Any of the PRS amps cover some of the Bassman range?

[Rango]

I have a reissue '59 Bassman and thought about getting a Victoria. The Bassman is just such a fun amp, great rich tone. Only down side is it's 50 watts! and that's just too loud! So I end up playing my Mesa TA-30 a lot because it can be powered down to lower wattage.

What I'd REALLY like is something around 15 to 20 watt Bassman! I tried the trick of rebiasing and using 6V6 to cut the wattage but it killed the tone.

So any of the PRS amps cover some of this tonal range? Ya, It would be nice to play them but I'll have to seek it out so I need to focus the hunt. :wink:

Suggestions?

 

[Boogie]

There is a 30W HXDA combo that may stray into that realm but I have no first-hand experience. The PRS 30 amp is also a really good sounding amp, but I wouldn't characterize it in the Bassman arena. Kinda depends on what aspect of the Bassman you really liked. Crystal cleans? Note bloom? Headroom?

 

[aristotle]

You guys may call me crazy, but to me, the 50W MDT is very bassman like with the master cranked, and the volume set to about 3. Not sure what the power output is at that point, but it's probably less than 20W. Maybe I'm not totally crazy though, because I think that's what the "T" in MDT stands for ("Tweed").

 

[Hopeful Sinner]

Have you given the Sweet 16 a look and a listen?

I have one and love it.. It's my "F" brand loving guitar buddies favorite of my amps. It actually kinda reminds me of an old blackface Bassman, which I was smooth talked out of many years ago so, I've never been able to directly A/B them...

16 watts, nice rich, round tone.. It "feels" great, if that makes any sense?!?

 

[Rango]

There is a 30W HXDA combo that may stray into that realm but I have no first-hand experience. The PRS 30 amp is also a really good sounding amp, but I wouldn't characterize it in the Bassman arena. Kinda depends on what aspect of the Bassman you really liked. Crystal cleans? Note bloom? Headroom?

Not really looking at "cleans". The less headroom the better! Classic Rock crunch and OD...I can drive it with pedals if needed.

You guys may call me crazy, but to me, the 50W MDT is very bassman like with the master cranked, and the volume set to about 3. Not sure what the power output is at that point, but it's probably less than 20W. Maybe I'm not totally crazy though, because I think that's what the "T" in MDT stands for ("Tweed").

Could be interesting but I'm trying to keep it down low on the wattage scale... Even Club gigs 30 watts is plenty and I could Mic the amp if I needed more volume. Not gigging at the moment anyway...

Have you given the Sweet 16 a look and a listen?

I have one and love it.. It's my "F" brand loving guitar buddies favorite of my amps. It actually kinda reminds me of an old blackface Bassman, which I was smooth talked out of many years ago so, I've never been able to directly A/B them...

16 watts, nice rich, round tone.. It "feels" great, if that makes any sense?!?

16 watts is about right on the power front...I wonder if there's a shop in the Los Angeles area with one in stock to try?

Thanks Guys - keep'm coming.

 

[Boogie]

I'm told that certain shops - *cough* Wild Wood *cough* - might be able to help with an evaluation sample. Otherwise, there's nothing wrong with a road trip. :top: If OD and classic rock crunch is what you're after, #1 target for me would be the 30W HXDA.

 

[KazJY]

I'm told that certain shops - *cough* Wild Wood *cough* - might be able to help with an evaluation sample. Otherwise, there's nothing wrong with a road trip. :top: If OD and classic rock crunch is what you're after, #1 target for me would be the 30W HXDA.

Is there a 30 W HXDA (as a standard offering, or custom?)? This, in a combo to boot, seems ideal!

 

[yankeebulldog]

I'd say my Dallas II is in that same tonal range of the Bassman. It has more clean headroom than my Tweed Deluxe as you would expect since the Dallas is 50 watts. The master works pretty well for lower volumes but as with just about every amp like this it needs to be cranked to appreciate its full potential. BTW, there is very little volume difference between 30 and 50 watts if you're considering something like the MDT. If you really want 6L6 tubes you're going to be limited to 40-50 watters in most cases.

 

[Boogie]

Is there a 30 W HXDA (as a standard offering, or custom?)? This, in a combo to boot, seems ideal!

