#1957 fender bandmaster full

Having no idea exactly what circuit this was, or if anything had been altered in it's past, I was mentally prepared for every scenario it appeared to have a 'drip-edge' aluminum frame around the grill cloth, which could make it a '68-'69, and potentially a better circuit for my needs, but who knows what the guts looked like, or how bad that hum was.Р”Р„fter an easy transaction, I arrived home and fired her up nasty hum indeed, sounded like 60 cycles, likely from the power section of the circuit as it was independent of any control settings. Spotted on, this 'silverface' Fender Bandmaster was listed as a '70s model with a nasty hum across both channels, located just across the river in Yonkers, NY I snagged it for $400 with local pickup. Be it a ground-up build like the Tweeds, a circuit rebuild like the Princeton Reverb reissue, or this gem of a project that landed at my feet recently partial restoration, partial conversion to a new fire-breathing beast. It's not very sensible, it's not particularly good value, but it is - unfortunately - completely magic.As my experience inside tube amps increases, so does the wealth of knowledge I'm gaining from each project, and the past four months have been incredibly illuminating to say the least. Yet what ought to be an outdated piece of history paradoxically still sits supremely well in many vintage and contemporary musical styles. It's louder than a tweed Deluxe, less visceral than a Bassman and nowhere near as versatile as a Hot Rod DeVille. It's the antithesis of the modern, multi-featured box, offering up a pure, undiluted vintage tweed experience at a volume level that's bang-on for modern pubs and clubs. It's perhaps too furry for trad country, but right at home in any modern Americana setting.Р”В®veryone who plugged this in during its time at Guitarist was grinning within seconds.

Yes, you can do the Pete Townshend thing, but also think about Mike Campbell, John Fogerty, Springsteen and Neil Young.

You might love it, or you might prefer it dialled back for more control and 'order' in the sound. The result is a slightly more 'wild' sound with increased distortion on the treble frequencies particularly. What it's actually doing is decreasing the amount of negative feedback in the power section as you turn it up. The presence control on many early tweed amps gave players more brightness and brilliance, which it continues to do here.

#1957 fender bandmaster full

Pick lighter and the twang returns it's an extremely responsive amp in that respect, so suits players who like to eke out a full range of textures and dynamics. Push the volume and the sag and compression is more noticeable in the bass end, particularly on the attack of lower notes. It's an immensely authentic, evocative, grin-inducing experience, quick into overdrive with a palpably more furry-yet-ebullient edge than, say, a '65 Deluxe or Twin Reverb. Wind up the wick and the oh-mama moments come thick and fast with any classic guitar. It's thick yet bright, with a noticeable 'hair' to the top end that breaks off into light vintage overdrive. Instead, armed with a Gretsch Center-Block White Falcon, and with the amp volume down around three or four, you're greeted with a gigantic 3D soundscape that has even non- guitar players impressed. 'With the amp volume down around three or four, you're greeted with a gigantic 3D soundscape that had even non-guitar players impressed'Р”Вon't expect shimmery, 'blackface' Twin-type cleans or tweed Bassman-like headroom. We're talking gloriously rich, sizzling, vintage overdrive with ladlefuls of dynamic sag and natural compression.

When you add in the valve rectifier and turn it up, those 26 watts convert into something the amp wasn't designed for, yet has become the reason people love them today. Why 'only' 26 watts from a pair of 6L6 output valves? Well, the Bandmaster's relatively low- power output transformer keeps things in check to better protect the low-power speakers.