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NAD: '61/'62 Blonde Bassman with some interesting features

Stratoben127

New member
Joined
Jun 30, 2013
Messages
301
Late last night I was contacted about doing a local trade swapping my 1974 Marshall JMP50 for his Blonde Bassman. He wasn't sure exactly what year it was but said it had recently been fully checked out by a reputable local tech.


A few hours ago he brought it over so he could check out my Marshall and I could check his amp out through my cab. It sounded amazing and from what I can tell it's pretty much original aside from a few necessary cap changes and some holes drilled in the back of the chassis. Whatever mods were done using the holes, if any, have been reversed and the blue molded caps are still there.


What's interesting is that the tube chart is mounted on the bottom of the cab and is the old style without the tube drawings and just has letters like you see mostly on '61s. The chart is for a tube rectified 6G6-A and is stamped February of '61, but the output tranny and choke are from the 36th and 41st week of '62. The choke is from late '61. It definitely left the factory as a solid state rectified 6G6-B, so either they used up an old tube chart, used up an old head cab, or it was put in a different cab at some point in it's life.
 

Stratoben127

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Jun 30, 2013
Messages
301
Here's my vintage Fender collection:

'65 Reverb, '62 Bassman, '64 Deluxe Reverb, '62 Jazzmaster.
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="7" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:53.6111111111% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BLJ3OBPBZ4R/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Today is vintage @fender day (though a Gibson tends to always slip in). '65 Reverb tank, '62 Bassman, '64 Deluxe Reverb, '62 Jazzmaster. -- -- -- #geartalk #fender #gibson #jazzmaster #fendersofinstagram #gearporn #vintage</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A photo posted by Ben Sparaco (@bensparacomusic) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2016-10-04T20:17:15+00:00">Oct 4, 2016 at 1:17pm PDT</time></p></div></blockquote>
<script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>
 

sikoniko

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Aug 28, 2012
Messages
675
It's always interesting to see the same thread populate multiple boards.

congrats! would love to hear more about why you chose to switch from the Marshall to the Fender.
 

corpse

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Jun 9, 2007
Messages
4,876
I have seen a few Fender's and there are few hard, fast rules like you see with Marshall's in a specific time period. There is little in the way of transitional period- every period depended what was next on the parts shelf. Until someone gets in there with a magnifying glass and a diagram, it's hard to say. There are surprises, just no big surprises.
My '63 Bassman is infinitely usable- a real tank- the tone is great at low volume and is terrific loud. It takes pedals well.
Both amps in this deal are great amps- now you have a new one.
 

Big Al

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Apr 24, 2002
Messages
14,537
I have a 63. Wouldn't swap it for any Marshall. Plenty of growl and crunch tones, huge low end and plenty of sparkle. I prefer it and I found that the cleaner tones are much better than Marshall for my tastes.
 
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TM1

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Jun 27, 2003
Messages
8,349
I had a blonde 6G6-B Bassman for around 10 years or so. I bought it from Elliot Easton when he was thinning the heard. It sounded great and both head and cab were mint with covers and the original speaker cable. Blonde tolex, brown grill but a transition black control panel with white knobs just like the one The Beatles owned but ended up with George. The 6G6-B is the most recorded Beatle's amp of all time. It was purchased in early 1965 probably new because the serial number on that amp points right to May 1964 as do the date codes on the chassis and Oxford speakers.
with Fender's in that era it's not uncommon to see transformers and filter caps from months or even a year or so earlier in any amp. so just because an output tranny dates it at say the 25th week of 1962 doesn't mean it was built and shipped right at that time. The company who supplied Fender with their transformers was Schumacher and are based in Chicago. It could have been built weeks before it was even shipped to Fullerton.
 

TM1

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Jun 27, 2003
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8,349
In `62 & `63 they used AC-30's, late 1963 into 1964 they used AC-50's until August when they received their AC-100's for the American Tour. `65 they were still using the AC-100's but suplimented that with the Bassman. `66 was the Vox 4120 for bass and Vox 7120 for guitar. In `67 came the Defiant's and Conq.'s and the use of the Bassman. By `68 it was pretty much Fender stuff till the end. My friend Brian Kehew wrote a book called "Recording The Beatles" that came out about 10 years ago. He and his writing partner Kevin spent a few years researching everything they used. Brian has had unlimited access to EMI/Abbey Road for at least the last 17-18 years as he's done alot of remastering work there for older records. Brian told me ages ago that the Bassman was used on tracks that most folks think are Vox Amps. They had a deal with Vox thru Brian Epstein that they would only be seen in public using Vox. Listen to Rubber Soul and you're hearing mainly Strats into a Bassman for the lead tracks. The amp is in the possession of the Harrison Estate and Dhani uses it quiet often and most of George's solo work was done thru that amp. You can dial in some great sounds from those amps and depending on the speaker cabs will make a huge difference.
 

Big Al

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Apr 24, 2002
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14,537
Shame we don't live closer Al, I bet I could change your mind.

I have had and have heard some mighty fine Marshalls. I tend to like the older models best and they are firmly out of my price range. I still have my Basket weave 68 cab with original greenbacks as well as a newer combo that makes the right noises for me. I really am fond of the Fender stuff and my 63 Blond Bassman can hang with any 50 watt Marshall. I kinda like the low gain chewy, fat cleans and turned up and angry it just roars!

I think I am predisposed to the Fender sound as it was the sound of my youth. It is steeped into my DNA and just sounds right. Marshalls were very hard to come by in the 60's and even into the 70's were very, very expensive here in the States. Fenders were cheap and plentiful and had that sound. If I grew up in ol' Blighty I might have a different slant on things.

I know the Plexi's get all the love but a JTM 45 I had was just perfect and I preferred my 71 Steel plate to the Plexi's I tried. That one I traded in to get a PA for the band and the 45 went to my pal Jerry, in the Edgar Winter Group, after I left and struck off with Chuck Ruff for awhile before forming my own group.

Never found an AC30 I liked all that much either. I guess I am too much the Yankee, but I wish I could pop over and have you try to set me straight. Surgery is this Thursday, so tomorrow is my last day for playing. Gonna play until my fingers bleed as there won't be any playing for months after thursday, if I can play at all.:2cool:hank:hank:hank
 

MikeSlub

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Jul 15, 2001
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15,166
Blonde Fender amps rule! :dude:

Vintage%20White%20Fender%20Piggyback%20Amps.jpg
 
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