Blond Fender Bandmaster

vic

I got this '63/64 bandmaster some time ago. Great sounding amp.....but in dire need of a cosmetic make-over

So Gene vd Meulen gave her the treatment she deserves ?

racman

Wow - nice makeover Vic.

Not too familiar with the Fender BandMaster - any details?

vic

RoyC wrote: Wow - nice makeover Vic.

Not too familiar with the Fender BandMaster - any details?

Thanks Roy.

These are 40 W amps and good for clean sounds....does however give a smooth overdriven sound with humbuckers at volumes 6+.

Some info here:

http://ampwares.com/amplifiers/fender-blackface-bandmaster/

MikeM

Cool amp ? Why did you change it to a Blonde?

vic

MikeM wrote: Cool amp ? Why did you change it to a Blonde?

The old black tolex was really bad and since I'm restoring the bassman/bandmaster blond cab, I thought it may be a good idea to do the head in blond as well. Apart from that, blond tolex and wheat grill cloth are (also) period correct.

MikeM

Ah, I understood the blonde as being the 5881 circuit, didn't realise they had transition ones ?

EttieneB

Vic That Looks Super!!!

vic

MikeM wrote: Ah, I understood the blonde as being the 5881 circuit, didn't realise they had transition ones ?

The Blackface '63-'67 has AB 763 circuit. This one dates to late '63/early '64. (Prior to '63 they were blond with brownish control panels and round white nobs....that may be the circuit you're referring to ?)

and

•Tolex/Tweed: Smooth Blonde (63) or Black Tolex
•Grill Cloth: Beige Brown Gold (63), or black white silver grill cloth

see for pic of an earlier example....

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/amp-central-station/152103-62-bandmaster-good-deal.html

MikeM

From what I understand those were built until June/July 1963, cathode biased 5881s with a completely different trem, and then they swapped over to blackface specs and aesthetics.

vic

MikeM wrote: From what I understand those were built until June/July 1963, cathode biased 5881s with a completely different trem, and then they swapped over to blackface specs and aesthetics.

Maybe so, but you'll always get transitional examples coming through I guess

Here's a pic of a '64 Bandmaster in wheat and blonde

http://www.myspace.com/523179/photos/25094648#%7B%22ImageId%22%3A25094648%7D

vic

EttieneB wrote: Vic That Looks Super!!!

Thanks Etienne.
I will post some pics of this with the restored blond cab later next week.

MikeM

Not disputing that! Sorry, got off topic, was just confused, thought it was a blonde circuit at first ? LOVE those.

vic

MikeM wrote: Not disputing that! Sorry, got off topic, was just confused, thought it was a blonde circuit at first ? LOVE those.

No problem...I'm also still reading the literature on the early Fender amps ?

Summary:
'61-June '63: Blonde tolex with wheat or maroon grill cloth, with 6G7-A circuit (brownface era...referring to the brown control panel plate)
July '63 - ? : Blonde with a brief AA763 circuit ) (ditto)
later '63-early '64: Blonde and Black tolex/wheat or silver with black thread grill cloth with AB763 (start of Blackface era....referring to the black control panel plate)
'64-'early '67 : Black tolex silver with black thread grill cloth (AB763 circuit) (blackface era)
mid '68 - --- Black tolex with silver and blue thread grill cloth, but AA568 circuit (silverface era...referring to the silver/aluminium control panel plate). Some early silverfaces have AB763 circuits.

Reinhard

That looks great Vic!
Gene did the grill cloth on my BF SR, awesome job.
That's going to look very sexy on the blonde cab 8)

vic

Reinhard wrote: That looks great Vic!
Gene did the grill cloth on my BF SR, awesome job.
That's going to look very sexy on the blonde cab 8)

Thanks Reinhard. As a muso growing up with these amps, Gene does awesome jobs.....he's indeed a meticulous craftsman. You should see the Strat he built as a custom order !
With his permission I'll posts some pics of that later.

Norman86

Very nice Vic! i hope your black painted blonde also comes out looking like this ?

vic

Norman86 wrote: Very nice Vic! i hope your black painted blonde also comes out looking like this ?

Thanks Norman.
I'll post some pics once I've assembled the cab.

vic

Vic wrote:
Norman86 wrote: Very nice Vic! i hope your black painted blonde also comes out looking like this ?
Thanks Norman.
I'll post some pics once I've assembled the cab.

Final product ? (now hand me that beer please !)

Reinhard

That is very cool my friend!
I bet it sounds great.

Oh, and I would love to see some pics of the strat he did, if possible to post.

Enjoy the setup!

vic

Reinhard wrote: That is very cool my friend!
I bet it sounds great.

Oh, and I would love to see some pics of the strat he did, if possible to post.

Enjoy the setup!

Thanks Reinhard.
It's a nice setup....the cab has its original Oxfords 12's, and the amp is unmolested. Sounds very good indeed. It's amazing how well the original tolex was preserved under that paint. Now that its completed...?....will have to find something else to work on... ?