To Bassman or to Ibanez

DonovanB

so I've been offered an early 70's bassman. "make a decent offer" I was told.

now I've had one before, loved it too. and I've played this particular amp and liked it. Silverface with blackface circuit.

I'm keen on the TS15 though. which I'd get for around the same price I'd offer for the Fender.

What to do? I've been given the go-ahead by the boss for a new amp so either is on the cards. With the Fender I'll need a cab though.

HEEEEEELLLPP!!!!

SnapcaseZA

Is this the same Bassman that I keep seeing on Gumtree dbn for the past few months? The guy was selling 2 heads, one Fender and a Marshall. I think it was the Fender which looked like it had been thrown down a few flights of stairs a few times in its life. I asked for a price, he said R7500 each btw...

I like the TS15 though, lovely sounding and easy to transport. That gets my vote.

ezietsman

If the choice is Ibanez TSA15 or Silverface bassman (Bassman 10), I'd think long about it and possibly choose neither. Neither has any tube drive of any kind, making them inferior than many other amps you can get. If the Bassman is a Blackface as you were told and you can get some of that sweet Fender power t00b drive out of it then that's the one I'd get, even though its likely much bigger than the Ibanez.

I was very dissapointed when I tried the TSA15 after all the hype. Not my cup of tea. Your mileage may vary.

Jayhell

I'd say go for the TS, then you know your valves are in a good condition and if you offer the same price you might be spending a lot on replacing valves and stuff.

SnapcaseZA

SnapcaseZA wrote: Is this the same Bassman that I keep seeing on Gumtree dbn for the past few months? The guy was selling 2 heads, one Fender and a Marshall. I think it was the Fender which looked like it had been thrown down a few flights of stairs a few times in its life. I asked for a price, he said R7500 each btw...

I like the TS15 though, lovely sounding and easy to transport. That gets my vote.

Sorry, that guy was selling a 1963 Fender Showman head and 1974 Marshall SuperBass head

DonovanB

Ja Snapcase this is a mate of mine. Good chap and the amp is in great condition.

I'm not worried about replacing valve, that's cheap in the long run.

EZ, I like tube cleans. Thats what I absolutely loved about my old Fender. And the TS 15 is loud enough, small enough and I LOVE that tone. You also can't go wrong with a built in tube screamer. I mean, come on!

This is a frikkin tough choice.

ezietsman

Donovan Banks wrote: Ja Snapcase this is a mate of mine. Good chap and the amp is in great condition.

I'm not worried about replacing valve, that's cheap in the long run.

EZ, I like tube cleans. Thats what I absolutely loved about my old Fender. And the TS 15 is loud enough, small enough and I LOVE that tone. You also can't go wrong with a built in tube screamer. I mean, come on!

This is a frikkin tough choice.

If you like the TSA15 then get that, I would say, just because its small. All else being equal, get the smaller amp.

DonovanB

but now I want the Fender cos I think it's too good to let go. The TS15 s more available.

Maybe get both? Use the TS15 with a nice Marshall 4x 10 cab and get a good Marshall head as well.

I'll just whip out my roll of R200 notes... ☹

Reinhard

I'll go out on a limb and say a BF bassman through a 2x12 will be very tough to beat. You also have the option to add another head in future.

SnapcaseZA

Donovan Banks wrote: but now I want the Fender cos I think it's too good to let go. The TS15 s more available.

Maybe get both? Use the TS15 with a nice Marshall 4x 10 cab and get a good Marshall head as well.

I'll just whip out my roll of R200 notes... ☹

That is a good point. The opportunity may not present itself again for a while. I change my vote, Fender.

AlanRatcliffe

Donovan Banks wrote: but now I want the Fender cos I think it's too good to let go. The TS15 s more available.

Exactly! And the TS's will probably start popping up secondhand soon.

DonovanB

Eish, so now what to offer?

R3000?

MikeM

ez wrote:If the choice is Ibanez TSA15 or Silverface bassman (Bassman 10), I'd think long about it and possibly choose neither. Neither has any tube drive of any kind, making them inferior than many other amps you can get.

