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1960 Fender 5F6-A Bassman

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Serial #: BM04283, stamped in chassis. Stamp on label: JK

Notes: Introduced in 1952, the Fender Bassman was created to accompany Fender's wildly successful Precision Bass, which debuted the previous year. Originally a 26 watt amp with a single 15" speaker, the Bassman grew to 40 watts by 1954, with four 10" speakers, making it almost certainly the most powerful instrument amp of its day. Increasingly popular with guitarists, by 1958 the amp had been upgraded with four inputs (two 'Normal' and two 'Bright') and a midrange control. Covered with Fender's signature diagonal tweed, this 'narrow panel' version of the Bassman has achieved iconic status, having inspired the original Marshalls and countless other high-gain amps in the decades since. From Buddy Guy and Jimi Hendrix, to Stevie Ray Vaughn and Brian Setzer, a host of legendary performers have regarded the tweed Bassman as simply the finest guitar amp ever made. Even the Fab Four used one on a number of classic recordings.

This historic amp represents the last and most celebrated version of the combo Bassman, designated by Fender as the 5F6-A. This road warrior left the factory in November of 1960, making it one of the last of the legendary tweeds. (Only a few months later, the model was entirely redesigned, with piggyback cabinets, blonde Tolex covering, and a single 12" speaker.) Kept by a single owner in Eastern Washington since the early 60's, the amp has all original components. The original Jensen P10Q Concert speakers are renowned for their power handling capacity, and date to October of 1960. The pot codes range from 1955 to 1960, and the output and power transformers, choke, capacitors and resistors are unchanged as well. Only some tubes and the handle have been replaced over the years, and the owner recalls that he had the speakers professionally reconed back in 1964.

This legendary amp features hand soldered point-to-point circuitry, and all-original well- traveled covering and grille cloth. The four input, six knob layout includes Normal and Bright volume controls, and Bass, Mid, Treble and Presence controls, all with original chicken head knobs. Even the ruby pilot light bezel and fuse holder remain intact. Warm and throaty, the amp delivers creamy clean response at low volume levels, and is phenomenally powerful when cranked, making it a favorite for studios, clubs, or concert halls. A recent Fender-logo amp cover is included. Frequent visitors know we rarely carry amplifiers of any kind, but this big beauty was just too sweet to resist. One only: call now.

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