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Running a guitar through a '76 Bassman.

nickydeannickydean Posts: 40
edited April 2006 in Musicians and Gearheads
I've been having a bit of an arguement with my bassist, and I need some backing opinions. I have an American Deluxe Strat, and I wanted to buy a '76 Bassman because when I played my Strat through it, it sounded amazing. My friend is trying to convince me that running a guitar through a bass amp will somehow ruin the amp over time. That the amp, being designed for a bass, will slowly start to die if I run a guitar through it. I think he is full of shit. Actually, I know he is full of shit, I just need some backup.

Any takers? Or anyone that uses a Bassman as their primary amp?

Thanks in advance for any help.
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Posts: 6,395
    The all-tube Bassman amps are one of the most popular guitar amps. They were originally designed to work for bass, but lots of guitar users have played them over the years, and you will have no problems whatsoever. Your bass player isn't entirely wrong; most modern bass amps would take a beating over years of guitar playing. But the older tube amps are fully capable of running guitar, and a lot of them sound damn good doing it.

    One thing worth noting: it is much less reliable to run it the other way. Guitar amps and especially guitar amp speakers are not designed to handle the frequencies of a bass, so running a bass through a guitar amp is not at all recommended.

    All this info courtesy of a player who runs guitar through my Bassman.
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • nickydeannickydean Posts: 40
    See, this is what I'm talking about! Thanks a bundle!
  • enharmonicenharmonic Posts: 1,917
    Your friend needs a bit of an education. It is perfectly fine to run a guitar through a Bassman. In fact, the circuit is not drastically different than an early Marshall circuit. :)
    new music: http://www.myspace.com/blackbirdsymphonique

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  • All Those YesterdaysAll Those Yesterdays Posts: 2,723
    enharmonic wrote:
    Your friend needs a bit of an education. It is perfectly fine to run a guitar through a Bassman. In fact, the circuit is not drastically different than an early Marshall circuit. :)

    side note: Marshall copied the '59 bassman circuit. Then switched to EL34's due to the expense of the 6L6's at the time, with the same circuit, which is why they had so many problems with those early Marshalls failing, the components couldn't handle the 34's.

    Can anyone imagine a world with out the JTM 45, Plexi, 1974x or the blues breaker. Yikes!!!!!!!

    I'm pretty sure with a simple jumper on the bassman circuit you have a Plexi circuit. Could be wrong


    MIG are you one of those folks that run a bassman head thru a Marshall 4x12?
    E. Lansing-98 Columbus-00,03,10 Detroit-00,03 (1&2),06, 14 Cleveland-03,06,10 Toledo-04, Grand Rapids-04,06 London-05, Toronto-05, Indianapolis 10, East Troy (1&2) 11, Chicago 13, Detroit 14

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  • the unseenthe unseen Posts: 372
    doesnt brian setzer use an old bassman?
  • Oh, JimmyOh, Jimmy Posts: 957
    the unseen wrote:
    doesnt brian setzer use an old bassman?

    I think so.

    SRV used at least one. I think he had several though.
  • All Those YesterdaysAll Those Yesterdays Posts: 2,723
    the unseen wrote:
    doesnt brian setzer use an old bassman?

    Yeah he runs a '59

    Setzer, now thats a show
    E. Lansing-98 Columbus-00,03,10 Detroit-00,03 (1&2),06, 14 Cleveland-03,06,10 Toledo-04, Grand Rapids-04,06 London-05, Toronto-05, Indianapolis 10, East Troy (1&2) 11, Chicago 13, Detroit 14

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  • qontheboardqontheboard Posts: 782
    Here's a little more backup. I play harp through a '59 bassman. During a recording session a while back, the engineer demanded that our guitarist plug into my bassman. After plugging in and playing a few riffs the engineer said "there now your guitar actually sounds good".

    q
  • nickydeannickydean Posts: 40
    qontheboard wrote:
    Here's a little more backup. I play harp through a '59 bassman. During a recording session a while back, the engineer demanded that our guitarist plug into my bassman. After plugging in and playing a few riffs the engineer said "there now your guitar actually sounds good".

    q

    Best ever! Thanks for the support.
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    Setzer also uses tonemasters.

