There’s no denying that Leo Fender has changed the course of music history with his electric and bass guitars, however, his amps were just as revolutionary. Fender’s first amps hit store shelves in 1946, and Fender has since been at the forefront of amplifier design. Today, Fender offers a wide range of amps, from all-tube reissues that captures classic tones like the classic ‘65 Princeton Reverb and ’68 Vibro Champ Reverb models, to solid-state powerhouses like the Mustang GTX 100 and Champion 20 amps. As there are so many options available, just browsing can be a bit overwhelming.
With that, let’s take a quick look at two popular Fender amps, the 59 Bassman and ‘65 Super Reverb.
| Fender 59 Bassman | Fender ‘65 Super Reverb | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost: | £1,749 | £2,199 |
| Max Wattage: | 50W | 45W |
| Control Panel: | Presence, Middle, Bass, Treble, Volume (Bright Channel), Volume (Normal Channel) | Normal Channel: Bright Switch, Volume, Treble, Bass; Vibrato Channel: Bright Switch, Volume, Treble, Middle, Bass, Reverb; Vibrato: Speed, Intensity |
| Weight: | 53 lbs. (24 kg) | 65 lbs (29.48 kg) |
| Preamp Tubes: | 3x 12AX7 | 4x 12AX7, 2x 12AT7 |
Fender 59 Bassman
Fender’s Bassman has evolved as an amp that was initially designed to go along with the Fender Precision Bass. It’s perhaps a bit of an irony that this amp design is among the most revered by guitarists, rather than bass players. If you add to this the fact that the first Marshall amps were largely leveraged from Fender’s Bassman circuit design (which in turn spawned a countless array of further clones as time passed), and it’s easy to understand why Fender Bassman was the first amp to be chosen as a tweed reissue in the early ‘90s.
Design
Fender’s newest ’59 Bassman reissue takes the amp even closer to the original. Updates for Fender’s ’59 Bassman includes a tube rectifier (original spec 5AR4), an internal bias pot, a pair of US-made Groove Tubes 6L6-GE output tubes, as well as a quad of Jensen P10R reissue 10-inch Alnico speakers.
To finish up the revised Bassman, the ’59 is housed in a cabinet constructed from solid finger-jointed yellow pine and covered in lacquered Tweed, just as the originals were. The front covering is an attractive dark oxblood-type cloth, which again is like the originals.
Beyond the updated improvements, the 59 Bassman shares the same four-input, two-channel design with independent controls for volume on each channel in addition to Presence, Bass, Middle, and Treble controls that go to 12. The two channels (normal and bright emphasized) can be patched together with a short cord that combines the voices. Although it’s important to know that the two channels doesn’t mean that it’s a “channel-switching” amp. The amp is rated at 50 watts and certainly puts out the power. This amp is certainly capable of being VERY loud, especially if you have more of an interest in clear clean tones.
Fender’s Bassman design is straight up and simple with no preamp gain controls for low-level distortion creation. Although the amp doesn’t have effects loops, reverbs, or extra buttons or lights. With being said, blues and classic rock players tend to appreciate the non-master volume style of amps as the volume can be set to a breakup point of natural distortion while the dynamics can then be controlled by the player’s technique. This touch sensitivity can really enhance the mood and feel of the music being played. If you want an amp like the ’59 Bassman to distort, then you’ve simply got to turn it up.
Sound Quality
Fender ‘65 Super Reverb
This faithful recreation of Fender’s renowned Super Reverb from the 60s is a must-have for vintage enthusiasts and Stratocaster guitar slingers, although players of all styles enjoy its shimmering tone. With its medium output and 4x 10” speakers, Fender’s ‘65 Super Reverb delivers stage-filling sound perfect for cranking in clubs and on larger concert stages, and its authentic vintage mid-‘60s styling takes you all the way back to an electrifying era.
Design
There are quite a few things to love about the Super-Reverb. The fact that it’s not 100 watts so you can take it to gigs without it becoming a problem. Fender’s Super Reverb has one of the best Reverb tones you’ll hear. It’s why so many users live on the Vibrato channel of the amp because of this.
Tube Distortion
As you get the Super Reverb up to around 4.5 on the volume control, it’s close to breaking up. Once you get past 5, you’re really starting to get some kick-ass tube distortion that sounds amazing. Having an amp that breaks up at this volume for my sort of music is perfect. You can push it harder with an overdrive pedal and it’ll sustain for days. One of the best things about this amp is how clear the notes are even when running an overdrive pedal. Its 10″ speakers has a voicing that complements pedals very well.
Size and Weight
This is where things can become divided for most people. The Super Reverb amp is quite large and can become awkward for some people. When it comes to weight, it’s not over-the-top heavy or awkward like an AC-30 and not as heavy as a Fender Twin either. It’s important to note that by walking more than 30 meters with this amp, you’ll probably need to use a trolley.
Sound Quality
Conclusion
Fender’s Bassman circuit is totally different from the Super Reverb, and as a result, they don’t sound that much alike. The only real similarities between the two amps are the use of 6l6 power tubes and 4x 10″ speakers.
Fender’s Bassman is very touch sensitive, breaks up at a lower volume than the Super Reverb, and gives more mids. You could say that they sound more “Marshally” when cranked.
Fender’s Super Reverb produces more of a classic Fender sound with less mids. The Super Reverb has more clean headroom and is harder and less compressed sounding when pushed.
While both amps are great, it’s best to try them to see which works best for you.