So much of the brownface tone depends on the color of the tolex, though. I say go blonde with a brown plate and the cream knobs. For those who know enough to look closely, perhaps they'll be thrilled to discover that the extra knob controls the amount of NFB (I'm going to call it "tempering" on mine) and the slider "boost" switch kicks in that extra half of the 12AX7. Or maybe since you're using it for bass, it's just a regular deep switch? Or better yet, one channel has deep and one has boost.

Then again, the tuxedo look is quite sharp too. I say just stay away from blackface knobs. Real men put their numbers on the faceplate. And those knobs are total tone suckers.

For a power cut, I was assuming it would disable two power tubes. I do plan on using a tapped transformer so the switch would control both, I guess. My Carvin has this feature and I have the schematic so even though I can't really read it, the design precedent is there and available. I guess. Although it doesn't look like the power switch actually does anything to the impedance section. Maybe it's just not that important..

All this power cut talk actually reminds me of an important question I meant to ask: is the Bassman's easy breakup even due to the fact that it uses just two power tubes? Or is there something else in the circuit that contributes? I mean do all those 2-tube brownfaces break up as easily as a Bassman? I was surprised how dirty it got at kinda low volume.

Also, I just ordered (10) 70k tap pots from Australia.

Last edited: Apr 03, 2018 14:49:43

I do expect you to take it seriously! I was being flippant but I do consider the aesthetic design serious business. I've been working on the same thing, actually. My first direction was to break completely from Fender and go with a color and material palette taken from both Hammond and Rhodes. That is, black, brushed aluminum, and wood.

Decidedly unsurfy but a handsome scheme nonetheless.

When you make some choices on that matter I can mock something up in Sketchup if you'd like a visualization. It's a great way to work out details.

The mini Bassman is a cool idea but I don't really have a need for it. I think if I were going to do a warm-up amp before the main event I'd just do a regular Bassman or even a single channel version. But big enough to be used as a regular performance amp.

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Those Fender Super Sonic amps have an adjustment on the back for "how the amp interacts with the speakers", which I'm thinking is probably the NFB circuit. How about your effects channel gets a deep or bright switch on the slider (or better yet, use a three position slider and do both) and the normal channel slider cuts or reduces your NFB? This seems like a nice way to further differentiate the character of the two channels.

Upon further reflection, the NFB cut would be a global thing, as it inserts downstream of the preamp sections.

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Last edited: Jan 31, 2024 15:49:37

The transformer makes or breaks the amp tone.

The original iron in the trannys is what makes them sound good.

Many will get an old original and have it rewound.

You're going through all the other parts tolerance-ing this and that.

Guys like Clapton did not go through transformer swaps for nothing in his search for tone.

This one's sold though.

https://reverb.com/item/3554592-fender-twin-reverb-1964-output-transformer-needs-rewind

Here's one in your neck of the woods:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Original-1969-Fender-Dual-Showman-Power-Transformer/201833330095?hash=item2efe3435af:g:yO4AAOSwXYtYseJd

Last edited: Apr 10, 2018 23:28:24

Redfeather wrote:

It's an interesting conundrum, this transformer issue. My thought is that Dario's amps sound awesome and they probably use modern transformers. I suppose it might be gauche to ask an owner to peek under the hood but the point is there's a legit solution out there and perhaps the wiggle room you optimistically assume is in fact appropriate.

I purchased an Ampeg B25b bass amp from a sound stage back-line supplier. I had heard the amp live at a show, being used for bass and thought it had a great sound. The strings had this nice tone sustain I had not heard from my old SVT. And then it (the B25b) went up for sale. The back line company owner wasn't a musician, more of a businessman. He did not want a tube amp to look after and it was just another widget to him.

When I got to eyeball it at his storage facility, I noticed the transformer had been replaced. BUT I had heard the amp and liked its tone. Point is whatever he had some tech put in there created this tone serendipitously. I have not investigated what xformer is in there. It just worked well with the rest of the circuit.

Telling the owner that it was not the original tranny got him to knock 50% off the price. So for $120 I get this B25b head complete with the 2x15 Ampeg B25b fridge sized cab.

So the wiggle room does exist.

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Last edited: Jan 31, 2024 15:50:31