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Fender Bassman 135 head *WITHDRAWN*


Shaggy
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Fender Bassman 135 all valve head, USA-made (of couse!)
Silver-face / light blue graphics with red jewel power-light. These were made between 1977-83, exact date unknown, but serial no is; A880070.

All-valve, rated at 135W, but those are LOUD valve watts; I’ve heard quieter solid-state 250W-ers, and the Bassman 135’s have got substantially more grunt than the 100’s.
2 channels; bass & normal. Controls; volume, bass, mid, and treble EQ on each channel, master volume, “deep” switch on bass channel and “bright” switch on normal. On the rear; Fuse, mains voltage select switch, standby and power switches, 2 x speaker out (min 4 ohm) jacks, line out jack, output tubes matching and hum balance trim pots.

One of the great iconic bass amps; Trace Elliot copied their V-series preamp from it. They're known for having a fat but clean, almost hi-fi sound, in fact won't overdrive unless really pushed hard. It’ll do the old-school rock-blues sound to perfection, but so much more too.

Had it since around 1986/7, changed the power valves at the time and gigged it 100% reliably for the next eight years or so, retired it since then. Finally got around to changing the power valves (20+ years old!) only last month and she's sounding sweet. I’d guess the pre-amp valves to be mainly original as two of them are “Fender” branded, but they still seem to be doing their stuff.
Aesthetically I reckon this is the classiest-looking amp ever made, and nice and compact for an old 135W valve head (much more so than a Marshall, for example). The normal channel feature is great for players doubling on bass/rythmn, or as a back-up if your guitarists amp happens to pack up mid-gig! (yes, happened to us twice :) ).
A crap time to be selling I know, and would far prefer to keep it, but my GAS has gone psycho recently and I need to replace squandered funds!
Best collected due to the weight / fragility of valves; I'm based in South Wales just N of Swansea, but work at Bridgend (further E) just off the M4. PM any interest!
PRICE NOW £300

Edited by Shaggy
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I have a Bassman 100. Always good to see another Bassman in such good order. Good luck with the sale. . . Someone's in for a treat - especially at £350

You don't have any Bassman speaker cabs at all? I'm ideally looking for a matching 1x15.

Anyways - goodus luckus with ye sale.

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[quote name='cardinaljay' post='238696' date='Jul 13 2008, 07:30 PM']You don't have any Bassman speaker cabs at all? I'm ideally looking for a matching 1x15.[/quote]

No, never had one - in fact when I was gigging with this I put it through a big old H/H 2x15; did a cheat by sticking some silvery cloth with a Fender logo stencilled on the front of the grille! You do see the cabs around, mind, and they look good with the older Ampeg cabs too.
Cheers for the good words!

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[quote name='Matty' post='239349' date='Jul 14 2008, 05:31 PM']do these go down to 2 ohms?
Willing to post at all?[/quote]
(1) No - says minimum load 4 ohm by the speaker jacks
(2) Yes, for cost - but I will be driving through the fair county of Bedfordshire in a fortnight or so en route to E Anglia! :brow:


Edit; you have a very scary avatar!

Edited by Shaggy
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[quote name='Matty' post='239384' date='Jul 14 2008, 06:10 PM']edit: what sort of weight is this bruiser?[/quote]


There are weights given here; [url="http://www.ampwares.com/ffg/bassman_super.html"]http://www.ampwares.com/ffg/bassman_super.html[/url] but they must be for the combo versions. It's a bit under half the weight of my SVT if that's any help! Certainly not mega heavy. They did put the transformer at one end of the chassis for some reason, so they carry lop-sided using the strap handle.

Edited by Shaggy
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[quote name='Chop' post='242903' date='Jul 18 2008, 05:00 PM']I used to have one of these and don't know where it went, lovely amp.
Best of luck with the sale...
Have a bump on me...[/quote]

MB1. :)
"You dont know where it went? where did you have it last? :huh:

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