The only thing I would say is to be careful when you buy a Bandmaster head. And to really be in line with Stevie Ray (asides from ability), I guess a 4x10 Super Reverb with a Tubescreamer would be more desirable than a 2x12 Bandmaster (didn't Noel Redding use a Bandmaster for bass?) Soundwise, I think Bandmasters are more in the line of the Fender Vibrolux/Twin Reverb/Showman family, not the Fender Bassman and Deluxe Reverb sounds. I ended up swapping in a Bassman output transformer and some 7581a power tubes, and it's my favorite amp right now. Save up for an original Deluxe, or maybe get a reissue Vibrolux.Ī couple years ago I was able to sell my 66 Vibrolux and pick up a 66 BF Showman, 68 SF w/trim Bandmaster, an unloaded BF 66 Tremolux cab and an unloaded BF 66 Bandmaster cab (the smaller one) with the money - I believe the Bandmasters are still one of the best deals for Fender. If it's more than that, it's only because it's a pre-CBS Blackface, not because it's incredible, sound-wise. I would not pay more than $500 for it (the head) though. I had a Bandmaster rig with head and 2 X 12 cab that couldn't have been more than $375 for everything, but that was the '80s. Bandmasters were always sort of considered the poor kid's Fender-I remember when those black-face heads were easily gotten for $100 to $150. I paid $500 for it about three years ago. I have had vintage Supers and Twins and Deluxes, and I won't say it's in the same class with those, but these days it's my only Fender. I don't find mine to be overly bright, but I DO have to keep the bass pot down to like 2 or 3. Great clean sound, and surprisingly great for overdriven lead guitar using a Les Paul or humbucker Gibson. I record with it all the time and love it. The reverb version is quite rare, but other than that, it has the same circuit as the black '64 you're talking about. Note that the 'vibrato' circuit is actually a 'tremolo' effect in that it modulates amplitude not pitch of the signal.I have a first generation silverface Bandmaster Reverb, 1968/9.
#Fender bandmaster head driver#
The single 12AT7 was used for the reverb driver while the 12AX7 was used for the vibrato circuit. The first two 7025 valves are used for the first stage pre-amps (one 'normal' channel and one 'vibrato'), the second 7025 being used for the reverb recovery and mixing stages. There are several versions of the Bandmaster Reverb circuit:īandmaster Reverb Valve / Tube Compliments On top of this it deviates from the traditional Bandmaster reverb formula in its use of a hybrid preamp section which utilises 12ax7 tube power alongside a DSP section. It is however largely a different amp as it models the blackface variants of the Bandmaster and adds reverb. The amp was reissued in 2009 as the Band-Master VM (Vintage Modified series), and features many of the characteristics of the original.
Power was increased from 40 to 70 watts/ RMS Line Out jack, hum balance pot and an ultra linear output transformer were added in 1977.
Master volume models with "pull boost" tone circuit, a Mid control knob for the Normal channel and a tailless amp decal were introduced in 1976. Some later Bandmaster Reverbs also added a 3-band EQ on the Normal channel and a bright switch but this was uncommon across all models. This was complemented by the added functionality of a master volume and a push/pull boost. These changes increased the headroom of the amp and brought it more inline with the non-reverb versions. The output transformer was connected as ultra linear to the power tubes and larger filter caps where used.
#Fender bandmaster head series#
These series amps offer the designations AA768, AA568, AA1069 and TFL5005.Ī revised model was introduced in 1977 that increased power output to 70 watts. The revised circuit also places the gain stage within the reverb recovery circuit which causes the amp to break up earlier. This resulted in the Bandmaster Reverb having reduced power over the standard model and increased sag and power amp break up. Fender introduced the amplifier with a 5U4GB rectifier tube rather than the diode rectifier found in the previous Blackface Bandmaster. The first version of the Fender Bandmaster Reverb was introduced in 1968 as a Silverface Bandmaster that offered reverb on the vibrato channel. The Bandmaster Reverb was produced in both a 40 watt and 70 watt tube variant, before being reissued as a vintage modified amplifier. It was introduced in 1968 and was discontinued in 1980. It was primarily a Silverface Bandmaster piggyback 'head' with the addition of reverb and vibrato and a modified circuit that shared more similarities with other Fender amplifiers. The Fender Bandmaster Reverb was a tube amplifier made by Fender.
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