    The 1959 Fender Bassman (5F3 circuit I believe), is one of the most perfect amplifier circuits ever created for guitar, bass, harp or what have you. It's simply a brilliant circuit for nearly any kind of music you intend to amplify. Leo Fender was one of the most amazing minds of the last century what he did for modern music is nothing short of astonishing.

    If you run a bass into a guitar amp and run it at high volume, you can damage many softer paper cone guitar speakers because they aren't designed for that kind of low end pounding vibration bass strings generate but there's no worries with the bassman and a guitar. Use your ears, you'll know if you're damaging something.

    Tell your buddy he's got it backwards.
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • iamrockmusiciamrockmusic Posts: 443
    Yeah, your buddy has it backwards... Guitars sound awesome through bassman cabs... and you won't ruin it.
    Mesa 11/7/93 - Charlotte 10/4/96 - DC 6/14/98 - Raleigh 8/31/98 - Knoxville 9/6/98 - Columbia MD 9/18/98 - DC 9/19/98 - Columbia MD 9/4/00 - Phoenix 10/21/00 - Raleigh 4/15/03 - Phoenix 6/7/03 - Philadelphia 5/27&28/06 - DC 5/30/06 - Las Vegas 7/6/06 - San Diego 7/7/06 - LA 7/9&10/06 - Gorge 7/22&23/06 - Chicago 8/5/07 - PJ20 9/3&4/11 - Jacksonville 11/24/12 (EV) - Orlando 11/27/12 (EV) - Brooklyn 10/18&19/13 - Charlotte 10/30/13 - Memphis 10/14/14 - Ft Lauderdale 4/8/16 - Miami 4/9/16 - Jacksonville 4/13/16 - Hampton 4/18/16 - Chicago 8/20&22/16
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Posts: 6,395
    All Those Yesterdays wrote:
    MIG are you one of those folks that run a bassman head thru a Marshall 4x12?


    I have a Marshall 4x10 that I occasionally plug it into, but I have another 4x10 cab that is loaded with Weber AlNiCo speakers that is purpose-built for the Bassman. It's a very wooly sound, very organic.

    Let's get a list of Bassman players. I submit:

    Mike McCready (1998 and earlier)
    Doug Martsch (Built to Spill... awesome Bassman tone!)

    I'm pretty sure that Isaac Brock does, too.

    SRV probably did use a Bassman from time to time, he owned and played thru just about everything. But he was famous for using Super Reverbs and some Marshall models during various points in his career.

    And one quick note: Fender is now shaming the Bassman name with a series of wimpy, shitty solid-state bass amps that you would be ill-advised to play ANY instrument through.
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • All Those YesterdaysAll Those Yesterdays Posts: 2,723
    mccreadyisgod wrote:
    I have a Marshall 4x10 that I occasionally plug it into, but I have another 4x10 cab that is loaded with Weber AlNiCo speakers that is purpose-built for the Bassman. It's a very wooly sound, very organic.

    Let's get a list of Bassman players. I submit:

    Mike McCready (1998 and earlier)
    Doug Martsch (Built to Spill... awesome Bassman tone!)

    I'm pretty sure that Isaac Brock does, too.

    SRV probably did use a Bassman from time to time, he owned and played thru just about everything. But he was famous for using Super Reverbs and some Marshall models during various points in his career.

    And one quick note: Fender is now shaming the Bassman name with a series of wimpy, shitty solid-state bass amps that you would be ill-advised to play ANY instrument through.

    Dan Auerbach of the black keys has a bassman on their dvd that he keeps messing with.

    Also a buddy of mine's band "Van Gogh Stereo" on there latest album played an old bassman thru a slanted 4-12 marshall cabinet"
    E. Lansing-98 Columbus-00,03,10 Detroit-00,03 (1&2),06, 14 Cleveland-03,06,10 Toledo-04, Grand Rapids-04,06 London-05, Toronto-05, Indianapolis 10, East Troy (1&2) 11, Chicago 13, Detroit 14

    https://www.facebook.com/aghostwritersapology/
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