1966 Fender Bassman ---- Gibson Les Paul Special Historic

[@ninteyninenightmares1564]

I picked up a 64 black face bassmen pre C.B.S! The best sounding amplifier I ever owned. Wouldn't trade it for the world 🌎

[@artmv1149]

Damn...so perfect

[@artvillarreal8849]

So beautiful.....love my 66 Bassman. Its such an inspiring amp. Those mids are perfection.

[@mr.joshua657]

That is a clean '66 Bassman! Sounds glorious too.

[@Rhythmicons]

This video led me to get a Bassman and a Les Paul.

[@thepassingaccidents]

Heck, yeah! If you get the chance, try your Bassman with a Les Paul Deluxe -- those minibuckers are next level with a black panel Bassman.

[@Rhythmicons]

@@thepassingaccidents I live close to Memphis but I was willing to drive all over Arkansas to find one, however, something said St. Louis. I looked to Driftwood Music Shop in St. Charles (STL suburb) and he had a '64 blonde 6G6B in there and an '89 Les Paul. I kept my son from school that day to drive up there. It's really for a Clavinet though, but man...I'd definitely like to try some other instruments through there. It replicates bass frequencies with wonderful precision, but just lacks the thunder of a modern bass amp.

[@thepassingaccidents]

@@Rhythmicons Wow, great find! My partner and I also drove about 4 hours each way to pick up my '67 AB165 from a private seller in a small town, and it couldn't have been more worth it. It's OK as a bass amp, like you said, but i'll be damned if it's not the best sounding guitar amp i've ever heard. I've tried heaps of instruments through it but stopped looking after my '75 LP Deluxe. For me, those mini-buckers in the normal channel, with the bright down and everything at "6" is my slice of heaven.

[@Rhythmicons]

@@thepassingaccidents No argument there! I was addicted to the normal channel there for a long time but I love the tone of the Bridge pickups so much. I can see why Kingfish wants those super heavy strings because the pups seem like they will deliver. I have the Lawrence "Originals" in there. The minimoog sounds incredible with every single nuance of the bass replicated with ease, but like I said...it just lacks the thunder. The Clavinet, of course, covers the bass and guitar range, so a Bassman seemed like the perfect amp, though they were traditionally run through the Super Reverbs or the Twin. The only drawback is the lack of reverb though, and the fact that mine still hasn't been grounded. I have checked everything EXCEPT underneath the doghouse, and there might have been something there that was changed, but if so, it was done ages ago. Mine is a one-owner, and I probably overpaid for it, but I don't care. I recreated a trip where my father, mom, and a cousin drove to NYC to Manny's music in '71 to pick up his Rhodes (in my studio). So I told my wife "He's not going to school tomorrow because we're getting up early, and going to St. Louis to buy a guitar and an amp" haha. I watched your video so many times waiting for it. Because of Covid though, I don't get out much, and there isn't a music store around here that is worth a damn. I prefer to run the guitar on the bass side, with the bass at 10:00, the treble at 3:00, and the presence at 12:00, and I keep my tone knobs about 5-6ish. As SOON as I got the amp home I cranked the volume up and I was immediately fielding texts from ny neighbor hahah. I figure that's a successful test. It's a wonderful amp to record with. For reverb I use an AKG BX10. It's amazing and plate-like.

[@sonsrawk]

I picked up a 66 Bassman last year and did a really easy AB165 to AA864 circuit mod. The sound now is like the AB165 on steroids! Big beefy clear and articulate with that natural overdrive when cranked has allowed me to downsize my pedal board and use my guitar volume much more! Very inspirational to say the least!!

[@leonardo.rafael]

I read the AA864 sound is cleaner than the AB165 which is dirtier. But your experience seems the opposite. I am confused to decide if I make the mod or not.

[@sonsrawk]

@@leonardo.rafael To be honest when I first purchased the amp it was a mess, crackling, spitting and sputtering, even through all that it still had a good sound but never really heard it as a clean AB165 without fizzly noise. Amp guru Mike Pasquale at Vintage Repair in LA recommended I do the AA864 mod while cleaning up the amp caps and a few other resisters causing the noise. To say it has inspired my playing is an understatment! It is the sound I had been chasing.

[@leonardo.rafael]

@@sonsrawk Good to hear that, and that everything turned out so positively. Best regards, and thank you for your support.

[@ArtHoward]

I don't understand Marshalls getting all the glory when these things exist. Just listen to that!

[@PhilGa]

On the top of that, the first Marshall is literally a copy of a Bassman 5F6-A, so yeah, I get you.

[@lfscrazy]

Marshalls were designed for distortion and pick up the baton where the Bassman ends. IMO, the Bassman is a bit bright and not totally pleasant when dimed but for lower gain crunch sounds, including an awesome clean tone, they are as good as you get.

