Fender amp heads. got a WINNER today !!

Bob Carlucci · Post by **Bob Carlucci** » 14 Apr 2005 3:01 pm

You win some ,you lose some!.. My Vibro head was a DUD @ $375... BUT,the same day I sent THAT check I sent a $145 check to Texas to some dude named Jose'... for a Bassman 70. head.. thats right $145 SHIPPED.. It arrived earlier today..Now, Jose' told me about the cosmetic issues, and there are PLENTY,BUT that amp sounds GREAT!!!... I mean BIG fat,sweet,LOUD, clean headroom up the wazoo!! . All the volume of my 68 Showman,a little less bright, deeper,richer,warmer,still "Fendery"... What a deal @ $ 145 SHIPPED !!..I can't believe this thing only has 2 6L6 output tubes.. I do believe this is an "ultralinier" amp as it seems way too loud for 70 watts. It is a NICE steel amp.. probably great for guitar too... When I feel up to it I'm gonna pretty up the cab, but I'll tell ya, this was a KILLER deal for 145 bucks... It makes the Vibrosonic fiasco a little easier to deal with!!! bob

Larry Robbins · Post by **Larry Robbins** » 14 Apr 2005 3:17 pm

Bob,
About time that something went your way!
Good luck w/ the new amp!.....Did you get the new "BUD" yet? the pics were almost too much!Hope this turns out to be a winning combo for you.

------------------
Sho-Bud ProII, Pro III custom,
Fender Steelking,Hilton pedal,Tut Taylor "Virginian"

Bob Carlucci · Post by **Bob Carlucci** » 14 Apr 2005 6:15 pm

Larry.. the Sho Bud should be here tomorrow.. Fender amps and Sho Bud Steels.. Thats the sound I always have rattling around in my rapidly balding head when I think of the steel guitar... I really can't believe how loud and Clean the Bassman 70 is..Easily as loud or louder than any of the 6 or so Showman heads I have owned..

It looks like someone lit an M80 threw it back of the amp and ran.. Rusty and busted up, but all retubed and sounding WONDERFUL.. At the price I paid,its one of the best amp deals I have made in a long time.

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 15 Apr 2005 11:38 am

Yeah, the Bassman 70 is the ultralinear version of the Bassman 50, I believe. No frills, just clean Fender Tone, and not obnoxiously heavy either. I've played through them - $145 is great.

An object lesson that looks don't necessarily equal sound. I had a '61 White Tremolux head that someone had painted black, and was beat to death, but sounded incredible.</p>

Bob Carlucci · Post by **Bob Carlucci** » 15 Apr 2005 12:02 pm

Dave,I'll tell ya,there are VERY few 70 watt tube amps that can cut an all night steel gig.. This thing would do it without breaking a sweat!... I just can't believe the power and headroom.

I have owned 2 HD 130 Music Man amps... SS preamp.tube output,130 watts RMS... This battered old Bassman has EASILY the clean power of EITHER of those amps..Its Very close to the Fender 140 head I had...Its almost SCARY!!... bob

David Doggett · Post by **David Doggett** » 15 Apr 2005 12:45 pm

Nice going, Bob. I love to hear when some steeler takes one of those wonderful ultralinears off the hands of some unappreciative 6-stringer who would rather have a blackface. I'm wondering if Fender ever made an ultralinear Vibrolux. In a custom cab with a 15" speaker, it should weigh under 50 lbs. and be a killer small tube amp for steel.

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 15 Apr 2005 1:20 pm

David, I do not believe Fender ever made an ultralinear Vibrolux, which a lot of people have termed the 'poor man's Twin'. I think they only used ultralinear on the flagship models like the Twin Reverb, Dual Showman Reverb, Bassman, Pro Reverb, Super Reverb, Super Twin, and the like. That's one of the reasons 6-stringers (such as me, when I'm doing that) tend to flock to SF Vibrolux/Deluxe/Princeton Reverbs for guitar. But for steel, well, we can zig while they zag. Ultralinears are much cheaper.

Seriously, I think Bob has the right idea here. An ultralinear Bassman 70 into a 1x15 JBL D-130 cab, your choice of effect unit - Profex, Pod, Genesis 3, whatever. Sounds like a winner, doesn't break your back or your bank, and probably cuts a wide variety of gigs. </p>

Glyn Bone · Post by **Glyn Bone** » 16 Apr 2005 6:00 am

Bob...just curious mate....with all this gear you seem to be accumilating....just where in the house do you fit in???? or do you have `seperate` digs for yourself ???

Have a great day mate and enjoy ya `toys`...glad sumfin went right for ya

Glyndwr

Bob Carlucci · Post by **Bob Carlucci** » 16 Apr 2005 12:04 pm

Glyn.. actually I don't have that much stuff.. I just buy something,if it works for me I hang on to it, if not I pass it on.. always lots of UPS trucks coming and going here... I only have 3 amps, two steels and 5 or 6 cheapo guitars... lots of guys here have more toys than me.. I am always swapping stuff around so it just seems like I have a bunch of stuff.... The last week I have had 2 amps come and one steel..

One amp is good,the other is a dud and the steel is also not so hot... kind of gouged and scratched with lots of mismatced parts that don't work well together...

I'll probably keep this new stuff a week and then its ebay land!!! bob

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 16 Apr 2005 12:45 pm

So do the people you "pass" this stuff to complain and whine about it as much as you do, or do you just "give" it to them?

Bless your heart..

EJL

Bob Carlucci · Post by **Bob Carlucci** » 16 Apr 2005 10:59 pm

No mr West.. NO complaints.EVER... I disclose every problem, price accordingly and NEVER sell as is... I'll take back anything I sell with full refund... I lose on a lot of the stuff I buy because I can't stick someone else with something I consider unreliable or operating poorly.

Yes I do complain when I buy equipment that needs to be repaired before I ever use it.. UNLESS I'm told "This needs to be repaired before you use it" or . "The finish has several big gouges in it".. Then I AM to blame. FULL disclosure mr West.. is that really too much to ask when buying an EXPENSIVE used item ?....

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 17 Apr 2005 2:20 am

No need to yell Bob, I just thought the question needed to be asked.

Thanks for your answer.

EJL

Bob Carlucci · Post by **Bob Carlucci** » 17 Apr 2005 1:11 pm

Any time Westy... God Bless...