I have still been buying and selling music gear. There are incredible bargains to be had on craigslist and other places.....if you know what you are looking at. Here is the latest rig I have set up for my own use. A lot of this will mean nothing if you are not into music gear, but I know a lot here are. 1968 head. This is the same as the blackface units, 50 watt Fender bassman. I am rigging it up for both guitar and bass. The cabinet is a two 10" 1968 PA cabinet cut down to use as a guitar/bass cabinet. I have an SWR (eminance) and a Peavey (eminance) speaker in the cab, but I am going to replace the Peavey with a heavier speaker (Peavey can't take it). I have a lot of other really nice gear I have acquired. I have to make myself not buy more.
Sam it sounds like you got a bad case of GAS (Guitar/Gear Acquisition Syndrome). I'm susceptible to periodic outbreaks of that dreaded disease as well, but am currently in remission. Lack of funds will do that to ya.
Very nice Fender Bassman. I'm on the lookout for one of those if I can find the right one at the right price. Just curious, approx how much lighter did that thing make yer wallet?
rgds, Bill
Very nice Sam. I know what you mean about CL. I have 13 vintage Marantz pieces, a couple of Heathkits and 5 sets of vintage speakers to name a few things that I have collected the last two years or so. My wife thinks I may have a problem.....
I had a blackface Bassman 50 back in the 70's. I used it for bass and although it had awesome tone, it just didn't have the oomph for even a small combo. Back then, I was not aware that they are also tremendous for use as a six-string head. Wish I still had it just for low-volume guitar use now, but I wish I had a lot of stuff I used to have.
I'm currently running a silver-face Twin Reverb for guitar and it is so flipping loud you can't get any distortion out of it without melting all eardrums within a 1/4 mile. I get around that with a tube screamer and on the rare occasions I need a lot of volume (outdoor gigs) I've got it.
Actualy it kicks pretty good as a bass amp and screams as a guitar amp. I am sure it would fade at a very large gig, but is is pumping pretty good with volume set at 2. My bass is really hot and drives it hard. I had a Fender P-bass pass through my hands recently and it is only like half the output of my G&L. I thought something was wrong with it, but found out that was normal.
I have about $300.00 in the whole rig believe it or not. I purchased a whole shed full of equipment from a guy for about 500 dollars, included....A Musicman tube combo amp, a Roland tube head, the bassman with 2-15 cabinet, a cs 400 peavey amp, a yamaha power amp (blowed but sold it for 50 dollars, a bullfrog monitor amp, 2 large mixers and some more stuff. I felt a little bit of guilt but all was bought untried as to if it worked or not (some didn't) and a lot was dirty and needed work.
Fender Twin.....too much amp for hauling around. One advantage to the head/cabinet combo is niether piece is very heavy.
I play an old '66 (I think) p-bass and you're right about low output compared to more modern gear but you can't beat it for growl. That sounds like a fun hobby-side business but my trouble is I don't like getting rid of anything. I do have to be careful unloading the Twin out of the back seat or I could be playing a whole gig flat on my back. One thing I love about it though is the organic-sounding tremolo that takes you back to the 60's when that was about the extent of effects available. It sounds awesome when you add that shimmery sound to a slide guitar.
I have to keep telling myself not to buy more stuff. I have about half enough to open a music store now. I have to force myself to sell something so I will buy something. It is hard not to regret some of the things I have sold. My ultimate small amp, I have not purchased yet....Fender Princeton II
I hear the vibroverbs are really nice in a smaller than twin size. Pricy. I have not tried one.
Best really small amp I have had pass through my hands was a Peavey Classic 20.
