my "amp guy" when I take it over to him for a tuneup and see what he suggests based on my musical tastes...he tends to have a lot of vintage gear sitting around so maybe I could try a few different cabs and see what I like.

Justin, the suggestion about the hotter 12AX7 in V1 sounds good but I don't want to lose the sparkly cleans as most of my time is spent in rhythm mode.  We'll just see how it goes.

Thanks again all.  I don't have a video camera but maybe I can borrow one to do a demo once I get it together.  Next to some of you guys, though, I feel like a novice guitar player, even though I've been playing about as long as Justin and Ben (together) have been alive. :-/  I have fun doing it though, I guess that's all that matters.

CarljMD

Takers get the honey, givers sing the blues

10 Reply by BluesMan (edited by BluesMan 2009-12-06 21:52:49)

  • From: Wisconsin
  • Registered: 2008-08-15
  • Posts: 7,284

Re: Cab recommendations for a '66 Bassman?

You know, can I just say something here? Being a person of below novice level, it fascinates me to read what you guys write regarding gear most of which, I have no clue what you're saying. It's almost a language all of its own. I only wish I would have gotten into this a little younger in life so as to have some of the knowledge that you all have. cool

Oh well, I guess I'll just plug into my Blues Junior and plunk away.

Roy

Joe is the Best!
  • From: N.Wales, UK
  • Registered: 2009-03-06
  • Posts: 2,183

Re: Cab recommendations for a '66 Bassman?

Tone comes through the fingers from the soul, Roy.

Give those guys with racks and banks of gear a standard acoustic guitar...

There are guys out there who play with Valve Juniors, simple Fenders and a single JCM800 who really are stunning.

Those guys on Harmony Central, TGP etc - mostly shop owners, rich businessmen who spend more time on the net, going on about the gear, than playing it. It is nice to see, but impresses very few.

A person who gets up on stage and shows their soul through the playing - now that is something that I respect.

  • mbcl
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  • Registered: 2008-05-01
  • Posts: 1,491

Re: Cab recommendations for a '66 Bassman?

Too true, I have someone who played a whole gig through my VOX practice amp and made is sound stunning. We once had a support act with an incredible amount of very expensive gear and they sounded shi@ . Nice amps do help with the extra bit though.


DaveWammbarro wrote:

Tone comes through the fingers from the soul, Roy.

Give those guys with racks and banks of gear a standard acoustic guitar...

There are guys out there who play with Valve Juniors, simple Fenders and a single JCM800 who really are stunning.

Those guys on Harmony Central, TGP etc - mostly shop owners, rich businessmen who spend more time on the net, going on about the gear, than playing it. It is nice to see, but impresses very few.

A person who gets up on stage and shows their soul through the playing - now that is something that I respect.

Martin
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  • From: N.Wales, UK
  • Registered: 2009-03-06
  • Posts: 2,183

Re: Cab recommendations for a '66 Bassman?

mbcl wrote:

Too true, I have someone who played a whole gig through my VOX practice amp and made is sound stunning. We once had a support act with an incredible amount of very expensive gear and they sounded shi@ . Nice amps do help with the extra bit though.


DaveWammbarro wrote:

Tone comes through the fingers from the soul, Roy.

Give those guys with racks and banks of gear a standard acoustic guitar...

There are guys out there who play with Valve Juniors, simple Fenders and a single JCM800 who really are stunning.

Those guys on Harmony Central, TGP etc - mostly shop owners, rich businessmen who spend more time on the net, going on about the gear, than playing it. It is nice to see, but impresses very few.

A person who gets up on stage and shows their soul through the playing - now that is something that I respect.

Right! I did forget that bit - the nice stuff does enhance the v.good just that little bit more - "that extra push over the cliff" tongue

  • Registered: 2007-11-04
  • Posts: 404

Re: Cab recommendations for a '66 Bassman?

I would avoid a 15 inch speaker. It sounded really bad. I heard my fathers thru a Weber 15 and I hated that sound.
The 2x10 cabinet sounds amazing. I'll have to respectfully disagree with GotMule, I know you know good gear, but rest assure this is one of the best sounding fender sounds I've ever heard.

I love 2x12's also, Twins and Vox AC30's.  But these 10's are something to hear.

  • From: Wisconsin
  • Registered: 2008-08-15
  • Posts: 7,284

Re: Cab recommendations for a '66 Bassman?

DaveWammbarro wrote:

Tone comes through the fingers from the soul, Roy.

Give those guys with racks and banks of gear a standard acoustic guitar...

There are guys out there who play with Valve Juniors, simple Fenders and a single JCM800 who really are stunning.

Those guys on Harmony Central, TGP etc - mostly shop owners, rich businessmen who spend more time on the net, going on about the gear, than playing it. It is nice to see, but impresses very few.

A person who gets up on stage and shows their soul through the playing - now that is something that I respect.

Thanks David, you're absolutely right. I mean, I'm sure we could give Joe the cheapest guitar with the cheapest amp we could find and still, he would make it sound like a symphony. However, it does still amaze me how much many of you know about gear and guitars. In some cases, I'm sure it has been a lifetime commitment of learning. smile

Cheers,

Roy

Joe is the Best!
  • Registered: 2009-10-10
  • Posts: 438

Re: Cab recommendations for a '66 Bassman?

I love the old blackface Fender Heads   Best tone for the money out there right now in my opinion.  I have tried mine throught several different cabinets.  The best match I have found are the Marshall 1965A (slant) or the Marshall 1965B (straight) 4x10 cabinets.  They have great tone, they are lighter than most 2x12 cabs, and they look killer under a Bassman head.  They are closed back cabinets and I describe them as sounding like a tight Super Reverb.  They still produce the bloom and chime of a Fender, but stay tighter on the low end.  They were made I believe in the late 1980's.  They show up on ebay from time to time.  The speakers are Celestion. Great value and tone. I paid $300.00 each for mine.  (I have a slant and a straight.)