1959 vs 1960 Fender Bassman - Flavors of the Holy Grail!

We're comparing an original 1959 Fender Bassman to an original 1960 Fender Bassman. It's not gonna be apples to apples in this video, since the '60 has reissue Jensen P10R speakers whereas the '59 has re-coned originals. We're hopefully gonna do more videos on these two though. We're using a 1962 Gibson ES-330 and a Fender Custom Shop 1969 Stratocaster to do this. Unidyne IV 548 Close mic and Sennhesiser e906 room mic.
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[@nickangelo3283]

I would guess the speakers are the biggest difference here. To me, the reissue Jensens actually sound wonderful clean, but their breakup is less musical than the older speakers. The almost acoustic like clean tone of these amps is truly magical though…

[@semdallinga69]

That Jensen reissue sounds pretty spot on compared to the original

[@mrkite89]

There is also the P10R-F: this was a Fender exclusive and it probably sounds even closer...

[@zeroamplification]

Through both 59 and 60 the presence pot and associated tacked on adjusting resistor went back/forth. It's been speculated that it's due to Fender running out of 5k pots and substituting a 25k with a 4.7k paralleled to bring it down to 5k. The main impact is taper - where it does what on the dial and how wide the adjustment range is. Importantly in this video: Blonde Twin!!

[@family-accountemail9111]

Is all the best vintage gear in Sweden? This channel seems endless with lovely ear candy! Thanks

[@jaycee30865]

Everybody is given a Marshall prototype annually as part of public welfare programs in Sweden. And they prune your gold coin tree for free.

[@xiscogg]

@@jaycee30865 God bless Maynard Keynes

[@corneliuscrewe677]

That 330 into either one of them is pure tone heaven👍

[@santrixhimself3679]

Imagine walking past this shop while they are recording the video. I would be happily surprised

[@jaycee30865]

You would suffer hearing damage.

[@vstags]

Don’t know a lot about guitars or amps but that certainly sounds like townshend..love it!

[@cchavez248]

I love plexis as well, but for most of the music I like, a Bassman rules the day!

[@rcolang1]

Amazing tones.....I recently got to play through a 1955 Bassman, a somewhat different, but still heavenly experience. Thank you! The Strat sound similar on both, a bigger difference with the 330.

[@blacktoothgriner]

The new jensen speakers take time to brake in. And alnico takes something like 50 years to stabilize. Both sound grate. The speakers and tone stack separate a bassman from a jtm power tubes excluded. Killer playing and cool video.

[@tiuskilin2573]

Hi Johan, i don't know if you got my message on the live chat at the end of the video. I would love to hear you check out the Marshall SV20H. I got one and would lend it to you but i live in Germany, so the shipping cost wouldn't be cheap. If there are more folks interested to see and hear you playing it, maybe we could share the shipping cost and i send you my Marshall Studio. Cheers, Matt

[@semdallinga69]

I would love to hear a comparison as well

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks, that's kind of you! I'd love to demo the studio series!

[@tiuskilin2573]

Would be very interesting to hear it through your awesome cabs with the vintage speakers! Let's see if there is a way to get my amp to you. Cheers

[@andytraverse]

What a great idea, I own the SV20H too, it sounds incredible at home but would love to hear Johan play it through some vintage greenbacks! 👍🏻

[@GraniteSoundtrack]

I have always wanted to hear these amps cranked and see what they are made of. Thank you!

[@rgbplumbinghilton]

Both sound amazing but very different. Great demo of an iconic amp

[@toneking6555]

love this ! Great video! I am a fan of these amps as well as JMP's and Plexi's. Got early Jensen replacements in mine along with a pair of Weber California (JBL-ish)10's on bottom. Johan, have you ever tried JBL's in this amp? Would love to see a video.

[@frankdou4132]

great amps, great video as usual. does the 1960 have 2 Jensen P10R and 2 Jensen P10R-F? couldn't really see it in the picture from the back of the amp, but looks like. I like the standard P10R, they are great speakers if they are broken in for some time. not so shure about the P10R-F, but in combination it sounds nice. I would say even a little better then the reconed ones.

[@stevencancel1727]

Enjoying the strat and the 60 Bassman

[@jsnwhite619]

I listened to it in the background while I was doing something else - "blind testing". I can 100% say I preferred the '60 with RI speakers. It all sounded good, but the only times I thought anything sounded "off" or not as good, it was the '59 each time I checked.

[@seanmarr45]

Both sound great so it would be hard to decide. and it might be subliminal but for some reason I have this want for Domino's Pizza. LOLOLOL

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks!

