Why is the 65 bassguy so great?

LolainNB

LolainNB

Inspired
So I’m a perpetual noob I think. Anyway the 65 bassguy is absolutely dreamy to me. Not even sure what I’m hearing. It’s just pleasant. With headphones and without.

I’m comparing it to the 65 Deluxe reverb

What is missing in the reverb deluxe that the bassguy has?

Not complaining just in awe on how much better than any other preset in the axe in my opinion. Is it the brightness?

Is there one thing you notice comparing these 2 presets only?

I want to learn

It feels spongier
 
The 65 Bassguy is modeled from Dweezil Zappa's personal amp, which is known to have an extra dose of attitude.
 
I guess I just connect with it. The deluxe reverb sound muffled by comparison? Is this true in real life also?
 
The Bassman circuit is basically what the Marshall JTM/Plexi was derived from if that helps in explaining the difference in tone.
 
LolainNB said:
I guess I just connect with it. The deluxe reverb sound muffled by comparison? Is this true in real life also?
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I wouldn't say the Deluxe Reverb is muffled. But it's not as aggressive as the 65 Bassguy model.
 
Rex said:
The 65 Bassguy is modeled from Dweezil Zappa's personal amp, which is known to have an extra dose of attitude.
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The "Dweezil's Bassguy" was, but the other two '65 Bassguy models seem to be from the AB165 model stock Fender Bassman head. The "normal" one is a box stock preamp Fender channel, pretty much the same as in the entire non-reverb "normal" channels throughout the '60s black panel era. The "bass instrument" channel trades the bright switch for a "deep" switch that pulls some mids and a little level to make the bass seem more prominent. I haven't seen that switch modeled in the 65 Bassguy Bass model, but the rest of the tone circuit has other changes that make it sound really nice (500pF treble cap for more upper mids, 100nF mid cap)....

JoKeR III said:
The Bassman circuit is basically what the Marshall JTM/Plexi was derived from if that helps in explaining the difference in tone.
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Actually, that was the '59 tweed Bassman. The '65 black panel Bassman is a completely different aminal. Both are great, but differently so. Been using the '65 Bassguy Bass channel a fair bit lately. Different tone circuitry and preamp topology than the Dlux Verb, and different also from the '59 Bassguy....
 
After fiddling with things left and right I’m finding the Bright Cap knob under the ideal amp setting gets me what I want in most situations.

Maybe my brain just likes brighter things. I mean I just put it somewhere around 12 o clock and it sounds instantly better.
 
LolainNB said:
Intriguing. I need to learn some amp history.
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If you want amp history, you need to check out yek's Guide to the Fractal Audio Amp Models. here's a Cliff quote from the guide:

The 65 Bassguy was matched to a 65 Bassman that Dweezil sent me. It's a vicious amp that sounds more like a Plexi than a Fender. It's the infamous AB165 circuit which is very crunchy and bright and does not sound like your typical Fender. I was told it is stock. Definitely not your father's Bassman. Has a pissed-off Marshall vibe to it.
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Joe Bfstplk said:
Actually, that was the '59 tweed Bassman. The '65 black panel Bassman is a completely different aminal. Both are great, but differently so. Been using the '65 Bassguy Bass channel a fair bit lately. Different tone circuitry and preamp topology than the Dlux Verb, and different also from the '59 Bassguy....
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It was Pete Townshend’s Brownface Bassman, a ‘62 IIRC, that led to the first Marshall amps.
 
Frodebro said:
It was Pete Townshend’s Brownface Bassman, a ‘62 IIRC, that led to the first Marshall amps.
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Examining the circuitry and even just the control layout, it is clear that the Marshalls are based on the tweed Bassman, from the late '50s, with some minor adjustments to parts values. The '62 Bassman has two channels with a volume, bass, and treble control each.
19b.jpg
 
Rumbletone said:
I don’t know what ‘led to’ entailed, but the actual circuit that Marshall built is a copy of the tweed Bassman, not the brownface.
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The story behind it was that Townshend brought his amp into Marshall’s music store and asked if they could build him a copy of it (Fender amps were hard to come by at that time). I don’t recall specifically what model Pete’s Bassman was and had long assumed it was a tweed, but some people have stated that it was a Brownface.

I have Townshend’s autobiography around here somewhere, I’ll have to try and find it and see if he mentions anything about that amp.
 
Early Marshalls are without a doubt based on the 5F6A (Tweed) Bassman circuit. It was almost an exact copy.

bassman-5f6-a-schematic.gif


66JTM45Schematic.gif


Marshall basically just used tubes, transformers, and speakers that were easier to source in the UK and made only a couple of minor value tweaks. Noticeable differences are the larger bright cap and the use of the 16 ohm tap for negative feedback on the Marshall instead of the 2 ohm of the Bassman.
 
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No idea if it's accurate, but I've read that it was Pete Townshend that was responsible for the Marshall stack. Marshall had built some huge 8x12 cabinets for Pete to use in his quest for ridiculous volume. His roadies hated them because of the weight. Marshall solved the problem by splitting them in to the now iconic pair of 4x12 stacked cabinets, one straight and one angled.

Here's a photo of one of those back breakers:
70c400076dc64e9d5f8fa0baa327cd20--guitar-room-guitar-amp.jpg
 
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