![]() ![]() That said, if you're insane or reckless the sound of old alnico speaker break-up is amazing for indy or hard rock tone. So even though tube purists may disagree, I think the diode rectifier in the BF Bandmaster is an overall win. I feel the effect of tube sag is really only noticeable when you really push an amp, and I think the Bandmaster sounds best as a pristine class "fender" sounding amp. For some people, tube rectifier sag is desirable and I'd agree depending on the application. This amp uses a solid state rectifier, which means tighter low-end and no rectifier sag. The blackface Bandmaster is a really underappreciated gem. not all blackface bandmasters are created equal though. Very much a giant deluxe reverb without reverb. A lot of people are down on this amp versus the bassman because the smaller output transformer gives it a weaker sound and less headroom (by their standards) but I found it to have just the right amount of grit to the tone and the tightest bass of any large fender I've played aside from the tremolux heads. Last I checked it was still owned by sam ash, so if I ever have a couple grand burning a hole in my pocket I'll meet their asking price. I sadly was forced to sell this amp on short notice to sam ash because my wife needed a couple grand in emergency dental work :-( I got great money for it versus the $800 I paid for the whole rig, but I've enver seen one this clean that sounded this good since. the amp had what one friend called 'cowboy crunch' when bridged and pushed hard. You can bridge the channels on these because both channels are in-phase with the trem disengaged. It had THAT SOUND from so many 60s recordings of every style. This was without a doubt the best sounding piggyback fender I've owned for Americana type music. Some of the changes from the AA568 were reverted in October, 1969, yielding the AA1069 circuit, but many of the changes remained in place.I owned a mid 60s bandmaster with the matching small box 2x12 cab. Unfortunately, the tube chart inside the amp head cannot be reliably used to differentiate the AB763 from the later circuits, as Fender continued using the older tube charts for a while after changing the circuit configuration. The circuit and cosmetic changes didn't happen at the same time some 1967 and early 1968 Bandmasters still possessed the blackface AB763 circuitry. ![]() ![]() ![]() It is referred to at times as the " silverface" circuit, referring to the brushed aluminum control plate used from 1968 to 1974. The AA568 version (introduced May, 1968) was met with popular dislike by Fender's customers. Later "silverface" amps retrofitted to this circuitry are described as having been "blackfaced," a reference to the black faceplate used on these amps during much of this era. Some 1964 blackface Showmen were still covered in blonde Tolex rather than the usual black. The complex brownface "harmonic vibrato", however, was replaced by a simpler electro-optic oscillator. The AA763 (July 1963) and improved AB763 (March 1964) ("blackface") circuit is arguably considered the "best" circuit version produced for this amp by collectors and aficionados. The new model was covered in Tolex rather than "tweed " still a combo in brown Tolex for 1960, and then a blonde-covered head-and-cab piggyback 1961-63. The 6G7 and revised 7-A circuit used the long-tail pair phase inverter introduced with the 1957 Bassman, used a solid-state rather than a tube rectifier, and also included a vibrato that is heralded as Fender's best by many enthusiasts. "Blonde" aficionados feel this circuit has superior tonal characteristics when overdriven, to the AB763 circuit. The circuit was used from 1960 until July 1963 when the "AB763" circuit was introduced. The 6G(n) ("brownface") circuit was used in several Fender amplifiers, including the Bandmaster. Phase inverter changed to cathodyne (concertina) type. Negative feedback and filter choke added, and the output section given fixed (grid) rather than cathode bias. the 6SC7, to nine-pin mini-tubes of the 12A(n)7 family, as well as the introduction of the floating-paraphase inverter. The D-series circuits represented Fender's shift from octal preamp tubes, e.g. Like the other larger Fender amps, the Bandmaster used cathode-biased 6L6G output tubes, a 6SC7 paraphase inverter, and two more 6SC7s in the preamp with a 5U4 rectifier. The first Bandmaster was in all respects almost identical to the Fender Pro, a dual-6L6 26-watt amp with a 1x15 speaker, with one difference: separate treble and bass controls, where the Pro like all other Fender amps to that time only had a single "Tone" knob. Transition models had this period features with smooth blonde tolex covering/sparkle gold grille ![]()
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