[@mookytc]

Haha keep looking at the sign myself and it is breakfast time here.

[@DMSProduktions]

YUCK! NOT 'pizza'!

[@darrellminx5459]

Great Tweed sounds but I prefer the low-power twin from 1958. The reason being quicker breakup. The great clean sounds on these twins. Thank you so much! Cheers!

[@geschickt]

Wow, from 6:37 to the end was quite lovely...! The P-90's are just fantastic here. Both amps sound brilliant, but I tend to agree with Nick Angelo--the amp with the original speakers--they have a little more warmth to them. That said, how many kronors for that lh blonde Ricky back there...?!? I've been wanting one of those... ;) Thanks Johan & Co.!

[@vayabroder729]

Shouldn’t both amps be essentially the same? I find that the ‘60 has more presence and sounds more open; pretty sure due to the new speakers.

[@calebkey2050]

Yep. Both are 5F6A circuits. But you never know what’s been done inside of these amps over the years. Could be more than just the speakers The last ‘60 I looked over had just about every original cap and resistor scalped out of it, really sad to see. The poor owner got screwed big time by the last guy who worked on it

[@dezionlion]

I dont think they were ever the same! Truly one of a kind amps every one

[@siegfriedwashburn3484]

Hi, Johan! Very significant video, because I have in my office the old Marshall Bassman, which I should fix. Maybe one day you can be so kind, to show, how to make it work. To mee sound of 59 is more attractive. But I think, it's the best models, so I must fix it and then I'll be MYSELF. After so long existing on the welfare workless it's the worst experience in my life. I am so glad to be back at work, and I wanted this one. So I feel great!🎸 See you! Zigfrid

[@justinbradfield6499]

Man they both sound awesome !!!!! But 59 is the one I'd pick, it has a very balanced sound...

[@byronlaird5116]

Both sound great !! What price is Simon asking for the '60 ? Just curious. Here in USA that amp would go for quite a few thousand $. Not sure what the value is in Sweden.

[@lager9342]

17.000 USD

[@OnTheFritz602]

Amazing amps, both of them!

[@jonnybeck6723]

Nice tones

[@ahankararockband]

Thanks for the test. First of all fine guitar players, both. The 59 is quite a bit lighter and more percussive. 60 is darker and more creamy. Which is better depends of what you do with that tone. On 59 close a little tone pot and the tone should be pretty much similiar to 60. Darker tones are more playable and inspiring for power chords, which is hearable on certain parts of the demo, when player simply plays better, being inspired with even, richer tone. But having brighter AMP gives you more choices - it is easy to darken it with tone pot and you have darker sound. You can not brighten darker AMP, though. Therefore I would opt for 59.

[@thetanman2233]

That’s Ragnar right? Love when he’s on!

[@vincenzoerriquenz2356]

What can I say ? Great Great tones on both amps, just very minimal nuances of difference between the two, cheers Johan!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Cheers Vincenzo!

[@darwinsaye]

Nice to see you using a hollowbody in your tests.

[@spatnaspolecnost]

Funny how 59 is viewed as the holy grail one, however here and on millstap's channel it's the 60 that sounds better.

[@andreweasombentley4703]

Interesting and cool that you guys didn’t seem to have too many feedback issues with the es-330? Guess it was pretty loud in there!

[@JohanSegeborn]

It’s a big room. We had the Bassmans cranked at times

[@darwinsaye]

A good player can easily control the feedback tendencies of a fully hollowbody guitar. It's just a matter of technique.

[@grahamt33]

Fender Heaven !!!!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Cheers Graham!

[@scottdavidson6066]

Hey, Johan! I’m wanting to buy a vintage Pulsonic cone G12H30-preferably the T1281 55 Hz model, but other 55s or 75s could be cool, also. Any chance you have one in 8 Ohms you’d consider selling me? Or do you have any tips on finding them for a decent price? Very many thanks and much thanks also for your many comparison/demo videos!!

[@paultrombetta]

8:30 on hit the spot

[@whwilson3708]

Domino's delivers! lol Great video, now I'm hungry for...pizza...

[@sebbe655]

Johan snälla gör en video om The Hellacopters sound!

[@ulisessolis3182]

Honestly it isn't the same without Johan

[@dylananderson6333]

Domino’s

[@DMSProduktions]

You have DOMINO'S there? Ewwww!

[@raycochrane3971]

I use you as the benchmark Johan: your "sound" is the commonality and when you introduce other folk the benchmark is erased.