1960 Fender Bassman Tweed

One of the great mysteries (to me anyway) is why a retweeded Fender amp is so much less expensive than an original, no matter how ratty and beat up it is. I get it if you're a collector and you want to pay top dollar for a super clean one but if you want a tweed Bassman because it is arguably the best guitar amp ever made, then worry about the important stuff that affects tone like transformers and speakers. This 60 Bassman is all about tone. Tons of clean headroom and plenty of dirt if you crank it up. Want to know a secret? If you want earlier breakup, drop a 12AX7 or a 5751 into the first preamp tube position instead of the stock low gain 12AY7. This amp has been recapped using what I think are the best (by far) vintage style cap on the market. These Jupiters very closely approximate the Astron "firecracker" caps that Fender used until around 1956. The transformers are original. The tweed is not. The grill cloth probably is not. The speakers are Weber alnicos made to approximate the tone of the old Jensen P10R's and Q's. They are a much, much better speaker than the reissue Jensens which look like the originals but don't sound anything like the originals. The handle is a repro. The selenium rectifier for the bias circuit has been replaced (pretty standard mod/upgrade). Tubes are mostly vintage (power tubes are Sylvanias). Chart date code is JA which is January 1960. Circuit is the desirable 5F6-A. If you're a collector, this one isn't for you but if you're a player, this amp will dazzle you with its tone. There are good 5f6-A Bassmans and there are great 5F6-A Bassmans. This one slots in near the top of the heap.