Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: Curiosity about Building a Fender Bassman 100 Head

  1. #1
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Tennessee
    Posts
    8,163

    Curiosity about Building a Fender Bassman 100 Head

    I do not have steady hands, so there is no way I'd ever try to build an amp.

    I'm curious about how much it would cost to build a Fender Bassman 100 head, the type McCartney played when he was with the Beatles. Where would you even start with such a project?
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  2. #2
    Forum Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    SW New Mexico, USA
    Posts
    1,658

    Re: Curiosity about Building a Fender Bassman 100 Head

    Rather than a 100, I'm building an amp for my wife based on the Bassman 10. 50W, and a lot of P/S filtering, and no extra gain stage like most of the Blackface Bassman line.
    I have Twin re-issue iron that I got in a trade, bought a chassis from the 'bay, and am in the process of drawing and fabricating the boards. I buy components in bulk, so I would have to figure a lot to get a cost figure, but I suspect I'll have $500 plus in it when finished. (The cab will be ply, and I have several types of tolex, depending on what she wants it to look like).
    As an aside I picked up a 4-10 Harte cab with a dead speaker for $30, and got a new speaker for $100, but I'll have to cover it to match the head! She has been wanting to try some 10's after using 15-18's for years.

  3. #3
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Tennessee
    Posts
    8,163

    Re: Curiosity about Building a Fender Bassman 100 Head

    Thanks, Bill. That's exactly the kind of info I wanted. I'm always amazed at what you and the others build.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  4. #4
    Forum Member chuckocaster's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    spanish for lard.
    Posts
    8,605

    Re: Curiosity about Building a Fender Bassman 100 Head

    You’d be surprised how good the late 60’sBassman 50 watter is, I’ve never had the chance to play the 100. Biggest thing is to play it through a bass bab... which you have a great one. Showman and Dual Showman are also great amps for bass!
    "don't worry, i'm a professional!"

  5. #5
    Forum Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    SW New Mexico, USA
    Posts
    1,658

    Re: Curiosity about Building a Fender Bassman 100 Head

    My wife's first real amp was a Bassman 50 with 2-12 that the guy talked me into when I bought my new Rogers drum set in '73, ($135). Over the years she had a 2-15 Peavey, and in our R&R days, I surprised her with a Cerwin Vega BG250. It had a folded 18, and a front facing 12, plenty of power for the venues we were working in!
    The last several years we only get together at someone's house, and generally use a small 15" combo. I had a few chassis I was waiting to build when I realized that I hadn't built her anything lately! When we talked she thought about "that" sound that her old tube Fender had.

  6. #6
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Tennessee
    Posts
    8,163

    Re: Curiosity about Building a Fender Bassman 100 Head

    My first good bass amp was a Fender Bassman 50. It was a great amp, but I knew nothing about tube amps. When it broke down, for whatever, reason, I sold it for an embarrassingly low price. It was a mid-70s amp, had a matching, big cab.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  7. #7
    Forum Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Location
    At the start.
    Posts
    795

    Re: Curiosity about Building a Fender Bassman 100 Head

    Quote Originally Posted by chuckocaster View Post
    You’d be surprised how good the late 60’sBassman 50 watter is, I’ve never had the chance to play the 100. Biggest thing is to play it through a bass bab... which you have a great one. Showman and Dual Showman are also great amps for bass!
    I had a Dual Showman (drip edge with NO master volume!) with 2 2-15 JBL cabs with it I bought off a bass player! Awesome amp for anything. Wish I never sold it.

  8. #8
    Forum Member chuckocaster's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    spanish for lard.
    Posts
    8,605

    Re: Curiosity about Building a Fender Bassman 100 Head

    I had a 68 Drip Edge Bassman, miss that thing. Sounded great but was crazy loud!
    "don't worry, i'm a professional!"

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •