FDP Forum / Bassman 100T and 610 neo cab/ 24 messages in thread.
1 to 20 of 24 shown.
Next
20
Last
Page
| Tim1 New Zealand |
Well I know we spend most of our time discussing bass guitars here, but I am now the proud owner of one of the first 100T heads and a 610 neo cab. Bought the head alone first then the bling factor hit in and had to "pimp my amp" so the 610 neo came a couple of days ago. <br /> Haven't gigged the cab yet, but the head pretty much nails the vintage vibe and the modern/overdrive channel is surprisingly useful(and I play clean!). Plus all the other extras like automatic bias, 0/25/100 watt switching and 2/4/8 ohms. It seems to have more useable headroom than I can remember from my Bassman heads of the seventies. Cabinet is stupid light and easy to schlep. And the most gorgeous looking amp/speaker combo I have ever come across. <br /> I have some reasonable points of comparison as I also own an Orange AD200, SVT VR and Bergantino NV610 and NV215 cabs - the 100T sounded eapecially nice into the NV215 but was also very happy into a GK115neo. All basses passive - J and P. Obviously the SVT has much more clean headroom at 300 tube watts, but I am thinking the 100T is much lighter and should handle 90% of the gigs I do these days. The AD200 just loves the P bass...guess I am an ampaholic. |
| MaGr80 East Coast |
Congrats on the setup. I'm considering one of the new fender heads also. Where are they made? |
| barry.b Contributing Member * australia |
I'll be keen to hear how the amp handles gig situations. <br /> <br /> My 78 Bassman 100 I got rid of because it just couldn't keep up - gutless. I have my doubts a 100w amp will cut it at loud gig levels. The bass player of one band I do sound for uses a Fender Bassman TV Fifteen (350 Watt) and some gigs it only just keeps up.<br /> <br /> I also wish I knew about Steve Dallman's modding of Bassman 100's with 6550's instead of 6L6's. |
| Steve Dallman Contributing Member ***** Merrill, Wisconsin Ain't turned 60, but I got my blinker on |
I've actually done a number of Fender amps using 6550's, which are accompanied by increasing the B+ filtering significantly. With a 100 watt amp (including a Twin Reverb the owner used as a bass head) I added an auxilary filament transformer so as not to tax the heater supply. It's not hard. I bolted that transformer to the bottom of the filter cap cover. And I modded the bias supply. The power tube sockets have to be rewired also. <br /> <br /> Even the owner of a 50 watt Bassman reported he could gig with the amp. He also had to remove the chassis from the cabinet to change the power tubes. |
| Tim1 New Zealand |
There is no comparison volumewise between the 350 transistor watts of the TV fifteen and the 100 tube watts of the 100T. The 100T smokes it( and I know that a watt is a watt...)!They are made in Mexico. <br /> Had a jam with it yesterday and it just confirmed to me how much more headroom the 100T has over my memories of the old tube Bassmans - and I have owned a few of them. The neo 610/100T really is a great match. The neo 610 is happy with the vintage channel, the horn crossover is sweet and smooth ao that it also really likes the modern/overdrive channel too. For an old guy like me the combination of lightweight Fender cab, lightweight Fender tube head and my old 68 Jazz puts me in bass heaven.I think Fender have go this one right. |
| barry.b Contributing Member * australia |
"Had a jam with it yesterday and it just confirmed to me how much more headroom the 100T has over my memories of the old tube Bassmans"<br /> <br /> @Tim1 : I do not in any way doubt what you say. After all, we're talking about 30 years of progress and refinement.<br /> <br /> I'm curious how Fender have been able to squeeze more go out of still the same set of four 6L6's |
| Tim1 New Zealand |
Yes Barry, I know - I asked myself the same question. It is a bit like the technical argument that 100 watts is 100 watts yet most of us know that 100 tube watts are very different to 100 valve watts.<br /> There has certainly been progress and maybe that has something to do with it. I also wonder whether the neo 610 cab is more sensitive than the old JBLK140s I used to play my Bassman head through. I suspect the preamp may have more to do with it than the power amp section, but I am not a tech-head. It also seemed louder than my older Bassmans through the Bergantino NV215 cab.What I mean by this is that it does not seem to breakup nearly as early as the old Bassmans, the headroom is sweeter if that makes sense. Whatever the reason, Fender seem to have got it right and it a personal delight to be once again playing Fender basses through an all tube Fender rig. |
| Danny Nader usa You should have been there! |
" . . . yet most of us know that 100 tube watts are very different to 100 valve watts."<br /> <br /> Hmmm? Just checking.<br /> <br /> Danny |
| Tim1 New Zealand |
Ha - I knew I could open up a bag of worms there. Yes I know, 100 watts is 100 watts. But for all the technical reasons that have been argued about for years 100 tube watts sound louder to my ears than 100 transistor watts. I understand that this is because tubes overdrive/clip more smoothly than transistors and etc. etc.....<br /> Oops, I am now sabotaging my own thread :) |
| GlennF Contributing Member *** Medford, NY "It's all in your mind." |
Aren't tubes and valves the same thing, Tim? I think that's what Danny was getting at. Tube watts vs. solid state watts or transistor watts. No offense meant at all.<br /> |
| Tim1 New Zealand |
Aha - sorry, my bad. No offense taken. You are of course right. Sometimes the eye sees what the mind is thinking but not what the hand is typing. |
| GlennF Contributing Member *** Medford, NY "It's all in your mind." |
Yeah I know exactly what you mean, Tim. And best of luck with that amp. It's a great looking setup. |
| Danny Nader usa You should have been there! |
GlennF,<br /> <br /> Thanks!<br /> <br /> Danny |
| Tim1 New Zealand |
Yes, sorry Danny - I should learn to read more carefully before jumping in. I shall now carefully remove the egg from my face. |
| Danny Nader usa You should have been there! |
Tim1,<br /> <br /> I'll duck! You never know where that egg might land! <br /> <br /> Danny |
| Aussie Mark Sydney, Australia |
I've just bought a Neo 610 cab myself - it arrived today, so am looking forward to giving it a workout at tonight's rehearsal.<br /> <br /> Some interesting comments in the thread about how a modern 100 watt all tube amp can be louder than a vintage one - the simple answer to that on is that bass speaker cabs are a heck of a lot more efficient than they were in 1970 - so they need less power to produce the same volume. A good example would be to compare a modern cab with a sensitivity rating of say 105dB vs an inefficient cab rated at say 92dB - all things being equal, the first cab will be more than twice as loud as the second cab.<br /> <br /> That said, I've got no idea what the specs are for the new Bassman Neo cabs - Fender seems to be keeping that a secret, as usual. |
| Tim1 New Zealand |
I factored the sensitivity factor into that when I made those comments as I have tried the 100T into a variety of cabs and also now side by side with a mate's seventies Bassman 100. The 100T still seems to go clearly louder without breaking up - could be a variety of reasons but it all makes for one great amp. |
| Tim1 New Zealand |
It has been pointed out to me that the transformers in the new Bassmans are likely of a higher quality than in the originals. This could lead to the feeling of increased volume through providing more clean headroom from the same tubes. |
| Steve Dallman Contributing Member ****** Merrill, Wisconsin Ain't turned 60, but I got my blinker on |
My modded Bassman 100 was not up to gigging levels when stock. After rewiring it for 6550's and upping the B+ filtering, it was well up to the task. The increased headroom and punch was plenty for gigs. The transformers in it are huge and heavy. I may go further adding followers and driving the 6550's harder. At some point the output transformer may be a bottleneck, but it is very substantial. <br /> <br /> I have tried 100 watt tube heads (an Ampeg V4B for example) that were sufficient for gigging compared to a sf Bassman 100 stock. <br /> <br /> What I gained was headroom, not necessarily watts as the 6550's are still at the same voltages the 6L6's were at. |
| Tim1 New Zealand |
I agree, my point being that it is the considerable amount of extra clean headroom that makes the new 100T so much better than the original. Just loving mine. |
Copyright 1999-2003 Fender Discussion
Page, LLC. Visit the web site at http://www.fenderforum.com