[@viola1]

Agreed. I prefer a Marshall JTM-45 to a blackface Bassman when I want a whole ton of crunch but with big low end.

[@Tonetwisters]

@@lfscrazy That's pretty much what the TREBLE pot is for ... It CAN be turned down ... BASS CAN be turned up.

[@lfscrazy]

@@Tonetwisters Have you tried that with a blackface bassman?

[@jdgcustomamplifiers836]

Nice playing. I love these AB165 Bassmans.

[@kurtweiand7086]

I used to play one of these in Rock band back in 1971, we played HS dances. 50 loud watts with 4 jensen 12" speakers!

[@telecasterman18]

I was given a 1969 Drip edge Bassman with the AA165 circuit (AA864 with improved PI and Bias). This video really captured how touch responsive these Blackface era Bassman amps are. Very Trainwreck-esque. Lovely, but overlooked amplifiers. PS, an attenuator is an absolute must with these 😂😂😂.

[@soloseeker77]

Bassmans are the best. I have 1972 with the master volume and it's easily the best amp I've ever owned

[@Rhythmicons]

This is my favorite Bassman demo.

[@hardrockerdave94]

Sounds great! Especially that chord at 2:18! 👌

[@aaronbrooks3913]

Perfect Allman brother tone on the bass side! I have a 1973 silver face bassman 50 head but I had Sam Timberlake of SAMAMP VAC amplifiers gut her and put in this AB165 circuit. Sounds just like this one. I love it!

[@kosmicwizard]

Now you just have to get some Cerwin Vega ER 123 speakers. Or JBL K-120. Cheers.

[@theirritatedirishman5440]

kosmicwizard : D-120’s if you want more Duane tone. Marshall head as opposed to the Bassman but close enough. Duane’s cabs were ported in the back.

[@kosmicwizard]

@@theirritatedirishman5440 Dwayne used different gear to achieve his tone. My best friend has a ported Traynor cabinet with Cerwin Vega 123 (not the common 124) speakers in it, apparently Dwayne loved these speakers. Playing a LP through my 67 Bassman gets you right there. You know for first marshall heads are Bassman clones don't you? You are 100% correct on the d-120, sorry I said k, my old mind is prone to the odd mistake from time to time. Cheers!

[@theirritatedirishman5440]

kosmicwizard : I owned a couple pieces of his gear but that went back to Gregg shortly after. Long story but it was best. The one Marshall cab did have round ports cut into the back. I like slot of different tones but i abs loved Duane’s a lot! Mike Bloomfield’s as well when he had a blonde Bassman and 59 Burst. Terry Kath was another guy who’s sound I loved! I was too young to have seen anyone of them play. Gregg, Stevie Ray and a few others I got super close with.

[@Rhythmicons]

NOW I want that Ampeg B15 you have beside you there.

[@TheRoseFloyd]

at volume 3 my house is already burning and my neighbours getting into their shelters...

[@GarrickDavisWorld]

TheRoseFloyd 😂😂😂😂

[@trader307]

my '67 has one channel overdriven into the other and eats marshalls for breakfast! ginormous headroom up to 6,7 ,then breakup

[@moimeme7839]

Rivera rock crusher is awesome for not loosing tone

[@DailyBrusher]

Thanks so much for this awesome video! Answered all my questions!

[@theirritatedirishman5440]

Those American Showster guitars were started in my mother’s basement in New Jersey. Richie Excellente had designed and invented those up North Jersey and soon after himself, Guitar Guy Paul Unkert and Myself were in my mother’s basement assembling them after having the bodies cut out on an old pin router by a guy in Brooklyn,NY.

[@merrillaldridge2775]

I had the opportunity to run my 93 Gibson w/ 490R/498T pups thru an ABY box to TWO AB165 Bassman sitting 20 feet apart. There just aren't words in the English language to describe the pulsation of two of these with slightly offset Treble/Bass settings converging on your ears. I think Malmsteen was right: "Less is not more. More is more....more is better...." I get what he meant now.

[@nigel_tufnell]

1:51 you can see the volume :D:D awesome!

[@Lost-xl6im]

I like to gang the Normal low input to the Bass It gives a broader range

[@TheBrad1]

Pairing mine with 2 jensen P12Qs in a pine closed back cab.

[@Rhythmicons]

Turns amp up. "Let's try turning it up." Turns amp up. Lovely.

[@Cesar0787]

Holy shit!!! This is insane

[@mrsimpson2022]

I lucked into an elderly lady selling a 1965 bassman and cab. I was going to make a quick buck on it untill i plugged it in to my strat..Oh My this will never leave my possesion. I see why they are so hard to find now!

[@VanguardShags]

Great tone!

