[Cmnaround]

I'm not the seller - found on local craigslist and need advice if this is a potential decent score. Opinions welcome and appreciated -

Thanks!

"I have a clean 1968 Fender Bandmaster head w/ AB763 (blackface) circuit for sale. I am not the original owner but I was told that everything is all original. The amp has been tested on the normal and vibrato channel and both sound great. The footswitch is not included."

http://southjersey.craigslist.org/msg/2613071846.html

[hippieguy1954]

It's a great amp! Good price too. Same pre amp that's in a Twin.

[Grant]

It would have been modded to AB763 since it's a silverface wouldn't it? ie. Not all original

[dancingrizz]

Well Fender used up all the AB763 tube charts left in house in 1968 however by April 1968 all the big amps and Band Master is a big amp had the next circuit (741 I think). So I would get the chassis code and check it against the Fender Amp field guide on line. Btw PR and smaller maintained BF circuits at least to 1970 and have been quite a deal in the past. =]B?)>>

[jeffm725]

As I understand it the real early silverfaces in 68 in some cases still had the AB763 circuit. But yes, some confusion lies in that even after the circuit change ins some models they continued to use the AB763 tube charts until they ran out.

Those are great amps, even if the circuit had been changed, the conversion back to AB763 on the 68-69's is Amp modding 101 and can be done quickly and cheaply by any decent amp tech. (Or yourself if you have a little bit of amp experience, just drain the filter caps first!)

[mijknahs]

What about reverb? Reverb is a big part of the sound.

[hippieguy1954]

Reverb became an option in 1968 for the Bandmaster, so it could have it. If not, it can be easily added.

[mijknahs]

How would you add reverb to it? Are there 2 empty preamp tube sockets?

[rugger]

How would you add reverb to it? Are there 2 empty preamp tube sockets?

I would think he could just use a pedal or external reverb unit, because you are right, he's not easily adding that to the head.

BTW, 5 bills is a good price. Check the bottom of the page: http://ampwares.com/amplifiers/fender-s ... andmaster/

John in San Diego

[Cmnaround]

Thanks for all the advice guys, much appreciated!

[strumminsix]

I'll post the unpopular opinion - don't buy it at that price. I think it's overpriced in this market and not really a "Jerry platform".

It has no reverb, it's been mod'd and to get it close to Jerry tone you'd need to mod it further since the OT is undersized and the headroom will be lacking.

By the time you do all that you could have bought an SMS and have something you will never want to sell cuz it's just that good.

[hippieguy1954]

Hey Strumminsix, if you read the posts before yours, you can see that what your saying is debatable. Some do have reverb, and the mods are very simple and inexpensive. I have a SMS and do love it, but like I said your post is sounding like you didn't read all the other posts. Sorry if you did read them, just seems like ya didn't.

[strumminsix]

Hey Strumminsix, if you read the posts before yours, you can see that what your saying is debatable. Some do have reverb, and the mods are very simple and inexpensive. I have a SMS and do love it, but like I said your post is sounding like you didn't read all the other posts. Sorry if you did read them, just seems like ya didn't.

I read each and every post but my opinion was directly to Cmnaround based on his original post.

In response to you, Mr. 1954 , that amp is in a short head therefore no reverb. Heads with reverb are about 4" taller than that for the reverb tank to lay in it.

I'm not sure why anyone is saying it's easy and inexpensive:
1. change circuit and modify chasis to add:
--- Reverb Driver: 12AT7
--- Reverb Recovery: ½ 7025
2. modify housing to add a reverb tank or maybe need a repro REVERB head

That will be alot of work, actually, and not reversible.

Further, the OT (output transformer) is smaller and therefore will break up early. So it will not really sound like a Twin or half a Twin.

And to get it there will be a few hours on a tech bench + tank + tubes + new OT and that's assuming it doesn't need caps or any other components that may have drifted.

Now, if this wasn't in a JERRY TONE section I'd have a much different opinion on this head.

[dancingrizz]

I read each and every post but my opinion was directly to Cmnaround based on his original post.

In response to you, Mr. 1954 , that amp is in a short head therefore no reverb. Heads with reverb are about 4" taller than that for the reverb tank to lay in it.

I'm not sure why anyone is saying it's easy and inexpensive:
1. change circuit and modify chasis to add:
--- Reverb Driver: 12AT7
--- Reverb Recovery: ½ 7025
2. modify housing to add a reverb tank or maybe need a repro REVERB head

That will be alot of work, actually, and not reversible.

Further, the OT (output transformer) is smaller and therefore will break up early. So it will not really sound like a Twin or half a Twin.

And to get it there will be a few hours on a tech bench + tank + tubes + new OT and that's assuming it doesn't need caps or any other components that may have drifted.

Now, if this wasn't in a JERRY TONE section I'd have a much different opinion on this head.[/quote]
Well I must admit I hadn't noticed 'Jerry Tone" thread and did not look past Is this a decent amp? My bad. =];?)>>

[Cmnaround]

Lots of very helpful information for sure.

After a little back an forth it's negatory for me on this one, simply because I don't need anything else that's 40 years old to do work on and hope it sounds cool and doesn't break. I did that with a 1955 Hammond M3 - which I loved - but still super old with associated issues.

Agreed a new SMS or similar pre-amp rig set up - more efficient and reliable to get great tone. If I had more time, this would be a really cool project to take on -