Derek Morgan at Morgan at Morgan's Guitars gave me info on this model. Not much info in available in the wild but Chris Reynolds and Derek have mentioned it a few times.

 

[zebraprs]

Is there a 30 W HXDA (as a standard offering, or custom?)? This, in a combo to boot, seems ideal!

Yes there is an HX/DA 30watt 2x12 combo available through CAD. My friend has one.. it is very nice indeed.. but I am not sure i would call it Bassman-Like.

I have a very sweet 10watt 1x12 combo and it is more like a Bassman than anything else i have... Especially if you pair it with a 4x10 cab.. OMG!!!!

 

[László]

I have a 50 Watt HX/DA head that I adore. Phenomenal amp.

Back when I was a lad, I had an original '67 BF Bassman, bought new, for many years. Good as that amp was, and many other amps I've had, the HX/DA is much more phenomenal, though it's different to the bubbly breakup of a Bassman. The HX/DA is much smoother.

 

[Rango]

Man I'd like to try the HX/DA...

and the MDT.

and the Sweet 16.

 

[Skeeter]

Man I'd like to try the HX/DA...

and the MDT.

and the Sweet 16.

Seriously, I can't decide what is more awe inspiring the HX/DA or MDT. From what I've heard from the MDT it seems to marry a few of my favorite sounds: great Plexi, with the punch and clarity of Brian May crossed with smoothness of Eric Johnson with a Santana-like vocal midrange. If that even makes any sense, the lead tone is just music to my ears.

It really hits a lot of THE tone I've always had in my head. Can't wait to be in a position to really consider buying one of these CAD creations!

 

[aristotle]

Seriously, I can't decide what is more awe inspiring the HX/DA or MDT. From what I've heard from the MDT it seems to marry a few of my favorite sounds: great Plexi, with the punch and clarity of Brian May crossed with smoothness of Eric Johnson with a Santana-like vocal midrange. If that even makes any sense, the lead tone is just music to my ears.

It really hits a lot of THE tone I've always had in my head. Can't wait to be in a position to really consider buying one of these CAD creations!

Well then, there's only one solution:

Seriously though.... The MDT, with the master dimed and the volume set to about 3, it's the spitting image of a bassman, but putting out no more than 15W. But, you've got so many other options... (the clip above was probably with master about 6 or 7, and volume about 5 or 6.)

 

[Boogie]

Aristotle, do you mind sharing your settings used in your video (or whatever you want) in this thread? We don't have any MDT settings listed yet and could use your take on HXDA configs. I listened to your videos several times before making my last amp purchase. :rock:

 

[Rango]

Thanks Aristotle!
Nice choice of riffs too, has some nice single note and POWER chords

I like them both, but the HXDA sounded a little more like the tone in my head. I'd love to get some time with them. If you can just post a pic of the controls - that way if I get a chance to play it I'll look at the pic and twist the knobs to match as a solid starting point.

 

[aristotle]

Unfortunately, I can't remember the exact settings. For the MDT, it was likely around (out of 10) 5 on the volume (gain), master dimed, 3-way toggle set to bright, presence at 6, bass at 4, mids at 6, trebble at 7. No clue what the HX/DA was set to. The good and bad with that amp is that since it's so flexible with so many controls, I'm constantly fiddling with all of the knobs and buttons.

Of the two, I think that the MDT responds more like a bassman or JTM45 (depending on the setting of the bright switch) at low gain settings. It also responds to pedals more like a bassman than the HX/DA (in my opinion.) I've posted this someplace before (maybe even here...can't remember...) The two amps were set up to be as identical as possible with a clean tone. They're being switched through a radial headbone (great device by the way for anybody with 2 heads...let's you switch between two heads into a single cab on the fly without damaging the amps.) My recollection though is that most liked the tone with pedals from the HX/DA better, but the difference is striking given that the clean tones are so similar...

 

[Boogie]

...I think that the MDT responds more like a bassman or JTM45 (depending on the setting of the bright switch) at low gain settings...

I get what you're saying. It's in the bass and low-mids response. It's times like now that I wish my Bassman was a 50w and not 100w so I could make a better comparison.