[@Lobberzillo]

The sound... I can't believe it... is kind of the Custom Channel on the Custom Deluxe Reverb'68

[@peterosipov400]

Custom channel on Custom Deluxe Reverb '68 was made to imitate Bassman sound

[@Tonetwisters]

This amp sounds a GREAT DEAL like the '61-'62 Tremolux amps ...

[@patrickdawson6852]

Mine hums -- always!

[@dangracia7805]

I had a blackface 1966 Fender Bassman amp that I bought new in 1966. That head might be a 1966, but the cab is not. The cab that came with the Fender Bassman in 1966 stood up with the speakers vertically instead of lying down horizontally like those in the picture. It was the same cab that they used for their 2x1 5Dual Showman cab but it was loaded with 2x12 speakers. I blew 3 speakers out of mine before I traded it in for a much louder Standel amp with a 215 cab (was touring with it in 1971). In 1967 they changed that cab to a 215 cab and that ended their blown speaker problem. Anyhow, the head may very well be a 1966 head, but that cabinet is not. It is a 1965 or earlier cab.

[@leonardo.rafael]

Mostly nobody uses a 15 speaker today. I just bought today a 1966 head and was wondering how it may sound with a 15 speaker. I though maybe I was wrong in my unusual and maybe silly idea, but you illuminated me with two of them! Thank you a lot.

[@robnamowicz8073]

Go back to the bass channel, turn on the 'deep' switch,,,right o', best amp for that p-90, or anything else,,, great amp, I heard Neil Young has a dozen, claims they all sound different,

[@sassulusmagnus]

Great combination.

[@stan2211stan]

This is every man’s JTM-45...no doubt about it. Ever wonder what would come out if it had a pair of Gold Lions?

[@kosmicwizard]

So, I got my 67 BF Bassman modded on the bass channel to 5F6-A tweed specs (which is the amp Jim Marshall cloned the JTM45 from) and have it running on vintage Tung-Sol 5881 power tubes. It is glorious, and there is still that clean Fender AA165 like circuit on the normal channel to switch between or blend together via an AB-> Y pedal! Hyper. What costs less than even the Fender is the Traynor YBA1, Canada's JTM45 but with better transformers. The only weakness in old Traynors was the crappie speakers. Cheers!

[@TheMortybob]

i reaaaly realy love these. they have all the guts and sustain of a vintage marshall without the top end fizzyness. Only critique is that there seems to be a mid-hump honkiness maybe around 500-700 hz. i wonder if changing a value in the EQ would totally screw the vibe of this amp. Ive heard other people mention the same honk sound. Its still an amp id get- when the $$ shows up :)

[@hardrockerdave94]

That mid range hump does really help in a band situation!

[@kosmicwizard]

@@hardrockerdave94 yeah, and what speakers you choose can really affect that as well.

[@hardrockerdave94]

kosmicwizard Agreed, speakers are so often overlooked. My 2 main gigging amps are a silver jubilee half stack with V30s, and a Marshall JMP half stack with greenbacks, both sound great but if you use the greenbacks with the jubilee and vice versa it sounds like crap!

[@Rhythmicons]

I want this for my Hohner D6.

[@25inbomeportland]

I might be the owner of this Bassman now. Live in Portland and mines a ‘66, came with the same cabinet and everything, thing is a fucking beast. But it started shocking me through my strings, so I’m getting it serviced tomorrow lol. I didn’t buy it from this shop though, I got it off a guy in Troutdale for $1,100- fucking steal if you ask me. Thing is so loud at 3 I need hearing protection when the treble is cranked. Seriously. It tickles your fucking ear drums, hard.

[@XxdartvaderxX]

1:50 sucker sounds MEAN!

[@brianmehalso2219]

Tom Petty - Fooled again @ 1:10 ... Nice sir.

[@Vaughn6886]

What speakers in the cab?

[@papawx3]

BF Bassman's are great {AB 165 circuit}, but you have to get them really loud before they give up the goods. My BF Pro Reverb gets me there without the neighbors giving me dirty looks the next day. I passed on a '66 Bassman head today, really didn't need it since my Pro can do anything it can do, and at lower volumes.

[@doctahdudemanbro8210]

"Straaaaange voice on the telooooophone...tellin' me I better leave you'lone..."

[@kurtfoster1629]

Doctah DudemanBro fooled again

[@chrisrowell1166]

what is the exact circuit for this’66 bassman ?

[@kosmicwizard]

Ab165

[@guitarocd9984]

Did you ever try jumping the channels.

[@Fede6680]

How does it sound at low volumen?

[@Aniki82]

I wouldn't even consider this at low volume lol It's impossible

[@katsquirrel3955]

@@Aniki82 Put it on 10 and use your guitar volume....let that puppy breathe \m/\m/

[@DjangoHerbertson]

What's the point of demoing an amp if you're gonna record it with the camera mic.

[@kosmicwizard]

And at 6 instead of 8-10