LOL and this is why I LOVE forums. Reminds me of the late Ed Roman.

nicovlogg

They're such different amps.. Only you can choose. Do you want to be portable, and have some amp distortion, or do you like lots of headroom and would like a workout everytime you move your gear? Very different animals in my opinion, decide what you want. Personally I think bassmans are KING. ?

nick

MikeM wrote:
ez wrote:If the choice is Ibanez TSA15 or Silverface bassman (Bassman 10), I'd think long about it and possibly choose neither. Neither has any tube drive of any kind, making them inferior than many other amps you can get.
LOL and this is why I LOVE forums. Reminds me of the late Ed Roman.

My Silverface (now doing time with Kaydub) used to over drive properly with my Les Paul. Anything over 3.5 odd on the volume would no longer be clean

MikeM

nick wrote:
MikeM wrote:
ez wrote:If the choice is Ibanez TSA15 or Silverface bassman (Bassman 10), I'd think long about it and possibly choose neither. Neither has any tube drive of any kind, making them inferior than many other amps you can get.
LOL and this is why I LOVE forums. Reminds me of the late Ed Roman.
My Silverface (now doing time with Kaydub) used to over drive properly with my Les Paul. Anything over 3.5 odd on the volume would no longer be clean

But that's not output tube only super tone drive!!!

makepeace

I'd get the Bassman. As has been said, the TSA is easy to get hold of, and they have already started popping up secondhand. If you're undecided and wouldn't mind having either, go for the one that's harder to come by.

ezietsman

@nick Wasn't yours modded to Blackface version and had a 12ax7 PI tube? Singemonkey's Bassman 10 didn't used to drive at all, even at high volume, it does now but there's something wrong with it, it doesn't have the same amount of volume either.

As a reminder, here's a real Bassman, through the range of not-driven to driven. Singemonkey's Bassman 10 doesn't sound like that and neither does the Ibanez (not even close).

=

yeah yeah Youtube vid, you get the idea. If that's what you want a clean sound to sound like, get one like this. I believe this '59 Bassman, the one on which the Marshalls were based, is also different from what we call Blackface and Silverface models. But then again, I'm not always right ?

nick

ez wrote: @nick Wasn't yours modded to Blackface version and had a 12ax7 PI tube? Singemonkey's Bassman 10 didn't used to drive at all, even at high volume, it does now but there's something wrong with it, it doesn't have the same amount of volume either.

As a reminder, here's a real Bassman, through the range of not-driven to driven. Singemonkey's Bassman 10 doesn't sound like that and neither does the Ibanez (not even close).

=

yeah yeah Youtube vid, you get the idea. If that's what you want a clean sound to sound like, get one like this. I believe this '59 Bassman, the one on which the Marshalls were based, is also different from what we call Blackface and Silverface models. But then again, I'm not always right ?

Not modded no, was a Silverface with AB165 (blackface) innards, which was stock. Even went to Karel recently for a tune-up and he didn't report anything apart from a cap that was apparently on the wrong way.

ezietsman

nick wrote:
ez wrote: @nick Wasn't yours modded to Blackface version and had a 12ax7 PI tube? Singemonkey's Bassman 10 didn't used to drive at all, even at high volume, it does now but there's something wrong with it, it doesn't have the same amount of volume either.

As a reminder, here's a real Bassman, through the range of not-driven to driven. Singemonkey's Bassman 10 doesn't sound like that and neither does the Ibanez (not even close).

=

yeah yeah Youtube vid, you get the idea. If that's what you want a clean sound to sound like, get one like this. I believe this '59 Bassman, the one on which the Marshalls were based, is also different from what we call Blackface and Silverface models. But then again, I'm not always right ?
Not modded no, was a Silverface with AB165 (blackface) innards, which was stock. Even went to Karel recently for a tune-up and he didn't report anything apart from a cap that was apparently on the wrong way.

Hmmm, is that normal? Either way, my vote will go for Bassman if its one of them ones that will drive when you turn them up. If not, then neither. But that's me and I'm picky.